How to paint swamp water?

[Relic]

Hi,

I am doing a few swamp terrain pieces and now I have a problem with the water I am making. The water layer won't be very thick and I'm using Vallejo Still water.

So the question is:

should I paint the muddy swamp floor with the colors I wan't to be shown as the waters surface colors? Or
should I just paint it brown and then just add some inks to the still water so it will look like swamp water?

all help is appreciated!

-Mika

[Gandalf]

Do a couple of tests and see which one you prefer

[Relic]

Do a couple of tests and see which one you prefer

problem is that I don't have too much still water to waste. A small patch won't give the overall feel easily so I might just waste the water for nothing. But yes that's a good starting point advice . If someone has more experience and can suggest something please do. Otherwise I just try and learn and buy more still water.

[Raxxus]

shouldnt dark in the middle then get lighter around the edges work?

[Relic]

shouldnt dark in the middle then get lighter around the edges work?

And then maybe tint the colorless still water with some brown / green ink mix? But only a little so the underlying colors show through.

[Raxxus]

maybe?

[cram]

Working on a swamp piece myself at the moment. I've painted the area vallejo yellow olive 70892, I feel it dry's dark enough, but you could always add a bit of black to the mix. Then I painted the swamp edges with a mix of vallejo lime green 70827 and a dark green and mid brown, this lighter colour on the edges of my swamp I then blended into the yellow olive at its centre. Then I've poured the resin on top, looks good to me, gives a mirky swamp look. I googled lots of images of swamps first, to give me a good Idea of what look I needed to aim for.

[Relic]

This helps a lot! So you did not tint the resin with any inks / paint?

I will try today and let's see what happens

[Yankeepedlar01]

When I made a black water swamp many years ago for my ACW games I covered the area in dried tea leaves, washed it with black GW ink and poured several layers of gloss varnish in over a period of time. A simple but effective end product was the result I found.
David

[Relic]

When I made a black water swamp many years ago for my ACW games I covered the area in dried tea leaves, washed it with black GW ink and poured several layers of gloss varnish in over a period of time. A simple but effective end product was the result I found.
David

Thanks for the tip, I will have to try the gloss varnish version also sometime. The dried tea leaves is also a good idea.

[Henrix]

I haven't used still water, but gloss lacquer, but the following should work with about any medium.

To simulate murky water I added a few drops of diluted paint on top of the lacquer before it dried, swirled it around a bit, and then applied another coat when it had dried.
Made it look like murky pond water with swirling scum in it.

[Relic]

Thanks for that tip also! have to try

[cram]

Did'nt tint the resin, sounds like a good idea tho!

I used WS Realistic Water, When it dried I found bubbles had formed in some areas (I've since read it is a good Idea to remove these while the resin is still wet by blowing on it with a straw). In most of the photos I've seen though of swamps, they have a film of what looks like broken down dead foliage gathering on the surface in some areas, so I applied PVA over the bubbles and poured flock down, thus covering the bubbles and providing a film of dead foliage on the surface in areas. It actually looks really effective. I Then washed over the flock with watered down PVA to make extra sure it was glued down securely. I may gloss over the flock to give it a more wet look.

[Relic]

alrighty, thank you for those tips also

I just need a good weather so I can undercoat the buggers.