02-09-2009, 07:47 PM
Shane, as I pointed out in Miles' THREAD, your harbour doesn't need to be poured at all. The appearance will depend on the material which you use, and the colours with which you paint it. I can't think of any harbours where you can see into the water more than a couple of inches, so you only need to model the surface. And, while it's possible for a harbour to be as smooth as glass, more than likely there'd be some waves, or chop. Ralph's method looks good, is low-cost, and is easy-to-do - there's no need to complicate the equation. 
The similar method which I used to model water is also low-cost and easy-to-do, although I substituted Durabond patching plaster for the "structure" of the water (it's much harder than joint compound, allowing me to place the camera atop the water for better shooting angles. Stands up well to dusting and vacuuming, too.) I also used water-based high gloss urethane, rather than gloss medium, to make it look "wet". The paint was latex house paint, so the tools needed are a paint brush or two, and a putty knife or drywall knife, and a sponge. No odours from any of the materials, and no worries about the "water" leaking out somewhere. The colours you choose can impart depth to the water, so varying them can also suggest more shallow areas, too.
The texture which you give to the surface, combined with the colours you choose, can set the mood for your whole harbour scene.
If you want a removeable carfloat, wrap it in Saran or similar material before pouring the plaster: of course, if you plan on exchanging a full one with an empty one, you'll need at least two the same, as they'll both need to fit the same impression in the "water". Another option is to use "waterline" models, in which the part of the barge under the water is not modelled at all, with the visible part simply sitting atop the surface of the "water" - in this case, you'll need to keep the modelled "waves" fairly low.
Wayne
The similar method which I used to model water is also low-cost and easy-to-do, although I substituted Durabond patching plaster for the "structure" of the water (it's much harder than joint compound, allowing me to place the camera atop the water for better shooting angles. Stands up well to dusting and vacuuming, too.) I also used water-based high gloss urethane, rather than gloss medium, to make it look "wet". The paint was latex house paint, so the tools needed are a paint brush or two, and a putty knife or drywall knife, and a sponge. No odours from any of the materials, and no worries about the "water" leaking out somewhere. The colours you choose can impart depth to the water, so varying them can also suggest more shallow areas, too.
The texture which you give to the surface, combined with the colours you choose, can set the mood for your whole harbour scene.
If you want a removeable carfloat, wrap it in Saran or similar material before pouring the plaster: of course, if you plan on exchanging a full one with an empty one, you'll need at least two the same, as they'll both need to fit the same impression in the "water". Another option is to use "waterline" models, in which the part of the barge under the water is not modelled at all, with the visible part simply sitting atop the surface of the "water" - in this case, you'll need to keep the modelled "waves" fairly low.
Wayne