I am thinking of putting together my 1st diorama using a foam block shaped to a specific terrain and also have some water in the dio as well.

Are there any specific techniques used when using the foam and resin together? Such as paint/pigment techniques and coloring?

Thanks

One thing which you have to consider is that the resin chemical reaction produces heat. The heat can deform and damage foam and plastic, so you have to apply several thin coat of it instead to put all at once your resin amount

To color the resin you can add a drop of green or blue acrylic paint in your mixture. You shoudn't exagerate if you don't want to ruin the "water" transparence

There are lots of tutorial about that in internet

Look for istance here

https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/2951

I hope that can help you

cheers

It's not so much that the resin gets hot and deforms the foam, it is 'what kind of foam' you are using. Use a foam that is not 'sensitive' to polyester (or whatever type) resin. If you want to do a high 'overkill' job, apply a layer of bonding resin as a first coat. It will stay sticky even when it is dry; then apply a layer of surfacing resin (it will dry hard and not sticky). If you want to put anything on the surface, do it while the bonding resin is still 'open.' You could add some color, texture, etc., then surface it. Resin will not dry while it is exposed to air; the surfacing resin has a very hard wax as one of its components, bonding resin does not contain this. The 'wax' is released as a result of the exothermic (heat releasing) process and rises to the surface, sealing off the resin, and the resin hardens. This is part of surfboard making: bonding resin to adhere the glass to the foam, glass, bonding resin (light) over the glass, surfacing resin (may be several coats), the color and polish. When you get the foam, just be sure to get it at the same place that you get the resin...you may use the surfacing resin only, if you choose, after you have shaped your foam. If you are still awake and have read this far, thank you for putting up with me...that's almost as good as having someone laugh at my lousy jokes. Have a go at it, and use a respirator when working with the resin and acetone.

Good luck.
Matt

I am looking to design a small stream leading to a river but only have the river bank and the river itself slightly developed (it will be about the last 2-3" of one side of the diorama) while the remaining diorama will be showing miniatures and other things. The "water itself will be minimal in comparison to the diorama as a whole. Thank you both for the link and insight.