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First Dio, UPDATED 3/28 - Gang's all here!

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  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Friday, May 29, 2009 3:44 PM

Thanks Stern0! 

ALL RIGHTY! I've officially graduated Party [party]!  I'm slowly regaining all the hours of sleep I lost in the last three years in high school.  BUT! between naps I've got plenty of time to work on this dio.  I think I'm gonna change the scene once again!  I'm gonna design and scratch build a house to look something like this...

http://www.dragonusaonline.com/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=MIN36031

I'm too broke to buy the thing, so i'm gonna use good old styrene and peas to make this.  the figures will remain the same, and I may add something across the street to expand the dio.  Wish me luck!

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Charlottesville Va
Posted by Stern0 on Sunday, May 10, 2009 11:40 AM
The figs are AWSOME...looking good TB....can't wait for more!!!Big Smile [:D]
Always Faithful U.S.M.C
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Colorado
Posted by psstoff995 on Saturday, May 9, 2009 9:25 PM
Congratulations on getting into college!! And sorry to hear about the tanks- but glad you’re hanging on to the hobby with this dio. Understandable about the paperwork. I’ve spent the last week checking all of my residents out (I’m an RA)- let me tell you, it’s better to do the paperwork right the first time around!   Banged Head [banghead]

As for the dio’s progress, it’s looking real good so far, the figure painting looks like it could pass for the Verlin box art- I have the same kit. Thumbs Up [tup] Wish I was as good as this two years ago when I was out of High School.
Good luck- enjoy the summer, things start moving fast by fall.

-Chris

US Army Infantryman

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Kristiansund, Norway
Posted by Huxy on Saturday, May 9, 2009 1:37 PM

Tapatatai!

that face of the wounded guy is.. excellent!!!

 

And graduating from Highschool already? lol.. So different here.. :P

"Every War Starts And Ends With An Invasion".

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Saturday, May 9, 2009 12:50 PM

Hey Psstoff!

Yes, life's been a little hectic lately.  I graduate from high School on the 22nd, and I'm still filling out paper work for the college I'll be attending (Colorado State, go rams!).  My time's been sucked into a whole bunch of after school activity (i run like three clubs, I'm crazy). 

Unfortunately, I've lost interest in tanks for a while, but not this dio.  I got the original building finished

Those guys are there to give a sense of scale.  At this point, further work is gonna have to wait till this summer.  Thanks for checking in, I'll try to update more soon!

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Colorado
Posted by psstoff995 on Friday, May 8, 2009 9:25 PM
Hey, hope things aren't too busy for you, sorry to hear about your 1,000 Roadwheels entry, hope this dio isn't too far off on the back burner, it was really going well. Hopefully with summer coming soon you'll have more free time to do whatever you want- and hopefully this dio is one of them Wink [;)]

Hope all's well Taco Smile [:)] just bumping up the thread

-Chris

US Army Infantryman

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 6:06 PM
thanks for the reminder Vespa!  I would've totally spaced that if you hadn't mentioned it!
  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Boston MA
Posted by vespa boy on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 9:24 AM
And Taco remember that the ground is never flat. Sidewalks slope away from buildings, there is curved crown in the centre of the street sloping down to the gutters. Streets are designed to control water flow. If you make the street flat it looks like theatre/movie set.

http://public.fotki.com/nkhandekar

This ain't no Mudd Club, or C.B.G.B.,
I ain't got time for that now

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Colorado
Posted by psstoff995 on Monday, April 6, 2009 5:13 PM
Sounds good! And thanks- by all means- doodled it up real quick for ya Thumbs Up [tup]

-Chris

US Army Infantryman

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Monday, April 6, 2009 5:05 PM

yeah, I get what you and Vespa are saying psstoff.  I was thinking of doing that sorta, the one taller building on one side, and a stone wall on the other, running with the board rather than at an angle.  that would give the effect I'm lookin for, were you'd see the troopers backs, and create a sense of them facing an enemy.

I like that little doodle you made psstoff, I might steal it Wink [;)]

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Colorado
Posted by psstoff995 on Monday, April 6, 2009 4:51 PM

I agree with vespa, when I heard you were going to put up a secondary wall across the street, this is what I had in mind as far as your composition went.

