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AMBUSHED DIORAMA

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  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: New Jersey, USA
AMBUSHED DIORAMA
Posted by Nick Nasta on Friday, August 29, 2008 1:39 PM
I made this diorama a couple of years ago. It is one of my favorites. I still have it and refused to sell it. The figures are all mixed manufacturers. The vehicle is Tamiya and I added the chain, material roof, supply box and bullet holes. The rest of the diorama is scratch made.
Nick














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  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Friday, August 29, 2008 3:15 PM

Very cool, Nick--but do you get any guff over the somewhat-gory figures? Some guys don't dig that at all.

Nice work all around, although you forgot to put tire tracks in the soft roadway sand/dirt. It looks like they ambushed a sitting car?

The buildings look great!

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Friday, August 29, 2008 5:51 PM

Great work!  Especially the buildings... However, there's a few problems, but I'll be gentle...  First, the 3rd ID patches on the GIs are on the wrong shoulder.  The right shoulder is reserved for the patch of your former wartime service unit (present day practice of "sandwiching" not withstanding) and the 3rd ID also carried the division patch on both sides of the helmet (still do today, as a matter of fact).  The figures of the GIs are instantly recognizable, as well as not really working in a couple of places, although the rank is well-done. (Are they decals? If not, Bravo-Zulu!)  The NCO with the Thompson looks like he's Telley Savalas in Kelley's Heroesfiring it (and not all that realistically; Soldiers fire it from the shoulder and lean into the gun, rather hip-fire and "fire-hose" it. "Spray & Pray" is for Hollywood, not combat), when he'd really be a ready position while he checks the vehicle... The other two look good up by the front of the Kubelwagen, they work well.  The running figure and the walking figure with the BAR look like after-thoughts.  Blood's a bit over-done as well, and a bit too red.  Blood is dark and flows from wounds in fine ribbons, not broad bands of red.  Over all, there's some conflict between figures' poses as to what just happened.  The German with the white flag looks stunned, which is good, but I don't get the Nazi Party armband on them... They supposed to be some kind of SS Ordnungstruppen or what?  I don't recoginize that unit marking on the Kubelwagen... (Help me out there, Germanophiles, I'm in the Heer...)

The grain of the fabric on the Kubelwagen looks like denim in this scale, rather than canvas, and the bullet holes are looking like exit holes on sheet metal, rather than fabric. 

Overall, it's a great job, and again, I love the buildings and ground work, but using figures straight out of the box is kind of a pet-peeve of mine.  Only lately have figures been what I'd call well-posed and believable, even then, I cringe at the thought of using the S.O.B.s... (Straight Outta Box).  Even something as simple as swapping heads & arms add variety, but then, it's not everybody's thing, just mine... (Household 6 calls me Sergeant Franken-Steiner. Get it?, get it? eh? Sergeant Steiner, Frankenstein, Sergeant Franken-Steiner?,wink-wink, grin-grin, nudge-nudge, say no more...)

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Singapore
Posted by NiKe on Friday, August 29, 2008 5:55 PM

 Wow, scratch built! Magnificient, you left a awestruck newbie.Thanks for sharing.Thumbs Up [tup]

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Friday, August 29, 2008 6:13 PM
I forgot to ask, are the doors, windows and such scratch-built as well?  If so, how about a quick tutorial and bill of materials?  Doors and shutters, along with window framing and jams, are my downfall.  I usually model them missing...

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: New Jersey, USA
Posted by Nick Nasta on Friday, August 29, 2008 7:04 PM
I appreciate the constructive comments HVHammer. Like I said, I made this a couple of years ago. It was one of my first 1/35 scale dioramas and I had a few handfuls of soldiers and a hand me down Kubelwagon which was in worse condition prior to me fixing it up. I decided to put them all together to make it. I didn't even think of historical accuracy at that time. Present day I do my research most of the time and try not to make historical/Hollywood blunders. LOL. You probably didn't see the spend shells on the ground or you would of made a comment. DOOG, the tire tracks are so light that they didn't come out in the photo. I didn't want to make a muddy road at the time. Thanks for the compliments from all of you.
Yes, I did make the houses,shutters,drain pipes,etc....this diorama is one of favorites, not one of my best works. I just noticed one of my recent works made the Sept. 2008 issue of FSM online. Now that I know that Hammer is out there,I will be very,very historically correct. I like it that way better myself. The Blood didn't come out the same color as in person but there is a lot of it. You are right DOOG, some don't like it that way but it was a bloody attack and those Gerries got hit pretty hard. Yes, Yes I realize the awful bullet holes. LOL. I make them different nowadays. If you look at the diorama which I posted called; Leningrad, you will see some good window framing. I make my shutters differently now then in the Ambushed days.
I'm so glad that you like something that I created. Just kidding. LOL The next time that I work on a project where I have to make windows,doors,etc I will take step by step photos. Most of my dioramas have something to do with buildings so it shouldn't be too long.
Thanks again guys. Your comments help me to be a better artist. Thanks again.

