Simulation of water and liquids in crafts 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
Typically, miniaturists use epoxy to simulate water and other liquids. If you have seen various drinks, shiny sauces on food, raw eggs, soups or other liquids in doll miniatures, and have also seen beautiful water effects in railway or landscape scenes, you may have looked at epoxy resin products.
When you prepare such a 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 cast at a time. You will not be able to pour one thick layer of this material. For example, deep water can only be made in a few layers.
What is a two part clear epoxy resin?
A two part clear epoxy is a high gloss finish made from a mixture of epoxy and hardener. You can buy it in hardware stores and building supermarkets. The main use of the material is a long-lasting and strong gloss after it hardens. Two-component epoxy is sold in a set (two jars: one with hardener, and the other with epoxy). When these two components are mixed in equal amounts, the mixture heats up, then becomes gel-like, and then completely hardens.
Dyes, dyes, and fillers can be added to a mixture to simulate colors and textures. Paints must be suitable for working with epoxy. Other dyes may react with the epoxy and destroy its normal properties.
Safe work
Work with epoxy resins only in a well-ventilated area. You should avoid breathing vapors (epoxy vapors are much lighter than vapors from other chemicals that are used to simulate water), and it is also advisable to wear gloves and goggles when working with epoxy 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 children can use. Therefore, bottles with epoxy resin and hardener should be kept away from children.
Rubbing alcohol or regular alcohol can be used to clean spilled liquid resin from surfaces and tools.
Mixing
The two components must be completely mixed together in one container (which must be discarded after work). The material from which the container is made must not react with the epoxy. Good to work with miniatures small plastic cups with measured marks (for example, they are sold with cough syrup) are suitable, in which you can mix the two components of the resin. If you don’t have anything like that at hand, you can also use disposable syringes in order to measure the right amount of material.
Epoxy must be mixed by carefully measuring the exact amount of resin and hardener (1:1). This option is also possible: you measure the right amount of epoxy, pour it into a disposable cup, and then add hardener to the same level in another cup.
When you have two equal batches, you pour the epoxy into the hardener pot and mix the two thoroughly with a wooden stick.
Then, when the ingredients are well mixed in the container, you pour them back into the container where the epoxy was, to make sure that you used the ingredients in equal amounts, and that what was left at the bottom of the first vessel was completely used up.
Bubble removal
Mixing epoxy and hardener will cause bubbles to form. If you blow on the mixture, the bubbles will burst due to the presence of carbon dioxide in your breath. If you will be filling small bottles, jars, glasses, or jugs, allow the epoxy to vent for a few minutes before pouring it into the container in which it will solidify.
Working conditions
Most epoxy resin manufacturers list approximately 30 minutes in the instructions for the resin to gel (depending on room temperature). Most two part epoxy mixes cure in approximately 8 hours at 21°C. But they can not be used when the humidity in the room is about 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.
Liquid Simulation with Two-Part Clear Epoxy
Epoxy resin settles into a flat surface. She slowly stretches down the walls of the vessel. To simulate still water, you will need to apply a final smoothing to its surface to remove the "protruding" edges that form after the mass flows down the walls.
Plan your work carefully. You may need to glue the parts before pouring the resin into the jar. Also, you may need to add details with each layer (for example, to make a realistic environment with fish or tadpoles at different levels, jars of fruits or vegetables that do not sink to the bottom).
If you're thinking of simulating melting jelly, ice cream, or a spilled drink, allow the epoxy to gel before pouring it. In this way, you will get a thicker layer than if you poured it immediately after mixing.
In order to create a wet mark or puddle effect, but with the condition that this effect will later need to be removed from the surface, pour resin on a bendable plastic surface. Tear off the plastic from the "puddle" and then place the "puddle" on the floor in the dollhouse without pouring resin on the floor.
There are other products that are better for running water, and most of them can be combined with a hardening two-component clear epoxy.
Tips & Tricks
Epoxies will not easily fall out of shape. Don't use them to make doll jelly or anything that needs to be taken out of molds.
Improper mixing will cause the epoxy to not cure. Measure well before mixing.
