Epoxy. Imitation of water

The ever-dioral question is - how and from what to do water? - Surely at least once puzzled everyone. And no one will give a unambiguous answer to it. Water in the diorama, in contrast to other objects, it seems to me, does not tolerate a compromise - it is as a result or similar, or not. Middle can not. As can not be the only correct technological solution to this task - after all, a puddle, a waterfall, ocean surf, quiet creek, a mountain river is all water in their innumerable and excellent manifestations. This problem needs to be addressed every time.

I will tell you how the water imitated in a particular case. For something else, this decision will be useless, but I will be glad if it helps someone and pumps new thoughts and finds.

The intention of the Diorama lay on the surface - there was a great Dragon set of "sea cats", there was a Dragon boat LSSC.What still had to do - of course, disembarking ashore. Enough for a simple plot, but for completeness I wanted to fill the composition with a breathtaking mood. I decided to create the effect of silence - in the literature, movies more than once there is a mention that leaving the jungle to the operation, members of the groups observed silence using the gesture language. This determined small alterations of figures. What needs to do water is clear, but what to do it? Probably, too, quiet, calm, splashing at the side of a swaying boat.

Of all the materials I have had, the most approached epoxy resin. But experiments with its traditional use (and naturally, traditional shrinking meniscus around the perimeter and widespread bubbles) were not pleased. But who said that it should be a surface, and not with an invalid of imitated water? If there are excellent epoxies from epoxy, why it is impossible to cast water as a detail "down face" into the modeled shape. The material for the form served as an aluminum foil. I used a clean plate for offset printing, (it is used as a form in printing machines, you can buy it in stores selling consumables for printing). The size of the leaf is enough for a full-fledged diorama, and about similar quality surface, evenness and metal thickness can only be dreaming.

First, you need to draw on the foil contour of the diorama, the Abris of the coastline and the "stain" of the boat. To do this, you need to make a template in a sheet of cardboard - the cross section of the vessel body on the waterline. It is desirable as accurately as possible that the body is clearly tight and without gaps entered this pattern. All parts are below the waterline forming negative angles, you need to delete.

The plate is too hard, so it must be burned over the flame of the gas stove. An impeded sheet (in the size of the reservoir on the diorama plus the allowance of several centimeters to the side) I placed on a substrate consisting of a piece of chipboard and folded in several layers of dense tissue. On the perimeter, I secured this "sandwich" by rails, britched by cloves to the chipboard.

Now and comes the creativity in its pure form. To create a relief, I used the entire range of spoons available in the kitchen. Mainly useful dining and tea. Big, I asked the main rhythm and plastic, the individual waves worked small. From the first time it did not succeed - I fucked, and went over with the depth of the relief and somehow did not "caught" the nature of the waves. So conciseness and once again laconicity. You can now cut the finished form on the intended perimeter and paste the "down face" to the chipboard or phanener - because despite the wavy relief water remains a flat plane. I glued with the "moment" and for the most confidence put on top of the press (book).

After that, it is necessary to cut out of plasticine a side of the side of the coastline and the discovery in which we later insert the boat. In the case of a vessel, it is necessary to do as much as possible and carefully. It is easier to penetrate or cut off the plasticine and spend extra half an hour than a long time and tedious to sharpen an epoxy casting. Smooth sides, I limited glass strips, which brought again with plasticine.

The form is ready for casting, so the surface should be perfectly smooth and clean, because all this will remain on the surface of the water. Since I imitated a muddy tropical river (remember the "apocalypse"?), I did not need the effect of depth, it was enough to convey the color and plastic of dirty water. For castings, I needed two standard EDP sets. The first layer, which will create a facial surface, I crawled oil paint. Variating the amount of pigment, you can achieve different transparency. In its own case, I did not strangle. It is better to breed resin with a margin that the first tinted layer completely hid the relief of the waves. In principle, you can fix everything immediately without making a layer.

For every fireman, I reinforced the second layer of casting with sections of fiberglass twine. After polymerization, it is possible to remove the shape and clean the remnants of plasticine with acetone. Now, our accuracy takes place when applying plasticine - let's try to pull the vessel to the water. The gaps may be - how to fix them, I hope it is understood from the picture. The boat must "sit" in water like this.

