Water effect using epoxy

This is my first attempt posting pics so let's see how this goes. Below should be pics at the 'water' look I'm trying to achieve in my Penjing using the 2 part epoxy from Home Depot called 'Glaze'....

[img]http://i4[url=https://servimg.com/view/17497407/4]9.servimg.com/u/f49/17/[img]http://i49.servimg.co[url=https://servimg.com/view/17497407/6]m/u/f49/17/49/74/07/bonsai14.jpg[/img][/url]49/74/07/bonsai12.jpg[/img][/url]

Perhaps you could tell us how you did these as it may be lost in the depths of another thread currently.

fiona wrote:Perhaps you could tell us how you did these as it may be lost in the depths of another thread currently.

Though I've been doing bonsai for quite a while, this is my first attempt at Penjing. All 3 of these were started within the last 2 months. But I think I have 'Penjing Fever' now!

Instead of using sand as I see in most Penjing, I'm experimenting with a 2-part epoxy from Home Depot called 'Glaze'. I think that it looks more authentic than sand. It was not my original idea. I saw it used in an Internet page of Penjing, but only in a few pics out of the hundreds that I've looked through.

In the Ocean scenes, I spray paint the tray blue, then add blue dye to the epoxy before pouring.

My main problem is that I don't have much (if any) mame material to look like small trees on a large cliff, so as you can see, I'm only using 'cuttings' on the tall cliff scene. In a year or 2 I'll be able to replace them with more convincing 'trees'.

Now I'm beginning to experiment with water falls. I'll post some pics if the idea works.
I'll also post pics of some of my other bonsai later.

I am very open to constructive criticism, as I believe that it's the only way we can improve.

Les

Nice idea. At least in photos it looks real.

They look really great. One thing to remember with epoxies is that they are light sensitive and will yellow over time if exposed to light which, of course, these will be. It might be worth cutting some cardboard or wood shaped to protect the "water" while they are not being shown. The higher grade the epoxy the more stable they will be. One option my wife has used for artistic applications is a product called "Mirror Coat". It is a bar top, self leveling epoxy that is less likely to yellow and is considerably less toxic than most epoxies. Just a suggestion. Again really great work. Thanks for sharing it.

Jim Doiron wrote:They look really great. One thing to remember with epoxies is that they are light sensitive and will yellow over time if exposed to light which, of course, these will be. It might be worth cutting some cardboard or wood shaped to protect the "water" while they are not being shown. The higher grade the epoxy the more stable they will be. One option my wife has used for artistic applications is a product called "Mirror Coat". It is a bar top, self leveling epoxy that is less likely to yellow and is considerably less toxic than most epoxies. Just a suggestion. Again really great work. Thanks for sharing it.

Jim is right. I tried several epoxy products, Some turned yellowish some became opaque. Let's wait with yours Les. keep us posted, try exposing them to the elements and regular watering.

regards,
jun

jun wrote:

Jim Doiron wrote:They look really great. One thing to remember with epoxies is that they are light sensitive and will yellow over time if exposed to light which, of course, these will be. It might be worth cutting some cardboard or wood shaped to protect the "water" while they are not being shown. The higher grade the epoxy the more stable they will be. One option my wife has used for artistic applications is a product called "Mirror Coat". It is a bar top, self leveling epoxy that is less likely to yellow and is considerably less toxic than most epoxies. Just a suggestion. Again really great work. Thanks for sharing it.

Jim is right. I tried several epoxy products, Some turned yellowish some became opaque. Let's wait with yours Les. keep us posted, try exposing them to the elements and regular watering.

regards,
jun

Yes, yellowing may be a possibility, however, yellow + Blue = green or bluegreen, which would still be OK for the Ocean scene and some yellowing in the fresh water stream scene may not be noticable either. Like you said, time will tell.
I am always looking for improvement so comments, criticisms are welcome with me. I will look at the 'Mirror Coat' as a possible alternative.
Thanks guys!!

It can be a problem keeping soil wet in small crevices in rock cliff Penjing, as the sun can dry it out quickly.
Unless you're there to water twice/day, what can you do?

I am experimenting with a sodium acrylate product similar to what is sold commercially at nurserys, Home Depot, Winn Dixie, etc. for just such a task. I don't know the commercial name, but it comes as little pellets that swell and hold water, when mixed with your soil. Farmers have been using it for years, and it is now being sold at meany places. [It is the same product that is in Pampers to keep the baby's diaper from 'leaking'.]

I happen to have a 40lb. bag of a powdered version that I mix with my soil at a ratio of about 8-10% for applications such as this. If you put too much, it will form a gooey mess and swell the soil up. However, at around 10% or less it seems to do its job without the gooey mess.

It holds water in the soil for an extra day or two from what I've noticed. Also, I use regular potting soil for such small crevices, not coarse bonsai soil.

Just an idea that seems to be working for me. Thoughts??

however, yellow + Blue = green or bluegreen, which would still be OK for the Ocean scene and some yellowing in the fresh water stream scene may not be noticable either.

That's a good point I hadn't though of. The only thing I would add is that the yellowing is a result of the epoxy breaking down so it might still prove a problem after some time.

This plant needs lots of light.
inappropriate flooded weng'an

Jim Doiron wrote:

however, yellow + Blue = green or bluegreen, which would still be OK for the Ocean scene and some yellowing in the fresh water stream scene may not be noticable either.

That's a good point I hadn't though of. The only thing I would add is that the yellowing is a result of the epoxy breaking down so it might still prove a problem after some time.

Another good point. (I love this forum).
I guess 'time will tell'. In the long run it will either turn out to be a great idea or a terrible one.
Someone had suggest to use straight polyurethane, but I haven't tried that yet.
I have worked in labs most of my adult life, so experimenting is just in my nature. I love it.

I just put together another Penjing using the epoxy for water. Only had immature Serissa's but my friend had asked for me to put something together for her in that red clay container. (I drilled drainage holes first).

thats realistic, nice.

in some model scenery we made a few years ago we placed model fish in the water before adding the epoxy - they were very cool and caused lots of interest.

cheers Marcus