The Ship Model Forum

here you have a short guide for using silicon to create a water base. Text is in German but I thing the pictures are self-explanatory.

http://www.modellversium.de/tipps/artikel.php?id=69

Thanks for the tips. I think part of my problem was I put too much silicone down so when I began to smooth it it was getting really thick in places. I will try again on a test piece of wood and see what happens.

I do it with a small spoon. First spread a thin layer of silicone over the base (1 mm should be thick enough). Then start working it with the spoon (the convex or under side) with short strokes. This should give you the appearance of choppy seas. Then place more silicone on the wavetops, stern and bow wave as you like in order to give it more height where the foam should go. Paint those bits white and there you go!. My Orel and Besstrashniy, in the Gallery, have been put on a sea made this way. Go there and you can see the end result.

Hope this helps.
Pachi.

[quote="pingjockey"]My first attempt at making water was a total failure. I tried the silicone method. I painted the base blue and then used clear silicone to make the water. I ended up with a complete mess that doesn't look anything like realistic water. How do you spread the silicone on the base and get it to look like real ripples on the water? Mine ended up with a bunch of swirls and ridges.[/quote]
Did you use a smooth edge, knife etc & did you keep water or whatever the tube stated, on the "smoothing object" to help smooth out the sillicone?
I have used sillicone on jobs, but not as a water base for ships, only for small creeks etc on train sets.
so I'm probably not much help.

I don't know about Silicone but for Acrylic Gel I bought a set of Pallet/Painting Knives to work the Gel into swells, ripples or smooth it out.

Keep trying and find out what works for you the best. My 1st attempt was a scrap piece of wood about 2x2 inches, 2nd a little larger piece of wood and a 1/350 float plane, 3rd was a 1/700 IJN Destroyer, 4th USS Hancock/Flethcher (still in hte works), 5th USS Keokuk Civil War Iron Clad and the 6th a IJN 1900's Era Cruiser and they just seem to improve a little at a time.

Karsten

My first attempt at making water was a total failure. I tried the silicone method. I painted the base blue and then used clear silicone to make the water. I ended up with a complete mess that doesn't look anything like realistic water. How do you spread the silicone on the base and get it to look like real ripples on the water? Mine ended up with a bunch of swirls and ridges.