A few months ago I converted several river sections I had made for 15mm ACW to streams/runoffs for 6mm. These were acetate with one side painted. I am now adding to them and include here a short tutorial on how these were made.
It is a very simple method, cheap, quick and quite effective:
The first stage is to paint one side of an A4 size acetate sheet (I apologise for the slightly blurry image but hopefully you get the idea).
I used a mix of cheap artists acrylic paint. Black, Chocolate Brown and Tan. A dark shade was maintained using the brown and tan to create an irregular look. To protect the paint I gave it a coat of spray gloss varnish.
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Using scissors I cut out various lengths including curves and junctions. To make the streams look natural I avoided straight lines. They measured 15mm across where each section meets. As can be seen, a considerable amount can be cut from one sheet.
I find completing a few at a time alongside other projects is less of an ordeal than finishing them all in one go. Here I have used PVA glue to attach several pieces of clump foliage to the shiny topside to represent large bushes.
Once dry I added more smaller bushes using Woodland Scenics Course Turf. Using an eye-dropper I carefully drop heavily diluted PVA glue (add a small amount of washing up liquid to the mix which aids dispersal) onto the foliage to help seal down any loose turf.
As can be seen this cheap and quick method makes pretty good streams. I will widen banks on some sections creating variable width streams and I may add a few rocks here and there. These will double up as river sections for my 2mm project.
Here I have added various shades of fine turf creating the banks.
Your streams look terrific! This is a great result and looks very natural.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Jonathan.
DeleteThey look fantastic Jon! Thanks for the tutorial:)
ReplyDeleteNo probs Steve. Hopefully it will be of use.
DeleteGreat work, Jon and another of your ideas I will pinch!
ReplyDeleteGreat to here that you found it useful Kevin.
DeleteJon, if you don't mind could you let me know the grade of acetate sheets you used? I've used some in the past that were thin and might be too floppy for this.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately Kevin I bought these loose about 20 years ago. There is no indication on them as to the grade. I would guess though that they are about 100 microns. They are thin but when a coat of paint followed by varnish is applied it will strengthen them. And of course once foliage is added they are stiffened further still be maintaining some flexiblity.
DeleteThey look superb, Jon!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Peter.
DeleteThanks, Jon. I shall have a go at the weekend.
ReplyDeleteJust try a couple of sections and see how they end up. Mine are certainly strong enough for the tabletop once completed.
DeleteJon, this post was revelatory. Two A4 sheets of acetate have provided me with plenty of sections. I tweaked your method a bit - I sprayed the sheets with black primer followed by a quick spray of dark earth and used a brush for the varnish. Then some olive green and flat earth (more or less dry-brushed) and another coat of varnish. And as I mentioned to you before I finish off the water with a coat of PVA. But I would not have thought to do this without you and the results are excellent. Not only will I never again buy streams and rivers but I am adopting your method to make country roads, paths, bridleways etc. I am in your debt.
ReplyDeleteExcellent. Great news Kevin. I have found that leaving one side in its natural state is shiny enough to look like water. Sounds like you have found another method there.
DeleteI have done this with overhead transparencies. But I painted them and flipped them over so that the glossy side is up. Then I added the river banks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Afet. Sounds like it is the same I have done here with the glossy side up. I nice and easy way to make rivers.
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