How I Build Dioramas(step-by-step)

Chase or tow car
This was posted on another site back in March05.
I began working again on the tow car that will be used in the diorama.The basic model is a Minicraft 1/16th scale 1928 Mercedes Benz SS.It looks like it would make a very nice model but I am using it only as a basic motor and frame ,to look like a car used by Upside -Down Clyde Pangborn in his famous stunt at a beach near San Diego in 1920.I beleive that he was one of the fiirst to try the car- to- airplane transfer via rope ladder.On this occasion he failed and almost killed himself in the process.
The Mercedes basic car frame had been around for some time, so I think that I am pretty safe in using it for a diorama of the mid 20s.By the time I finish modifying it, I want it to look something like the car Pangborn used.I got the idea from the Time-Life book Barnstormers and Speedkings.(see page 8)
So far I have the frame and engine finished(except for engine wiring)I built a wooden platform on the back for the stuntman to stand on and am now building some of the chassis.The car will be quite beat up with missing parts and well weathered.I plan to put airshow advertising on the doors and panels and it will be quite colorful but in muted tones as to not draw too much attention from the Jenny. to be cont.....

Tow car instrument panel The Mercedes kit comes with a standard plastic instrument panel that I wanted to make look like wood with silver instrument rings.Rather than make it in wood like I usually would do I decided for fun I would try to simulate the wood with paint. If you try to paint the panel and then attempt to drive yourself crazy trying to paint small silver circles I decided to take a different approach.First,clean the plastic as usual,then spray it with Gesso and let it set overnight so their is no danger of it lifting off during the next step. __________________ It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight. JohnReid (Aviator) Guide my hand in your work today.

17 March 2005, 03:12 PM
JohnReid vbmenu_register("postmenu_201702", true); Forum Ace   Contributor	Plastic inst. panel cont....../Stunts (I am doing this in 3 parts because I am having computer problems) For the instrument faces I used Jtec scale instruments which I picked up at an RC stroe.They are 1/12th scale but can be reduced at the photocopy store to fit any scale.#JT-12 covers WW1, WW2 and modern aircraft faces as well as well as cars and boats.It also includes plastic rims if you want to use them. I used Humbrol Clearfix to make mine. In my next set of pics I will include pics of the Mercedes tow car. Just for fun I have included a price list of stunts that barnstormers of the mid-20s charged Hollywood. Crash ships(fly into trees ,houses etc..) $1,200 Loop with man on each wing standing up $450 Ship change (in midair) $100 Upside down change $500 Change -Car or motorcycle to airplane $150 Fight on upper wing,one man knocked off $225 Upside-down flying with man on landing gear $150 Head-on collision with automobiles $250 and last but not least Blow up plane in mid-air,pilot chuts out $1,500 I wonder who supplied the plane __________________ It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight. JohnReid (Aviator) Guide my hand in your work today.

Sorry,I cant edit that stuff from the other site out of here.

Well yesterday I finished off the WC/rear entrance module(without the WC as you cant see it anyway) and did a little more research on a revised plan for future expansion.With the addition of one more door at the rear of the hangar I can provide for a future engine shop.
Today I will break down the total assembly(Ihope for the last time) and cut in the new door ,finish the workshop and begin furnishing the main hangar floor.
This is the last time that I will have easy access to the rear wall panel so this expansion idea came just at the right time.When I build the engine shop module it will be easily attached from the outside with no danger of screwing up any of the indoor furnishings.
This idea of doing small modular units is really the way to go on a large project of this type.I have the option of finishing whenever I run out of patience or lifetime or both.It takes the pressure off any time to finish once the main structure is finished and future expansion is provided for.I have the option to continue on with this project or do another in between(finish my car dio for example)My goal would be to do the group of buildings that you see in the earlier picture that I posted.

