HOW DO I MAKE A WATERFALL?

Peter says: We created a dramatic waterfall diorama in advance of the Warley show, which attracted plenty of attention. The scene was created predominantly from Woodland Scenics Water Effects, built up in stages over ten days or so.

The first step was to work out the dimensions of the waterfall and add about 2cm to the length of the fall. This length was marked onto a sheet of greaseproof baking paper (the inside of a biscuit tin lid is also an option), before squeezing out a bead of the Water Effects fluid.

The fluid was spread gently with a wooden stirrer to create an even depth and width but avoiding a shape that’s too uniform. The process was repeated to create several lengths of fluid, each slightly different in terms of shape and width, feathering the ends by using a toothpick to tease out the fluid before it started to set.

After 24 hours, the dry strips can be gently peeled away from the base, creating clear ‘streams’. These were then bonded to the top and bottom of the waterfall, secured with more of the Water Effects fluid, which was stippled to create textured splashing effects.

After another 24 hour wait, a little Woodland Scenics Realistic Water was dribbled down the waterfall to provide a more realistic impression of falling water. This was then left for a day or two to dry fully. As a finishing touch, some White Water Highlight paint was dry-brushed onto the falling water to create the illusion of froth.

More Water Effects fluid was stippled onto the surface of the water with a flat paintbrush, creating the impression of deeper splashing and swirling water.