What does water look like? It seems like a silly question, but it's worth asking before you start attempting to model it. Water can be a very active, dynamic, varied and an interesting 'creature'. Some examples include:
- Still, deep, clear ponds and lakes
- The small waves or ripples that occur naturally on the surfaces of unsheltered bodies of water or from the currents and eddies in streams and rivers
- The wake and disturbances created by the passage of vessels
- Waterfalls and splashes resulting from natural outcrops in the flow or man-made constructions such as weirs and outlets
- Waves breaking on a beach
Each type has its own challenges requiring its own techniques. Fortunately, many materials are available to help. The downside of choice is knowing which products to use, and how they may react when used together.
Not having anything 'on the go' which needed a water feature, I built some test pieces to see how easily I could fashion some of these effects, the first being a small pond and weir, providing an opportunity to model different types in one scene. Here's how I got on…
I first built the centrepiece weir from Wills
