best item to use for modeling water


Folks have used silvered Mylar, Mod Podge and other gloss medium products, Envirotex, real water, glass and glass mirrors, and urethane products. I used a two-part epoxy. Nu-Lustre 55 is what I found locally (in British Columbia), a product by Swing Paints, but you can use any epoxy product that comprises a hardener and a resin to be combined and mixed very thoroughly in equal measure.

It is generally not very hard to make a realistic water surface. What is difficult, if you want to make it look deep and natural in colour, is the preparation, modelling, and painting of the surface and other things that will be covered by the product you use to form the water. My first such experiment was not very good. The surface was spiffy, if very smooth and shiny. But the surface that I had to paint before I poured it did not turn out very convincingly.
 
Water

Try the water at unrealdetails.com, it has no odor and works great, and is priced very economically.

MKT MIKE
 
thanks everyone for the help. I'm going to price the productes and start with the cheaper ones since my skills are in line with the price.
 
Folks have used silvered Mylar, Mod Podge and other gloss medium products, Envirotex, real water, glass and glass mirrors, and urethane products. I used a two-part epoxy. Nu-Lustre 55 is what I found locally (in British Columbia), a product by Swing Paints, but you can use any epoxy product that comprises a hardener and a resin to be combined and mixed very thoroughly in equal measure.

It is generally not very hard to make a realistic water surface. What is difficult, if you want to make it look deep and natural in colour, is the preparation, modelling, and painting of the surface and other things that will be covered by the product you use to form the water. My first such experiment was not very good. The surface was spiffy, if very smooth and shiny. But the surface that I had to paint before I poured it did not turn out very convincingly.

I agree with Selector; the true test is the color preparation prior to the epoxy. I found that when modeling canals in the Fort Lauderdale, Lake Mable area, that satellite photography works well since they are in color. I used Google satellite mapping from Fort Lauderdale to zoom down on the lakes and canals. What you find is a light sand color along the shoreline going to a deep blue/black very quickly. I think the thing to remember is that we are not giants looking down. Our angle of vision will be from the side.

With that said I have found Enviotex Light at Michel's Craft Stores pretty reasonable along with Modge Podge for adding rippling to the surface of the Envirotex after it hardens.

Larry
 
I'l second the vote for Envirotex. You can also get it at Walmart, it's water bases and has no obnoxious fumes, and it gives a perfectly reflective surface when applied correctly. You can just brush on a new, thin coat when your lake or river starts to look a little worn. Best thing is that everything cleans up with water.
 
What about the way Envirotex ages, do you get yellowing or any shrinking? And what about the Modge Podge, is that stuff good or as good as the professional stuff you see by the artis t paints?
 
I've never had Envirotex shrink or yellow. Of course, I've only had in my pond ad creek for about a year but it looks just like the day I poured it. I don't see why it would shink or yellow.

Modge Podge is a brand name and it's always in the whacky colored pink containers. Walmart is still the cheapest I've found. It's exactly the same stuff you'd pay twice as much for in an artist's supply store.
 
I saw the Modge Podge at Michel's but I got the more pricey stuff because it was thicker and I thought that would be better to model but now I think it's too thick. Does the Modge Podge come in diff thickness and do you like one over the other?
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but Modge Podge comes in both a Gloss Medium and Matte finish. I think you want the gloss for water. Another thing comes to mind is that I don't think you use Modge Podge as you would Envirotex. Envirotex is used to creat the water portion of the lake or stream and Modge Podge is used to just creat the ripples on the surface of the lake after the Envirotex is hardened, unless of course you want a lake or stream that is totally a flat surface. Can anyone clarify this?

Larry
 
Larry, you are correct about the gloss and matte finish and you only want to use this for the ripples on the surface. I just wanted to know if the Nodge Podge would yellow or shrink over time. Some acrylic products will shrink or turn a yellow color over time and that would be the end of a real looking body of water.
Dave
 
Again, I've used Modge Podge gloss for a number of projects and never had a problem with it shrinking. Any type of water will tend to look a little dull over time, even with some cleaning. With Envirotex and Modge Podge, you can apply a thin coat to the water and it will look like new. Modge Podge itself is a little thicker in the matte variety but not exceptionally so. Both of these products have been in use for many years on model railroads with no problems (other than poor application) that I've heard of so I think you can have some confidence when using it.
 



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