Recently, I found a wonderful set of 3D-printed harbour elements on Etsy called Ancrabourg. The quays, warehouses, cranes and more was pretty close to my vision of the Port of Hambeck, so I bought a number of elements to test the quality.

Before building a large diorama with building, figures and more, I decided to create a small test diorama for learning.

I was especially concerned about two things, namely how much the lines of the 3D-print would be visible on the painted and weathered model and how to create a realistic water surface.

I cut a small base from 3mm plywood for both the stone quay and the smaller wooden quay as well as an area of water.

The texture on both stone and wood was very nice, but especially the stone front does not look too well in closer inspection.

I think I will have to sand the pieces some more on the larger diorama. The same goes for the wooden supports in the water.

But from a distance, I think the stonework looks acceptable. So, the next challenge is the water, and I could really use some help! How do I create a relative calm water surface?