Dios in Review...

Thanks so much for posting these, i do so much enjoy looking at them, if only i could be there in person to really get an eyefull. I like the last two the best, but my fav is that winter scene with the Panzer -"Backhand blow"

A question for you, what do you use for your bases?, i have a hard time finding wood for mine, i perfer to get those kits that include bases but don't see too many arround.

Your a great producer of dioramas!

Wood Decoupage plaques are available at about any arts and crafts store, Lufttiger... You can also pick scrap from lumber yards as well...  Myself, I use the plastic box-frames for photos... They're cheap (1.99 to 5.99) allow me to "dig" holes, hide electronics underneath, and can be glued together to create about any size base I need...

They come in 4 x 6, 5 x 7, 8 x 10, and 11 x 14 inches... 

Geez, Manny, you ain't asking much!... I can't decide which I like best, since I like 'em all...

Superb work Manstein. All of them tell a story, just as they should.

Cheers

Mike

Manny

This is a great sequence of builds.  Thanks for posting it.  I can't really pick a favorite, but what I can say is that I like how there is definately a progression in the quality of the builds, particularly in terms of the 'story-telling' part.  For example, the first one, 'Prelude to Villers' seems a little disjointed to me, with what appears to be three seperate conversations occuring and no cohesive focal point.  The subsequent dios become more and more focused until the most recent one that not only 'tells a story' but captures a single moment in time quite effectively.

bbrowniii wrote:

For example, the first one, 'Prelude to Villers' seems a little disjointed to me, with what appears to be three seperate conversations occuring and no cohesive focal point.  The subsequent dios become more and more focused until the most recent one that not only 'tells a story' but captures a single moment in time quite effectively.

I agree, I think the key is your figure placement, the first one looks like the cover of a Dragon Box art with the tankers but by "Backhand Blow", you've added more figures while simultaniously making them fit better together, looking more photographic and less staged. The quality of the builds/figures hasn't changed much (I guess you can only be so good! ) They all are very well built/painted.

As far as my favorite goes, I'm a big fan of complex scenes with a lot of figures/armor and action when it's pulled off well so my vote goes for the winter scene- infantry and armor moving forward and looking ahead while an officer appears to be listening to a reenactment of the previous battle- is that a Russian Maxim gun nest? Looks like the lines have been pushed back- but a lack of Russian bodies sugests a retreat. There's a lot of fluid story telling in that one. Of course the Couryard is your best effort to date IMO as far as figures and story goes, but I'm a fan of the larger scale. I know you like to keep things small and simple so no offense. I do enjoy vingettes, but on a larger scale I tend to think that as a story teller (dio builder) there is a point where you have to make secondary underlying stories for the viewer to catch on with/make up- to keep them interested in the dio- and I think that's what has happened (at least for me) with "Backhand Blow". "Death in the Courtyard" is straight forward and well executed, definitly a master piece and it tells of a larger story- contact between US and SS groups of an unknown size, but other than that it's 1 dimentional. This is just my of course, I can't really say much about any of your works as they look like box art to me and I have yet to complete a diorama, but I do enjoy them! Keep up the great work

Had to stop myself from throwing my dios out the window! AWSOME work. Vehicles are top notch and your figs are without words. WOW..My favorite is Death in the courtyard...I was lucky enough to see it in progress...outstanding!

Boba Fett wrote:

you seem to be one of the best dio makers here! LEt's see some more in '09!

Manny, first of all, this stunning collection is an admirable, and formidable display of your considerable skill as a consumate builder, painter, and detailer!

It's interesting to me that several have picked your last dio there, "Death in the Courtyard" as their favorite; I have to concur. I like this one the best too, for the reason that the storyline is almost instantaneously evident. 

In the other dio's, I have given a great deal of thought into giving some meaningful critique (as much as that is possible? ) and I think that if there's anything I can truly offer, it's that I feel that in your first four dios, what's sometimes the weakest aspect is the lack of an evident, exciting, or compelling story--which is plainly evident in DITC. In the first, second, and fourth dios, I feel that the scenes are almost too crowded with figures--they rather dilute the impact of the vehicles, making them feel almost secondary. Though I consider you one of the top three figure painters on this site, I would actually like to see you do more vignettes to display your gorgeous figures, but use fewer of them in better consideration in your actual dioramas.

