Making an easy river

[Cubs]

If you want ripples, I think the water effect liquid is quite quick drying and you can blow it with a straw or even buy ripple effect stamps to push into the semi-dry surface.

[has.been]

River looks great David.
Did you use Sisal string for the reeds?

[Digits]

Pretty certain it was woodland scenics light field grass…..I will buy one just to confirm!

Cubs - thanks for tip

[snitcythedog]

Wonderful work.  Another suggestion if you are texturing the surface.  Use strands of cotton wool mixed with your surface texture to make foam.  An example is here:  https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3L6IxfxyFiJOoHbvq46EA0uwxHz0PoRb-gimMbIn_OXZjTPh7zGx9fU4WIrXqJ5s0JxfpMpWiBjcNp-AgXntUj6BQeKIe1PNrMdV87kIRXASZXlTKFAw_1qZRnQDM878_SxeRriIwDZA/s1600/IMG_0923.jpg
This was an unfinished piece so it looks a tad lumpy.  It will help add some color texture without much effort.  Might be worth a test on an off cut 

[Digits]

Indeed that would work well for a fast flowing river / rapids for sure…..but my river is much slower running I think.

I will however make a spare piece of test river to try out ripple effects … good idea.

[FifteensAway]

Test out the brownish streaks and the glitter on your test piece.  And hope you like the effect.

[Digits]

Truth be told, I’m not worried about the brown streaks…..the gloss varnish picks up reflections nicely adding a plethora of colour into the water as you can see in this reflection.  I will try out ripples however.







I have started on the next few plates….

[tomrommel1]

Oh, that looks really convincing, much better then the comercially avalable rivers.

[snitcythedog]

Just wow.  You don't need anything else. 

[flatpack]

Great job David.
I’ll get me trunks 

[anevilgiraffe]

looks fantastic, reconsidering my river choices now...

[Digits]

Ta guys.

So the next batch is cut and primed.  I can also confirm I was right in my thinking…my reeds are from Woodland Scenics as I thought.



They include a narrower piece that will allow a range of bridges to span it.


I have also been inspired by this pic I saw on the Test of Honor Facebook forum



So I have started a small crossing…..a bit to do yet.



Also been busy adding reeds to more sections.  I wanted this one to look fairly dense giving me a small usable island….

[has.been]

Nice work.

[Digits]

Oh, that looks really convincing, much better then the comercially avalable rivers.

The real benefit of this simple scheme, is that I can rapidly add other sections as and when I need them.  The river will be equally usable in England as it is the jungles of south east Asia and Africa.   I may make future sections with beached dugout canoes, half sunken boat, drowned wrecked tank, rickety wooden bridges, wooden moorings etc…..depending on the games I want to play just like the stepping stone bridge I’m doing for Test of Honor.

[Daeothar]

Wonderful work; the green colour is leagues better than the ubiquitous blue. I have been thinking of doing an olive brown myself, but seeing the green you used, I might opt for that now instead 

And I'm glad to see I'm not the only one using Britains Trees on my table; they are just perfect for wargaming use, aren't they?