Muddy waters of the Mekong. Epoxy waves or how to make imitation water How to make imitation water from glue

The eternal diorama question - how and from what to make water? - has probably puzzled everyone at least once. Moreover, no one will give a definite answer to it. The water in the diorama, unlike other objects, it seems to me, does not tolerate compromise - in the end it is either similar or not. There can be no average. Just as there cannot be only one true technological solution this task - after all, a puddle, a waterfall, an ocean surf, a quiet creek, a mountain river - this is all water in its countless and magnificent manifestations. This problem must be solved anew every time.

I'll tell you how I imitated water in a specific case. For anything else, this solution will be useless, but I will be glad if it helps someone and leads to new thoughts and discoveries.

The idea of the diorama lay on the surface - there was an excellent Dragon set of "Navy Seals", there was a Dragon LSSC boat. What else remained to be done - of course, landing on the shore. Enough for a simple plot, but to complete it I wanted to fill the composition with an exciting mood. I decided to create the effect of silence - in literature and films it is often mentioned that when going into the jungle for an operation, group members maintained silence, using sign language. This determined minor alterations of the figures. It is clear that water needs to be made, but what kind of water should be made? Probably also quiet, calm, splashing along the side of a rocking boat.

Of all the materials I had at my disposal, epoxy resin was the most suitable for this. But experiments with its traditional use (and, naturally, the traditional shrinkage meniscus along the perimeter and ubiquitous bubbles) were not encouraging. But who said that this should be the surface and not the underside of the simulated water? If epoxy makes excellent, delicate parts, why can't it be water cast as a part "face down" into a modeled mold. The material for the mold was aluminum foil. I used a blank plate for offset printing (it is used as a plate in printing presses, you can buy it in stores that sell printing supplies). The sheet size is enough for a full-fledged diorama, but one can only dream of such surface quality, evenness and thickness of the metal.

First you need to draw the outline of the diorama on the foil coastline and the “spot” of the boat. To do this, you need to make a template in a sheet of cardboard - a section of the ship's hull along the waterline. It is desirable to ensure that the body fits into this template clearly, tightly and without gaps as accurately as possible. All parts below the waterline that form negative angles must be removed.

The plate is too hard, so it must be annealed over a flame gas stove. I placed the annealed sheet (the size of the pond on the diorama plus an allowance of a few centimeters on each side) on a backing consisting of a piece of chipboard folded in several layers thick fabric. I secured this “sandwich” around the perimeter with slats nailed to the chipboard.

Now comes creativity in its purest form. To create the relief, I used the entire range of spoons available in the kitchen. The canteen and tea room were mostly useful. With the large one I set the main rhythm and plasticity, with the small one I worked out the individual waves. It didn’t work out the first time - I got carried away and went overboard with the depth of the relief and somehow didn’t “catch” the character of the waves. So brevity and brevity again. The finished form can now be cut out along the intended perimeter and glued “face down” onto chipboard or plywood - after all, despite the wavy relief, the water remains a flat plane. I glued it with “Moment” and for extra confidence I put a press (book) on top.

After this, we need to sculpt a side from plasticine that limits the cut of the coastline and the opening into which we will then insert the boat. In the case of a ship, this must be done as accurately and carefully as possible. It’s easier to get or cut plasticine and spend an extra half hour than to then spend a long and tedious time sharpening an epoxy casting. I limited the smooth sides with strips of glass, which were again fastened with plasticine.

The mold is ready for casting, so the surface must be perfectly smooth and clean, because all this will then remain on the surface of the water. Since I imitated a muddy tropical river (remember “Apocalypse”?), I didn’t need to create a depth effect, it was enough to convey the color and plastic dirty water. For casting I needed two standard EAF kits. I tinted the first layer that will create the front surface oil paint. By varying the amount of pigment, different transparency can be achieved. In my case, I didn’t skimp. It is better to dilute the resins with a margin so that the first tinted layer completely hides the relief of the waves. In principle, you can fill everything at once without making layers.

Just to be on the safe side, I reinforced the second layer of the casting with pieces of fiberglass twine. After polymerization, you can remove the mold and completely remove the remaining plasticine with acetone. Now our accuracy when applying plasticine will come back to haunt us - let’s try to launch the ship. There may be gaps - I hope it’s clear from the drawing how to fix them. The boat should “sit” in the water like a glove.

