Technologies for creating sea water in a diorama. Muddy waters of the Mekong. Sea or waves on the lake
Probably one of the many enjoyable activities is watching the water. It doesn't matter if it's a stream, pond, sea or ocean.
The works of many artists try to convey in them all the power, beauty and romance at the same time, to capture a certain moment in time. It is this moment that remains in our memory and makes us remember many, many times.
For this reason, the diorama allows you to create a composition that will delight you. for a long time. In addition to composition and artistry, a diorama's realism plays an important role. In this article, we will show you how you can imitate water for your dioramas in poster modeling.
Materials and methods
All simulation methods can be divided into 2 groups:
- voluminous;
- superficial.
Imitation of the thickness (volume) of water
This technique is used when it is necessary to convey "actions" inside the water, to show transparency. For such purposes, as a rule, polyurethane and epoxy resins are used.
- a yellow-brown or transparent substance that hardens with a hardener.
Advantages:
- 2-3 hours after mixing the components, the resin changes its characteristics and it is convenient to apply it to the surface and give it a wave shape.
Flaws:
- thorough mixing and exact observance of the proportions of the components is necessary. If this is neglected, then bubbles may appear.
- serious shrinkage after drying;
- toxicity, odor.
is a modern replacement epoxy resin. Unlike epoxy, it has better fluidity and transparency. For this reason, it is better suited for simulating objects submerged in water. Shrinkage is present, but not significant. The time to complete drying can be up to 48 hours.
Flaws:
- highly toxic;
- high price.
If you need to create a large water surface and do not need water transparency, the “old-fashioned way” - gypsum is suitable.
Gypsum - inexpensive material odorless, has a significant hardness. The mixture should not be very liquid, but at the same time - not thick. After drying (1-2 hours) - the surface can be painted. For these purposes, both the most inexpensive paints - gouache, and more expensive water-soluble acrylic paints are quite suitable.
Simulation of the surface of the water
Sometimes it happens that only surface effects are enough in a diorama, for example: puddles, ponds, other small reservoirs. Although there are exceptions - the sea surface. Here are the main ways.
Silicone sealant(transparent)- this is the most common sealant, which is packaged in tubes. Ideal for rough water simulation. Dries out from moisture in the air. Following the application, it is desirable to immerse the work under the cap.
Flaws:
- toxic while drying, has a strong smell of vinegar;
- peeling is possible under mechanical action;
- fast drying(about 30 minutes).
Liquid nails (transparent)- also familiar to us glue. It is a white, odorless, non-toxic substance. It has a transparent base that can be tinted acrylic paints. The transparency of the layer appears only after complete drying. A thick layer dries for a very long time, so it is recommended to pour glue no more than 5-6 mm thick. and make the wavelength up to 1 cm.
Flaws:
- long time drying.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite enough ways to simulate water in modeling, besides, we have not described everything here - but only the main ones. One universal method does not exist, each modeler must choose one or another method that is suitable in a given situation.
We hope this article has helped you. Good luck with your modeling!
>> >> Imitation of water in modeling
After a beautiful diorama that was almost spontaneously posted on my blog turned into a permanent theme and works on the marine theme began to appear in it, readers are increasingly asking the question about water modeling technology. One of the ways, suitable for small scale battle topics, I have already described. Today it is 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 vif2ne.ru.
The sea is eye-catching. Pictures of great artists, 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 feel this moment forever. It's funny, but the most eager for this spectacle are ship modellers. After all, what is a model of a ship (an airplane, a tank, etc.) if not a moment in the life of the original? And the diorama? The most complex and more time-consuming 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 water surface on the diorama maritime theme, is often a stumbling block for most modellers. And it’s not about skills at all - it’s just that the materials themselves and their combination raise a lot of questions. There is a lot of advice in the modeling literature and the net. But in my opinion, most of them are quite time-consuming, require certain skills in working with the materials used, and, importantly, they are not cheap in terms of money...
My method is built initially on this last aspect. But, more to the point. For example, I chose to work on the destroyer USS Leutze. The model assembled from cardboard along the waterline and glued to a wooden board. (See Fig. 1-2). It is desirable not to process the surface. This is important for the next operation. Taking into account the "layered nature of the sea", I glue the body on cardboard with a margin of 4-6 mm. I paint the borders in the color of the waterline.
Fig.2
I made a solution of gypsum. It should not be too liquid, but not thick either. With a small spatula or stick, I "spread" it on the surface of the board. Having already initially imagined the general and desirable appearance of the sea I am creating, I try to give the texture of small waves. A kind of ripple. Please note - these ripples should be more frequent astern. This is a wake track. (See Figure 3-5).
After the plaster has dried - 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 black additions, I move smoothly to lighter shades. I add some green.
In general, my advice is to keep photographs or paintings depicting the sea in front of your eyes more often while working. Aivazovsky, for example. After painting, I let it dry for about 1.5-2 hours.
Then comes the most important 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 thick - from 1 mm to 3-4 mm on the surface. For this I use a small flat brush (see Fig. 11). It should be noted that the strokes, although not uniform, are by no means chaotic! This is primarily due to the current, the movement of the ship, the excitement - in short, the conditions set in this problem.
