Imitation of water in bench modeling. Railway Modeling: Imitating Water How to Make Waves on a Diorama
So, at home we found:
1. Acrylic varnish, transparent, glossy.
2. Glue Moment Crystal.
3. Parquet varnish, colorless, glossy.
4. Glue BF-6, medical
5. Children's stained glass paints (well, on glass they are almost transparent)
6. Silicone sealant, transparent
7. Liquid nails (It seems like a moment), also a transparent option.
8. Titan glue (I bought it while I was looking for epoxy, just in case)
The containers are wire spools, the thickness of the poured layer is approximately 5mm (to the edges).
Photo after pouring and photo after 5 days (which has dried)) During the pouring process, I sprinkled all sorts of glitter, beads, and tried to tint it with stained glass paints. In general, see for yourself what happened (there are a lot of photos))))
Acrylic varnish. Colorless (when it dries), I threw the beads on the bottom, I didn’t risk tinting it (let the transparent layer dry first!).
It turned out to be garbage... :(There were some holes left. The varnish itself did not become transparent. Plus it dried out twice as much. Yes, it took three days to dry...
Moment crystal. It poured beautifully, mixed well with the stained glass paint, but there were a lot of bubbles inside (I don’t think it was from my mixing with the paint, it’s just the moment), I threw in a bead.
Dried quickly. The next day was dry. As the bubbles dried, all half a centimeter of glue dried into a thin bubble film in the shape of the container))) Well, if you imitate swamp mud))))
Parquet varnish... Well, apparently it is colorless on parquet)))) It mixed well with sparkles and beads, did not become cloudy, there was no reaction.
I didn’t make friends with stained glass paint; it turned out to be a cloudy substance (in the upper right compartment). But the droplets of paint (if not stirred) fell very beautifully (in the photo, blue, like beads - this is stained glass paint)
Oooooh... it's still drying.... 5 days is not a long time. Although you can pick at the top with your fingernail :) but it’s still soft inside.
The color is not colorless. During the drying process, some large air bubbles appeared. Droplets of paint spread (looks very nice in reality). In principle, I liked it. If not yellow, then it could be poured in several layers.
In general, there is something to dream about).
By the way, it hasn't dried out very much. The level fell by 1/4 of the initial volume.
Glue BF-6, regular, medical. In general, I really liked it - it mixed well with the paint, there were no bubbles. The bead is not visible)))
Dried for two days. Dried into a charming film))) In general, it’s not suitable for a lake, but it can be used for some other crafts (in our country they make trees from PVA)
Stained glass paints. Too dark... Apparently that's why they are stained glass, so that they can be applied to transparent products...
It took three days to dry. It turned out very interesting, but not suitable for the lake. But some kind of puddle can be depicted) After drying, the volume did not change much.
Transparent liquid nails (left) and transparent silicone sealant (right). Stained glass paint They refused to paint it))) It became lumps in the sealant, and they didn’t even pour it into the nails...
Bottom line: if the sealant can also roll under the water surface (slightly cloudy), then another use can be found for the nails (they are not particularly transparent with such a layer after five days, maybe dry it yet?)
The volume hasn't changed at all.
Dry for three or four days. The volume has decreased by half. The sparkles partially dissolved into bubbles (apparently some kind of reaction took place). The result was a translucent bubbly mass. Looks nicer in reality than in the photo. The glue that I added along the edges dried normally. In principle, if you pour carefully, you can avoid bubbles. It is better to pour it in several layers (after drying the previous one)
Simulation of water and liquids in crafts May 7th, 2011
source: http://women-on-line.ru/publ/kukolnaja_miniatjura/imitacija_vody_v_kukolnykh_miniatjurakh/59-1-0-514
Imitation of water in puppet miniatures
Typically, miniaturists use epoxy resin to simulate water and other liquids. If you have seen various drinks, shiny sauces on food, raw eggs, soups or other liquids in puppet miniatures, and have also seen beautiful water effects in railroad or landscape scenes, you may have looked at epoxy resin products.
When you prepare this mixture, it will harden, become shiny and durable. It can be poured in several layers to create the effect of deep water.
Only a layer of 3 or 6 mm of material can be poured at a time. You cannot pour one thick layer of this material. For example, deep water can only be done in several layers.
What is two-component transparent epoxy resin?
Two component clear epoxy resin is glossy finish, obtained from a mixture of epoxy resin and hardener. You can buy it in hardware stores and construction supermarkets. The main use of the material is a long lasting and high shine after it hardens. Two-component epoxy resin is sold in a set (two jars: one with hardener and the other with epoxy resin). When these two components are mixed in equal quantities, the mixture heats up, then becomes gel-like, and then completely hardens.
