Some Rather Different 3D Printed Figures

 Along with my recent "Defenders of Berlin" order, I added in a few random figures - here we see 5 of them 

Traditional Kano style illustration

Traditional Tosa school illustration

Traditional Kano style illustration

Tosa School

It obviously has a bit of trouble identifying the model's "shirt" was actually light grey!

Nice 3D prints again from Pot Belly Miniatures in Wellington. Next time, its probably back to WW2

And finally for this post, I asked my AI buddy for advice on how to paint up my mdf river - here is what it came up with (a lot of which it found on Blogger, apparently!)

 A lot of this I could have probably figured out with trial and error - but I would not have thought of sealing it with the watered down PVA - so that's a win right there!

To paint a realistic wargaming river on MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard), you must first properly seal the material to prevent it from soaking up paint and warping. Once sealed, creating realism relies on painting a color gradient to simulate depth before applying a glossy clear coat for the water effect.

Here is the step-by-step process to achieve a realistic finish.

🛠️ Step 1: Seal the MDF (Crucial)

MDF acts like a sponge and will drink paint, which ruins its texture and can warp the pieces.

• The Mix: Create a 50/50 mix of PVA glue and water, or use a dedicated MDF primer/sealer (like Zinsser B-I-N).
• Application: Coat the entire river piece (top, bottom, and edges) in a thin, even layer. Let it dry completely. This creates a plastic-like barrier.

🎨 Step 2: Texture the Banks

Real rivers don't have perfectly smooth banks.

• Apply a thin layer of PVA glue just along the riverbanks.
• Sprinkle fine sand, ballast, or texture paste along the edges to create mud and gravel.
• Once dry, prime the entire piece with a matte black or dark brown spray primer to give it a solid base.

🌊 Step 3: Paint the Water Gradient (The Illusion of Depth)

Do not paint the river a solid blue. To make it look real, you need a gradient where the deepest parts are darkest.

• The Deep Center: Paint the very center of the river channel black or a very dark black-green / black-blue.
• The Transition: Blend outward from the center using a deep navy blue, dark olive green, or muddy brown.
• The Shallow Banks: Paint the edges closest to the shore a light greenish-brown, tan, or teal.
• Tip: Keep your paint wet while working to smoothly blend these transitions together. Rivers look more realistic when painted green-brown rather than bright blue.

🪨 Step 4: Paint the Banks & Highlights

• Paint the textured banks in earthy browns, dry-brushing them with lighter tans or grays to catch the texture.
• Add a very subtle dry-brush of off-white or light teal right over the blended water area to simulate ripples or small currents (keep this minimal).

💧 Step 5: The Water Gloss Effect

This is what brings the river to life by adding light reflection.

• Budget Option: Apply 3 to 4 layers of Gloss Varnish or Mod Podge Gloss over the water channel, letting it dry between coats.
• Premium Option: Pour a thin layer of Two-Part Epoxy Resin or a dedicated hobby water product (like Vallejo Still Water or * Woodland Scenics Realistic Water*). Resin gives a perfect, glassy, deep look but requires a level workspace.

🌾 Step 6: Final Details

Once the water layer is completely cured, glue down static grass, tufts, and small bushes along the banks to blend the river seamlessly onto your gaming table.

I found this helpful, particularly the tip about sealing it, which I did this afternoon - I will definitely attempt to follow the instructions for creating depth, too.