When filling a container with a small neck, 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 and damp environment, otherwise the resin may fog.
Use special paints for working with epoxy resin. Compatible paints are transparent or translucent, and colors can be mixed.
Some plastic parts may dissolve in epoxy. Check for resin damage to paints or bases before working with them.
Good afternoon!
I have been trying to find materials and methods for creating a water surface for a long time, while trying to look for publicly available materials
(including not expensive ones) and simple technologies available to a modeler of any level. Over the past six months, I conducted a small experiment and this is what happened.
Many modellers used to use, and many still use, epoxy resins as an imitation of the water surface, including EAF (Dzerzhinsk) and similar analogues. For swampy or river water, they may be suitable, but not for transparent sea or flowing river water, the thing is that these resins turn yellow and darken over time.
To imitate the surface of the sea or ocean, Vallejo produces colored 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 example result of using them. Base - EDP epoxy resin, coating with Vallejo gels. As we can see, the resin began to darken after 3 months, although it was transparent at the curing stage. 
And I wanted to find a material specifically for clear water. It seems my dream has come true - "Andrea miniatures" releases a set "Artificial Water" 
- the same resin, but transparent, although in a year it slightly gave a yellowish tint, 
but it's not that critical.
The price is for 250 gr. it cost me 1,500 rubles - I think it's a little expensive for our brother modeller.
So I continued my search and came across such resins as optical epoxy glue - compounds for jewelry brand PEO-510 KE -20/0. There are several varieties of them, but I took this brand and Czech-made resin Epoxy 520 from the company. Both are two-component (resin and hardener), transparent and are sold in any container from 250 gr. up to 200 kg. The price is around 1000-1300 rubles per 1 kg. 
Having examined samples of products made from these resins at the company, I was convinced that they do not darken or turn yellow. On sale there is also molded plastic,
including transparent, but it is very thick in consistency and, according to company managers, it will be problematic to etch bubbles without a vacuum chamber. For figures it may work, but for the water surface I think not.
Arriving home, I began to make a model of the water surface. Took cell phone packaging and used it as a bath. I laid out small sea pebbles, several stones at the bottom and sprinkled all this with fine sea sand. I put some dried grass under the stones, which was supposed to imitate algae. After heating the resin to 40-50 degrees in a water bath, I began to add a hardener and a little oil art paint to give the appropriate shade of sea water. After the thin first layer of "colored resin" began to harden, the already transparent resin without additives was poured to the edges of the bath. Here's what happened: 
More than three months have passed, but the resin remains transparent. I think this version of the experiment is suitable for stagnant water.
Next, I wanted to try to reproduce light waves on the surface, for this purpose I purchased two types of transparent gels in the art salon, one Idea Midium made in Italy, the other Kristall Gel made in Germany. Both gels are in the same basket at the price of 350 - 370 rubles. 
Idea Midium gel, when applied with a brush, gives a thinner layer (good for 350 and 72 scales) than Kristall Gel, which is more suitable for waves at 48 and 35 scales. Although with consistent use, I think you can come to a good result. The photo shows how the gel falls on the glass. 
So first I cover the surface with Idea Midium gel to get light sea ripples: 
After 24 hours, we see this picture: 
After I cover with a thick layer of Kristall Gel, due to the fact that the layer turned out to be really large, the gel dried out within three days. In this case, I also wanted to see how the gel behaves if we try to imitate splashes from a wave running on a stone: 
Touching up white
Typically, miniaturists use epoxy to simulate water and other liquids. If you have seen various drinks, glistening sauces on food, raw eggs, soups or other liquids in dollhouse miniatures, or have seen beautiful water effects in railroad or landscape scenes, you may have looked at epoxy resin products.
When you prepare such a 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 cast at a time. You will not be able to pour one thick layer of this material. For example, deep water can only be made in a few layers.
What is a two part clear epoxy resin?