In the picture of the airport above (Toronto in the early days)the hangar at the top of the picture is where I am working now.Behind the R/H sliding door storage structure is the red roofed office building.The rear entrance/WC in hidden from view but next to it at the rear panels L/H corner you can see the sloping roof of the engine shop.The structure attached to the side panel at the rear will not be built as the garage door ramp assembly, that I have already built, gives a great view inside the hangar and it would be blocked if I built this structure.
The red roofed building next to the L/H front sliding door storage structure will be the radio shack/operations room.This would complete the first phase and could be a self contained unit.The other hangar and its attached buildings could be also added in the future.The grounds, airplane,cars are all possible future projects.Man,this is fun!

This close up of the front end reveals a little more weathering is required.The tires and brake drums are entirely too new and the grill for the rad needs a little more depth(a wash of black or a litlte more pastels)The headlights are also a little cross-eyed.The thickness of the hood could be due to the sheet metal being bent 90deg however I think that maybe I should paint it a different color.

Yesterday,I cut into the rear wall panel and created a new door for the future engine shop.I simply drilled a series of holes around the edge and then with a razor saw cut out the door in one piece.The cutout will become the new door with a little modification.Now I want to finish around all the doors and do a few touchups to the interior of the wall panels while I have easy access.Maybe a few shelves here and there.

The above is a pic of the beginnings of the airshow advertising trailer.They were often driven thru the local town to drum up business before the big show.
Mine is made from the body of an old Model T model that I had laying around.

Yesterday ,I continued working on the new hangar door for the future engine shop.I split it vertically down the center and actually made 2 doors out of it (so that I will have maximum flexiblity when I design the engine shop.)The sliding door idea is out because it would have to be on the outside, which would be impractical, and one large door swinging outward would take up too much space.The final design is more interesting anyway I think.

Pastels (from an earlier post on another site)
I am presently weathering the chassis and wheels of the towcar.This is the first time that I have been able to really get into Dirk style weathering.(Although the Ford model A in the Nieuport diorama was somewhat weathered .) Having loads of fun just using mostly black with burnt sienna for the rust and a little dark grey for dust and dirt.I used black gesso for the base coat as it holds up well to the surface rubbing of the pastels into the paint.The gesso also dries flat which looks more natural on what is supposed to look like old paint.I use a stubby pigs bristle brush.As you go along you can mix the pastels together to get various effects.This is really loads of fun as things happen really quickly.You can weather a chassis in no time(instant gratification)Make sure your pastels are of the chaulk variety and not oils.For very fine work like cracks and crevaces use smaller brushes.
Get some good references (see Dirks website)and use your imagination as to where discolorization and fading would be effective.Lots of rust for example around the brake drums etc....
I am really looking forward to weathering the 2nd Jenny which I plan to do as the A model with ripped and torn fabric .to be cont.....

Synchronicity I have been thinking for some time about whether I should bore you guys with a little personal experience I have had with creativity.As you probably already know from reading this thread , I have been involved in many different creative things over the years.I must say that I have enjoyed them all but there was always something missing.I didnt feel completely comfortable doing what I was doing even though I was relatively successful.In bird carving I felt frustrated by my lack of knowledle about the subject, namely birds.In wood carving figures,good but not comfortable.Same with relief carving or bird painting,something was missing.Then I got to thinking,What did I really enjoy the most? and I thought back to putting those figures on HMS Victory.Figuring out how I would tell the story that I wanted to get across.Then I thought ,what do I know best,of course,Aviation.I had even built a 1:1 scale biplane in the 60s.There it was under my nose all along.So i took my love of airplanes,history and art and my need to tell a story and came up with the diorama idea.Years earlier I had picked up Shep Paines book out of curiousity, read it, and thought maybe someday I would give it a try and promptly forgot about it, except every once an awhile I would pick it up again and leaf through the pages. When I retired from actively teaching woodcarving I was again searching for something new.Then I thought about my modeling building 50 years earlier and decided to give it a try again, just for fun.Well ,I started where I left off all those years ago building WW2 fighters and bombers.I built up quite a stash of unbuilt kits.I built a few,thought about dioramas and copying Sheps work but still I wasnt satisfied.I felt this overwheming need to do something original(if there is such a thing) to be cont.... __________________ It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight. JohnReid (Aviator) Guide my hand in your work today.

