Adding water to Shamokin Creek.

Well, we completed painting Shamokin Creek some months back and then I agonized over how to make the water surface. Jack Brown was my hydraulic guy who was the consultant on this project. 

We decided to use the Woodlands Scenic water which was just poured from the bottle with no mixing and no fumes. 

Jack and I poured the water which went on very easily. Before this step, Paul had caulked the edge with silicone caulk to seal the fascia to the river base. The scenery had sealed the shore tot he river bed. 

While I thought we had done a fair job in smoothing the river bed before painting it, it turned out that the water was hyper critical on its settling. So, I got a repeat of the grain of the wood used for the base. 

When it was wet, it looked terrific.

But when it dried, I could see the bottom grain. 

I contacted Woodland Scenics and they said I had to plaster the bottom to make it absolutely smooth. That seemed like overkill, especially when I have to do that big Susquehanna River scene. I need an alternate approach.

So, while it looked good, I need to add some motion to the water to conceal the grain effect.

So, Jack and I are approaching that. I bought some Woodlands Ripples and Jack applied that but I believe we are going to try Modge Podge gloss to make them more pronounced. I have photos of the creek in real life so I have a target to aim for.