kathrynloch
New member
Okay gang, gonna make a separate post so this is easy for people searching the forums for this info.
I'm working on a large snow and water base and actually having fun doing it.
Hobby Lobby carries some Woodland Scenic products and while it's on the other side of town, it's still faster to get it there than wait for mail order. Unfortunately today I ran out of the Water Effects.
Just for any new folks who might read this Woodland Scenics makes a variety of products for water. The most common is Realistic Water which is great for pools, streams, and lakes. This stuff is a clear resin that you pour into the water area and it makes the "body" of standing water. To achieve the appearance of rapids, blubbles, or waterfalls you need Water Effects which is a thick white paste that dries clear and shiny but has body and holds a shape like waves or ripples.
Working on my waterfall, it's not good that I ran out of Water Effects. I bought a kit to get me started several months ago, so the Water Effects was just a tiny little sample jar. When I got to Hobby Lobby - they didn't have any Water Effects. :curse: I asked them if they could order it. Nope, we only get the Realistic Water. We don't bother with the other stuff. Oh wonderful. Now I can order online directly from Woodland Scenics but this is really irritating. They had a Learning Kit River/Waterfall in stock for $15.99.
Debate - get this and pay extra for stuff I don't need. Well, don't need right now, eventually I'll use it. But I need to hang on to my money right now so I can go to Chicago. Or do I order from Woodland Scenics, pay for a big bottle and shipping and stop work on the base until the stuff comes in.
Damn - I go ahead and grab the kit. But there's one thing that turns me into a crusader momma bear. If I feel a corporation or merchant is holding the consumer (especially) me hostage. I get hoppin' mad and yell JUSTICE!
:laugh: Not really but I do get ticked because I don't like the hostage thing since it's my money I'm giving to these companies. So I went on a mission to discover SOMETHING to use for Water Effects that's easy to get.
Found it! Or at least I'm pretty sure I did. We have to wait until late this evening to see how my tests work out. But here's what I got and I think you'll find the info handy.
I prowled the aisles and I always manage to end up in the acrylic paint section for some strange reason - even though I never buy their paint any more. But I spot the Liquitex paint mediums. They've got spiffy new Red and White labels. And on the shelf at eye level for me are two potentials.
The first is the Gloss Heavy Gel Medium. The second possibility is Clear Gesso. But I'm not a huge fan of Gesso so I concentrate on the Gloss. On the label it says it dries thick and holds its shape even lifting off of the canvass. And it also dries transparent with a high gloss shine. Sounds perfect to me.
It's a large bottle - 8 oz of thick ooze. My kit with the "real" Water Effects has another tiny sample jar holding a whopping 0.5 oz. Be still my heart. :roll-eyes:
Let the tests begin.
Side note - if you use this stuff, don't bother with wax paper - it doesn't release well, at least not for me. I've got a non-stick cake pan that I've used once in 15 years. The surface doesn't have a mark on it. So I repurposed the pan for hobby work. The stuff peels right off - it's fantastic. So save yourself some trouble and go straight for the nonstick pans.
Okay let's see how these two compare.
They look and act exactly the same to me. The stuff is curing now so I'll know for sure late this eve.
The Water Effects was a tad thicker but I really believe that's because it was covered in an inch of dust when I pulled it off the shelf. I think that kit has been in the store forever. Most likely its a bit thick because its old while the Liquitex looks like it just arrived on the shelves.
This is the Gloss Heavy Gel Medium.
I made an inset so you can see the two together. The "real" water effects is the small photo.
Earlier some folks asked what I used for my snow base and other things. I also discovered alternatives there.
This stuff comes in handy! It's Heavy Carvable Modelling Paste. It's so thick its like applying plaster.
It's also really nice for filling in those annoying air bubbles on resin models. Once it dries you can sand it smooth and can be easier and faster than epoxy putties when you're trying to fill pin holes.
I use this stuff as my base and create the foundation for drifts and uneven terrain.
After that dries, I apply the "snow base".
This stuff is also ancient - I bought it...last year I think. It's the Woodland Scenics (actually Scene-A-Rama) Winter Kit so the snow base comes in a generic jar. But it too is nothing super special. It's just regular old modelling paste. It's thin and can run if you're not careful. But again, you can find the exact same thing in the acrylic mediums section. Liquitex and Windsor & Newton both make regular modelling paste and its right next to the Heavy Carvable stuff.
The regular modelling paste is great for the tops of drifts. Get a good amount on your brush and sorta roll it across the highest point. It spreads out a little but not much as long as you don't over apply. When it dries it looks like a real drift. Add glue to the top of the drift and sprinkle some flake snow over it and there ya go.
These are easy and economical solutions because its the same exact stuff that Woodland Scenics puts out. The bottles are larger but cheaper per unit and you should be able to find them at any craft/art supply store. And when it comes to acrylic stuff - Liquitex and W&N have high quality products. So don't get ripped off or hung out to dry because companies think they can hold you hostage over something that can be difficult to find.
That ain't gonna fly in this house.
I'll take more pics when this stuff cures and see how it works for a waterfall.
So there ya have it - hope some folks find the info useful.
