Trying to achieve this look on a new layout (first time builder) without using Woodland Scenics. I've bought the resin from Hobby Lobby and now need instruction on making these ripples from mog podge, white glue, hot glue, etc. before I go any further. I've seen it done before on line but now, naturally, can't find where I saw it. Any help would be appreciated. TKS
Pond ripples
- Thread starter oldelpa
- Start date
Mixed Freight
Well-Known Member
Well, Mod Podge is kind of a thicker, gel-like substance, and as long as you don't put it on too thick, it shouldn't self-level.
I'd test some gloss Mod Podge on a piece of black, blue, or green construction paper. Brush it on in a circular pattern to replicate waves from something thrown in the water, or in a straight pattern to replicate natural waves from a breeze, or any other desired pattern. Let it completely dry, and see what happens.
Come to think of it, I kinda' like my suggestion. I think I'll give it a try, too, and see what I think!
I'd test some gloss Mod Podge on a piece of black, blue, or green construction paper. Brush it on in a circular pattern to replicate waves from something thrown in the water, or in a straight pattern to replicate natural waves from a breeze, or any other desired pattern. Let it completely dry, and see what happens.
Come to think of it, I kinda' like my suggestion. I think I'll give it a try, too, and see what I think!
Sounds like a plan....thanks.Well, Mod Podge is kind of a thicker, gel-like substance, and as long as you don't put it on too thick, it shouldn't self-level.
I'd test some gloss Mod Podge on a piece of black, blue, or green construction paper. Brush it on in a circular pattern to replicate waves from something thrown in the water, or in a straight pattern to replicate natural waves from a breeze, or any other desired pattern. Let it completely dry, and see what happens.
Come to think of it, I kinda' like my suggestion. I think I'll give it a try, too, and see what I think!
Yes, that is exactly where I got it from. That clip does a lousy job of going into detail about making concentric circular ripples using WS and, being retired, I don't have $$$ laying around to buy water effects for one ripple. I do have a waterfall feature to do but there's many ways to do them without WS products. I'm not crazy about WS to start with having bought some of their metal "kits". TKS
Mixed Freight
Well-Known Member
Well, I did some test samples on plain ol' construction paper, and pretty much got the same ripple effect using Mod Podge (to be right honest, I kinda' figured I would). Don't know why it wouldn't work on any other surface.
Selector
Well-Known Member
Gel gloss medium, which I don't believe Mod Podge makes, is a safe bet. It's like cold cream, white and thick, and will stay smeared just as it is when you withdraw your implement. I used it to good effect to create a realistic river surface:
Note that the main layer below the gel gloss medium is two-part epoxy that I also dyed with two different craft paints, and has a pinch of plaster of Paris added to add opacity.
Note that the main layer below the gel gloss medium is two-part epoxy that I also dyed with two different craft paints, and has a pinch of plaster of Paris added to add opacity.
"...this product is a colorless acrylic...." "....mix with color to thicken, add transparency.....". Do they mean add transparency to a solid color? I don't know how you'd make something transparent! I'm assuming it's a transparent poduct and exactly what I want. Would I just add it to the cured pond 'wet' or use something like glass to actually make the circles and let it dry, adding to the pond later? Sorry to ask dumb questions, but I'm 73 and waited over 25 yrs to build my first layout. I figure if I screw up too much I'll run outta time to finish.
Mog Podge can be used for other things so I'll probably try that b4 gel gloss medium.Well, I did some test samples on plain ol' construction paper, and pretty much got the same ripple effect using Mod Podge (to be right honest, I kinda' figured I would). Don't know why it wouldn't work on any other surface.
Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Mod Podge mat is what I use and it works great.
JeffH
Well-Known Member
I have recently used Acrylic Gloss Medium, which is a much thinner version of the Acrylic Gloss Gel that Selector recommends for ripples and waves.
They both are pretty cool products, and I believe that the "Medium" is the same stuff as the "Gel," but the "medium" is thinner, about like pancake batter. The Gel is more like toothpaste. It will hold its shape while curing, whereas the "medium" will self level (sort of).
I used the Gloss Medium to pour my river, and learned a few things in the process.
