Creative > How-To

Making Water for Dioramas -- the Foil and Cellophane Method

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bonniebeth:
I've had a few requests for a step-by-step on my method of creating water, so here we go.

You will need:
aluminum foil
transparent blue cellophane (it can be found in a party store or sometimes with gift wrap)
a box to cut up; thin cardboard like playmo boxes is best
scissors, tape, and pencil


Draw out the shape you would like your body of water to be on the cardboard. A simple shape works best, if there are to many little curves, it will be hard to cover it neatly. Then cut out the cardboard.



Lay the cardboard on a piece of aluminum foil. You will want the shinier side of the aluminum foil to be the side that shows when you finish.


Cut around the cardboard, leaving at least an inch of excess on all sides.


Now very gently crinkle your aluminum foil, being careful not to tear it, to look like waves or ripples. Then smooth it back out and lay it shiny side down.


Place the cardboard in the middle and begin wrapping the foil around it and taping it on the underside. Pull the foil fairly tight, but be careful not to pull it so hard you tear it.


When you finish, the top side should look like this:


Now cut your piece of blue cellophane, leaving a little more excess on all sides.


Wrap it around the cardboard and tape it, being sure to pull it tightly on all sides.


And here is how it will look:


It's usually best to line the edges of the water with some gravel or river stones, so that the edges of the water aren't obviously higher than the surrounding land.

Wolf Knight:
Brilliant technic Bonnie!!! Its really simple and awesome!!!  :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:

Thank you for sharing it with us, I am sure I'll be using it some time... ;D

flatcat:
That looks amazing, Bonnie! Thanks for this great picture instructional :wave:

My mum has made water before by painting acetate

Btw, you seem to have committed a small offence along the way! :'( :P

Damo :)

tonguello:
Oh thank you bb it is a great technic!!!
It photographs so well with the proper light that is probably the best I've seen for dioramas  :love: :love:

@Damo.... I know what you mean  :'(

 :lol:

bonniebeth:
Glad you like it. Hopefully it can be useful to a few people. BTW, I also did a slighty modified metod in the seal tank last time I set up the zoo, where the seals could be seen swimming under the cellophane.

I take it you two are talking about cutting up the playmobil box. :lol: Yeah, I know. :-[ But since I always recycle boxes, this is a good method of preserving the art on some of my favorites. My large water pieces can be turned over to reveal various box pics. ;D

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