Okay, I've been sidetracked enough - I gotta get more work done.
I'm working on a large snow and water base and actually having fun doing it.
Hobby Lobby carries some Woodland Scenic products and while it's on the other side of town, it's still faster to get it there than wait for mail order. Unfortunately today I ran out of the Water Effects.Just for any new folks who might read this Woodland Scenics makes a variety of products for water. The most common is Realistic Water which is great for pools, streams, and lakes. This stuff is a clear resin that you pour into the water area and it makes the "body" of standing water. To achieve the appearance of rapids, blubbles, or waterfalls you need Water Effects which is a thick white paste that dries clear and shiny but has body and holds a shape like waves or ripples.
Working on my waterfall, it's not good that I ran out of Water Effects. I bought a kit to get me started several months ago, so the Water Effects was just a tiny little sample jar. When I got to Hobby Lobby - they didn't have any Water Effects. :curse: I asked them if they could order it. Nope, we only get the Realistic Water. We don't bother with the other stuff. Oh wonderful. Now I can order online directly from Woodland Scenics but this is really irritating. They had a Learning Kit River/Waterfall in stock for $15.99.
Debate - get this and pay extra for stuff I don't need. Well, don't need right now, eventually I'll use it. But I need to hang on to my money right now so I can go to Chicago. Or do I order from Woodland Scenics, pay for a big bottle and shipping and stop work on the base until the stuff comes in.
Damn - I go ahead and grab the kit. But there's one thing that turns me into a crusader momma bear. If I feel a corporation or merchant is holding the consumer (especially) me hostage. I get hoppin' mad and yell JUSTICE!
:laugh: Not really but I do get ticked because I don't like the hostage thing since it's my money I'm giving to these companies. So I went on a mission to discover SOMETHING to use for Water Effects that's easy to get.
Found it! Or at least I'm pretty sure I did. We have to wait until late this evening to see how my tests work out. But here's what I got and I think you'll find the info handy.
I prowled the aisles and I always manage to end up in the acrylic paint section for some strange reason - even though I never buy their paint any more. But I spot the Liquitex paint mediums. They've got spiffy new Red and White labels. And on the shelf at eye level for me are two potentials.
The first is the Gloss Heavy Gel Medium. The second possibility is Clear Gesso. But I'm not a huge fan of Gesso so I concentrate on the Gloss. On the label it says it dries thick and holds its shape even lifting off of the canvass. And it also dries transparent with a high gloss shine. Sounds perfect to me.
It's a large bottle - 8 oz of thick ooze. My kit with the "real" Water Effects has another tiny sample jar holding a whopping 0.5 oz. Be still my heart. :roll-eyes:
Let the tests begin.
Side note - if you use this stuff, don't bother with wax paper - it doesn't release well, at least not for me. I've got a non-stick cake pan that I've used once in 15 years. The surface doesn't have a mark on it. So I repurposed the pan for hobby work. The stuff peels right off - it's fantastic. So save yourself some trouble and go straight for the nonstick pans.
Okay let's see how these two compare.
They look and act exactly the same to me. The stuff is curing now so I'll know for sure late this eve.
The Water Effects was a tad thicker but I really believe that's because it was covered in an inch of dust when I pulled it off the shelf. I think that kit has been in the store forever. Most likely its a bit thick because its old while the Liquitex looks like it just arrived on the shelves.
This is the Gloss Heavy Gel Medium.
I made an inset so you can see the two together. The "real" water effects is the small photo.
Earlier some folks asked what I used for my snow base and other things. I also discovered alternatives there.
This stuff comes in handy! It's Heavy Carvable Modelling Paste. It's so thick its like applying plaster.
It's also really nice for filling in those annoying air bubbles on resin models. Once it dries you can sand it smooth and can be easier and faster than epoxy putties when you're trying to fill pin holes.
I use this stuff as my base and create the foundation for drifts and uneven terrain.
After that dries, I apply the "snow base".
This stuff is also ancient - I bought it...last year I think. It's the Woodland Scenics (actually Scene-A-Rama) Winter Kit so the snow base comes in a generic jar. But it too is nothing super special. It's just regular old modelling paste. It's thin and can run if you're not careful. But again, you can find the exact same thing in the acrylic mediums section. Liquitex and Windsor & Newton both make regular modelling paste and its right next to the Heavy Carvable stuff.
The regular modelling paste is great for the tops of drifts. Get a good amount on your brush and sorta roll it across the highest point. It spreads out a little but not much as long as you don't over apply. When it dries it looks like a real drift. Add glue to the top of the drift and sprinkle some flake snow over it and there ya go.
These are easy and economical solutions because its the same exact stuff that Woodland Scenics puts out. The bottles are larger but cheaper per unit and you should be able to find them at any craft/art supply store. And when it comes to acrylic stuff - Liquitex and W&N have high quality products. So don't get ripped off or hung out to dry because companies think they can hold you hostage over something that can be difficult to find.
That ain't gonna fly in this house.
I'll take more pics when this stuff cures and see how it works for a waterfall.
So there ya have it - hope some folks find the info useful.
Okay, I've been sidetracked enough - I gotta get more work done.
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