Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

How do all,

Ive had an idea of a diorama and im looking for a big wave or tidal wave. My gs skills suck more then a little and was hoping that maybe some of you might know of a company that sell something of the like.
Cheers in advance all.

i have a tutorial on how to make something simila somewhere, I'll have a look through my hard drives.

Sweet cheers dude

ok I'll have to type it out.
so the general idea of this is to use foam to create the shape of the wave, and then a combination of spray paint to melt it a little and make it more natural, and then paint it and cover it in water effects. I'd copy the entire article, but it's a screenshot and i'm on my Ipod.
for te 'WHITE" of the wave, you just make "clouds" of greenstuff. it seems easier than it sounds. sorry for the crappy instructions, and good luck mate!

Would skip the GS. It isn't cost effective for stuff like terrain, and the benefits it does have, normally are not needed at larger scales.

Apoxie Sculpt is a good putty - though to be honest, a lot of air dry compounds will work just as well (Vinyl Spackle for example).

In any case, since you are talking about a big wave/tidal wave - I would guess you are talking about the stereotypical "surfing" wave as opposed to regular waves?

For regular waves:

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2002/11/stuff_eng_tech_sea_water.htm

For the bigger stuff though - you will need to build it up. Depending on the look you want, carving out of several layers of extruded foam may be needed in order to maintain the scale in relation to the rest of the scene. Consider if you want the wave to be breaking or still be a well formed swell. If you want a "tube" as part of it - then that further complicates things.

Normally I will use HPL (plastic laminate) to create templates to guide my hot wire cutter on for work like this. It resists heat well enough, and is easy to shape. I can cut a wave into several slices and than stack them back up on their side to form the complex curve.

Once your underlying structure is in place, you will want to add a bit of surface texture. This isn't the rough white caps or breakers - just some rivulets and surface movement in order to make it look less rigid. I usually will use an acrylic gel for this. It tends to slump enough to look right.

For doing the actual breaking wave - the white frothy part - silicone caulk. Generally I will paint before I do this step. Use a clear caulk, or a translucent white caulk. Use a stiff bristle brush - stab and pull. It will hold to the bristles enough to create a rough texture like foam. Give it a once over with white paint and call it a day.

Source images are important to understand how it all works together. Even if it is something fantastical - like a tidal wave of toxic sludge or blood...the minds eye will find it more believable if it looks like we have seen in movies and pictures (with the exception of being toxic sludge or blood of course).