Water for a beginner

Started by Uplander, August 07, 2022, 03:28:34 PM

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Webbo

My understanding is that the Woodland Scenics Realistic Water is the same thing as gloss medium which can be bought in art supplies shops. I've used RW and I'm very happy with it.

Regarding Bealman's comments on the appropriate colour to paint the bottom of the water body, I think the issue is a bit tricky. Real water bodies show a colour which arises from the viewing angle. At steep viewing angles, the water is the colour of the material suspended in it whether it be plankton (green), silt (brown), or tannins and lignins (almost black). At lower viewing angles the water takes on the colour reflected from the sky or background.

Webbo

Bealman

That is indeed correct, Ian Webbo, sorry  ;)

I think that when you decide on a water feature on your model, you think about where it's going to be viewed from most often.

I guess I'd better get down to baseboard level, then! Gonna give me back hell though  ;D
Vision over visibility. Bono, U2.

The Q

#32
To model a steep mountain Burn / stream, I found it was a good idea to pour it, but a little at a time from the top, the minimum you need to reach the bottom and thinned with the appropriate substance. It's the only way to get realistic puddling in the right places..

As it's Highlands and Islands I used a mixture of black and brown for the river and loch bed..

Soon be modelling the sea bed  / harbour, which will need a completely different technique, as I wanted real depth . In the Hebridies IF there are no real waves you can see the sea bed and hull of ferries below the water line..

So my "Sea" is a sheet of clear plastic over a sea bed of white sand with odd patches of  with light colouring in places and a lot of seaweed modelled clinging to rocks. The plastic will then be " rippled" with clear and matt varnish and the odd bit of colour where appropriate.

LASteve

Hi Uplander - late to the party as usual, but great to see you and I'd like to add a couple of observations as a relative beginner myself. No affiliation, but I've used the WS water products (Realistic Water and Water Effects) to good use, along with some Mod Podge and fantastic, inspirational videos from Luke Towan over on YouTube.

What I found looking at real places is that water is never still, even on the small puddles or ponds, In fact it's the movement of water that draws our eye. It's usually on the dark side too, rarely reflecting a blue sky.

Here's a couple of pictures of water features on my own layout. The first is not something you'd use, but I used Luke's ideas to create a small waterfall. The second is the still part of a canal above a lock, but there are still ripples and probably wind-blown movements on the water surface, even though it's a quiet time around nightfall.

Hopefully might help you visualize the effects you're looking for.

Again, nice to meet you!





Uplander

Hello LASteve, hope you are doing well.  The pictures are inspiring (as with all the others) - I just love the waterfall but laughed at your use of the term "relative beginner".

I watched a Luke Towan yesterday using Envirotex Lite and another Kathy Millat one pitching same against WS, tons of ideas here in the thread too but I am still undecided. With help from the art department (down the hall) we have experimented with a few different things too such as gloss medium and the latter seemed to work well.

I plan a ditch / stream running in and out of the pond which is likely to be flatter than the pond surface but I take on board your comments about water rarely being totally flat whatever the circumstances.

Overall ... still not sure but as of now I quite like the idea of boat varnish ... but that's just how I am seeing things at the moment.

Thanks as ever for the post.  :wave: 


LASteve

I took another couple of pictures this evening of a neglected area of the layout behind the TMD and the old turntable. These puddles were WS Realistic Water making sure the underlayer was painted a suitable black/blue black. Marine varnish would have easily worked just as well, but I used what was on hand.

Thanks for prompting me to take a look around the layout again! Sometimes I tend to focus on the problems or the projects in hand and forget to enjoy what is already there.





Papyrus

Love the air of neglect, with the overgrown shrubs by the retaining wall. I like the look of the wall itself, too; what make is it please?

Cheers,

Chris

LASteve

Quote from: Papyrus on August 11, 2022, 12:36:48 PM
Love the air of neglect, with the overgrown shrubs by the retaining wall. I like the look of the wall itself, too; what make is it please?
Thanks, Chris, exactly the look I was going for. The retaining walls are Metcalfe kits, they make them in stone (these ones) and red brick.

crewearpley40

Steve' s rendition of puddles @LASteve using ws products adds to the neglected feel what with weeds and Rainwater makes an ideal scene.  Also same methods can bem used if modelling a canal or river

Papyrus

#39
Quote from: LASteve on August 11, 2022, 03:45:57 PM
The retaining walls are Metcalfe kits, they make them in stone (these ones) and red brick.

Thanks, Steve. I'm quite surprised - they don't look 'cardboardy' at all, which I find is often the case with Metcalfe kits. Very nicely put together. (PS. Sorry, on re-reading, that sounds patronising. Not meant to be... Shut up, Christopher, and stop digging yourself into a hole  :dighole: )

Cheers,

Chris

LASteve

Quote from: Papyrus on August 11, 2022, 04:24:19 PM
(PS. Sorry, on re-reading, that sounds patronising. Not meant to be...
Not to worry, I didn't take it that way at all. I've tried to give the Metcalfe kits some texture and some weathering where I've used them, so I'll take it as a compliment!  :beers:

crewearpley40

Which look good..  I also add a little brown and green to make water murky.

Uplander

I know WS say a max pour for Realistic Water of 1/8" in any one go but somewhere I seem to remember reference being made to a maximum overall depth.  Could anyone offer thoughts on maximum depth or maximum number of layers? 

Many thanks

Simon

The Q

A couple of poor pictures of the water effects on Tiree.



This picture is of a emergency water tank , the one outside our building at RAF Neatishead had a good collection of very large goldfish in it..



Bealman

Quote from: Uplander on August 12, 2022, 02:10:51 PM
I know WS say a max pour for Realistic Water of 1/8" in any one go but somewhere I seem to remember reference being made to a maximum overall depth.  Could anyone offer thoughts on maximum depth or maximum number of layers? 

Many thanks

Simon

@Webbo ?
Vision over visibility. Bono, U2.

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