Making Waves 3
I first make the wave pattern with a gas burner, very carefully and under proper ventilation (!!!) . Nowadays, I make the cutout for the hull after this step. That´ll make for sharper and neater borders and the hull sitting snugger inside the cutout.
Only then will I cut the board to its final size, as that will leave nicer borders than cutting first and torching later.
I bought this foam cutting device a while ago, and it really eases cutting the foam board.
For my HMS Hermes, I produced the wave pattern with the gas burner, then made the hull cutout, and then cut the piece to size. That makes much neater borders. I was even able to thin the piece down with the cutting device. It was hair-raising, but it did work.
This is the completed base for HMS Hermes, ready for the next step, which is fitting the hull into the base.
Acrylic caulking is ideal to fit a hull into the cutout. The hull needs to be isolated, I use kabuki tape and vaseline. The material needs about two days curing time.
Two days. I mean it.
White glue can smoothen out too coarse areas.
The base has been prepared.
Now white wall paint is stippled onto the base to produce a surface texture similar to that of water.
Green paint is sprayed away from the hull to start colouring the base.
Sometimes one shade of blue suffices.
Sometimes two.
Sometimes three.
These shades were used in this case.
Test-fitting the hull is always motivational.
The transition between the hull and the undisturbed water around it helps the illusion of depth.
Further wave effects are sculpted using clear gloss acrylic gel.
The base is now gloss coated. That adds depth. But: The previous water-based materials need to fully cure before the gloss coat may be applied. Otherwise things will get ugly. Believe you me.
Further test-fitting. Always fun.
There are true masters like Chris Flodberg, Kostas Katseas and Won-Hui Lee that excel in wave and spray effects. I´m working on it.
The trick is to use cotton wool spun and mixed with acrylic gel and/or gloss acrylic like Future to achieve the illusion of spray ...
Not easy, but well worth the try.
For the MCMV HMS Hurworth, the base was made lively yet without spray. It was shaped mostly by gas torch.
Only one shade of green and one of blue were used.
The gloss coat really brings the base alive.
The completed base, with the vessel diving into the swell.
I added this image long after starting the album. This is the excellent 1:350 Starling Models kit of the RN Round Table Class trawler Sir Gareth.
Comments
13 22 January 2020, 13:04
Harry Eder
Danke Frank! Immer gut zu wissen! Kommt auch noch ein Wassergestaltung-Tutorial in 1:72? 😉
Danke Frank! Immer gut zu wissen! Kommt auch noch ein Wassergestaltung-Tutorial in 1:72? 😉
22 January 2020, 14:18
Frank Spahr
Sorry, Harry - nicht mein Maßstab für Wassergestaltung - dazu kann ich leider nichts beitragen...
Sorry, Harry - nicht mein Maßstab für Wassergestaltung - dazu kann ich leider nichts beitragen...
22 January 2020, 14:44
Werner Jonczyk
Habe mich an Wassergestaltung nie rangetraut. Da ich jetzt aber vermehrt U-Boote baue, kann ich mich mit Hilfe deines tutorials daran mal versuchen. Danke
Habe mich an Wassergestaltung nie rangetraut. Da ich jetzt aber vermehrt U-Boote baue, kann ich mich mit Hilfe deines tutorials daran mal versuchen. Danke
22 January 2020, 15:03
Frank Spahr
Schwierig wird´s, wenn das Wasser durchsichtig ist. Dann kommst Du mit diesen Techniken nicht weiter. Wenn es nicht durchsichtig ist - dann schon
Schwierig wird´s, wenn das Wasser durchsichtig ist. Dann kommst Du mit diesen Techniken nicht weiter. Wenn es nicht durchsichtig ist - dann schon
22 January 2020, 16:56
Norbert Steffens
Great tutorial many thanks. But again how did you create the turbulented water direct at the hull. The the polygonal shape is very interesting.
Great tutorial many thanks. But again how did you create the turbulented water direct at the hull. The the polygonal shape is very interesting.
25 January 2020, 08:00
Starbase101
The water looks awesome, but typically I see these water builds without "wet" areas on the hull which detracts from the illusion because a real boat (or anything else in the water) would not be completely dry everywhere above the water. To go along with the turbulent waves maybe some gel on the hull itself so it looks wet from moving up and down in the water? Again, love the look of well-done water bases like this!
The water looks awesome, but typically I see these water builds without "wet" areas on the hull which detracts from the illusion because a real boat (or anything else in the water) would not be completely dry everywhere above the water. To go along with the turbulent waves maybe some gel on the hull itself so it looks wet from moving up and down in the water? Again, love the look of well-done water bases like this!
25 January 2020, 08:59
Frank Spahr
You´re right, Mike, I just might add some wetness to the hull yet - which it would show in reality. The problem is arriving at the right amount of gloss to make it look convincing. Norbert, I answered your query in the MCMV post.
You´re right, Mike, I just might add some wetness to the hull yet - which it would show in reality. The problem is arriving at the right amount of gloss to make it look convincing. Norbert, I answered your query in the MCMV post.
25 January 2020, 09:48
Stephan H.
I used the same technique for my Loire C130 project and was really happy how good it works, even in 1/72😉 . The only difference is that I used Styrodur insulation foam, which is very dense (dt.: Styrodur ist sehr dicht und hat sehr kleine Partikel, tolles Zeug) . That means that you can even sand it if necessary and cut it quite easily. But if you use Styrodur dont apply too much heat on one spot over long time, because this will cause the foam to create a solid top layer which is almost strong as plastic and can hardly be corrected. Always keep the flamer in motion, like an airbrush 🙂.
I used the same technique for my Loire C130 project and was really happy how good it works, even in 1/72😉 . The only difference is that I used Styrodur insulation foam, which is very dense (dt.: Styrodur ist sehr dicht und hat sehr kleine Partikel, tolles Zeug) . That means that you can even sand it if necessary and cut it quite easily. But if you use Styrodur dont apply too much heat on one spot over long time, because this will cause the foam to create a solid top layer which is almost strong as plastic and can hardly be corrected. Always keep the flamer in motion, like an airbrush 🙂.
28 January 2020, 09:42
Frank Spahr
Thanks, Stephan! I also use Styrodur, insulation board from the hardware supermarket. I also second your recommendations on flame use!
Thanks, Stephan! I also use Styrodur, insulation board from the hardware supermarket. I also second your recommendations on flame use!
28 January 2020, 18:33
Frank Spahr
Well, this is not a new album, it just popped up when I added a few images as new. I added photos of the foam board cutter I have bought, and what it did to the base of my HMS Hermes.
Well, this is not a new album, it just popped up when I added a few images as new. I added photos of the foam board cutter I have bought, and what it did to the base of my HMS Hermes.
22 May 2021, 15:38
Peppy
Ah, the Magician opens the book of spells.
Masterclass tutorial.
Thank you, Frank.
Ah, the Magician opens the book of spells.
Masterclass tutorial.
Thank you, Frank.
23 May 2021, 04:39
Album info
Full hulled models or livelier seascapes need bases with more substance. I use ordinary styrofoam insulation boards from the hardware supermarket. This is what I do: