An easy method to make Water .... .....

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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Here is a scene from my recent bridge project. (This is fictional scene, and I suppose a railroad civil engineer would count some rivits for me. LOL ) … I will explain how I made the water under the bridges.

I used an acrylic light panal from a drop ceiling. The kind is called “crushed ice”. I salvaged what I needed from a broken one. I will explain the simple steps.

First, I cut some 1/4" plywood to be the base surface. I painted with blue (center of water surface), green (closer to shore), and brown (at shore). When paint was dry, I applied a wash of raw siena acrylic paint (watered down) over the entire surface of the plywood. (This will be the section under the waterfalls.)

Next, I cut a piece from the acrylic light panel. I turned it so it was crinkle side up, and applied a very thin wash of acrylic black paint. I sprayed it with soapy water while paint was still wet. Then, I waited for it to dry about two days.

Next, I turned over the acrylic light panal piece so it was smooth side up. I placed it on the painted plywood.

Next, I installed the “water” on the layout. Basically, it is best to just lay it in place. Scenerey around the edges will keep it from moving.

I suggest you do not make a mistake I made when I tried doing this before. That time, I used clear adhesive in the bottom of the acrlyic panal to hold it to the plywood, and it looked awful. So, this time I just let it lay in place with scenery around the edges.

Various scenery techniques can be used for the surrounding scenery.

I included waterfalls which were made with Woodland

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Garry, I have used diffuser panels from overhead lights for water a few times.

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These were mostly for diaramas, I only used it once on a model railroad. My experience was that the water looked very good in photographs, but was unconvincing in person. Is your experience similar, or did you get good results.

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The pictures you posted look great.

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-Kevin

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Hi Kevin … I think this method looks very good in person. The wash of black paint helps in my opinion. If I tried again, I might use a wash of olive drab instead of black.

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Really nice work Garry. I like it.

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Thank Garry.

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I once used this with a mirror underneath the “water” so it would reflect the blue posterboard above it in a photograph, like real water reflects ths sky.

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I thought this was a good plan, but it did not work at all! The wash is probably a better idea.

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-Kevin

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6

A layer of that paste from woodland scenics used to make waves might help. Used it where bigger waves would occur. Give it some contrast. Just a thought

Wolfie

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GARRY,

Looks great![tup][Y] The ripples scaled well to my eye and your coloring really blended it in believably.

I have this vision of a small hydropower plant sitting on the little patch of ground towards the front of where the tower footings are to take advantage of the water’s drop over the dam/falls. But that’s just me, always looking for another project to shoehorn in. [^o)]

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Another easy way to make water is…drink more beer!