Paints, dyes and fillers can be added to the mixture to simulate colors and textures. Paints must be suitable for working with epoxy resin. Other dyes may react with the epoxy and destroy its normal properties.
Safe work
It is necessary to work with epoxy resins only in a well-ventilated area. You should avoid inhaling the fumes (epoxy resin fumes are much lighter than fumes from other chemicals used to simulate water), and it is advisable to wear gloves and safety glasses when handling epoxy resin to protect your hands and eyes from accidental splashes. The product is sold with accessible instructions for safe use.
This is not a product that can be used by children. Therefore, bottles with epoxy resin and hardener should be kept away from children.
Rubbing alcohol or regular alcohol can be used to remove spilled liquid resin from surfaces and tools.
Mixing
The two ingredients must be completely mixed together in one container (which should be thrown away after use). The material from which the container is made should not react with the epoxy. Good for working with miniatures Small plastic cups with measuring marks (for example, the kind sold with cough syrup) are suitable in which you can mix the two components of the resin. If you don’t have anything like that on hand, you can also use disposable syringes to measure required quantity material.
Epoxy resin must be mixed by carefully measuring the exact amount of resin and hardener (1:1). This option is also possible: you measure the required amount of epoxy resin, pour it into a disposable cup, and then add hardener to another cup to the same level.
When you have two equal portions, you pour the epoxy resin into the container with the hardener and thoroughly mix the two components with a wooden stick.
Then, once the ingredients are well mixed in the container, you pour them back into the container that held the epoxy resin to ensure that you have used equal amounts of the ingredients and that whatever is left at the bottom of the first container is completely used.
Removing Bubbles
Mixing epoxy resin and hardener will cause bubbles to form. If you blow on the mixture, the bubbles will burst due to the presence of carbon dioxide in your breath. If you will be filling small bottles, jars, glasses or jugs, let the epoxy sit for a few minutes to allow the gases to escape before pouring it into the container in which it will cure.
Working conditions
Most epoxy resin manufacturers indicate in the instructions a time of approximately 30 minutes until the resin becomes gel-like (this time depends on the room temperature). Most two-part epoxy mixtures cure in approximately 8 hours at 21°C. But they cannot be used when the room humidity is around 50%, otherwise they may become foggy. The material has a shelf life of at least a year if stored in a tightly sealed container. Epoxy resin products will turn yellow if exposed to direct sunlight.
Simulate liquid using two-component clear epoxy resin
The epoxy resin settles into a flat surface. It slowly stretches down the walls of the vessel. To simulate still water, you will need to apply a final leveling to its surface to remove the “sticking out” edges that form as the mass flows down the walls.
Plan your work carefully. You may need to glue the pieces together before pouring the resin into the jar. You may also need to add details with each layer (for example, to make a realistic environment with fish or tadpoles at different levels, jars of fruit or vegetables that don't sink to the bottom).
If you're planning to simulate melting jelly, ice cream, or a spilled drink, allow the epoxy resin to gel before pouring it. This will give you a thicker layer than if you poured it straight after mixing.
To create a wet mark or puddle effect, but with the understanding that you will then need to remove this effect from the surface, pour resin onto a bendable plastic surface. Tear the plastic away from the "puddle" and then place the "puddle" on the floor in dollhouse without spilling resin on the floor.
There are other products that are better suited to the running water effect, and most of them can be combined with hardening two-part clear epoxy resin.
Tips and tricks
Epoxy resins will not come out of shape easily. Do not use them to make jelly dolls or other things that need to be removed from molds.
Improper mixing will cause the epoxy resin to not cure. Measure well before mixing.
When filling a small-necked container, fill it drop by drop from the tip of a pin or toothpick. Or use a disposable pipette or syringe.
Avoid working in cold and damp room, otherwise the resin may become cloudy.
Use special paints for working with epoxy resin. Compatible paints are clear or translucent, and colors can be mixed.
Some plastic parts may dissolve in epoxy resin. Check to see if paints or bases will be damaged by resin before working with them.
Good afternoon
I have been trying for a long time to find materials and techniques for creating water surface, while trying to look for publicly available materials
(including inexpensive ones) and simple technologies, accessible to modelers of any level. Over the past six months I have conducted a small experiment and this is what happened.
Many modellers previously used, and many still use, epoxy resins to simulate a water surface, including EAF (Dzerzhinsk) and similar analogues. They may be suitable for swampy or river water, but not for clear sea or flowing river water, the whole point is that these resins turn yellow and darken over time.
To imitate the surface of the sea or ocean, Vallejo produces colored and transparent gels; they are applied with a brush. The price of these jars is approximately 500-600 rubles. Even buying one jar in Barcelona (Spain), the price turned out to be the same as in Yekaterinburg. 
