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.

Hey guys, I'm looking to do a custom base and there are so many resources/ways to make water now it's hard to sort through all the products to get the result I want. I got some images of google to show what I mean but, spoilered them due to the sizes of them.

I'm using cork and sharp sprue bits to replicate rocks like these, which I think would work. My miniatures sit on one or two of them, the rest being submerged ideally. (I'll be mostly using blank 32mm secret weapon bases to get the depth I need.)

Here are some examples:


I am also wanting ocean waves/ripples/still inlets on some of the bases to get some variety but, still united. I see lots of tutorials on water but, the water I want is normally reserved for battleship dioramas, not 40k.



One, what do you guys think of this idea? Basically, I know black on black is a bit harsh but, I wanted something harsh to reflect a feudal/storm world for my marines. The marines themselves are a teal/sea green color so I am hoping they will go nicely with the black water and white foam. Two, to stop beating around the bush, what products do I need and do you guys have any steps/tutorials on getting this ocean affect? Do I just need realistic water from Woodlands with black food coloring, or other products altogether? I'm looking at easily doing a 2k-3k points army of these bases.

Thanks guys, and sorry if I am a bit dense, my google fu isn't working too well today on the forums/in general. I can't seem to find anything on this particular color of wave.

I did some pva and superglue bases that could probably pass as a stormy ocean with the right colour

For the black waves, you could use Vallejo Water Texture, paint black under it, mix black paint in, and then when it sets, white peak it with white paint mixed into the effects.
The white tipping is what I did here for wave foam. Vellejo also sell a specific product to mix with the water effect for this.

Or you could use some kind of builders putty, paint it black and gloss varnish it.

For peaked spray waves you're gonna need a little internal structure, so in either case, mounded GS, milliput etc, painted black under it.

Bear in mind if you're doing this for the P&M contest as well as your other figures, the water takes 4-5 days to sort itself out. Before that it's milky.

I have no experience with still waters, so I'll leave that alone.

Tipped waves using the Vallejo texture water: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/330/650812.page#7944676

Wow that photo does it no justice. I'll take a better one tonight

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
For the black waves, you could use Vallejo Water Texture, paint black under it, mix black paint in, and then when it sets, white peak it with white paint mixed into the effects.
The white tipping is what I did here for wave foam. Vellejo also sell a specific product to mix with the water effect for this.

Or you could use some kind of builders putty, paint it black and gloss varnish it.

For peaked spray waves you're gonna need a little internal structure, so in either case, mounded GS, milliput etc, painted black under it.

Bear in mind if you're doing this for the P&M contest as well as your other figures, the water takes 4-5 days to sort itself out. Before that it's milky.

I have no experience with still waters, so I'll leave that alone.

Tipped waves using the Vallejo texture water: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/330/650812.page#7944676

Now is that basically just woodland scenics realistic water but, slightly different? By that I mean, do they sorta work the same way? I have a method for stillish water but, not for small waves. I want to imagine my army ranging from being slightly out into the sea to on the shore a bit, so the waves would change variously. IE: For that large figure in the P&M log (I'm unsure if asking for help with waves violates any rules with that btw,) they would only be in small sets coming in, about the the heigh of his shoes if that, with some overspray like on your horse.

So could I take GS and KB_Lock's method and just prime black, then paint over it? I have heard of sanding the water where the foam should be, then painting it white which gives a nice spray effect. Also, how do I make it stand up like you did? I have a large sea serpent that will have a upside-down cone essentially covering something I don't need seen. I am wondering how you got it to stand on end like that, Buttery. Thank you for replying with that, it seems like super useful stuff.

Also, thank you Lock for your super fast reply.

Edit: Deeeerppp. I see they sell stuff that goes into the water, I need to lrn 2 read yur posts wow, I'm much noob.

I don't know if it's the same product, because I'm pretty sleepy. Might be!

The stuff I'm talking about is a gel, it goes on like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVMzIjCTIuY jump to 24 minutes in.