We will assume that everything turned out and will now not be difficult to include water into the tissue of diorama. To bring water to the condition, you need to make it a glossy surface. This effect I sought a car lacquer - stacked from an aerosol cylinder and blew through the airbrush. It is better to blow up thin layers, giving well to everyone that the varnish is not going to be a puddle in deepening. So that dust did not sit on the wet varnish, it is better to dry up the diorama with a suitable box. The layer as a result was rather big, I was stolen by automotive polishing paste and fixing the polyrolla. Flakes of dirty foam in sides and at the shore I simulated a thick Temper. For the reed I had to drill a lot of holes, it was gone somewhat twisted 0.5 mm, which godlessly broke. But, in my opinion, it's all the little things compared to the final result.

I present to your attention one of the ways of imitation of waves on the surface of the reservoir using epoxy resin. The method is a modification of the V.Demchenko method described in the article "Imitation of Water". In this article, the author describes the method of manufacturing a wavy water relief by casting from epoxy resin into an aluminum form in one stage. It should be noted that the method is very sensitive to the quality of the production of injection mold (even the Demchenko itself did not work from the first time), and also requires a large number of resin.

The method proposed by me is characterized by the fact that the process of forming an aqueous surface is divided into two stages - a preliminary (casting of roughing gypsum form) and the finishing (formation of the relief of the epoxy resin is already directly on the plaster casting). Such a way, of course, somewhat lengthens its work, but it costs cheaper and is quite accessible not to very experienced modelists. So, begin. Immediately make a reservation that I would write in detail if possible, since the article is addressed to the novice model stores.

We are determined with the size of the future diorama. I use standard photo frames (photo 1). Next, a special device is required - a board, with a flat layer of plasticine with a thickness of about 5 mm and an area sufficient to perform the required casting. On this board, the blunt end of the brush is drawn the future relief of the water in the plasticine (photo 2). Covered the board with a layer of fine food aluminum foil and a finger ride in it formed on the plasticine relief (photo 3). This allows you to smooth the relief, make it more realistic. With the help of Linek, fastened with plasticine, we form a bath for plaster casting in the size of the future diorama (photo 4). The ruler should be triggered into plasticine so that the plaster is not rare. We divor the plaster (alabaster) by adding and mixing small portions of the powder in water to a sour cream state. Water can be pre-tinted with dye (photo 5), for example, such (photo 6). The resulting sour cream solution is poured into the form and wait for frozen (photo 7). I give a casting to dry about a day.

So, the next day we have a finished casting that fixes on the frame (photo 8) with the help of glue, for example, such (photo 9). Pre-in the frame should be inserted from 2 mm of plastic as the bottom of the future diorama (photo 10). Kees it with acrylic paints in the colors of water, which we wish to see on the diorama. I chose dark brown and dark greenish shades, as I do the base for a small peat swamp (photo 11). We give paint to dry about a day. The next day, a thin plastic make up the ends of the future diorama (photo 12). In this case, I used transparent plastic from some packaging. Board must perform above the surface of 3-5 mm at least to form a bath for filling the surface with epoxy resin (photo 13).

We prepare epoxy resin (photo 14). We act according to the instructions. At first, it makes a larger vessel with a resin in a water bath to 40-50 degrees (but not more!) So that it flows better. Mix the required number of resin into a disposable cup. Calculate this amount is easy. The resin layer should be small - 2-3 mm. If the base size is as I have 13x13 cm, then the volume will be so 13x13x0.3 \u003d 50 ml - a quarter of a cup. Next, add a hardener in the recommended proportions with small parts, mix everything thoroughly. For accurate dosage of the hardener, it is convenient to use a syringe. We will give a little settlement of the composition, so that the main air bubbles came out, and then poured the epoxy surface of the base (photo 15). It can be seen that the bubbles are still quite a lot. We derive them toothpick (photo 16). It will take about half an hour.

The next stage is the actual formation of the relief. Obviously, epoxy spread out with a smooth layer (photo 17). But the relief is easy to restore if we slide the base at an angle (Fig. 18). While the epoxy is fluid, relief will disappear. Therefore, the most important thing is not to miss the moment of starting it. How much time will take place before this moment from the beginning of the preparation of the composition depends on the number of added hardener. Therefore, I recommend determining this moment experimentally. In my case, epoxy began to be captured after 2.5 hours. Next should be kolden, tilting the base, 15-20 minutes until the resin movement (photo 19). I note that the degree of inclination is easy to control the depth of the relief, making the waves with insignificant or on the contrary notable. Full pouring occurs after a day (photo 20).

