Hi Friends

as you know i entered the MV challenge 2020 with the Astronauts ...

so here is my start idea : a wave ... i have to confess : i'm an old surfer/skateboarder/snowboarder ... so this is quite a challenge for me

sorry i didn't take any other pictures before, but : to explain : i used 1/8 acrylic sheet, bent it using a heat gun (no : it's not fun ! use leather gloves, it's really hot)
then i used acrylic heavy gloss gel mixed with scalecolors inks (yellow and Blue)

to finally get to that for a base :

thanks Nap, I will try to document as much as possible the next steps for the wave

Super effect! I'm looking forward to seeing your approach!

Wow Franck! Impressive groundwork waterworks? I am looking forward to this!

Cheers,
Ken

Blimey! That's clever!

Phil

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!! Surf's up, Dude!

Ok, sorry, that was my "Jeff Spicoli" imitation, HA!...........common, "Fast Times at Ridge Mont High", remember, 1982?????? Dang, I'm dating myself.

I love the concept, seems to be working very well.

Interesting technique!

Over on Finescale, there is a thread right now, discussing a similar challenge, to make a bow wave on an ocean base for a 1/350 ship. I don't remember the material the modeler used, though he did apply acrylic gel, but he applied his material over a small plastic cup, the little 6 or 8 oz kind for parties or picnics. Its conical curve had just the curve he was looking for, for his wave.

Prost!
Brad

Great idea, it's going to be interesting to see how this challenge pans out.

Peter

many thanks Gentlemen,

if some of you want to try this process : you have to keep in mind that a wave is in constant movement and is transparent, so brushstrokes are needed and if you think that "this is enough" for the ink you add to the acrylic gel : well it's probably too much
think in layers ... color will appear slowly

Frank, let er rip, I'm enjoying this build, it's inspirational! Way cool! Way outside the norm/box. Ruck Over Bby!

hello my friends

today i worked the foam on the wave. i have to tell you that the products i used are not available to the general public.

so first i took acrylic dust and melted it with dichlorometane ... (you don't want to mess with this) and applied this on the wave.



to be clear : those are products i'm working with everyday in my professional life, i have an extensive formation on how where and when about all those products, unless you know how to use this : do not try !
but for one time : it's really cool to use this stuff for fun

Thank you Nap, yes i am very careful with this stuff !

An awesome effect!!!!

Oda.

thank you Oda

Hi Franck. Awesome project and realistic finish. Could you give us a description of the process? Really is very real, and Wow effect is here.

many thanks yes i will try to explain the whole process in a further post, probably later this week

Can't wait. I'm very interesting in it Franck

so, let's go for a writing session

most of the process implies the use of various industrial products not available to the public because they are too dangerous.

first : Shaping the wave

i used a 1/8th of an inch thick transparent acrylic sheet, in order to bend the sheet i used an industrial heatgun blowing hot air at its maximum temperature.
i did move the air flow slowly but constantly from right to left and left to right. when i felt that the acrylic was becoming soft i put heavy leather gloves and started bending the acrylic.
i did this process 3 or 4 times until i was happy. let the basic wave cool down for 24 hours, this way the acrylic is coming back to its stable structure.

next : the sea foam

i first cutted the shape of the foam in the acrylic using a Dremel tool, this created acrylic dust that i kept aside.
once happy with the cut, i melted the acrylic dust with solvent (dichloromethane) to obtain a translucent paste and applied it gradually to the peak of the wave until i had enough volume created.
body protections have to be used : mask, nitril gloves .

finishing : "paint"

this is the "easy" part as it did not imply any weird product : heavy acrylic gel and blue and yellow S75 inks. i worked the gel in thin layers over and over. as a wave is in constant movement it is important
that you work the gel in the same direction as the one of the previous layer, by doing this it gives the illusion of the water moving up.
for the base of the wave i first painted directly on the woodbase a mix of deep blue andadded more and more yellow wet on wet, this creates this illusion of algaes being sucked by the wave.
fun fact : by doing so i realized that the natural shapes of the woodbase were still here and add a lot by creating lights and shadows.

and this is it

PS : size of the base is 1.5 X 1.5 (inches)

i hope it helps !