The arrow being where the viewer would look down the dio, even though the roads and buildings are at 90 degree angles, you still get a more realistic view, pulling the viewer in with the perspective shot. Again, what vespa says about knowing your composition and balance comes into play.

Think back again to the photo class. Even though the rule of 3rds and keeping nice photographs balanced by positioning your subject is the basic way of doing things, one can put the subject dead center, but still have the rule of 3rds apply by using color and focus to pull the interest a little off center, balancing the over all photo.

So for an example, if you’re going to have 90 degree road/base- make sure you balance the buildings and figures so it doesn’t look too symmetrical. One or two figures on the left, three or five figures on the right, one building tall, one short, lots of rubble on one side, a clearer road on the other- and don’t forget color and texture, a red brick building and a tan stucco structure on the other side, maybe a lamppost on one corner etc.

Basic lesson, there’s more than one method out there to achieve interest and pull a viewer in with a triangular display. An easy way is to angle the roads/buildings, but as vespa points out, this is overused and taken as a rule more than a concept. You can still make a triangular composition of interest and use a 90 degree road/building/base set up, it’s just going to take a little bit more thinking outside the box. I think you can pull it off if you keep using this WIP to get advice and feedback from the pros like vespa, the doog, HvH and the others on here. Good luck!

-Chris

US Army Infantryman

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Boston MA
Posted by vespa boy on Monday, April 6, 2009 1:48 PM

I have a slightly different take on things being parallel on the base....I know what it says in Shep Paine's Book and that has become something of a law in diorama building. It makes a lot of sense in a wide open area where things are scattered around randomly. But in an urban area where things are made at right angles (urban spaces defy entropy at some level) and the experience of walking down a street is that of linear travel with everting parallel, then it can make sense to have the edges parallel to the base, especially as it simulates our own experince on a street.

I am not suggesting this to someone who is starting out and learning about composition, but rather to those who have some experience under their belt, then I think it can work and work very well. Its never a bad thing to challenge conventional wisdom.

(The danger is that show judges who don't know a good composition from a hole in the ground will not take kindly to it as it does challenge their hard held beliefs.)

http://public.fotki.com/nkhandekar

This ain't no Mudd Club, or C.B.G.B.,
I ain't got time for that now

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Colorado
Posted by psstoff995 on Monday, April 6, 2009 10:03 AM

It'll be interesting to watch, that's for sure. I like the idea of both sides of the street- should look nice composition wise. Are you going to face the dio so that the viewer is looking at the backs of the figures as if he/she was taking cover with them as well? I think it'd be a very cool, "looking down the road" kind of dio

-Chris

US Army Infantryman

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Sunday, April 5, 2009 11:42 PM
Hey fellas! Quick update!
I'll be tackling the dried peas technique for my street. I know there will be groans from some of the old hands, but I'll do a practice section before I put it on the board.
I have finished the figures and am almost finished with the kit supplies house. I'll need to come up with some other wall next, so the troops can be on both sides of the street.
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Colorado
Posted by psstoff995 on Sunday, March 29, 2009 6:02 PM
Boba- Dried makes more sense than frozen, I was wondering how they'd thaw! However as the article said- one problem was if they get wet, they’ll suck up water, dry out later and wrinkle, most of my paints and washes that I use are with acrylic paint or thinned with water so I’d be worried how that’d react. But thanks for the correction.

-Chris

US Army Infantryman

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Sunday, March 29, 2009 3:25 PM
Smeagol, I gave em a light brown wash, and will apply chalk dust to their boots when that dries. I cut my fingers a lot too. I wrap them in blue painters tape before working with parts that need to be trimmed. Give it a try.
Hand, yes, you're original answer confused me a little, but this one makes much more sense, LOL. Thanks!
Boba, I guess dried peas would have a longer dio life, but I'll keep that idea on the back burner. And thanks for the compliments, I'm having fun putting this thing together.
  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Wherever the hunt takes me
Posted by Boba Fett on Sunday, March 29, 2009 3:07 PM

 psstoff995 wrote:
FSM article in question about the frozen peas? That was interesting to say the least- I like the buildings, I’m curious to see if the peas are sealed in enough to keep them from... ageing?

 Not frozen ones. Dried split peas. They're dry, so they don't appear to spoil. BTW, nice idea Tacobuff!