So, we have a workpiece with a realistic terrain of water for further work on the diorama. The complexity of the method is in a pure time of four or five hours, of which three hours are witchcraft over frozen epoxy. The advantages of the method include a small amount of resin used, high reliability of the formated relief, since it occurs with the natural wave-like movement of the resin in the process of its frozen. And the third plus. If we want to drill a hole at the base, for example, for landing the cane, the drill accounts for only a thin layer of resin. This allows you to significantly save on thin drills with further work with the diorama. This method was used when working with a "wet space" diorama. The drilling of the foundation under the reed was without loss.

In general, there are several different technologies for obtaining imitation of water during modeling. I will try to talk about the most frequently used. I note immediately, this is not the only technology. There are others. Including more suitable for imitation waves from the movement of the boat or during the storm. However, the creation of the effect of standing water submitted by the option is very interesting. The master class "Epoxy Waves" holds Victor Novikov, Ivanovo. Recognized master of historical miniatures. A further story about how he did "water" for this diorama "wet place."

I present to your attention one of the ways of imitation of waves on the surface of the reservoir using epoxy resin. The method is a modification of the V.Demchenko method described in the article " Imitation of water" In this article, the author describes the method of manufacturing a wavy water relief by casting from epoxy resin into an aluminum form in one stage. It should be noted that the method is very sensitive to the quality of the production of injection mold (even the Demchenko itself did not work from the first time), and also requires a large number of resin.

We are determined with the size of the future diorama. I use standard photo frames.

Next, a special device is required - a board, with a flat layer of plasticine with a thickness of about 5 mm and an area sufficient to perform the required casting. On this board, the blunt end of the brush is drawing the future relief of water in the plasticine.

Covered the board with a layer of fine food aluminum foil and a finger ride in it formed on a plasticine relief. This allows you to smooth the relief, make it more realistic.

With the help of lines, fastened with plasticine, we form a bath for plaster casting in the size of the future diorama. The ruler should be triggered into plasticine so that the plaster is not rare.

We divor the plaster (alabaster) by adding and mixing small portions of the powder in water to a sour cream state. Water can be pre-tinted with dye (photo 5).

For example, such.

The resulting sour cream solution is poured into the form and wait for frozen. I give a casting to dry about a day.

So, the next day we have a finished casting that fixes on the frame with the help of glue.

For example, this.

Pre-in the frame should be inserted from 2 mm plastic as the bottom of the future diorama.

Kees it with acrylic paints in the colors of water, which we wish to see on the diorama. I chose dark brown and dark greenish shades, as I do the base for a small peat swamp. We give paint to dry about a day.

The next day, thin plastic make the ends of the future diorama. In this case, I used transparent plastic from some packaging.

Boards must perform above the surface of 3-5 mm at least to form a bath for filling the surface with epoxy resin.

Cooking epoxy resin. We act according to the instructions. At first, it makes a larger vessel with a resin in a water bath to 40-50 degrees (but not more!) So that it flows better.

Mix the required number of resin into a disposable cup. Calculate this amount is easy. The resin layer should be small - 2-3 mm. If the base size is as I have 13x13 cm, then the volume will be so 13x13x0.3 \u003d 50 ml - a quarter of a cup. Next, add a hardener in the recommended proportions with small parts, mix everything thoroughly. For accurate dosage of the hardener, it is convenient to use a syringe. We give a little to settle the composition so that the main air bubbles came out, and then poured the epoxy surface of the base.

It can be seen that the bubbles are still quite a lot. We derive them toothpick. It will take about half an hour.

The next stage is the actual formation of the relief. Obviously, epoxy spread out with a smooth layer.

But the relief is easy to restore if we slounced the base at an angle. While the epoxy is fluid, relief will disappear. Therefore, the most important thing is not to miss the moment of starting it. How much time will take place before this moment from the beginning of the preparation of the composition depends on the number of added hardener. Therefore, I recommend determining this moment experimentally. In my case, epoxy began to be captured after 2.5 hours.

I note that the degree of inclination is easy to control the depth of the relief, making the waves with insignificant or on the contrary notable. Full frozen occurs after a day.

