Mediterranean Blue

Vallejo Mediterranean Blue — a texture gel for a water surface

The essential point first: this is not a paint and you cannot coat a model with it. It is a thick acrylic gel for diorama water, tinted to the blue-green shade of a shallow southern sea. It is applied into the prepared bed of a scene, where once dry it forms a translucent, slightly glossy surface. The key thing is that the resulting shade does not come from the gel itself — what decides is the combination of the color of the base beneath it and the thickness of the layer applied.

Use

• paint the bottom of the scene first: shallows light, depth dark, the transitions blurred
• seal the edges and gaps of the bed carefully; in its liquid state the gel will flow into every crack
• apply in thin layers and let each one clear; a heavy layer stays cloudy and takes a very long time to dry
• the more layers, the darker and deeper the water — so build the shade up gradually
• create the ripples and the chop only in a top layer that has begun to set, with a spatula or a bristly brush
• let the finished surface cure undisturbed; dust settled into a soft surface can no longer be removed

Who it is for

For builders of dioramas with a harbor, a shoreline, a ship model or just puddles by a jetty. It comes into its own on cabinet scenes and on water bases under models of ships and seaplanes.

A water-based acrylic product. Wash the tools with water immediately after work; once cured the gel will not let go. Work in a ventilated room; the contents are not intended for consumption and do not belong in the hands of small children. Store in a closed container and protect from frost.