DITC also has an unmistakable tension and action, while the other dios are more taciturn. I think this is an important point to assess as well--I'd love to see you tackle an actual combat scene, like with soldiers running around, shooting, etc. A vehicle in the center of the scene would be cool under that situation as well!

All in all though, a collection that few here can match! BRAVO!!

Manny

Another comment, sort of inspired by what doog had to say...

As I said in my original post, I can't pick a 'favorite' for your dios, as they are all beautifully constructed and composed.  However, as I think about it, in all honesty I think there is really only one 'dio' in your collection of works, 'Death in the Courtyard'.  With that dio, you have really broken out of a mold or a pattern.  Take a look at your four previous dios/vinettes.  In effect, they are all quite the same - an armored vehicle with a group of soldiers standing around talking.  There is really very little action, not much of a story.  By comparison, with 'Death in the Courtyard', you are compressing intense and fast paced action into a very concise scene.

Please don't take this the wrong way - I am not trying to minimize the quality of your first four dios.  I just think that, with the latest one, you have really captured the storytelling part of diorama building.

 As someone who has no where near your ability to create a scne like that I feel unqualified to say much more than, "Gee those are neato!"  If I get past that I would say your first 3 are typical scenes I would see in a Model Diarama book or article. Well done but Tanks and Broken buildings are what pop into my head when you think dio. Now My favorite is back hand blow. The figures just leap out at you and a Black and white photo would look right out of a history book.

Death in a Court Yard. Way up ther on the list. Was hard to choose and I made my decision souly on the Figs.

What this post screams in reality is how you are progressing and using your imagination to create ever more complex schemes that are imaginative and unique. All are very welldone and special and I thank you for sharing them and your tips with us!

Thanks for all of the great feedback, guys--just what I was looking for.  I, too, see a progression of sorts from "Prelude..." to "Death...".  Part of the success of DITCY was that I took all of the feedback I received from you guys seriously and incorporated many of them into the finished product...part of my growth as a dio modeler...  

It also helps me narrow down what I will be entering this Feb at the Atlanta, GA AMPS: "Backhand Blow" and Death in the Courtyard."

Mansteins revenge wrote:

Thanks for all of the great feedback, guys--just what I was looking for.  I, too, see a progression of sorts from "Prelude..." to "Death...".  Part of the success of DITCY was that I took all of the feedback I received from you guys seriously and incorporated many of them into the finished product...part of my growth as a dio modeler...   It also helps me narrow down what I will be entering this Feb at the Atlanta, GA AMPS: "Backhand Blow" and Death in the Courtyard."

Hey, I was looking at "Backhand Blow", and I was wondering--do you think it might be more compelling to point the turret of the tank backwards--llike in the direction in which the two guys up front are pointing?!

It might give a whole other aspect to that dio--like, an implied threat?

Suspended? I never knew you were suspended, Manny!

Another vote for DITCY. More action than the others and the scene sucks up the viewer imediately, puts the focus on the action, kicks in the imagination and generally make me forget in a small way that it's a dio.

With the hundreds of dollars worth of high end resin figures represented (very well) here, it's funny- and a little ironic- to think that you charmed everyone with a few plastic Tamiya figures Speaks for your painting and story-telling skills. I agree that DITCY gives the most concise narrative, but my personal fave is Backhanded. I just like the figure painting, and love that panzer.

Good luck with at the show...I'm gonna miss my Feb show deadline in San Antonio. Kudos for the progress and determination to get a piece finished.

Steve

Thanks, guys!!! Yeah, Steve, it is kinda ironic that those old Tamiya figs "beat out" the Alpine, Warrior, VLS, etc figs...But I gotta say those Tamiya GI's are molded pretty well for plastic...and I did a lot of work as far as adding updated equipment, drilling out sleeves, adding slings, etc on them also...The Mk IV in "Backhand" is also one of my all-time fav panzers; I especially like the F, G and H models...

