Rome Colosseum and Panther A Diorama

That is gonna be a MONSTER!!  Looks fantastic so far, can't wait for more progress.

Steve

Bodge wrote:

By the way your work bench looks far to neat and tidy

Yeah, no kiddin'... what's wrong with you, Steve??!!

Seriously, though - GREAT looking dio so far...

SteveM: yep, it's a monster alright!

Bodge/bbrowniii:  The bench is neat because I'm between builds.  You should have seen the mess after I cut that foam!

SMJmodeler wrote:

Bodge/bbrowniii:  The bench is neat because I'm between builds.  You should have seen the mess after I cut that foam!

Yup... um hm.... sure... likely story...

WOW, Steve!

"Ambitious" is your middle name! 

Just one thing--I think you should look for a bigger base. The way it looks now with that huge piece, you're not going to have enough scale room to fit that Panther in there without it looking overshadowed and crushed visually by that wall. I think you should go for an oblong or rectangular base; one that is slightly longer?

the doog wrote:

WOW, Steve! "Ambitious" is your middle name!  Just one thing--I think you should look for a bigger base. The way it looks now with that huge piece, you're not going to have enough scale room to fit that Panther in there without it looking overshadowed and crushed visually by that wall. I think you should go for an oblong or rectangular base; one that is slightly longer?

Keep working it; this will be awesome! 

Mansteins revenge wrote:

the doog wrote: WOW, Steve! "Ambitious" is your middle name!  Just one thing--I think you should look for a bigger base. The way it looks now with that huge piece, you're not going to have enough scale room to fit that Panther in there without it looking overshadowed and crushed visually by that wall. I think you should go for an oblong or rectangular base; one that is slightly longer? Ditto...looking good so far...as I remember, this is going to be a "forced perspective dio, correct?  Even so, the Panther, with your present base, will be too small, IMO... Keep working it; this will be awesome!

Steve,

I am of mixed emotions on the base size.  I think doog and Manny bring up a valid point, but I also feel like the small size will accentuate the looming mass that is the Colleseum.  I guess it becomes a question of what your 'goal' is.  Maybe post a pic or two with the Panther in place (or any tank that you have lying around) to give a sense of scale/perspective.

the doog wrote:

...I think you should look for a bigger base. The way it looks now with that huge piece, you're not going to have enough scale room to fit that Panther in there without it looking overshadowed and crushed visually by that wall...

I agree.  We're gonna have much more Colosseum than we're gonna have Panther. 

Don't forget that there are ionic, doric and corinthian columns on the exterior of the colosseum!

I agree, a larger base will put it the size of the building in perspective...it got its name for a reason.

Here is an 18th century view of it

But why have a tank when you can model a Vespa in the same place

vespa boy wrote:

But why have a tank when you can model a Vespa in the same place

Uh, yeah......

subfixer wrote:

vespa boy wrote:         But why have a tank when you can model a Vespa in the same place   Uh, yeah......

Guys: It is definately going to be a challenge to make this composition work!  The Colosseum is huge, but the Panther is no cream puff either!  I'm not sure how I will pull this off but I do like the statement made by the large scale of the Colosseum "background".  There's something metaphoric about the ancient structure juxaposed by the "modern" machinery.  Knowing that "wars" took place within the arena many years ago, in World War II on this same ground and that we still battle today adds to that metaphor.

I think the proper placement of figure(s) will help and I'm looking into the stash to see what I have.  I'm considering the idea of finding a Roman Warrior walking a real Panther (just like a man walk's a dog on a leash) and adding it too the dio...behind the walls...kinda' hard to see...in a shadows if you will...does that sound hokey?  doog's "spooked" dio' comes to mind on that one!  Let me know what you think of the idea and thanks for your input, here are my responses to your posts:

doog:  The base has been buggin' me too.  It's not that it too small necessarily, but that it has no mass.  It only 3/4" thick at best and the "weight" of the Colosseum overpowers (squashes)it.  I'll see what I can do about it.  Thanks for being my second set of eyes!  I like the word ambitious too, I think the weathering on this bad boy is going to be a blast!

Manny:  No forced perspective on this one.  Another vote for too small of a base....hmmmm...I gotta' address that for sure.

bbrowniii: I do want the scale of the Colosseum to make the composition...a statement...OK, I know that I've got that going for me.

easy mike: That's a trifecta on the overpowered base, I'm on it, thanks for the comment.

vespa boy:  WHOA...flingin' some architectural knowledge there sir!  Technically the ground floor is Tuscan Order, the second level is Ionic Order and I don't have the picture in front of me to ID the floor above that.  My depiction will include the Tuscan columns but only includes a small portion of the second level..no columns will be seen.

Do they make Vespa model kits?

SMJmodeler wrote:

vespa boy:  WHOA...flingin' some architectural knowledge there sir!  Technically the ground floor is Tuscan Order, the second level is Ionic Order and I don't have the picture in front of me to ID the floor above that.  My depiction will include the Tuscan columns but only includes a small portion of the second level..no columns will be seen. Do they make Vespa model kits?

I stand corrected. Thanks.

 There are Vespa kits. I have some 1/24th scale (from the Tamiya Campus Friends set) and a 1/8 scale kit. I don't know about 1/35th. But they are both the 90cc Vespas without the removable side cowls, and not the classic 125cc-160cc models.

I am very interested in how you are going to tackle the architectural details...columns, capitals , mouldings etc. I have been intimidated by details like this, and I would like to know how they are done in scale. Please post pics as you go. Thanks

vespa boy wrote:

I am very interested in how you are going to tackle the architectural details...columns, capitals , mouldings etc. I have been intimidated by details like this, and I would like to know how they are done in scale. Please post pics as you go. Thanks

I very interested to see how I'm going to do it too...one of the first hurdles though is having historical references and drawings to get the details corrrect, which I do have in my asenal. 