You can layer it and layer it every time it sets, and it'll make progressive peaks.

I got tall waves by a combination of that and being a wizard making a spine for the wave out of blister plastic curled and heated over an old bobbin. It's invisible once covered, thank feth.
Where it's blue on one side, I tried painting the plastic. Don't do that, it looks utter gak.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I don't know if it's the same product, because I'm pretty sleepy. Might be!

The stuff I'm talking about is a gel, it goes on like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVMzIjCTIuY jump to 24 minutes in.

You can layer it and layer it every time it sets, and it'll make progressive peaks.

I got tall waves by a combination of that and being a wizard making a spine for the wave out of blister plastic curled and heated over an old bobbin. It's invisible once covered, thank feth.
Where it's blue on one side, I tried painting the plastic. Don't do that, it looks utter gak.

Yeah it's essentially the same. Milky and liquid. The first material he puts on, not the gels. Then it hardens clear. The plastic blister pack sounds like a great idea. So what you mean is the old plastic that older GW models and some of the clam packs single minis come in? That's so sick.

I think it was actually the front of a packet of rubbers, it was just to hand.

But yeah, same material. Just used a hairdryer and a bobbin.

Don't use a hairdryer on it next to metal figure and then pick that up, though. That was such a bad moment. Wanted to drop it but had sent 2 days airbrushing it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
...It has come to my attention that people in other countries use the word "erasers" instead of "rubbers".

I don't keep prophylactics in my workbench.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I think it was actually the front of a packet of rubbers, it was just to hand.

But yeah, same material. Just used a hairdryer and a bobbin.

Don't use a hairdryer on it next to metal figure and then pick that up, though. That was such a bad moment. Wanted to drop it but had sent 2 days airbrushing it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
...It has come to my attention that people in other countries use the word "erasers" instead of "rubbers".

I don't keep prophylactics in my workbench.

You know, I googled that just to make sure you meant erasers and not condoms. I come back and you've already edited it.

My post is the same either way, never change Butter! Thanks for all the helpful input, lol.

Edit again: Here is what I've been talking about. I had no idea how to use it before you guys commented though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxon4yqU9Us

My Northern-ness coming out there... It's not even all of the UK uses that term.
Similar reason I exclusively use the word "smokes" online.

Anyway yes, the water (gel or fluid) will show anything you put under it. Rocks, sand, paint, etc. Surprisingly well. It can look a little flat if you only paint the surface underneath it, so mixing a tiny (and I mean tiny) amount of paint in can help the lower level.
A little paint in the water products goes a very long way.

I guess I just need to figure out how to build up the waves. I have so little GS before my next order but, I suppose this is the project that will take the last of it.

Would GS work for a base? Most of the detail is already there as it is a SWM base but, for the short beach-like waves, I need little ridges, you know?

I could use hot glue, then GS over that. What do you think of that? Alternatively, Lock if you could write how you got that rippled effect with the pva and super glue that'd be pretty sweet and could possibly work as well.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
My Northern-ness coming out there... It's not even all of the UK uses that term.
Similar reason I exclusively use the word "smokes" online.

Funny story. My uncle and his brother were in America for a holiday. One of them asked some random guy at the bar if he wanted a cigarette (what we and Buttery, presumably, call a cigarette).

Dude looks at my uncle, looks his brother up and down, then politely declines the offer.

Funny story number 2, while i don't keep condoms on my desk, i do keep ky jelly as a green stuff lubricant


Automatically Appended Next Post:
This forum is easily the most stupid thing.

Foxtrot alpha golf, that is what we call a cigarette

For little ridges, you could always use paper with a tent-fold in it?

Sniggering to myself at kb's battle with the forum filter. Try owning a Maine [see forum posting rules] cat. I once made a post about how fur is an issue, thought nothing of it and came back to see the giant yellow text.

Funny, I had the same problem with a client whose last name was Scunthorpe