Here is an approximate result of their use. Base - EDP epoxy resin, Vallejo gel coating. As we can see, the resin began to darken after 3 months, although it was transparent at the hardening stage. 
And I wanted to find material specifically for clear water. It seems my dream has come true - the company "Andrea miniatures" releases the "Artificial Water" set 
- the same resin, but transparent, although over the course of a year it gave a slightly yellowish tint, 
but this is not so critical.
The price is for 250 gr. It cost me 1,500 rubles - I think it’s a bit expensive for our brother modeler.
So I continued my search and came across resins such as optical epoxy adhesives - compounds for jewelry brand PEO-510 KE -20/0. There are several varieties, but for now I bought this brand and Czech-made Epoxy 520 resin from the company. Both are two-component (resin and hardener), transparent and are sold in any container from 250 grams. up to 200 kg. The price is around 1000-1300 rubles per 1 kg. 
Having examined samples of products made from these resins at the company, I was convinced that they did not darken or turn yellow. Molded plastic is also available for sale,
including transparent, but its consistency is very thick and, according to the company’s managers, it will be problematic to remove the bubbles without a vacuum chamber. It might work for figures, but I don’t think so for a water surface.
Arriving home, I began making a model of the water surface. I took the package from cell phone and used it as a bath. I laid out small sea pebbles and several stones on the bottom and sprinkled it all with fine sea sand. Under the stones I put some kind of dried grass, which was supposed to imitate algae. After heating the resin to 40 -50 degrees in a water bath, I began to add a hardener and a little oil paint to give the appropriate shade sea water. After the thin first layer of “painted resin” began to harden, I filled the bathtub to the brim transparent resin without additives. Here's what happened: 
More than three months have passed, but the resin remains transparent. I think this version of the experiment is suitable for standing water.
Next, I wanted to try to reproduce light waves on the surface; for these purposes, I purchased two types of transparent gels in an art salon, one Idea Midium made in Italy, the other Kristall Gel made in Germany. Both gels are in the same basket price 350 - 370 rubles. 
Idea Midium Gel, when applied with a brush, gives a thinner layer (good for 350 and 72 scales) than Kristall Gel, which is more suitable for waves in 48 and 35 scales. Although using them consistently, I think you can come to good result. The photo shows how the gel lays on the glass. 
So, first I cover the surface with Idea Midium gel to create a light sea ripple: 
After 24 hours we see this picture: 
Then I cover it with a thick layer of Kristall Gel, because the layer turned out to be really large, the gel dried within three days. In this case, I also wanted to see how the gel would behave if I tried to imitate splashes from a wave impinging on a stone: 
Touched up with white
HEALTH TO ALL!
What are special means and how to “fight” them?
Vallejo Water effects an acrylic product designed to form the foundation of rivers, lakes, bays and oceans. Vallejo Still water being a dense gel, ideal for simulating the surface of water on colored base created using Water effects, and can also be used to create waterfalls, waves, ripples and ice.
For imitation water apply a small layer to the prepared surface with a brush, scraper, sponge or any other tool Water effects and left to dry completely.
Its drying time depends on the thickness of the applied layer, the humidity of the atmosphere in the room, and can vary from one to several hours.
After the surface has completely dried, apply it with an old wide brush. Still water to create water shine, ripples and transparency effects.
The advantages of this product are its ease of use, non-toxicity and the ability to mix with acrylic paints to create a variety of shades. However, there are two significant drawbacks such as big time drying time up to 24 hours and large shrinkage after drying. Therefore, if you want to make fairly deep water, then apply Still water should be done in several layers.
Vallejo Still water is simple, but not perfect and if you pay attention great importance water on a diorama, it's not the best choice. But if you use water in limited quantities and as a secondary object, this is the product for you.
In about a day Still water dries and water on diorama takes on a transparent and shiny appearance.
In my opinion, this method is suitable for replacing the stand-holder of a model in a small area, as in the photo below.
As an alternative to the above, I will lay out the procedure for making such a unique stand from a Polish modeler under the nickname ARBAL
Let's admire it together, and I just comment on each photo ( with an almost literal translation from Polish done by Alexshow) :
We prepare the stand by modeling the shape sea waves using mass-Milliput. (Epoxy plasticine for modeling - milliput)
Coloring the simulated waves. I (author - ARBAL ) mixed the paint, various shades turquoise and gray. Waves, draw in compliance with all the rules of miniature painting, or pay attention to shadows and light. Color transitions don't have to be done perfectly. Finally, let's deepen the effect achieved by using a faint gray tint.
When the paint dried I covered the entire surface Transparent Water effect ( transparent water effect).
(We looked at the ready-made ones above of blue color mixtures - Alexshow)
Keep in mind not to spread a layer too thick because it may take a few days to dry! I put a 3.4 mm layer. Currently, it's winter, so I placed the stand on a heater to speed up the drying process.