A two part clear epoxy is a high gloss finish made from a mixture of epoxy and hardener. You can buy it in hardware stores and building supermarkets. The main use of the material is a long-lasting and strong gloss after it hardens. Two-component epoxy is sold in a set (two jars: one with hardener, and the other with epoxy). When these two components are mixed in equal amounts, the mixture heats up, then becomes gel-like, and then completely hardens.
Dyes, dyes, and fillers can be added to a mixture to simulate colors and textures. Paints must be suitable for working with epoxy. Other dyes may react with the epoxy and destroy its normal properties.
Safe work
Work with epoxy resins only in a well-ventilated area. You should avoid breathing vapors (epoxy vapors are much lighter than vapors from other chemicals that are used to simulate water), and it is also advisable to wear gloves and goggles when working with epoxy 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 children can use. Therefore, bottles with epoxy resin and hardener should be kept away from children.
Rubbing alcohol or regular alcohol can be used to clean spilled liquid resin from surfaces and tools.
Mixing
The two components must be completely mixed together in one container (which must be discarded after work). The material from which the container is made must not react with the epoxy. Good for working with miniatures are small 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 at hand, you can also use disposable syringes in order to measure the right amount of material.
Epoxy must be mixed by carefully measuring the exact amount of resin and hardener (1:1). This option is also possible: you measure the right amount of epoxy, pour it into a disposable cup, and then add hardener to the same level in another cup.
When you have two equal batches, you pour the epoxy into the hardener pot and mix the two thoroughly with a wooden stick.
Then, when the ingredients are well mixed in the container, you pour them back into the container where the epoxy was, to make sure that you used the ingredients in equal amounts, and that what was left at the bottom of the first vessel was completely used up.
Bubble removal
Mixing epoxy and hardener will cause bubbles to form. If you blow on the mixture, the bubbles will burst due to the presence of carbon dioxide in your breath. If you will be filling small bottles, jars, glasses, or jugs, allow the epoxy to vent for a few minutes before pouring it into the container in which it will solidify.
Working conditions
Most epoxy resin manufacturers list approximately 30 minutes in the instructions for the resin to gel (depending on room temperature). Most two part epoxy mixes cure in approximately 8 hours at 21°C. But they can not be used when the humidity in the room is about 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.
Liquid Simulation with Two-Part Clear Epoxy
Epoxy resin settles into a flat surface. She slowly stretches down the walls of the vessel. To simulate still water, you will need to apply a final smoothing to its surface to remove the "protruding" edges that form after the mass flows down the walls.
Plan your work carefully. You may need to glue the parts before pouring the resin into the jar. Also, you may need to add details with each layer (for example, to make a realistic environment with fish or tadpoles at different levels, jars of fruits or vegetables that do not sink to the bottom).
If you're thinking of simulating melting jelly, ice cream, or a spilled drink, allow the epoxy to gel before pouring it. In this way, you will get a thicker layer than if you poured it immediately after mixing.
In order to create a wet mark or puddle effect, but with the condition that this effect will later need to be removed from the surface, pour resin on a bendable plastic surface. Tear off the plastic from the "puddle" and then place the "puddle" on the floor in the dollhouse without pouring resin on the floor.
There are other products that are better for running water, and most of them can be combined with a hardening two-component clear epoxy.
Tips & Tricks
Epoxies will not easily fall out of shape. Don't use them to make doll jelly or anything that needs to be taken out of molds.
Improper mixing will cause the epoxy to not cure. Measure well before mixing.
When filling a container with a small neck, 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 and damp environment, otherwise the resin may fog.
Use special paints for working with epoxy resin. Compatible paints are transparent or translucent, and colors can be mixed.
Some plastic parts may dissolve in epoxy. Check for resin damage to paints or bases before working with them.
Good luck!
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 the V. Demchenko method described in the article "Imitation of water". In this article, the author describes a method for making a 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.
The method I propose differs in that the process of forming the water surface is divided into two stages - preliminary (casting a rough plaster mold) and finishing (forming relief with epoxy resin directly on the plaster casting). This method, of course, somewhat lengthens the work in time, but it is cheaper and quite accessible to not very experienced modellers. So let's start. I’ll make a reservation right away that I will write as detailed as possible, since the article is addressed specifically to novice modellers.