Let's assume that everything worked out and now it won't be difficult to include water in the fabric of the diorama. To bring water to condition, you need to make its surface glossy. I achieved this effect with car varnish - I decanted it from an aerosol can and blew it through an airbrush. It is better to blow in thin layers, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly so that the varnish does not pool in the recesses. To prevent dust from settling on the wet varnish, it is better to cover the diorama with a suitable box before drying. The layer ended up being rather large; I polished it with automotive polishing paste and fixing polish. I imitated the flakes of dirty foam at the sides and near the shore using thick tempera. We had to drill a lot of holes for the reeds; this required several 0.5 mm drill bits, which broke ungodly. But, in my opinion, these are all minor things compared to the final result.

Typically, miniaturists use epoxy resin for simulating water and other liquids. If you have seen various drinks, shiny sauces on food, raw eggs, soups or other liquids in dollhouse miniatures, and have also seen wonderful water effects in railway or landscape scenes, perhaps you have looked at epoxy resin products.

When you prepare this mixture, it will harden, become shiny and durable. It can be poured in several layers to create the effect of deep water.

Only a layer of 3 or 6 mm of material can be poured at a time. You won't be able to fill one thick layer this material. For example, deep water can only be made in several layers.

What is two-part clear epoxy resin?

Two-part clear epoxy is a gloss finish made from a mixture of epoxy resin and hardener. You can buy it in hardware stores and construction supermarkets. The main use of the material is a long lasting and high shine after it hardens. Two-component epoxy resin is sold in a set (two jars: one with hardener and the other with epoxy resin). When these two components are mixed in equal quantities, the mixture heats up, then becomes gel-like, and then completely hardens.

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

Safe work

It is necessary to work with epoxy resins only in a well-ventilated area. You should avoid inhaling the fumes (epoxy resin fumes are much lighter than fumes from other chemicals used to simulate water), and it is advisable to wear gloves and safety glasses when handling epoxy resin to protect your hands and eyes from accidental splashes. The product is sold with accessible instructions for safe use.

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

Rubbing alcohol or regular alcohol can be used to remove spilled liquid resin from surfaces and tools.

Mixing

The two ingredients must be completely mixed together in one container (which should be thrown away after use). The material from which the container is made should not react with the epoxy. Small ones are good for working with miniatures plastic cups with measuring marks (for example, these are sold with cough syrup) in which you can mix the two components of the resin. If you don’t have anything like that on hand, you can also use disposable syringes to measure required quantity material.

Epoxy resin must be mixed by carefully measuring the exact amount of resin and hardener (1:1). This option is also possible: you measure the required amount of epoxy resin, pour it into disposable cup, and then add hardener to another glass to the same level.

When you have two equal portions, you pour the epoxy resin into the container with the hardener and thoroughly mix the two components with a wooden stick.

Then, once the ingredients are well mixed in the container, you pour them back into the container that held the epoxy resin to ensure that you have used equal amounts of the ingredients and that whatever is left at the bottom of the first container is completely used.

Removing Bubbles

Mixing epoxy resin and hardener will cause bubbles to form. If you blow on the mixture, the bubbles will burst due to the presence of carbon dioxide. If you will be filling small bottles, jars, glasses or jugs, let the epoxy sit for a few minutes to allow the gases to escape before pouring it into the container in which it will cure.

Working conditions

Most epoxy resin manufacturers indicate in the instructions a time of approximately 30 minutes until the resin becomes gel-like (this time depends on the room temperature). Most two-part epoxy mixtures cure in approximately 8 hours at 21°C. But they cannot be used when the room humidity is around 50%, otherwise they may become foggy. The material has a shelf life of at least a year if stored in a tightly sealed container. Epoxy resin products will turn yellow if exposed to direct sunlight.

Simulate liquid using two-component clear epoxy resin

The epoxy resin settles into a flat surface. It slowly stretches down the walls of the vessel. To simulate still water, you will need to apply a final leveling to its surface to remove the “sticking out” edges that form when the mass flows down the walls.

Plan your work carefully. You may need to glue the pieces together before pouring the resin into the jar. You may also need to add details with each layer (for example, to make a realistic environment with fish or tadpoles at different levels, jars of fruit or vegetables that don't sink to the bottom).

If you're planning to simulate melting jelly, ice cream, or a spilled drink, allow the epoxy resin to gel before pouring it. This will give you a thicker layer than if you poured it straight after mixing.

To create a wet mark or puddle effect, but with the understanding that you will then need to remove this effect from the surface, pour resin onto a bendable plastic surface. Tear the plastic away from the "puddle" and then place the "puddle" on the floor in dollhouse without spilling resin on the floor.