The diorama of the "wet place" itself will be presented in the nearest publications.

Water and liquids in MAY 7TH, 2011

source: http://women-on-line.ru/publ/kukolnaja_miniatjura/imitacija_vody_v_kukolnykh_miniatjurakh/59-1-0-514

Imitation of water in puppet miniatures

Usually, miniaturists use epoxy resin to simulate water and other liquids. If you have seen various drinks, shiny food sauces, raw eggs, soups or other liquids in puppet miniaturesAlso saw beautiful water effects in rail or landscape scenes, you may have looked at epoxy resin products.

When you prepare such a mixture, it hardens, will become shiny and durable. It can be poured into several layers to create an effect of deep water.

Only a layer of 3 or 6 mm of material can be pouring at a time. You will not be able to pour one thick layer of this material. For example, deep water can be made only in several layers.

What is a two-component transparent epoxy resin?

Two-component transparent epoxy resin is a glossy coating obtained from a mixture of epoxy resin and a hardener. You can buy it in business shops and building supermarkets. The main use of the material is resistant and strong glitter, after it hardens. A two-component epoxy resin is sold in a set (two jars: one with a hardener, and the other with epoxy resin). When these two components are mixed in equal amounts, the mixture is heated, then becomes gel, and then fully solidifies.

Paints, dyes and fillers can be added to the mixture in order to simulate colors and textures. Paints must be suitable for operation with epoxy resin. Other dyes can react with epoxy and destroy its normal properties.

Safe work

It is necessary to work with epoxy resins only in a well-ventilated room. You must avoid inhalation of vapors (a pair of epoxy resin is much easier than a pair of other chemicals, which are used to simulate water), and also desirable to wear when working with epoxy resin gloves and safety glasses to protect hands and eyes from random splashes. The product is implemented with accessible instructions for safe use.

This is not the product that children can use. Therefore, bottles with epoxy resin and the hardener should be kept away from children.

Medical or ordinary alcohol can be used to remove a spillable liquid resin from surfaces and tools.

Mixing

Two components must be completely mixed together in one container (which after work must be discarded). The material from which the container is made should not be reacted with epoxy. Good to work with miniatures Little plastic cups with measuring marks are suitable (for example, such are sold together with cough syrup), in which two components of the resin can be mixed. If you have nothing at hand, you can use one-time syringes in order to measure the desired amount of material.

Epoxy resin need to be mixed, thoroughly measuring the exact number of resin and the hardener (1: 1). This option is also possible: you measure the right amount of epoxy resin, pour out into a one-time cup, and then add a hardater to another cup to the same level.

When you have two equal portions, you will pour the epoxy resin into a cue with the hardener and thoroughly mix these two components with a wooden wand.

Then, when the components are well swept in the container, you overflow them back into the container, where there was an epoxy resin to make sure that you used the components in equal amounts, and what remained at the bottom of the first ass.

Removing bubbles

Mixing epoxy resin and the hardener will result in the formation of bubbles. If you are on the mixture, bubbles are filled due to the fact that carbon dioxide is present in your breath. If you fill out small bottles, jars, glasses, or jugs, leave epoxy for a few minutes so that gases come out of it before passing it into the one, in which it will harden.

Working conditions

Most epoxy producers indicate the time of approximately 30 minutes to the instruction until the resin becomes gel (this time depends on the room temperature). Most two-component epoxy mixtures solidify approximately 8 hours at 21 ° C. But they cannot be used with a room in the room about 50%, otherwise they can bother. The material has an expiration date, at least a year, if it is stored in a tightly sealed container. Products from epoxy resin yellowed if they are put up to direct sunlight.

Imitation of fluid with a two-component transparent epoxy resin

Epoxy resin settles in a flat surface. She slowly stretches down the walls of the ass. To make imitation of fixed water, you will need to apply the final alignment for its surface to remove the "protruding" edges that are formed after the mass flow through the walls.

Plan your job carefully. You may need to glue the items before pouring a resin into the bank. And also, may have to add details with each layer (for example, to make a realistic medium with fish or tadpoles at different levels, jars with fruits or vegetables that do not fall on the bottom).

If you have conceived to simulate a melting jelly, ice cream or spilled drink, allow epoxy resin to become gel, before pouring it. Thus, you will get a thicker layer than if you poured it immediately after mixing.