Decide on the size 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 perform the required casting. On this board, with the blunt end of the brush, we draw the future water relief in plasticine (photo 2). We cover the board with a layer of thin food-grade aluminum foil and roll the relief formed on the plasticine in it with a finger (photo 3). This allows you to smooth the relief, make it more realistic. With the help of rulers fastened with plasticine, we form a bath for plaster casting according to the dimensions of the future diorama (photo 4). Rulers should be sunk into plasticine so that the gypsum does not spread. We breed gypsum (alabaster) by adding and kneading small portions of the powder in water until a creamy state. Water can be pre-tinted with a dye (photo 5), for example like this (photo 6). Pour the resulting creamy solution into the mold and wait for solidification (photo 7). I let the casting dry for about a day.
So, the next day we have a finished casting, which we fix on the frame (photo 8) with glue, such as this (photo 9). First, an insert of 2 mm plastic must be glued 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 browns and dark greenish shades as 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 boards should protrude above the surface by a minimum of 3-5 mm to form a bath for pouring the surface with epoxy resin (photo 13).
We prepare epoxy resin (photo 14). We act according to the instructions. First, heat a larger vessel with resin in a water bath to 40-50 degrees (but no more!) To better flow. Pour the required amount of resin into a disposable cup. Calculating this number is easy. The resin layer should be small - 2-3 mm. If the size of the base, like mine, is 13x13 cm, then the volume will be 13x13x0.3 = 50 ml - a quarter of a glass. Next, add the hardener in the recommended proportions in small parts, mix everything thoroughly. It is convenient to use a syringe for the exact dosage of the hardener. Let's let the composition stand 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. 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 has spread evenly (photo 17). But the relief can be easily restored if we tilt the base at an angle (Fig. 18). As long as the epoxy is flowing, the relief will disappear. Therefore, the most important thing is not to miss the moment of the beginning of its solidification. How long it will take until this moment from the start of the preparation of the composition depends on the amount of hardener added. Therefore, I recommend determining this moment experimentally. In my case, the epoxy began to set after 2.5 hours. Next, you should conjure, 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 vice versa noticeable. Complete solidification occurs in a day (photo 20).
So, we have a blank with a realistic water relief for further work on the diorama. The complexity of the method in pure time is four to five hours, of which three hours is 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 wavy movement of the resin during its solidification. And the third plus. If we want to drill a hole in the base, for example, for planting reeds, we have to drill only a thin layer of resin. This allows you to significantly save on thin drills when working with the diorama. This method was used when working with the Wet Place diorama. Drilling the base under the reeds was done without loss.
There is no reservoir or stream, then you can create it yourself artificially, but this process will require a lot of effort and expense. A good option would be to form an imitation of water - dry stream. Visually, such a site will look like a real reservoir, only without river inhabitants, that is, fish.
There are many tricks to create the illusion in the suburban area. This is the use of mirrors, models, as well as murals on the walls. To illusory make water using a mirror, it will take only a couple of hours to work. First, prepare the site (level the ground, remove debris), lay the mirror in a horizontal position. As a result, the sky surface will be reflected in the mirror and you will get the appearance of a small pond that will harmoniously decorate the territory. The edges of the mirror must be hidden with undersized vegetation.
Mirrors are an easy way to frame the illusion of water. It is worth noting that in inclement weather, the mirror pond will turn gray and reflect the clouds.
To ensure that your summer cottage is always light and beautiful, it is possible to design the territory with voluminous materials of a blue hue. For this it is better to use:
- blue or bluish gravel;
- blue linoleum flooring;
- tile (broken is allowed).
Choose decorative gravel as it is easy to work with and helps to give the pond a more natural look.
Create the illusion of water with gravel and stones: a dry stream
Create small waves from gravel for a more realistic picture, and pour multi-colored pebbles inside the pond, for example, in the center - blue, along the edges - light. In this case, the reservoir will acquire depth and shallow water.
After a while, an artificial pond can spoil the weed that will break through between the stones.