Nick

Dioramas Dedicated To All Veterans, Past & Present

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Friday, August 29, 2008 7:40 PM

I know you said you'd never sell it... BUT.. If you ever need a place for extra-long term... STORAGE (yeah, that's it, storage)...

Whistling [:-^]

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Louisville, KY
Posted by pordoi on Friday, August 29, 2008 8:11 PM

Nick,

   Inaccuracies aside, many in this community I'm sure would greatly appreciate a step-by-step tutorial of your builds.  I'm first in line.

 Don

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Friday, August 29, 2008 8:22 PM

Same here... MOUT is kinda my thing for dioramas that don't involve Field Artillery...  I use mostly basswood, balsa, and plaster but I'd like to see what others are doing in this area, and how they do it... Get busy, Sensei...

Big Smile [:D]

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: New Jersey, USA
Posted by Nick Nasta on Friday, August 29, 2008 8:23 PM
Mike,Mike,Mike,Mike,Mike. I think you are trying to trick me. lol.
From the deepest part of my heart I'd like to say, thank you for serving our country. You are a true hero.

And for Don, I will do my very best to have a tutorial soon. I usually never photo my work as I go along but I'll have to remember. I may have to build a section of the Ziegfried Line for a toy soldier manufacturer soon,If so I'll do it for that also.
Thanks crew.

Regards,

Nick

Dioramas Dedicated To All Veterans, Past & Present

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Windsor Ontario Canada
Posted by Higgy on Friday, August 29, 2008 9:57 PM
Very nice build!

-------

Born to land hard.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 30, 2008 7:05 AM
Nice...looks like you put a lot of work into this dio...overall nice impression; if you break it down into smaller elements there are some rough spots...I'd say that your scratching the bldgs is the most impressive aspect of this work... 
  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by namrednef on Saturday, August 30, 2008 10:10 AM

 

Not being a Dio-builder (lurker)....as the passer-by...This is a beautiful Dio to the eye!

Great job!

(and you've had some great criticism!) 

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: New Jersey, USA
Posted by Nick Nasta on Saturday, August 30, 2008 10:28 AM
Thanks guys. Like I said, I had a bunch of figures laying around and I placed them in a diorama a couple of years ago. I mostly make dioramas without figures so the person who buys it can place their own figures in it. 90% of my work is without using any figures or vehicles like this below;


Dioramas Dedicated To All Veterans, Past & Present

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: New Jersey, USA
Posted by Nick Nasta on Saturday, August 30, 2008 10:31 AM
I'll make roadway dioramas without figures or vehicles like this one. The vehicles were added later.

Dioramas Dedicated To All Veterans, Past & Present

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Saturday, August 30, 2008 3:07 PM

 Nick Nasta wrote:
Mike,Mike,Mike,Mike,Mike. I think you are trying to trick me.

I try the Jedi Mind Trick a lot, just not with much success...

You would be happy to give me your finished work...Looks to me that you know your way aroung the floral section of the local craft store quite well, Nick. You would be happy to give me your finished work.. It's got me thinking that I might have to spend some more time in that part. You would be happy to give me your finished work... Looking forward to that tutorial.. Big Smile [:D]

As for the other, thanks, but I quote Pappy Boyington... "Show me a hero and I'll prove he's a bum..."

 

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Oregon
Posted by Lufttiger on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 1:52 PM
Incredible job on those buildings, just awesome!

www.lufttiger.com

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Canada
Posted by vector123 on Monday, April 27, 2009 10:06 PM
nice work but the ground looks a bit like sawdust just my opinion but i still approve.
always looking for tips and suggestions!
  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: New Jersey, USA
Posted by Nick Nasta on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 5:31 AM
 vector123 wrote:
nice work but the ground looks a bit like sawdust just my opinion but i still approve.

Thanks for the compliment.
The ground work is dirt :-)

Dioramas Dedicated To All Veterans, Past & Present

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Thailand
Posted by Model Maniac on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 7:43 AM
Very nice work on all three dio's that you showed! I really like the buildings w/o figures and the roadway one! May I know for how much did you sell these two 'dio base's? Wish I could buy some. ;-)

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  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Las Vegas, Nevada
Posted by model maniac 96 on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 9:48 AM
Amazing build!
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