After 8 hours, the effect is completely dry.
I applied another layer of clear water in the same manner as in the third photo. (before that, he applied white paint with a dry brush to the problematic areas in his opinion - Alexshow)
When the second layer has dried:
I made a mixture of white paint with Transparent Water effect.
Spread the prepared mixture in places where water should produce foam. And left it to dry.
I painted the sides of the stand black to create a natural contrast. Work is done.
- Diorama - imitation of water using Vallejo Water effects and Vallejo Still water (part 3)
After a beautiful diorama I simply liked almost spontaneously posted on my blog grew into a permanent topic and works on a marine theme began to appear in it, readers are increasingly asking questions about water modeling technology. I have already described one of the methods, suitable for small-scale battle themes. Today it’s the turn of the second one - for marine dioramas, like the same U-96 presented above. The master class is conducted by Alexander Blokhin aka Alex-Goblin from the site vif2ne.ru.
The sea attracts the eye. Paintings by great artists and photographs convey to us only a short, almost imperceptible moment of all the dynamics and endlessly changing beauty of the sea. But I want to constantly feel this moment. It’s funny, but those who are most eager for this spectacle are ship modelers. After all, what is a model of a ship (plane, tank, etc.) if not a moment in the life of the original? What about the diorama? The most complex and more labor-intensive aspect of modeling in all respects. It is necessary not only to skillfully “revive” the model, but also to harmoniously arrange it in the diorama.
Manufacturing, or more correctly, imitation of a water surface on a diorama marine theme, is often a stumbling block for most modellers. And it’s not a matter of skills - it’s just that the materials themselves and their combination raise many questions. There is a lot of advice in modeling literature and the Internet. But in my opinion, most of them are quite labor-intensive, require certain skills in working with the materials used and, importantly, are not cheap in terms of money...
My method was originally built on this last aspect. But, closer to the point. As an example, I chose to work on the destroyer USS Leutze. The model was assembled from cardboard along the waterline and glued to a wooden board (see Fig. 1-2). It is advisable not to treat the surface. This is important for further operations. Taking into account the “multi-layer nature of the sea”, I glue the body onto cardboard with a margin of 4-6 mm. I paint the borders the same color as the waterline.
Fig.2
I made a plaster solution. It should not be too liquid, but not thick either. Using a small spatula or stick, I “spread” it onto the surface of the board. Having already initially imagined the general and desired appearance of the sea I am creating, I try to give the texture of small waves. A kind of ripple. Please note that behind the stern these ripples should be more frequent. This is the wake. (see Fig. 3-5).
After the plaster has dried for about an hour, painting begins. I usually use gouache and acrylic paints. (see Fig. 6-9). The sea is never one color. From dark - blue with additions of black, I move smoothly to lighter shades. I add a little green.
In general, my advice is to often keep photographs or paintings of the sea in front of your eyes while working. Aivazovsky, for example. After painting, I let it dry for about 1.5-2 hours.
Then comes the most basic and crucial stage. To simulate water directly, I use transparent silicone. Or, as it is called, “transparent construction sealant.”
Gradually, slowly, I “spread” it not thickly - from 1 mm to 3-4 mm on the surface. To do this I use a small flat brush (see Fig. 11). It should be noted that although the strokes are not uniform, they are by no means chaotic! This is determined primarily by the current, the movement of the ship, waves - in short, the conditions set in this problem.
Many factors must be taken into account. The silicone coating should not be tightened as it hardens. After covering with the first layer, I take a small piece of cardboard and, dipping it in machine oil (you can also use other types of technical oils), “smooth out” any unnecessary irregularities. The oil can be removed with a cotton swab after the silicone has hardened.
You can start working with the second layer. In it I try to give the main outlines and shapes of the waves. Before applying it, I partially tint the first layer with slightly diluted acrylic paints. The sea should be multi-layered, so I try to give this effect. Again, using a small flat brush, I “spread” it thicker than the waves (see Fig. 14-16).
Then I let it dry. White acrylic paint I paint foam on the crests of the waves. Also, here and there, I give her light strokes over the entire surface. (see Fig. 10 and 13).
I'm starting to finish. I add silicone with a thin brush. I work especially carefully on the breakers from the stem. As a rule, this is the “face” of a moving ship. Again, I constantly check with photographs of the original or other images of ships. Silicone makes it possible to make it translucent and more reliable. I carefully “mix” a piece of synthetic onto the ridge of the breaker using tweezers. cotton wool (see Fig. 17).
That's basically it. I do not give specific instructions on working with tools and material. It's how someone succeeds. Using my work as an example, I only tried to convey my way of modeling a marine-themed diorama.
