Stalingrad Diorama WIP *UPDATE* 2/27/11

Looking good. Keep posting updates. Thanks for sharing.

It;s really inspiring and impressive to see a "junior" modeler such as yourself have such a  firm grip of advanced modeling skill and finishing. You'[re off to quite a promising start! Good for you. Ir's nice to see a young kid today who does more than just mindlessly type out texts and stare mutely into a video game screen!

Gorgeous work, and I have nothing to criticize at all. A big. BIG !!!

That's some fantastic work.

Hey thanks guys, it means a lot.

Smeagol the vile - I would be glad if you would start that petition! I'm sure I wouldn't win against them though. Some of the things they can do blow me away. (don't feel bad for the juniors they only have to put up with 2 more years of me!) :)

I feel bad for other junior modelers.  Some are barley able to get a kit painted and there against this.

Im starting a petition here to get this kid put up against the big boys

Agree with Andy... the figures even look good too.  You are getting better at this for sure!

some nice work here. Love that staircase and those doors look fab

Its been a long time since an update, I have been distracted by many other little projects I wanted to finish (Destroyed sherman tank, German half track, T34/76, USS Arizona, 69' Camaro, B-29, P-51, ME- 262, and theres probably more I can't think of.) Anyway here is a small update:

I painted up those doors I made a while back and added some hardware. I also did a little work on some Russian figs.

Awesome work so far dude!

Absolutely amazing staircase and great weathering on the Sdk   Great job!

Another Update:

I finally got my stair set from Dragon and quickly put it together. I cut out a hole for the on of the doors in the side of the building. I also scratch built some doors out of wood for the side of the building.

If you are a Member of the IPMS you probably got the magazine by now and my Diorama "Sewer Rats" is on the front! there will be pics on the bottom.

Here are the pics:

Gotta love that Hawaiian shirt!

I just made it out of clear plastic and rounded the end.

How did you make the light bulb?

looking great...love the scratch work...keep it comming!!!!

Awesome work, looking great!

Sounds like a good plan....    looking forward to more production pics

There will be some destroyed furniture, I just haven't made any yet.

The pictures and the furniture are a masterpiece. Although why are they the only aspect of the building that is not destroyed?(besides the shelves) The building looks as though it were hit with artillery, a broken lamp would fit right in place in my opinion

WOW!  That is a pretty good question, and one I never really thought to consider.  I agree with you - they had electricity, and I doubt things are hardwired.  I just did a Wiki search and got some good info on wiring in the '40s, although I could not find a straight answer to your question.  I did find this:

but I'm not sure how much use it'll be to you.

I agree with you bbrowniii, there would be no power going to the building. And a question to anyone who knows the answer. Did they have electrical outlets back then? (they probably did but I just want to make sure) If so what did they look like?

smeagol the vile

You should get a flickering LED light and install it where that lightbulb is, put the battery in the desk, add some really cool realism to it.

I'd agree with that.... except...  judging the condition of the building, I'd assume the power would be out...

Ryan

This is really starting to come together.  You have set the bar pretty darn high!  I love those extra details you added - I don't know why you love it so much either, but keep scrathing that furniture.  The pictures in the frames - a great, and I do mean GREAT, touch.

You should get a flickering LED light and install it where that lightbulb is, put the battery in the desk, add some really cool realism to it.

Thanks everyone, it means alot.

Really excellent, Ryan! Small details very well done.

Astounding furniture.  Im glad im not the only one using non plastic stuff for their dios, I love how you used real fabric for the chairs and such

Another little update: I am almost finished with some figgies, and a made a ton of furniture for the building. I don't know why but I love to scratch build furniture. I make it out of sheet styrene and sometimes wood. And I found those windows that I misplaced.  

the dresser can have the top drawer open or closed.

 I made the lamps out of sculpey clay.

 and put a lightbulb in

these bookshelves still need another coat of paint.

More to come!

the doog

Your building is really excellent, and the Sdkfz is really nice too.

I think you should work a little more on the shading of the clothes though. If you have figures in a dio, they make it or break it depending on how competently they are finished---or not.

try using burnt umber thinned with80% thinner and 20% paint and run it over the entire figure. Then, with oil based white paint, drybrush all raised details (folds, between fingers, shoe laces). Trust me, the finished product will make it look A++! as for weapons, drybrush them with alluminum paint and use the same burnt umber wash to coat it

Your building is really excellent, and the Sdkfz is really nice too.

I think you should work a little more on the shading of the clothes though. If you have figures in a dio, they make it or break it depending on how competently they are finished---or not.

Here is a small update:

I did some work on the building by adding joint compound mixed witha little grey paint for the grout in between bricks and added some pastels to give it a dirty look. I have one window for it and have seemed to "misplaced" the others.

I also did a little work on some figures. I finished one Russian guy, I think he turned out ok. I still need to dirty up his clothes and equipment though.