Many factors must be taken into account. Silicone coating should not be tightened in view of its solidification. After coating with the first layer, I take a small piece of cardboard and, dipped in machine oil (other types of technical oils can also be used), “smooth out” unnecessary bumps. The oil can also be removed with a cotton swab after the silicone has solidified.
You can start working on 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 lightly diluted acrylic paints. The sea should be multi-layered, so I try to give this effect. Again, with the same small flat brush, I “spread” thicker waves (see Fig. 14-16).
Then I let it dry. I paint foam on the crests of the waves with white acrylic paint. Also, here and there, I lightly give her the same light strokes on the entire surface. (See Fig. 10 and 13).
I'm going to the finish line. With a thin brush, I add silicone. I especially carefully work out the breaker 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 the most reliable. On the crest of the breaker, I carefully “mix” a piece of synthetic with tweezers. cotton wool (see Fig. 17).
Basically everything. I do not give specific instructions for working with tools and material. It's like who gets it. Using the example of my work, I only tried to convey my method of modeling a diorama of a marine theme.
Every ship modeler sooner or later faces the problem of simulating the surface of the sea on a stand (minivignette) or on a marine-themed diorama. Usually, in this case, models along the waterline are used. In our market, models “along the waterline” (in plastic these are ships of a scale of 1:700, and in cardboard 1:400 published by JSC) are widespread and popular, therefore, this article can be. useful a large number of people. I myself have encountered water problems"working with ships" seven hundred "- well assembled, they look great, but they will look even better on the" surface of the sea ". Such a miniature allows you to fully experience the beauty of the ship in its natural environment.
Water in dioramas is divided into transparent and opaque. The choice of water type depends on what we want to show. Transparent water is used in dioramas, where it is necessary to show that something is drowned in it. For example, this method is used when it is necessary to show the periscope of a submarine or the underwater part of a ship. Creation Methods clear water some:
- gelatin. The advantage of this method is simplicity, you need to fill your plot with gelatin and wait for its concentration. It must be remembered that gelatin is rather unstable and will change its structure especially at high temperatures.
- two-component transparent pitch. It has more advantages, good transparency, strength and resistance to mechanical stress. The disadvantage is a greenish color, which is not always desirable. This happens as a result chemical reaction, which, among other things, is accompanied by the release of a large amount of heat. The correct arrangement of diorama elements is difficult and can be deformed during the pouring process, there is also a possibility of plastic elements melting.
- Still Water by Vallejo – special composition, transparent as glass and very hard after drying. No flaws, but I don't recommend it. The composition is more suitable for reproducing puddles on a diorama than for our purposes.
- Blue Water by Vallejo- preparation of cream consistency blue color. Easy to apply and smooth with a spoon. Working with it is similar to working with silicone, only with a more pleasant smell. The product should be recommended for the execution of coastal water, "deep" water cannot be imitated.
This brings us to the heart of the matter - there is no way to make perfectly clear water. Each of these methods has its drawbacks. I use opaque imitation in my dioramas. A well done surface painting gives the complete illusion of water. My "sea" comes from aluminum foil, ordinary kitchen foil on a roll. The material was not chosen by chance, I was attracted by the opportunity to create a beautiful relief with it. "Is it difficult?" - you ask. Not at all. The surface of the water consists of many small and large splashes and waves. Chaos in pure form. But aluminum foil makes it possible to reproduce it!
Now I will state everything point by point:
This is my method, and I hope that my experience and photos will be useful to you. Good luck creating spectacular dioramas and vignettes.
ALL HEALTH!
What are special tools and how to "fight" with 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 with the help water effects, and can also be used to create waterfalls, waves, ripples and ice.
For water simulation on the prepared surface with a brush, scraper, sponge or any other tool, a small layer is applied 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, it is applied on it with an old wide brush. still water to create water sheen, 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 different shades. However, there are two major drawbacks such as big time drying up to 24 hours and large shrinkage after drying. Therefore, if you want to make quite deep water, then apply still water follows in several layers.
Vallejo Still water is simple but not ideal and if you pay great importance water on the 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 up and water on the diorama becomes transparent and shiny.
In my opinion, this method is suitable for replacing the stand-holder of the model in a small area, as in the photo below.
For an alternative to the above, I will lay out the procedure for manufacturing such a kind of stand from a Polish modeler under the "nickname" ARBAL
Let's admire together, and I just comment on each photo ( moreover, an almost literal translation from Polish was made by Alexshow) :
We prepare the stand by modeling the form sea waves using Mass-Milliput. (Epoxy Modeling Clay - Milliput)
Coloring the simulated waves. I (author - ARBAL ) mixed the paint, various shades turquoise and grey. 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. In the end, deepen the effect achieved by applying a weak gray tint.
When the paint dry I covered the whole surface transparent water effect ( transparent water effect).
(We have already considered ready-made of blue color mixtures - Alexshow)
Keep in mind not to apply too thick a coat because it can dry out in a few days! I put in a 3.4mm layer. It's winter at the moment so I put the stand on the 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 way as in the third photo. (before that, with a dry brush, he applied white paint to problematic places in his opinion - Alexshow)
When the second layer is dry:
I made a mixture of white paint with transparent water effect.
The prepared mixture is held in places where water should produce foam. And left to dry.
Painted the sides of the stand black to produce a natural contrast. Work is done.
- Diorama - simulate water with Vallejo Water effects and Vallejo Still water (part 3)