In order to make a wet trail or a puddle effect, but with that condition that then it will be necessary to remove this effect from the surface, pour the resin on the bent plastic surface. Restore the plastic from the "puddles", and then place the "puddle" on the floor in a dollhouse without pouring the resin to the floor.

There are other products that are suitable for the effect of running water better, and most of them can be combined with a solidifying two-component transparent epoxy resin.

Tips and prompts

Epoxy resins will not be easy to lag behind. Do not use them in order to make puppet jelly or other things that will need to be extracted from the molds.

Improper mixing will lead to the fact that the epoxy resin does not harden. Measure well before you mix.

When you fill a container with a small neck, fill it up drop from the tip of the pin or toothpick. Either use a disposable pipette or syringe.

Avoid working in a cold and wet room, otherwise the resin can be bold.

Use special paints to work with epoxy resin. Compatible paints are transparent or translucent, and colors can be mixed.

Some plastic parts can be dissolved in epoxy resin. Check if the paints or bases from the resin will not be ruled before working with them.

Good day!
I have long been trying to find materials and techniques for creating an aquatic surface, while trying to look for public materials
(including not expensive) and simple technologies available to modelists of any level. Over the past six months, I spent a small experiment and that's what happened.

Many modellers used to use, and many epoxy resins, including EDP (Dzerzhinsk), and similar analogues as imitation of the aqueous surface. For swampy or river water, they can come up, but for a transparent marine or running river, there is no, the whole thing is that these resins turn yellow and darken.

To simulate the surface of the sea or ocean, Vallejo produces color and transparent gels, they are applied with a brush. The price of these jars is approximately 500-600 rubles. Even buying one jar in Barcelona (Spain) the price turned out to be the same as in Yekaterinburg.

Here is an exemplary result of their use. The base is epoxy resin EMP, the coating of Vallejo gels. As we see the resin after 3 months began to darken, although at the stage of curing was transparent.

And I wanted to find the material for transparent water. It seems my dream came true - the company "Andrea Miniatures" releases a set of "Artificial Water"
- The same resin, but transparent, although for the year she slightly gave a yellowish tint, But it is not so critical.
Price for 250 gr. I cost 1,500 rubles - I think it is expensive for our brother modelist.
So I continued my searches and came across such resins as optical epoxy glue - compounds for bijourishing brand PEO-510 KE -20/0. There are several varieties, but I took this brand and Czech production to Epoxy 520 at the company. Both two-component (resin and hardener), transparent and sold in any container from 250 gr. up to 200 kg. Price in the area of \u200b\u200b1000-1300 rubles per 1 kg.

After examining on the company, samples of products made from these resins, I made sure that they do not darken and do not yellow. There are also plastic litea,
Including transparent, but according to the consistency, it is very thick and according to managers of the company, the bubbles without a vacuum chamber will be problematic. For figures, it can and will go, but for the water surface I think there is no.

Arriving home I began to make the layout of the water surface. He took the packaging from the cell phone and used it as a bath. On the bottom laid out a small marine pebble, a few stones and all this sat down with small marine sand. Under the stones put some drying grass, which was supposed to imitate algae. Heat resin up to 40 -50 degrees on a water bath began to add a hardener and a little bit of oil paint, to give the appropriate shade of seawater. After the thin first layer of "painted resin" began to harden, flooded to the edges of the bath already transparent resin without additives. That's what happened:

For more than three months have passed, but the resin remains transparent. I think for standing water this version of the experiment is suitable.
Further, I wanted to try to reproduce light waves on the surface, for these purposes in the art cabin acquired two types of transparent gels, one IDEA Midium production Italy, another Kristall Gel produced by Germany. Both gel are in one price Basket 350 - 370 rubles.

The Idea Midium gel when applied with a tassel gives a thinner layer (good for 350 and 72 scales) than Kristall GEL, which is more suitable for waves in 48 and 35 scales. Although with successful use of them, I think you can come to a good result. The photo shows how the gel on the glass lies.

So at first cover the surface of the Idea Midium gel, so that there would be a light marine ripple:

After 24 hours, we see this picture:

After covering the Kristall Gel with a thick layer, due to the fact that the layer turned out to be a really big gel dried throughout three days. In this case, I wanted to see how the gel behaves, if you try to imitate splashes from the rocky waves:

Trying white