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Sunday, March 29, 2009 3:07 PM

Ah hell, I was though you were askin' why the stone courses ran across rather than along the direction of travel..

Ya.. It looks better to have everything in a dio at least slightly off-center and run nothing parallel to the edges of the base, since it allows the angles to lend themselves to the overall "snapshot effect" of a good diorama... Another effect is to have whatever your main subject is to have a bit more space in front of it than it does behind, to give the impression of movement in that direction..

 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Sunday, March 29, 2009 2:28 PM

Well not really dark wash I would say just kept muddy and dirty them up a bit.  I didn't necessarily cut myself to get the blood I had accidentally poked my favorite my exact a blade, that happen fairly often some reason

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Sunday, March 29, 2009 11:49 AM
Boomer: I used model master acrylics base skin tone and shadow skin skin tone (or something like that), as well as a dark wash.
Smeagol: the bandaged leg came mollded on. The actual blood idea is certain unique, LOL. But I don't feel like cutting open my fingers to finish a figure.
Yes, they are a bit clean, I'll so what I can do. Maybe an overall dark wash?
  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Sunday, March 29, 2009 1:11 AM

Did the leg on the figure come with the bandage molded to it?  It looks good, though, if you want realism you could do what I did when I put a wound on a russian tanker.  I used toilet tissue with a bit of white glue to make it firm and attached it to his arm and frayed one part to make it look like a knot, then I used a bit of real blood (I had cut my finger for the umpteenth time), looked really good.

 

I like your figures though, theres only one comment I could make and that is that they look a bit to uniform in color, as in, they look like they all just got cleaned, you should dirty them up a bit.

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
Posted by Boomerang on Sunday, March 29, 2009 1:04 AM

   Thanks for the encouragement TacoBuff. What paints did you use to paint your flesh areas? I have been trying to get my hands on some Vallejo paints. But whatever you used has done very well. I have a dio in progress with the Dragon sets of Paratroopers. It is shelved at the moment as i am trying to actually finish a model for once!!!...Whistling [:-^] I am up to the stage where i have modified most figures to poses that i wanted. Still have to fill in all the gaps now. Started casting my own plaster wall sections too. One day we may see this come up as a WIP.

   One day.......

   Boomer...

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Saturday, March 28, 2009 11:28 PM

Thanks stick man and boomerang!  I'll be starting the buildings and street next. 

And Boomer, just practice!  I spent many frustrating hours developing a way to get my figures to look right.  you'll get the hang of it.

  • Member since
    February 2007
Posted by Boomerang on Saturday, March 28, 2009 8:44 PM

   Yes, great figures TacoBuff. Can't wait till i can do mine that good!

   Boomer...

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: ladner BC Canada
Posted by stick man on Saturday, March 28, 2009 1:35 PM

Nice figs TacoBuff!! thay are all realy good.

Smile [:)]

I'm 15 and I model I sk8board and I drum what could be better.
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Saturday, March 28, 2009 11:23 AM

figures are in the final touch up phases, point where i pick out the details I forgot on the initial go around Big Smile [:D].  Check 'em out, and leave feedback!

These are the guys I just finished and you haven't seen yet.    Also, came up with a new idea...  I've got a Pnz IV H in my stash, and I thought i could have the last guy with the tommy gun charging the tank's rear, satchel charge in hand, while the other paras distract the tank with fire.  might include some german soldiers here and there.  What do ya think? 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Charlottesville Va
Posted by Stern0 on Saturday, March 28, 2009 9:23 AM
Awsome work TB!! The figs are fantastic...im with Doog on the cobblestones...clay and alot of time and you will be pleased!!! Keep it comming!Big Smile [:D]
Always Faithful U.S.M.C
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Colorado
Posted by psstoff995 on Friday, March 27, 2009 9:46 PM
Good deal, looking forward to it! A medic bag shouldn't be too hard to scratch- in those days I think it was nothing more than a shoulder satchel- messenger bag type thing.

-Chris

US Army Infantryman

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Colorado
Posted by TacoBuff on Friday, March 27, 2009 9:04 PM
Good, I remembered something about lifting the leg from my boy scout days. So he can stay if I find a place where he fits. Actually, I might scratch a medic kit bag for one of the soldiers running to get to him.
By the way, the figures are in the touch up phase, I take some photos tonight, and they may be up later!
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