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How's this for a non-military diorama?!

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  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Shell Beach, California
How's this for a non-military diorama?!
Posted by mojodoctor on Thursday, January 20, 2005 12:37 AM
I've built architectural models for a living and thought I'd offer you good folks a look. All of the same techniques are used and maybe a few new ones. Almost all of what these are made from is styrene, BIG sheets of styrene!
What do you think?




This will give you an idea of the size.


These cars are HO scale (1/87).


All styrene and paint, with some shredded foam rubber and twigs for trees.

Matt Fly fast, fly low, turn left!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 1:55 AM
Hi I am very impressed w/ your work , I am currently in my Sophmore year of college what field would I need to look towards to build such models for a living, Im guessing architecture anything other than that ?
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 3:05 AM
Very cool stuff. Now all you need is a Hind parked in the front with some T-72 tanks hanging around, and it's RED DAWN all over again...Big Smile [:D] One question what scale do y'all usually work in.(HO?)
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Calgary Ab
Posted by STICKMAN on Thursday, January 20, 2005 5:54 AM
That is some beautiful work.Very impressed.Cool [8D]
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 6:12 AM
That is totally cool!

Hey, wait a second, is that a little Patrick Swayze figure there? Ahhhh... RED DAWN. Skarpotchi, that was such an awesome movie.

~ Garth
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Tochigi, Japan
Posted by J-Hulk on Thursday, January 20, 2005 8:47 AM
Beautiful!
No no, no Hinds....what you REALLY need is a Godzilla, King Ghidora, Gamera, or Ultraman to complete the scene!!
~Brian
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 10:25 AM
Very cool, thanks for something different...
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 10:54 AM
I'm studying for a degree in architecture at the mo but you sure as hell don't need to know anything about it to be very impressed by your work. Are you thinking of doing any military dioramas in the future?

I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work,

Seb
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: CANADA
Posted by Kelly_Zak on Thursday, January 20, 2005 12:25 PM
Mojo, outstanding! I'm in awe, beautiful work! Keep it up. Ruins are one thing, but this takes REAL patience!
"There you go with those negative waves again!"
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 12:51 PM
that's really great looking!
you display that at home?
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State
Posted by rjkplasticmod on Thursday, January 20, 2005 1:57 PM
Beautiful work. I've seen several architectural models that couldn't pass close scrutiny, but yours passes the test.

Regards, Rick
RICK At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...
  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Portugal
Posted by madspaniard on Thursday, January 20, 2005 2:10 PM
Fantastic work.
Pedro
Fw 190 A-3 Richtofen JG
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 20, 2005 2:54 PM
Nice looking stuff there Mojo. I used to build these too, along with entire towns, condo interiors, forensic models, sewage treatment plants, airports, ferry boats, you name it. One thing is for sure, everything you build is completely different than the last one.
I will point out however, that according to IPMS standards at least, these types of models don't meet the criteria to be "dioramas", because they don't "tell a story". Believe me, I've shown up at a show with a completely scratch-build coastal defense bunker, only to have it disqualified as a diorama, because the figures were just standing around, (bored out of their gourds waiting for the D-Day invasion). This apparently wasn't a story line.....Evil [}:)]

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Canada
Posted by sasd on Thursday, January 20, 2005 2:56 PM
Stunning work Mojo and in that scale,stunning! Hope your clients and bosses appreciate this excellent work as we modelers do,your living the modelers dream!
"Battleing Bastards of Bastogne"
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Thursday, January 20, 2005 7:41 PM
Wow, that is so cool! I like it very much. My son likes architecture so I've been bugging him into thinking of it as a career. I will show him your pics. Hopefully it will light a fire under him.

   http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

 Eric 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 21, 2005 2:46 PM
Very nice! Now blow it up!!!
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Shell Beach, California
Posted by mojodoctor on Friday, January 28, 2005 2:47 PM
Thank you all so much for the comments. I really appreciate this!

Kelly_Zak, I've been keeping an eye on your work over on another site and I am humbled by your comments. You are really talented and maybe someday I'll build a scene such as you. Thank you!

As far as anyone wanting to get into this field, I'll try to explain as best I can how I came to do this type of modeling.

As a kid of 10, I started to build plastic models of aircraft and cars. Having a strong liking for motor veihicles of all kinds really helped. My father was a technical illustrator for a rocket engine manufacturer and helped inspire me to take up drafting. I went through junior high, high school and two years of junior college taking all kinds of drafting, illustraion, rendering and architectural classes but I was never enthusiastic about math. I saw some models of propulsion systems at Aerojet General and my father encouraged me to try this type of modeling. I never gave it much thought.
Years later, I owned a radio control hobby shop and met some modelers who built architectural models for a business. After I closed my shop, I went to work with a guy and it took off from there. I have had no formal education in building models, it just comes to me. Being able to read blueprints, elevation drawings and site plans is essential to doing this kind of work.

Do I have any recommendations for someone wanting to enter this field? Practice as much as you can the techniques needed for building clean models, and take as many art, auto cad, drafting, architectural classes as possible. Then practice some more and look for a company that does this type of work and ask for a job.
Good luck!
Matt Fly fast, fly low, turn left!
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: The Great Wet North
Posted by jaysun on Saturday, January 29, 2005 8:29 AM
Wow that looks awesome. Lots of talent. But it sure would look neat with a King Tiger rolling down that street.Big Smile [:D].
I love the smell of super glue in the morning. Smells like...victory.
  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: sunny imperial beach
Posted by yw18mc on Monday, January 31, 2005 11:56 PM
One thing you did not mention as a credential for the type of work you accomplish that you can find in no school is Natural Talent, and believe me, you have it. Thank you for sharing another side of modelling. Semper Fi, mike
mike
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Shell Beach, California
Posted by mojodoctor on Sunday, February 6, 2005 2:36 PM
Mike, thank you so much for that wonderful compliment!
It is difficult to acknowledge that certain 'touch' that a person cannot learn, but must possess naturally. I was fortunate to have grown up in an artistic family, so I will attribute any talent I have to good genes!
Matt Fly fast, fly low, turn left!
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Queensland/Australia
Posted by hemble on Monday, February 7, 2005 12:03 AM
That is awseome work you've got a greta talent mate.

Ron
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 7, 2005 12:28 PM
Nice job on the trees. I have heard of using shredded foam for making trees, but this is the first time that I have seen it done. Thumbs Up [tup]
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