The Bridge (WIP update)

Stern0 wrote:

Thanks Jim! The figs are my weakest point I feel...I have been working on them though. They are very difficult to master for sure. I bought a few sets of cheaper tamiya figs to practice on, no real loss if I mess them up! I have completed this build and will post some finished pics soon, waiting for a good day to photograph it. Looks like we are in for alot of snow today so I'll have more time to practice on figs.

I saw this piece at the show yesterday, but couldn't find you...it looks great, and in person the foliage is outstanding.  Tree roots, cattails... oh yeah, the figures look great, and the hedgehogs and barbed wire on top of the bridge were well done!

Thanks Jim! The figs are my weakest point I feel...I have been working on them though. They are very difficult to master for sure. I bought a few sets of cheaper tamiya figs to practice on, no real loss if I mess them up! I have completed this build and will post some finished pics soon, waiting for a good day to photograph it. Looks like we are in for alot of snow today so I'll have more time to practice on figs.

Thanks Col....figured you would know that feeling of the pour! Consider those rocks wet..going to have to really pay attention with the water effects, I feel this will make it or break it, (felt like that with the resin also, glad its done) thanks for all your wisdom!

So far, so good... I know what you mean about pouring something so... permanent on your stuff... I've done it a hundred times now, it's still an un-natural act and, for a brief moment, I always wish I hadn't done it...

Don't forget to "wet" the top of them rocks though...

Here are some pics after the first pour...I know, I know my figs still suck. Just want you guys to know how unnerving it was to POUR a foriegn substance onto this thing...it did just what I wanted, thank goodness!

Stern0 wrote:

Sam, thank you for your comments I really like the way natural light accents the colors...just can't recreate the sun indoors. I would love to show it next weekend but I dont think it will be done...I have never even been to a IPMS show, but going to test the waters at this one without entering....Are you going and/or entering anything? Hope to see you there! Thanks again for checking this out.

I'll be there as a spectator, and looking for some deals... a friend of mine is renting a table to unload some extra stuff.  My budget to purchase is severely crimped this year, but I'll be there!

the natural light photos are spectacular... you've done a great job on this piece!

any chance you'll be showing it at the IPMS show next weekend at the fairgrounds??

Man, that just looks better and better everytime I see it SternO!  Those cattails are awesome!

Well done Sir, Well done indeed!

Hans von Hammer wrote:

Did you know that you're NEVER more than six feet away from a spider?

 Well thats just great! You can just rock me to sleep tonight.......

Col. VH,  Thanks for the reply! I'm a firm believer in real things look real..Go figure! Finding the right size is the fun part....and I'm not real worried about bringing in anything with my plant life...bigger things inside to rid me of them if I do I heard it said 10,000 spiders per square acre...yikes!

PJ, Thank for the great comments...I hope it shows but I get a little obsessive with realizm at times, wish my figs worked out like that! good job on your find....it takes some looking but you happen across good stuff to use for ground work...I hope you have a project to use them in! Thanks again!!

Taking shape nicely, Sterno...  Usinf roots is my trick as well, wiring different ones together at the "trunks" to model trees, hedges, and deadfall...

BTW, I don't boil, bake, or broil anything... Never have, either... There's plenty of critters already living in your house so even if there's a bug or two in your dio, it probably came from inside, rather than outside..

Did you know that you're NEVER more than six feet away from a spider?

A little more progress on the cattail thicket and the left bank....Had a nice sunny day so here are a few naturaly lighted pics without the cinderblock...thanks for looking, let me know what you think

NP Steve! Had an email from one who viewed the forums and he is now a lurker from home! Whatever it takes to keep the hobby vibrant, right?

"Rootorial".....Atilla the Pun strikes again!

Stern0 wrote:

Smeagol, when you say my kit you mean the dio itself...the plants may take root? WOW.I hope not. It is only sheetrock mud and glue, not much to sustain life...I have used roots on other projects and have never had a problem...I hope your concern is unfounded. Thanks for the heads up though..Ill get some 35 scale gardeners to keep it tidy! I did put together a little rooturial, you may get a tid-bit from it..enjoy!

Yea, I meant the dio.  I dunno if they will grow or not, but you can see how versitile plants are, break right through the sidewalk and such, Im just givin you a heads up, better safe then sorry.

Smeagol, when you say my kit you mean the dio itself...the plants may take root? WOW.I hope not. It is only sheetrock mud and glue, not much to sustain life...I have used roots on other projects and have never had a problem...I hope your concern is unfounded. Thanks for the heads up though..Ill get some 35 scale gardeners to keep it tidy! I did put together a little rooturial, you may get a tid-bit from it..enjoy!

Here are the elements...A little wire tree and the base for the roots.

Just a photo of the location with tree hole dug.

I lay my base root down and eyeball where it would look best, a touch of tacky glue to hold it in place.

After the first root I apply thinned white glue around and add no.2 dirt. This is real dirt, No.1 dirt is siffted so it is a real small texture. The no.2 dirt gives the effect of the uplifting of the ground by the tree roots. I then add smaller roots as I see fit.

After a little dirt a little root a few times I apply white glue and raise the base of the tree with a little darker soil. the glue is wet in this pic.

After glue has dried.

final product with tree.

smeagol the vile wrote:

Woh, becareful!  You have no idea where living things might be, you should cook or boil or something, to kill any bugs and stuff, dont want your diorama to come alive.

Maybe if you cook or boil the roots first when the dio gets old we could all eat it.

Breathtaking, realistic photo with that background Steve!.....cannot laud your dio enough!

(While at work yesterday with two friends/co-workers.......I logged on to FSM at a customers home ((it was okay with the homeowner))....and showed the guys some of the stuff going on here.

They appreciate craftsmanship in all forms and loved all I showed them but the dios were most popular. They loved your WIP's. Thought it was CG at first!

Personally, I think the secret to your realistic roots is a 'good eye' and knowing when enough is enough!