Painting Realistic Water

[Craig]

I've just poured 1/8 inch of Realistic Water into the small pond on my nephew's new layout. It looks pretty good right out of the bottle but I'd prefer that the bottom of the pond was...murkier. I don't want to see it, at least not as clearly. Does anyone have experience painting this stuff between coats, or otherwise treating it for the reasons outlined above? I'll be pouring a second layer tomorrow. I wonder what a piece of Saran wrap would look like between layers. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Craig

[brad]

Hi Craig,

Usually all the effects for mirkiness (sp?) sence of depth, etc. are painted on the bottom before any "water" is poured. For deep water the base is painted a deep blue of black and for shallower water painted an earth tone that is suitable to your layout. By blending the 2 colours around the edges you can simulate a shallow edge dropping off into deeper water. Using an airbrush gives a nice blended transition, but this can also be acomplished by dragging one colour into the other while they are both wet. As far s creating mirkiness now, you might, if you have access to an airbrush, fog the surface but don't cover completely, with paint, perhaps a tan of light green to muddy it up. I've never used EZ water so I don't know what paint, acrylic or oil, would be compatable.

Good luck, may be some one else can give a better idea.

brad

Do you have Dave Frary's book on scenery? It's "the  bible" as far as I'm concerened.

[Craig]

Brad,

Thanks for replying. I do own an airbrush and I felt I had the cavity looking like I wanted it. But, short of a well-maintained swimming pool, there aren't many bodies of water that allow you to see the very bottom with any detail. I was hoping for less transparency. I wonder if a spray of flat oil between layers would improve the realism.

I don't own that book but I have read it. And I've studied some websites that featured his work. I lost the bookmarks to those sites (and many, many others) in a computer crash and would like to have them back if anyone knows of any.

Thanks again for your response.

Craig

[Matt Bumgarner]

Flat acrylic will work fine. I poured the "EZ Water", following all directions to a "t", and the doggone stuff still melted a hole in my foam base and made a sink hole in the middle of my lake. I ended up having to install an island in/over the hole and on the edges of the island, the acrylic earth tones were fine on the layer of "water"

[Bill Baker]

Craig,

There is a guy named Harold Minkey, who is a member of this board, and occasionaly he posts his website showing some of his scenery work.  Do a search for Hminkey and view some of his pictures.  In my opinion he is one of the best scenery craftsmen on this board.

By the way, did you try the Saran Wrap between your layers?

[rikc9]

Craig,

There is a guy named Harold Minkey, who is a member of this board, and occasionaly he posts his website showing some of his scenery work.  Do a search for Hminkey and view some of his pictures.  In my opinion he is one of the best scenery craftsmen on this board.

By the way, did you try the Saran Wrap between your layers?

Is the the Harold you are thinking of.
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/

rikc9

[Bill Baker]

Rick,

Yes, that's him.

Craig, click on the website Rckc9 posted.

[Craig]

Actually I have mr. Minkwitz' site bookmarked and I view it often. I agree that his scenery is tops.

I removed the Realistic Water and repoured it after making some changes. Looks good, finally. Thanks to all who responded.