Hi guys,

Following a question from Viper 1972 on the way I used to give some volume to the "splashes" on one of my project. Here is a some pics and little tips.


- I initially added 5 mm of plasticard below the water line of the sub, and shaped it to form following a blue print of the hull I found on internet.

- I then positioned the hull on a foam board from Tamiya, and added other pieces of foam to give the main shape of the waves, some of thoses pieces were actually going on top of the sub hull (bow, stern and some selected areas along the hull.)

- After the full painting/weathering of the sub, I glued her on the foam board, and added the "waves" pieces, previously shaped, around the sub. Taking care of having the minimum space between the hull and the "sea".

- I then masked totally the sub, and started to brush Mr.Surfacer 500 all over the pieces of foam forming my "sea". After few layers, I started to sand it with 600 grit paper. I repeated this operation until I was happy with the texture and shape...there is a lots of layer.

- I ended my process in spraying with an airbrush well thinned Mr.Surfacer 1200.

- also, using a fine brush and checking my references, I started to put volume on the "splashes" and all the water effects along the hull.


- I then started the painting of the sea, using a multitude of layer of transparent paint with more or less blue, green, greys, white..etc...

I took me a whole month to finally found the colors I was looking for...
- here is the display almost completed, during all the making of the "sea", I was giving a layer of Mr.Surfacer to the "splashes" to get the volume I wanted.



-the final step was to do the wetted area with layers ( brushed and airbrushed) of "Future", and complete the display painting around the "sea".


You can see the completed model on Viper1972 thread.

Many thanks for looking to this thread. Questions and Comments are welcome.

 IP Address: 125.24.99.51

I could only find one photo I took of your completed sub.




It appears to me, that this method will give a calm sea, where the only disturbance is from the movement of the vessel.

Thanks for sharing this alternative way

I'd sooner spend my own money helping new modellers than to spend at an undeserving shop.

 IP Address: 220.255.246.216

Very cool, my only comment it the lack of trasparency depth... If I were to atempt this I think I would have made the sub stick out of the water line about an additional 4mm. Then paint in the base like you did, however what i would have done different, I'd then layer on a good 5-6 coats of clear water or clear glue. On top of than I'd add the wave crashes, a little transparent/candy paint... this way you can see a bit down into the water along the sub giving it a nice effect.

I really think you did well on portraying the water bunning over/off the surface, expecially the nose of the sub and would really have likes to see an in depth write up on that along

Good writup, thanks!

You may try or you may fail. I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Rokku Studio

 IP Address: 76.0.61.239

Thanks guys for your comments, appreciate..!

@Viper1972, I do agree with your comment, luckily for me the pic I used as reference for my project, shows this particular sub moving in a very calm and flat sea, the resulting bow wave was absolutly without any disturbances and gave the dramatic effect I was looking for (huge machine moving...onto a " massive fluid volume"), also, you have limited margin in 1/700 scale sea rendition (too choppy would have been just too much in this case).

@ Kyle1281989, your idea is great, and will have brought a neat dramatic effect to the display, also, I did follow as close as possible what my reference pic was showing, and it was more like a soft milky grey/green water mass around the sub. Thanks for your neat comment.

@Viper1972, I am sure that you already have guessed my next naval project...a ship in a much more choppy sea...! Using the same technic. Lets see how far I will be able to go in this way. Using more transparency , promise Kyle!..!

 IP Address: 125.24.99.51

the deep turqoise reminds me of the sub sailing through the artic waters.. somehow. nice article! will certainly use that for my next ship build..

 IP Address: 220.255.171.250

Awesome technique & creativity ! love the wave form.

I just started 1/700 ship modeling (just completed only 1 ship and 1 submarine),
this really open my eyes for the ship diorama.

Thanks for sharing

...
Just notice from your IP flag, Are you base in Thailand ?

 IP Address: 183.89.84.136

Thanks for your comments guys, I started a new post on this method in the thread "in da work" about the HMS Nelson class battleship.

...
@anubis, yep I am in Bangkok.

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