There are other products that are better suited to the running water effect, and most of them can be combined with hardening two-part clear epoxy resin.

Tips and tricks

Epoxy resins will not come out of shape easily. Do not use them to make jelly dolls or other things that need to be removed from molds.

Improper mixing will result in the epoxy resin not curing. Measure well before mixing.

When filling a small-necked container, fill it drop by drop from the tip of a pin or toothpick. Or use a disposable pipette or syringe.

Avoid working in a cold or damp environment, otherwise the resin may become foggy.

Use special paints for working with epoxy resin. Compatible paints are clear or translucent, and colors can be mixed.

Some plastic parts can dissolve in epoxy resin. Check to see if paints or bases will be damaged by resin before working with them.

Good luck!

Mixing Instructions:

Before mixing, measure or weigh each component. If the proportions are violated, the material will not polymerize

Component ratio:

by volume A100 - B100
work time: 12 o'clock
complete polymerization 24 hours

Application area:

For creating decorative compositions(ikebana, aquarium), architectural models (water features).

The quality and color stability of synthetic flower stems varies. Some stems may bleed over time, creating green or brown tints in the product. Clear Elegance is designed to reduce this color bleeding. You can test the color stability of your stems by making a small piece and observing the color change over a few weeks. If you are using stems that are known to give off color, you should coat them first. transparent film. Allow the film to dry before using it in the product. Most aerosol coatings will work, such as Krylon. Also cover all porous materials such as wood, stone or dried flower stems with film. Escaping air or moisture may cause bubbles when curing.

Make sure all containers and stirring equipment are clean and dry. Water, grease, wax or other foreign substances may cause reactions resulting in blistering or cracking. Use only metal, plastic or rubber stirring tools. Moisture in wet wooden spatulas will cause bubbles. Do not use paper cups, paper contains moisture and may cause bubbles.
The substance in Clear Elegance is very temperature sensitive. Do not knead the product if the product itself or the temperature in the room is lower than 18? C or higher than 25? C. How warmer system or room temperature, the faster the product hardens. And vice versa, low temperatures slow down the hardening time. Do not expose to sun while stirring or curing. Atmosphere high humidity may delay curing or cause bubbles. Clear Elegance kits are packaged with exact proportions of components A and B (equal).
Do not expose the finished product to extreme temperatures or leave it in the sun. The substance will expand and contract in extreme temperatures and may rupture the container and damage the product. Do not leave Clear Elegance kits or completed products in areas without temperature control.

Before the beginning:

Gather the necessary materials:

Clear Elegance components. A ( liquid rubber) and B (hardener);
Your flower combination;
Plastic or metal spatula for stirring;
A clean, dry vase;
A clean glass or plastic container (large enough for mixture A and B and for stirring). Do not use Styrofoam or polystyrene cups;
Funnel (not necessary, but useful for long, narrow-necked vases);
Rags or newspapers to avoid getting dirty workplace;
Film to hold the product together as it hardens;
Paper towels;
You should wear protective clothing, rubber gloves and eye protection when handling this product;
Window cleaner, alcohol or mineral oils for cleaning.

Begin:

Step 1. Select a work area that is not exposed to direct sunlight, away from sources of heat or cold, and where the product will not be touched for 24 hours. Protect your work area with rags or newspapers. Wash and dry the vase thoroughly, as small drops of water can contaminate the product or change its effect.

Step 2. Pour equal amounts of components A and B into a clean glass or plastic measuring container. Close containers with remaining components immediately to avoid contamination. Don't use paper cups. Stir thoroughly for 3 minutes. Thorough stirring is necessary. Scrape down the sides of the container while stirring. We recommend that you pour the Clear Elegance mixture into another clean plastic container and stir a second time before pouring. This ensures that there are no unmixed substances left. Seal partially used containers tightly. Once the factory containers of Clear Elegance are opened, we recommend using them as quickly as possible. Frequently opening and closing containers will cause moisture contamination and bubbles.

Step 3. Slowly pour Clear Elegance from the container into the center of the vase. Do not splash the mixture or let it run down the sides of the vase. Pour slowly and evenly to avoid trapping air bubbles. For large products you can attach a clear plastic tube to the funnel to make pouring easier. Fill to required level.

Step 4. Place the product in safe place and secure with film on top if necessary. Once the product hardens, it will already be permanently fixed.

Any changes to the composition should be made immediately after pouring Clear Elegance into the vase.

Step 5. Do not touch the product for 24 hours. Your composition is ready.

