The Ship Model Forum

A lot would also depend on the scale you are building and whether the kit is Waterline or Full Hull.

1/700 Waterline water/waves can be built up using layer upon layer of Heavy Acrylic Gel (Liquitex is what I use.

1/700-1/350 I would think you could use a thin layer of Floral Foam called Oasis, cun out void for hull then using a Dremel tool and a Rotory Wasp carve you waves. Coat with a Heavy layer of Acrylic Gel and start painting darker to lighter. Adding more gel to build up the waves and ships wake, more paint the shallower colors. Then top the waves/wake with semi opaque or white acrylic gel, let dry and blend the colors together leaving the white crests. Finish with Future Floor wax for the wet watery look.

Full Hull, I ran across a great model of the Cutty Sark where he used Thick Foam and shaped it 1st Rotory Wasp after cutting a void for the Full Hull and it was very rough seas...Looked great but it was at the start of his build.

Karsten

I hope this could be of HELP
I always use this technique in all of my ship dioramas.

Instead of using plaster for forming the waves, use some sort of modeling clay. It can be found anywhere. In a bookstore or in an arts and crafts store. They are sold in different lenghts and colors. If you plan to buy the clay, Then I suggest you get the white colored clay instead of the colored ones. The colors are very tricky to handle. Remember that this is only to be used for the waves.

For the ripples on the sea, use the ever reliable white glue, and the always reliable clear glue, the glue used for the kids

For the paint, well, you know what to use

_____________

First you use any hard board. Cardboard is fine. Plywood, can be, but never styrofoam. The foam's spaces only suck the glue. Then you mark the waterline using pencil. Next you form the waves using the clay. Make the waves as moderate as you can. Don't moke it too high. Then you brush throughout the entire the base using the white glue mixed with a little bit of water. Wait for it to dry then apply 1 more coat. Then you paint the base. ANY color you like. Wait for it to dry then apply one coat of clear glue. Apply another coat. You can heighten the coat near the waterline to give the illusion of depth around the entire line.

This method may be child-like but its worth a try!

Hope this helps


Nick

I did see some one use tin foil, crunch the tin foil up then lay it out flat with all the wrinkles showing attach to a wooden frame to make the mould, then use plaster of paris or something similar and pour it in let it dry, attach the boat in the position you want, paint it in a dark blue green colour and then add extra waves using modelling putty such as the foam from the back of the ship and waves being pushed aside then use clear enamel to finish it of

I haven't got a clue how to set my ship into the sea effect I first used a foam base, cut around my ship for a carboard base, and filled the lot with silicon after I painted the base so that the blue shows through with the white as the ship cut through the waves, it actually looked like a wonderful blue/white pond with a heavy rain shower, looked nothing like the waves on the sea.
My second attempt was very much the same but I used plaster shaped the waves coloured them light/dark blue etc etc and squeezed silicon on top, all my lovely waves went flat and yu could only imagine the mess.
Q & A right then, no mucking about, which one of you model masters would be willing to take me under their arm (a_cap@btinternet.com) and show me where I am going so wrong all the time ? I have seen some work, and in my opion this is not model making more a work of art as some of these models are quite stunning. Please help, someone