Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe

[BattleshipBob]

Hi Gerry, what a interesting build, way past my skills!!

 

[GerryW]

Looking excellent and a cracking idea, Gerry.
Just be aware of complicating things. Simple is good.

Ron

Thanks.
As to complicating things, too late I think - the original idea is far, far more than I've ever done before!
The only time that I've tried anything similar was the one that I posted up in the 'Critique' section when I signed up.
The only way I've found to learn, is to try, fail, try to figure out what went wrong then re-try and hopefully get there in the end.

 

[rtfoe]

That's the way to do it Gerry, go where no man has gone before...explore and that's the fun with dioramas, being able to replicate things in scale from scratch and everyday stuff.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[GerryW]

Hi Gerry, what a interesting build, way past my skills!!

Hi Bob, sorry I missed your post last night.
Probably way past my skill level, but hopefully I'll learn on the way

That's the way to do it Gerry, go where no man has gone before...explore and that's the fun with dioramas, being able to replicate things in scale from scratch and everyday stuff.

Cheers,
Richard

Thanks Richard, only way to learn something new - I'm just bumbling along combining things that I have done with things that I haven't tried before - the water/pva/tissue/cardboard build is something that I've often used in the past to make things - what's new to me, is/will be the use of the coffee grounds, creating the water effects and the campfire and smoke, but if I don't try, I wont know if it does or doesn't work!

 

[GerryW]

Still bumbling along, first attempt at water, doesn't look too bad, but I think that I can do better with some more practice (had to open the silicon today anyway, as needed it for a plumbing job). Trying to create the campfire smoke - not sure about that (still drying). Got some 'rocks' drying, couldn't find any wood that was the right shape, so took some plastercine molds from some stones and knocking them up out of papermache.
My thanks to @spanner570 for the advice given on another thread

 

[JR]

Ron is the resident expert on using varnish for water, always looks good.

 

[GerryW]

Ron is the resident expert on using varnish for water, always looks good.

Too true, and his work with the clear silicon - I'll be using both techniques, as I'm planning a small stream that comes bouncing down rocks into a pool, then bouncing out of one of the sides - if I can do even half as well as he does, I think that I'll be happy!

 

[GerryW]

1st attempt - think that I've got too much white?

As said, this is the first attempt (stones that are being used are two of the ones that I've taken molds from - a third one will be to the left, so that it's a 'double' fall and merging in the 'bowl' at the bottom, then flowing out into the bigger pool) overall length of this section is about inch and a half.

 

[GerryW]

Think that I'm going to have to practice a lot more! Checking some photos of waterfalls online, and I'm way, way wrong - need a lot more white, and finer 'splashes'.

Also need to get the red, yellow and blue (already got black, white and green) scenery paint to match the rocks for that area (going to be fun getting these colours!)

 

[GerryW]

Think that this corner is just about ready for painting, the two waterfalls, pool, and runoff

 

[GerryW]

Where the water will be coming in

And leaving

And with attempt number ????? to get an idea of what it may look like

 

[Mini Me]

I have never attempted moving water......this should be interesting. Rick H.

 

[GerryW]

I have never attempted moving water......this should be interesting. Rick H.

Nor have I, but there's got to be a first time for anything new - luckily, I've a very nearly new tube of clear silicon that I had to open for a little job, so plenty to play about with, but will have only the 'one shot' at it when putting it onto the dio, as I think that it'll stick like the proverbial to a blanket. so at the moment playing with different 'sculpting' and painting techniques, then it'll be play with working it at an angle & in small spaces - so quite a way to go, might have to get another tube!!!

 

[scottie3158]

Gerry,
This is really looking good I am interested to see how the water turns out.

 

[GerryW]

Gerry,
This is really looking good I am interested to see how the water turns out.

So am I
All I can do, is to keep practicing and eventually, it should come together, at the moment, I feel that I'm overdoing the white & while all the photos I find on t'internet show white water from top to bottom of a fall, it just 'whites out' on the dio and there's no definition.
Tried a few ways so far, from 'injecting' the paint while sculpting, to painting highlights then 'drifting' a spray over it, still not happy with the results though. Trouble is, it takes a day for the silicon to dry off enough to paint, though I can get a rough idea of how it'll look while it's still wet if held at an angle to the light.

 

[CarolsHusband]

Gerry. Firstly, 10/10 for bravery. Moving water is something else. Kudos.

Not for one moment assuming that you aren't aware of this gentlemans work, I thought it'd be worth a look.

To be honest I'm not saying it's perfect but he does have some really nice touches.

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Gerry, 10 for effort.

To avoid the silicon from sticking try cling wrapping the surface. The weight of the silicon will press the cling wrap into the little corners. When hardened you can snip or tear away the cling wrap...it's clear so can be part of the water as well. You can re-attach the sculpt with fresh silicon using an old small brush that you want discarded later.
You can work in stages and join with silicon. If I can recall it stays in shape and seldom shrink. I know commercial tube silicon starts skinning the moment it leaves the vessel but if you work quickly and extrude the stuff into a working cup you could add a little food coloring and mix like hell and work from there with a spatula, ice-cream sticks and old soft paint brush.
I would suggest airbrushing the whites in and final highlights dry brushing with a paint brush.

That's my 2 cents...basically 8 sen in Malaysian ringgit.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Mini Me]

Sounds like a reasonable approach Richard.......remind me to pick your brain when I get brave enough to try this moving water scheme in the future. Press on Gerry.....you have lots of support
Rick H.

 

[rtfoe]

Sounds like a reasonable approach Richard.......remind me to pick your brain when I get brave enough to try this moving water scheme in the future. Press on Gerry.....you have lots of support
Rick H.

Get the pennies ready Rick and I'll get my little piggy ready.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[GerryW]

Gerry. Firstly, 10/10 for bravery. Moving water is something else. Kudos.

Not for one moment assuming that you aren't aware of this gentlemans work, I thought it'd be worth a look.

To be honest I'm not saying it's perfect but he does have some really nice touches.

Dan,
Had seen the video - always worth another watch though, as there's bits that I spot on subsequent watches.
There's also a railway modeller from Scandinavia that I've been watching, who uses silicon and varnish to great effect - same as our very own Ron does.
The only thing with both of the railway modellers are their falls are straight, mine is 'bouncing', so I'm thinking that I'm going to have to work directly onto the dio.
Though my thoughts are that while I can watch loads of videos, there's only one way of getting results, and that's by trying and failing a few times (videos help by hopefully cutting down on the number of fails).