I think it is the composition, balance and sense of action in DITCY that probably edges out the others as a "pure" dio...To me, it is almost like a well balanced painting. You have equally "weighted" elements in the scene so neither side is "heavy"...the water pump and barrel help add weight to the left side, so that the building, wagon and GI's don't overwhelm one side; you also have elements that draw the eyes across the scene:...the pole from the wagon that leads the viewer from the three GI's to the dead SS trooper, etc...The symbolism is also present in many aspects of the dio if you wanted to take it to that level...three GI's, bread and water are both present, blood mixing w/ water, etc...but most of all, there is a feeling of danger and action and even dread...and, if I must say so myself, I think the effect of the running water from the barrel came off rather nicely...I even painted "life-lines" on the CO's palm (see below image)...lol...:

Now as far as my personal fav from a historical point of view, it is "Backhand"...it is also a nice study in SS winter garb from the Kharkov battle-period and features 2 actual personalities from the battle: Max Wunche and "Panzer" Meyer...There were many at the time that felt the composition was "helter skelter" but in all actuality I planned it very carefully to reflect the nature of the battle being represented...Kharkov was a very fluid battle with very ill-defined front-lines...the three SS Divisions that took part served as slashing probes to drive deep into the soviet lines and rear areas, often bypassing large elements for other units to mop up...

Those that have studied the battle (and German operations in general) know that this was the norm for the german PD's...Therefore, I wanted to show this by having the figures looking in all different directions in the dio...some figures are looking forward of the tank, some off to the side and rear...Those that think lines of battle were static and clear-cut criticized me heavily for the figure placement but those folks probably are not good students of mobile warfare...Doog, I just might see how the turned turret looks...

I also was asked why there were no Russian corpses in the empty emplacement. Simple answer: I had no good figgie of a Russian casualty at the time...not long after I did procur one and I think I will add it before it competes (he is the tired looking dude in the foreground):

I shoulda known that you were gonna go "against the grain" on this one, Hammer...lol...yeah, one dude has the 5 tank destruction badge and one has the single...good eye...the officer with the 5-kill is supposed to represent Major Becker, famous for improvising many of those french chassis-based AT vehicles...

Thanks everone for the feedback and I'll post pics of any "bling" that I am lucky enough to procur from the show!!!   

Again, Incredible work! Thanks for the close ups...Hope you don't mind me using your figs for study to improve my own. Love the techniqe!  Best of luck at the show!

I shoulda known that you were gonna go "against the grain" on this one, Hammer...lol...

Need a "Who, Me?" smilely...

Nice presentation, Manny.   Many people build, few have a signature style.  You have it.

 Rick

RickLawler wrote:

Nice presentation, Manny.   Many people build, few have a signature style.  You have it.  Rick

Ya.. You can look at a photo-spread of dioramasand say, "That's a Paine, that's a Verlinden, and THAT one's a Manstein."...

Hey Manny,

Thanks for the explanation of where your head was in planning that dio. (Backhand Blow) Since your actual setting has a definite historical context and settting, maybe you should put the standard "Kharkov" sugn on a post somewhere? That would place the nature of figure dispersemnet in a little more context?

    Manny even though I'm with the majority in saying that Death In The Courtyard is the one that really jumps out and grabs my attention, my second pick would be Defense of Aachen.

   I can almost hear these two guys discussing how they're going to keep the swarm of allied armor at bay with one tank and a limited supply of ammo.

psstoff995 wrote:

Makes sense to me, after the explination of "Backhand" I like it even more, I had incorrectly thought the mop up had taken place and the officer was there to get some first hand accounts but that's a very cool bit of history you are representing and I think you pulled it off very well- with the addition of the Russian casualty I think this one will win you top prizes if DITCY does not for whatever reason- but I must say- if one of your works gets it's own acronym- you know you've made it

Hammer, a Paine, a Verlinden and a Manny?  Wow...I don't presume to be anywhere near their company, but thanks for the compliment!!!

Aachen would be my 3rd choice, so it may go too, panzerguy!!!