Each of these products is like acrylic paint with zero color. It is milky white out of the bottle, but dries clear. It shrinks as it dries. There are polymer "binders" in the product that prevents it from cracking as it dries. If you thin it too much, or if you pour it too thick, the skin will dry faster than the pool beneath it. The binders try to hold it all together, but if the skin shrinks too much in relation to the, still liquid, pool under it, the skin can crack. Once a crack forms, it will widen into a fissure that only stops growing larger when the product fully cures. The result is a "fissure" that sometimes opens almost as wide as the pour is deep.
The Liquitex brand of Acrylic Gloss Medium I used says it can be diluted up to 25% with water. There is a delicate balance between thinning and depth of pour. I didn't thin with water, but I did add a small amount of liquid pigment... poured an average of 1/8" thick, and ended up with a LOT of fissures.
This picture shows fresh product poured into one of the fissures. The only way to fix the fissures is to top them off with more product... Since the stuff shrinks as it dries, I ended up having to top off the fissures about 6 times now, and it's just now starting to look like a river and NOT a mud flat.
They both are pretty cool products, and I believe that the "Medium" is the same stuff as the "Gel," but the "medium" is thinner, about like pancake batter. The Gel is more like toothpaste. It will hold its shape while curing, whereas the "medium" will self level (sort of).
I used the Gloss Medium to pour my river, and learned a few things in the process.
Each of these products is like acrylic paint with zero color. It is milky white out of the bottle, but dries clear. It shrinks as it dries. There are polymer "binders" in the product that prevents it from cracking as it dries. If you thin it too much, or if you pour it too thick, the skin will dry faster than the pool beneath it. The binders try to hold it all together, but if the skin shrinks too much in relation to the, still liquid, pool under it, the skin can crack. Once a crack forms, it will widen into a fissure that only stops growing larger when the product fully cures. The result is a "fissure" that sometimes opens almost as wide as the pour is deep.
The Liquitex brand of Acrylic Gloss Medium I used says it can be diluted up to 25% with water. There is a delicate balance between thinning and depth of pour. I didn't thin with water, but I did add a small amount of liquid pigment... poured an average of 1/8" thick, and ended up with a LOT of fissures.
This picture shows fresh product poured into one of the fissures. The only way to fix the fissures is to top them off with more product... Since the stuff shrinks as it dries, I ended up having to top off the fissures about 6 times now, and it's just now starting to look like a river and NOT a mud flat.
I poured the pond the resin I bought from Hobby Lobby using what I thought was too much grass green acrylic paint added for just a hint of tint. Turned out great ....except I didn't mix enough. I mixed another batch, about half as much, using very little paint on this second batch. Stupid mistake....should have left the color out of the second patch (rookie mistake). The pond looks definitely stagnant now and some of the 'junk' on the bottom of the pond is no longer visible. I'm going to add a little brown head to the center of the circular ripples (after they're done) and tell everyone it's a muskrat eating the algae and of course that's just the way I planned it. Thank you everyone for the help and advice.
Thank you everyone for the help and advice.Did the mod podge circular ripples and they look great....except for all the little bubbles. What's the secret to no tiny bubbles? I also poured the river using masking tape and mod podge sealer but both ends leaked. What a mess. I tried it again with pieces of paneling nailed to the layout with mod podge between the paneling and layout.....probably have to do a lot of sanding when it dries but hopefully no mess on the floor. Merry Christmas to all.
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HO Scale MILW
A Normal, Regular, Train Fan
Try putting wood or something sturdy on the ends where you had the leaks, and use hot glue to secure it. After the river is dry use Isopropyl alcohol with a dropper along where the edges of the wood or whatever you plan to use. Hot glue doesn't like isopropyl alcohol so it will come right off. Only use if it is ok to use near whatever resin you are using. I learned this off a youtube video, I think by a channel called Boylei Hobby Time. I also don't want to be responsible for a layout mess if it doesn't work, 
. Hope you all are having a very merry Christmass!
. Hope you all are having a very merry Christmass!
HO Scale MILW
A Normal, Regular, Train Fan
Selector
Well-Known Member
Most of the bubbles 'should' disappear on their own after about ten minutes, but quite a few will remain. The secret is to take a soda straw into your lips, and keeping the lower free end about 1-2" above the affected surface, just blow. That's it! The bubbles will disappear like magic.
Again, you do this about ten minutes after the pour. What doesn't pop on its own you can get rid of that way.
Note that this is for epoxy...I haven't had bubbles with acrylic gloss medium.
