Here are photos and descriptions of how I built two more felt/mod podge rivers. I am new to this technique so for anyone with more experience that would like to point out improvements and different techniques and tips, I would be interested in learning.
I decided to make modular river sections of 16MU each for straight and ~8MU bends. Because the rivers are supposed to be between 1 and 2 MU wide, I decided to make the ends 1.5MU and used a cav base edge as a template. I cut mine out of regular felt I had. For my second two, I did a bend and a straight piece.
First I brushed Mod Podge heavily on the top. The first time, I poured it on thinking it would save time. I ended up with way to much. It still worked but took forever to dry and made more of a mess. In either case, this does take overnight to dry.
After an hour or two, I flipped them because the Mod Podge soaks through and the bottom has a hard time drying. Also, I really want the Mod Podge mostly on top, though it really fills the whole thing. I think I flipped them again after a couple hours before going to bed.
After it dries, you basically have a very stiff piece of felt. For my second set here, I tried to give the outside a slope by cutting at a hard edge with scissors, it cuts really well at this point. The first set had too hard of an edge. I think it helped a little.
I really want the top sealed, so I added another layer of Mod Podge and also at this point added the bank and a ford. The ford mostly gets lost in the texture of the stream so you could probably skip it here. For the bank and ford I used Woodland Scenic fine ballast but you could use any sand or whatever you like for texture.
After it dries I clean them up by removing the thin films of dried Mod Podge I don't want from the edges and I cut the end flat with scissors to make a clean edge. They are already probably good enough to play with. Even with the matte Mod Modge it has a nice sheen to it. The ballast is not held on super well but probably good enough. I decided I wanted to paint them so I continued.
I painted them completely in a dark brown paint I use as the undercoat for most of my terrain. I then dry brushed, just the bank and the ford, with Folk Art Barn Wood - it is an off white with a tiny bit of brown. For the river color, I used a blue line down the middel, green on either side, and brown on either side of that. I put them one quick and kinda wet and then blended them together. The important thing is to have the lightest color in the center. I didn't do any blue at the ford and used a lot of brown. After it was dry, I put on a thick coat of gloss glaze everywhere except the banks. I then sprinkled more ballast at the ford.
Completed river sections on the board