Cleaning: Clear Elegance is forever once it hardens. Don't throw leftovers down the sink. Leftovers must harden before they can be discarded. Use paper towels, soap and water, alcohol, window cleaner, or mineral oil. Wipe up all puddles and wipe down all instruments. Wash your hands thoroughly.

Warning: Keep materials out of the reach of children to avoid accidents. We recommend protective clothing, rubber gloves and safety glasses. Protect work surfaces. Wash your hands immediately with soap after use. Store in a cool, dry place, away from high temperature or open fire.

Actually there are several different technologies obtaining simulated water during modeling. I'll try to tell you about the most frequently used ones. Let me note right away that this is not the only technology. There are others. Including those more suitable for simulating waves from the movement of a boat or during a storm. However, creating the effect of standing water, the presented option is very interesting. Master Class " Epoxy waves"conducted by Viktor Novikov, Ivanovo. A recognized master of historical miniatures. A further story about how he made the “water” for this diorama “Wet Place”.

I present to your attention one of the ways to simulate waves on the surface of a reservoir using epoxy resin. The method is a modification of V. Demchenko’s method described in the article “ Imitation water" In this article, the author describes a method for making wavy water relief by casting epoxy resin into an aluminum mold in one step. Note that the method is very sensitive to the quality of manufacturing of the injection mold (even Demchenko himself did not succeed the first time), and also requires large quantity resin.

The method I propose differs in that the process of forming a water surface is divided into two stages - preliminary (casting a rough plaster mold) and finishing (forming a relief with epoxy resin directly on the gypsum casting). This method, naturally, somewhat lengthens the work in time, but it is cheaper and is quite accessible to not very experienced modellers. So let's begin. I’ll make a reservation right away that I will write in as much detail as possible, since the article is addressed specifically to novice modelers.

We decide on the dimensions of the future diorama. I use standard photo frames.

Next you will need special device– a board with an even layer of plasticine applied, about 5 mm thick and an area sufficient to perform the required casting. On this board, with the blunt end of a brush, we draw out the future relief of the water in plasticine.

Cover the board with a layer of thin food aluminum foil and roll the relief formed on plasticine in it with your finger. This allows you to smooth out the relief and make it more realistic.

Using rulers fastened with plasticine, we form a bath for plaster casting according to the dimensions of the future diorama. The rulers should be sunk into plasticine so that the plaster does not spread.

We dilute gypsum (alabaster) by adding and kneading small portions of powder in water until creamy. The water can be pre-tinted with dye (photo 5).

For example like this.

Pour the resulting creamy solution into the mold and wait for it to harden. I let the casting dry for about a day.

So, the next day we have a finished casting, which we fix to the frame with glue.

For example this one.

First, you need to glue an insert of 2 mm plastic into the frame as the bottom of the future diorama.

Let's paint it acrylic paints in the color of the water we want to see in the diorama. I chose dark brown and dark greenish shades because I am making the base for a small peat bog. Let the paint dry for about a day.

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

The sides should protrude above the surface by at least 3-5 mm to form a bath for filling the surface with epoxy resin.

Preparing epoxy resin. We act according to the instructions. First, we heat a larger vessel with resin in a water bath to 40-50 degrees (but no more!) so that it flows better.

Pour the required amount of resin into a disposable cup. It is easy to calculate this amount. The resin layer should be small - 2-3 mm. If the base size is 13x13 cm like mine, then the volume will be 13x13x0.3 = 50 ml - a quarter of a glass. Next, add the hardener in small parts in the recommended proportions, mix everything thoroughly. To accurately dose the hardener, it is convenient to use a syringe. Let the composition sit a little so that the main air bubbles come out, and then fill the surface of the base with epoxy.

It can be seen that there are still quite a lot of bubbles. We remove them with a toothpick. This will take about half an hour.

The next stage is the actual formation of the relief. It is obvious that the epoxy spread in an even layer.

But we can easily restore the relief if we tilt the base at an angle. As long as the epoxy is fluid, the relief will disappear. Therefore, the most important thing is not to miss the moment when it begins to harden. How much time will pass until this moment from the start of preparation of the composition depends on the amount of added hardener. Therefore, I recommend determining this point experimentally. In my case, the epoxy began to set after 2.5 hours.

I note that the degree of inclination is easy to control the depth of the relief, making the waves insignificant or, on the contrary, noticeable. Complete hardening occurs within a day.