My method of attack is using foam and styrene to get the shapes reasonably close.  Then I will add VERY thin layers of molding plaster.  As it cures to "moldable" stage I will whip-out my clay tools and do my best to add curves, and detail.  At 1:35 this stuff is tiny, but luckily the age of the building and the natural weathering it has endured will allow it to be a bit forgiving.  I'll zoom-in on a few areas as I take pictures so you can follow along... thanks for the interest in my work.

Hey...that 1:8 Vespa, is it built?

SMJmodeler wrote:

My method of attack is using foam and styrene to get the shapes reasonably close.  Then I will add VERY thin layers of molding plaster.  As it cures to "moldable" stage I will whip-out my clay tools and do my best to add curves, and detail.  At 1:35 this stuff is tiny, but luckily the age of the building and the natural weathering it has endured will allow it to be a bit forgiving.  I'll zoom-in on a few areas as I take pictures so you can follow along... thanks for the interest in my work. Hey...that 1:8 Vespa, is it built?

If I remember correctly the columns are not straight edged, but have a slight bulge in them, which is is what makes a column look like a column. That has to be one of the trickier challenges awaiting...

The 1/8 Vespa kit is unmade. I bought it 20 odd years ago, and I haven't made a kit in 20 odd years!!

vespa boy wrote:

SMJmodeler wrote: My method of attack is using foam and styrene to get the shapes reasonably close.  Then I will add VERY thin layers of molding plaster.  As it cures to "moldable" stage I will whip-out my clay tools and do my best to add curves, and detail.  At 1:35 this stuff is tiny, but luckily the age of the building and the natural weathering it has endured will allow it to be a bit forgiving.  I'll zoom-in on a few areas as I take pictures so you can follow along... thanks for the interest in my work. Hey...that 1:8 Vespa, is it built? If I remember correctly the columns are not straight edged, but have a slight bulge in them, which is is what makes a column look like a column. That has to be one of the trickier challenges awaiting...   The 1/8 Vespa kit is unmade. I bought it 20 odd years ago, and I haven't made a kit in 20 odd years!!

Mansteins revenge wrote:

vespa boy wrote: If I remember correctly the columns are not straight edged, but have a slight bulge in them, which is is what makes a column look like a column. That has to be one of the trickier challenges awaiting... True, and wouldn't there be an ever so slight curve in the section?

vepsa boy/ Manny:  You're both right..and might I add I am impressed gentleman! The columns had a slight bulge in the center to compensate for our eyes natural tendency to view long parallel lines run closely side by side as converging.  The Greeks noticed this tendency and built the Parthenon Columns in this fashion, among other "tricks", to make the building appear "perfect".  I don't think I will be able to show this minute detail...but if I do it will be done with the plaster finish.

The Coloseum is VERY close to an ellipse in plan view...but NOT quite.  My depiction DOES show this curvature...but only ever so slight.  It was a challenge to do this because I had to heat the foam and bend it a bit.  I used a ton of glue and clamps to hold it in place. 

Steve, while there is a bulge in the center of the column, tryin to model it with any fidelity is, in my opinion, a complete folly and waste of time. That bulge is relevant ONLY IF you were the size of a 1/35th scale soldier! Who's going to be looking at it from that angle?! And even if they did, the effect would never translate! A complete waste of time!

When you look at a picture of columns, you see a straight cylinder, period. I guarantee that if you put a bulge n your 1/35 column, you're going to regret it.

Steve - It would take an architect to try something like this. I agree with the too small base. Here are some radical thoughts.

Go to home depot and look in the tile dept. Find a nice marble tile of a contrasting color...say green or black. Or something like the stone of the structure itself. The usaully sell them as separate tiles and it would give you a nice 12 x 12 base. The are about 1/2 inch thick but nothing looks beefy like stone!!

Go over a few asiles where the have the little round felt pads for the bottom of the tile. This will keep it from scratching your shelf.

If you have some car polishing compound, you can use it to polish the 2 unpolished edges.

OK....noe thats different. Armor and Stone look!

On the buldge...I agree with Karl...I would not worry about it. 

Just some thoughts

Rounds Complete!!

doog: I wasn't too worried about the bulge in the columns...too much effort for imperceptable results.

redleg12: Interesting idea...but I want to show the cobblestone street too and that wouldn't work with tile.  I like the idea of adding weight to the base though...this baby when plastered will be top heavy.

Guys: I plan to hang a LARGE Nazi flag dead center of the arch secured at the top of the cornice, I thought the color would help and the large scale will add to the composition.  Anyone following along here have a good suggestion for a Nazi flag material I can buy at a fabric store that would be "to scale" in weave and color vibrancy? How would I add the insignia too...

IF you use cloth, it might come accross as to large...  What you could do is use decal paper and print your own decal of the nazi flag (fdront and back) and attach it to something like a piece of tinfoil (primed)  The tinfoil can be manipulated to look like cloth and viola, you have a flag.

Hello,

 Following along on your Coliseum build, Not sure how big of a flag you want but here is a link:

             http://www.archertransfers.com/FlagInstructions.html

 May want to make banner(s) instead of a flag.

 HTH

 Mobious

I'm not sure what year you are shooting for here, and I might be overthinking this, but a nazi flag would only have shown up after the surrender of Italy.  Before that, possibly some sort of Italian flag would have been there, or city banner if anything.

I do like the idea to introduce contrast and color into this.  I think the effect would be something similar to the color choices in 'Gladiator'.  Its mostly tan in that movie but the important figures' costumes are bright, and they throw all those roses in at the end...otherwise the entire movie is basically yellow-wheat, rome, the desert, the colosseum...contrast is good and makes it striking.