"Death in the Courtyard" *finished, more pics, page 15*

The scenario is the immediate aftermath of a brief firefight with Americans kind of chasing the Germans, correct?

Bloody WELL DONE figure!!!

Very interesting, have you thought about placing a canteen next to the German, or one floating in the bucket of water.  Maybe the point man and and the SS man met first, the American with his M1, the German with his canteen.  The American shot him as the rest of the squad were coming up, the Americans, shocked by the shot, begin scanning the area while bringing their weapons up reading themselves for a fight.

Spectacular, Manny! Just spectacular!

I've got no criticism.

Simply perfect!

WoW MR you are a true master at painting figs!!!!

One thing thoue in my experiances blood is not a flat couler it's shiny like water so whene ever I've done blood on a fig I've put a little bit of white glue over the wond and whene it drys it give the wound a sorta shiny look.

GREAT work!

Finshed painting the focal point figure for the dio.  Need your feedback:

Sweet looking build so far.  Your builds are inspiring me to try my first base.  Just a simple one.  My Ferdinand all muddied up going though a field.  Looking forward to the progress that you do.  I love your figure work.

Keep up the awsome work.

Stick Man - Thanks for the kind words and comments

fantacmet - Thanks for looking. I sorta want to keep civilians out of this one and have it a head-to-head, US vs Germans...besides, if the farmer shot the german then the action would be over and no more bullets flying...it is a neat idea though...

bbrowni - Yeah, I have been getting a lot of suggestions about the placement of the figs...I took some of the advice and moved Mr Thompson to the rear...I am trying to portray the element moving up to the courtyard from the bottom right...I agree that he building is much better cover than the cart but I am trying to keep the balance of the dio in mind and also want to portray the top of the dio as "German controlled"...I agree that in the next moment in time the squad will probably be bounding to the building...I will also probably add a high wooden fence to the upper left of the dio (from the building to the left edge) to give an even better feeling of "not knowing what lay across the courtyard"... 

biffa - I actually thought of exactly adding some chickens to the scene or some other livestock (even entertained a dead horse) but decided that the gunfire would have probably drove all of the animals out of the scene by this stage...thanks for looking...

sfcmac - I use a basic celluclay mix but add lots of white glue to it to keep it from shrinking, curling and cracking so much when it dries...I also usually add a color to it using cheap, acrylic paint---any earttome will do...I then usually sprinkle some very fine real dirt to it as it sets up and add any needed imprints...

vespa boy - thanks for the input...i actually have been thinking long and hard about how the courtyard would look consdiering the years of water ersosion from rain, etc...I think you will be pleased when it is complete as I hope to replicate as closely I can a natural look to the base considering where the elements are...for example, since the building has no downspouts, rain would create a shallow and small trench all around it where the rain would roll off of the roof...

namrednef - sorry that you were late but I am pleased that you took the time to read through the thread!!! I am still experimenting with the barrel "bullet holes and waterfalls"...so far I think the clear sprue is gonna win out...If I can do this well I hope to take an average dio to a great one--that effect will add that much (I hope...)...

Hans, Rbaer, ps1scw and Hartmann352 - thanks for looking guys...you'll have to wait to see where I decide to place the chick...lol...

Hartmann352 wrote:

ps1scw wrote:  RBaer wrote: So where's the chick go? Right next to the monkey. Okay....then where's the Monkey? , Dave

 Did someone ask "Where's the monkey?"lol

ps1scw wrote:

RBaer wrote: So where's the chick go? Right next to the monkey.

Okay....then where's the Monkey?

, Dave

RBaer wrote:

So where's the chick go?

Right next to the monkey.

why not bend a piece of thin silver wire into the proper arc and buy a 2$ tube of clear silicone caulk and sculpt it on?

I'm thinking a piece of clear stretched sprue.  'Course, there ain't much of that in an armor kit, but if you got some aircraft kits lying about...

Another Fab job Manny! I just read the entire thread.....and I'm due back at work soon! (I was drawn over by your ploy in Armor Forum!

True, as the others said.....the scene is dripping with drama! (The zim comment was a joke, right?)

Rather than spending big $ on Artist's Acrylic Medium for water.....why not bend a piece of thin silver wire into the proper arc and buy a 2$ tube of clear silicone caulk and sculpt it on? I mean, you aren't filling a riverbed.

KUTGW! 

Coming together very nicely Manny. Something to bear in mind as you get the goundwork together. Nothing is flat...there is always a slope in one direction of another for drainage, due to erosion etc etc. And roads/paths are usually raised to a crown in the centre. These changes in topography can be used to provide a very subtle way of guiding the eye around the scene. Please bear this in mind and you'll bring your dio out from the studio and on location.

I can't tell if this is going on with your buidling or not...careful of the corners, you don't want a straight seam on the corner of bricks, and make sure that the stucco has flaked...try using masking tape to get some nice weathering/flaking on the edges of the stucco.

Keep up the good work

 Your extra efforts really are giving life to those figures. With your painting skills I almost expect them to speak and tell their story.

I am a curious about the ground work. Using the sprue as an anchor is really innovative. Do you have any particular formula for the mix? I have a couple of the Plaster bunkers and would love to try a small scene with them but the ground work always makes me think twice.

Looking at the captured moments in time you create really gives me an itch though.

Hey Manny,

I am really enjoying watching the development of this dio.  As doog said, I think this is one of my favorites from you - the sense of action is gripping.

I only have one real comment:  as an infantry guy, I am thinking to myself that the wagon they are using isn't going to provide a whole heck of a lot of protection.  At the same time, it looks from the photos that the side of the building facing the Americans has no windows or doors in it.  If I am in that squad, I am going around the other side of the wagon and getting some good cover behind that wall...  Maybe add one more guy getting ready to dash from the wagon to the wall and set up a covering position?  Just a thought, and maybe it screws up the geometry of what you want to accomplish too much...

WOW MR thats amazing you did a realy good job on thouse figs!

Can't wait for more.

Thanks for the encouragement, guys!!!

Will, I'll try to get that shot next time I post an update---thanks for looking.

Steve, coming from a "Dio King" like yourself, your encouragement means a lot.

Jester, thanks for the kind words...I hope that the finished result retains the sense of danger and tension I have planned...

doog, I agree that this could be one of my better ones yet. The "minimalist" approach to it is surprisingly refreshing for me and helps me focus more on the story and composition...I also think that infantry actions are far "under-dioed", as tanks are more sexy and get all the attention...This one (I hope) will pack a lot of punch in a small scene. I also feel everyone will really get stoked when I unveil the SS casualty...it will add a lot to the scene...

Mobious, yes the slings are PE from DML GEN2 figs...they are very tedious to work with as you pretty much have to take individual straps and rig 'em up just like the real ones, and as there were no instructions for the etch so it was just some guesstimation, using the box art as a ref...but it was actualy a little easier than I thought it would be (a little)...

Thanks for looking...

PS: did anyone notice the subtle dent in "Mr. Thompson's" helmet that I added???

 Hello Manstein's revenge,

 Your dio layout looks great! Can almost feel the tense atmosphere. Really amazing work your doing here. The DML Gen2 equipment is outstanding.The gunslings and helmet straps really add alot, are they also from DML? Keep posting on progress. Admire your abilities to render figures.

 Best Regards,

Well, I see you're not letting your standards slip for the "American" dios either, Manny! This one is looking terrific! While many of your previous dios have been somewhat "static" scenes, the "action" and urgency in this dio are already oozing right out of the pics!

This may turn out to be one of your best one yet!

Woah... this is coming together fast! Looks awesome! Keep the progress shots coming, it's extremely motivational.

Steve