So, we have a blank with a realistic water relief for further work on the diorama. The labor intensity of the method in pure time is four to five hours, of which three hours are witchcraft over the hardening epoxy. The advantages of the method include a small amount of resin used, high reliability of the formed relief, since it occurs during the natural wave-like movement of the resin during its hardening. And the third plus. If we want to drill a hole in the base, for example, for planting reeds, we only have to drill thin layer resin. This allows you to significantly save on thin drills when further working with the diorama. This method was used when working with the diorama “Wet Place”. There were no losses when drilling the base for the reeds.

The diorama “Wet Place” itself will be presented in upcoming publications.

I present to your attention one of the ways to simulate waves on the surface of a reservoir using epoxy resin. The method is a modification of V. Demchenko’s method, described in the article “Water Imitation”. In this article, the author describes a method for making wavy water relief by casting epoxy resin into an aluminum mold in one step. Note that the method is very sensitive to the quality of the injection mold (even Demchenko himself did not succeed the first time), and also requires a large amount of resin.

We decide on the dimensions of the future diorama. I use standard photo frames (photo 1). Next, you will need a special device - a board with an even layer of plasticine applied with a thickness of about 5 mm and an area sufficient to complete the required casting. On this board, with the blunt end of a brush, we draw out the future water relief in plasticine (photo 2). Cover the board with a layer of thin food-grade aluminum foil and roll the relief formed on plasticine into it with your finger (photo 3). This allows you to smooth out the relief and make it more realistic. Using rulers fastened with plasticine, we form a bath for plaster casting according to the dimensions of the future diorama (photo 4). The rulers should be sunk into plasticine so that the plaster does not spread. We dilute gypsum (alabaster) by adding and kneading small portions of powder in water until creamy. The water can be pre-tinted with a dye (photo 5), for example this one (photo 6). Pour the resulting creamy solution into the mold and wait for it to harden (photo 7). I let the casting dry for about a day.

So, the next day we have a finished casting, which we fix to the frame (photo 8) using glue, for example this (photo 9). First, you need to glue an insert of 2 mm plastic into the frame as the bottom of the future diorama (photo 10). We paint it with acrylic paints in the colors of the water that we want to see on the diorama. I chose dark brown and dark greenish shades because I am making the base for a small peat bog (photo 11). Let the paint dry for about a day. The next day we decorate the ends of the future diorama with thin plastic (photo 12). In this case, I used transparent plastic from some packaging. The sides should protrude above the surface by at least 3-5 mm to form a bath for filling the surface with epoxy resin (photo 13).

Preparing epoxy resin (photo 14). We act according to the instructions. First, we heat a larger vessel with resin in a water bath to 40-50 degrees (but no more!) so that it flows better. Pour the required amount of resin into a disposable cup. It is easy to calculate this amount. The resin layer should be small - 2-3 mm. If the base size is 13x13 cm like mine, then the volume will be 13x13x0.3 = 50 ml - a quarter of a glass. Next, add the hardener in small parts in the recommended proportions, mix everything thoroughly. To accurately dose the hardener, it is convenient to use a syringe. Let the composition sit a little so that the main air bubbles come out, and then fill the surface of the base with epoxy (photo 15). It can be seen that there are still quite a lot of bubbles. We remove them with a toothpick (photo 16). This will take about half an hour.

The next stage is the actual formation of the relief. It is obvious that the epoxy spread in an even layer (photo 17). But we can easily restore the relief if we tilt the base at an angle (Fig. 18). As long as the epoxy is fluid, the relief will disappear. Therefore, the most important thing is not to miss the moment when it begins to harden. How much time will pass until this moment from the start of preparation of the composition depends on the amount of added hardener. Therefore, I recommend determining this point experimentally. In my case, the epoxy began to set after 2.5 hours. Next, you should cast a spell, tilting the base, for 15-20 minutes until the movement of the resin stops (photo 19). I note that the degree of inclination is easy to control the depth of the relief, making the waves insignificant or, on the contrary, noticeable. Complete hardening occurs within a day (photo 20).

So, we have a blank with a realistic water relief for further work on the diorama. The labor intensity of the method in pure time is four to five hours, of which three hours are witchcraft over the hardening epoxy. The advantages of the method include a small amount of resin used, high reliability of the formed relief, since it occurs during the natural wave-like movement of the resin during its hardening. And the third plus. If we want to drill a hole in the base, for example to plant reeds, we only have to drill a thin layer of resin. This allows you to significantly save on thin drills when further working with the diorama. This method was used when working with the “Wet Place” diorama. There were no losses when drilling the base for the reeds.

Muddy waters of the Mekong. Epoxy waves or how to make imitation water How to make imitation water from glue

Simulate liquid using two-component clear epoxy resin

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