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beginnings of my diorama. what do you think?

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  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: South London
beginnings of my diorama. what do you think?
Posted by Feeder on Thursday, May 31, 2007 10:16 AM

Hi there. I have lurked on the forum for a while now, getting tips and looking at the great dioramas here. I too have been working on mine in small spurts for a while now, but atlast i can see what it's turning out like. I've still got a heck of alot to do, but I'd really like to hear any feedback to help me improve it.

 The title for it is: "since when was the front there??". I am theming it around a kessel somewhere in Russia that is slowly closing, with the panther and some grenadiers moving from a rear section of it to bolster the front. Thier clothing is mixed as it has just thawed and not everywhere has melted.

 Things i should have done before i showed this: do snow in small melting pocket (although so far my experiments with gloss, baking power and paint are not perfect), add low grass all over (i cannot find any appropriate flock, so may use same stuff as the roof of the barn), finish both figures and vehicles and finally add some more foliage. but apart from that what do you think?

 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posted by zokissima on Thursday, May 31, 2007 10:40 AM
Looks like a very good start. I'd definitely add more low bushes, brush, and some grasses. Also, the half track looks like its kind of floating above the ground, as opposed to sinking into it. With the ground being as wet as you've shown it, the vehicle would have sunk a little bit into the mud.
  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: AusTx, Live Music Capitol of the World
Posted by SteveM on Thursday, May 31, 2007 11:14 AM
Good vehicles, nice layout. You've done a really nice job with your figure painting. Keep us posted.

Steve

ps- welcome!!

Steve M.

On the workbench: ginormous Kharkov dio

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Thursday, May 31, 2007 3:03 PM

Looks great so far, one thing; I would NOT use "baking powder" for snow!!!! Anything with "baking" in the name is not chemically inert, and potentially can react with different solvents, glue, etc.( remind me to tell ya of my NIGHTMARE with baking soda!)

I'd use talcum powder--just overspray with lacquer and use a folded index card filled with powder to sift it onto the areas you want it. Talcum powder won't yellow, and is inert. 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 1, 2007 8:58 PM

Feeder, that looks awesome!

I'm no pro but, one thing does jump out at me. Those three blue barrels? Were they delivered today? Looks like barrels I have delivered daily at work. Though they're covered, if they've been there any length of time, shouldn't they have a dusting of snow and/or straw on top? Maybe even more side stains on one as if it had been opened and was a bit away from the other two? 

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: East Stroudsburg, PA
Posted by TigerII on Sunday, June 3, 2007 11:53 PM

Nice work so far.  Definitely add some low grass, in the same brown color as the bushes.  The half track needs to be pressed into the ground to show weight during the spring thaw but the mud on the tracks of both vehicles was well done.  If you are going to use some snow, try using Woodland Scenics Snow.  It's perfect for the job and it wont yellow with time.  Keep us posted.

 

TigerII

Achtung Panzer! Colonel General Heinz Guderian
  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: South London
Posted by Feeder on Monday, June 4, 2007 12:41 PM

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 I'm currently trying to make my halftrack sink in a bit and painting the figures better. You're right about the barrels! I've technically had them about 9 years... just never painted them. that's on the checklist now!

 I think I might add a load of small leaves around the area i want the tree which will be in the scrub land (although i didn't add it for the photo), as i found a small ground type plant with maple type leaves. although does anyone know a good tree with branches that could look like a 1:35 tree? as so far i can't find any. Can you tell i'm trying to spend very little money on my base Whistling [:-^] so far predominantly all my materials (minus PVC and poly base and newspaper...) are what i have found in my garden...

 I think I also need to make the rest of the ground look wetter, especially near the stream, as of yet i'm still trying to decide the best bush materials, as i have some old commercial moss stuff (i think it is...) died in rather unnatural colours.

 Seb

  • Member since
    May 2007
Posted by Specter on Monday, June 4, 2007 3:54 PM
very nice dio so far, it may have been stated farther up but what did you use for the groundwork, celluclay, plaster, ect?
Seth
  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: South London
Posted by Feeder on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 4:35 PM
100% mud. and also some PVC mixed in. although i have found that simply slapping on wet mud turns up the kind of cracked groud you would find in a desert. instead i had a layer of pvc, the sprinkled really find crushed dirt et repeat.
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 8:00 PM
 Feeder wrote:

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 I'm currently trying to make my halftrack sink in a bit and painting the figures better. You're right about the barrels! I've technically had them about 9 years... just never painted them. that's on the checklist now!

 I think I might add a load of small leaves around the area i want the tree which will be in the scrub land (although i didn't add it for the photo), as i found a small ground type plant with maple type leaves. although does anyone know a good tree with branches that could look like a 1:35 tree? as so far i can't find any. Can you tell i'm trying to spend very little money on my base Whistling [:-^] so far predominantly all my materials (minus PVC and poly base and newspaper...) are what i have found in my garden...

 I think I also need to make the rest of the ground look wetter, especially near the stream, as of yet i'm still trying to decide the best bush materials, as i have some old commercial moss stuff (i think it is...) died in rather unnatural colours.

 Seb

"TREES for nothing!"--a stick/branch, steel wool, tea leaves, spray paint.

Stretch out the steel wool, spray paint it dk green, sprinkle tea leaves on when still wet; let dry, spray again, let dry, drybrush/stipple with lighter green, impale  and glue on stick or multi-branched twig--VOILA! 

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posted by T-rex on Thursday, June 7, 2007 12:33 PM

Fantastic! How did you do the grass? I'm still stuck on that.

I like you hanomag and tiger king, but unless your scene is spring or autum, there should be snow.

Working on: Trumpeter SU-152 (1/35) Trumpeter E-10 (1/35) Heller Somua (1/35)

"The world is your enemy, prince of a thousand enemy. And when they'll find you, they will kill you... but they will have to catch you first ''

  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: South London
Posted by Feeder on Thursday, June 7, 2007 2:10 PM

 

For the tree, i do have some leaves that i will use one they go brown, but i may end up using the wire technique as i just cant find and good branches! I saw some great plant type stem which would look like small twigs on a tree....

 does anyone know where this comes from or where i can find something like?

i used some parcel thread for the finer bits of grass, but for the other more tufty bits.... erm well i actually used the insides of an old dead and dried palm tree.... (as it's full of fiberous strands like that, which make up its trunk) so you may find it rather hard to come accross. i only found it when i had to chuck it in the compost heap Smile [:)]

 snow is on the way soon! it's on my list to try some methods of making it look like the half melted stuff you get when there has been deep snow.

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