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Happy accidents,synchronicity or as we used to call it in the 60s serendipity.This subject has always interested me as it relates to artists and their creativity.As Louis Pasteur said,Did you ever observe to whom accidents happen?Chance favors only the prepared mind.A discovery is said to be an accident meeting as prepared mind.I strongly beleive that what must come before the how.First choose What you would do and the How usually falls into place.
Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do,begin it.Action has magic,grace,and power in it (Gorthe) I have witnessed this many times in my own life and in the lives of many fellow artists and students.
Dioramist now climbs down from his soapbox Cheers! John.

This pic of the garage door module features a Franklin Mint 1913 Model T in 1/16th scale.It is a very nice diecast model with wood veneer dash,fabric top and leather upholstery and even 24k gold plated fixtures.I got it at a very good price because it was missing a tire.I will not be weathering it too much as it fits into my storyline as a parade car used for dignitaries at the Nov 11 memorial service at the local airport.It will be shown as having a flat tire being repaired on the module.
This garage door module is in lieu of the barn like structure you see in the early Toronto airport pic.To build this structure would mean blocking off a great view thru the garage doors into the hangar so I eliminated that building.The future engine shop module will be constructed at this corner of the hangar.
The hangar window that you see here is now 8 panes of glass instead of 4.The roofs edge has yet to be finished.

I am continuing to work on the interior of the rear panel and I hope to put up the walls at the corner of the workshop today.I can then permanently install everything in the workshop and place it in the hangar.

This was posted earlier on another site.


Well,I am well into the billboard sign thing.I have photo shop on my computer and a printer .I am learning slowly how to use both.Actually it is a lot fun making up your own designs.Because my diorama is not based upon an actual historical event(I dont know if Billy Bishop or Rickenbacher ever actually met but they will be talking together in my little diorama world).it gives my a lot of licence to be more creative.My primary purpose is to tell the story of the Jennys history over its useful life, both military an civilian ,and only to that extent is it based on actual history.When I first began this diorama my intention was to base it upon its military life with the RCAF at Camp Borden in Barrie Ontario.But when I realized that to do a good job I may actually have to spent a lot of time at Camp Borden taking measurements and soaking up the atmosphere, I decided that was not feasable for me at this time.(I was actually born in Barrie Ont in 1940, where my dad was an instructor early in his flying career with the RCAF.) Cheers! John.

Trailer Sign/Reids Flying Circus
Except for the final weathering I have finished the trailer sign.Sorry,but my ego just couldnt resist adding the Reids. I used Microsoft Word to make up the sign along with some artwork I found in the Barnstormers and Speedkings book.My printer is not the best so it came out a little faded ,which is OK by me as that is the way it would look after a summer in the sun.After I was happy with the composition, I printed it on ordinary paper and then sprayed matt laquer out of the can as a fixative.After it dried I glued it to the board with watered down white glue and even left in a few crinkles and air bubbles as you would find on a real sign of that era.Now I will slightly weather it using watery acrylics and pastels.
Now its on to finishing the trailer itself.
The above was posted earlier on another site.

How I make ,modify and position figures in a diorama:

This was posted earlier on another site

Harleys
The post man brought me a little present yesterday, 2 Harley-Davidson 1/18th scale motorcycles.I really wasnt expecting much for my $5.95 each but to my surprise they are actually quite nice.It will be a good place to start.
First thing I did was check the scale against some photos that I obtained from the Harley website.Although there are no exact dimensions given ,there are pics of human figures standing beside Harleys of the period .They seem to be within the ballpark when I stand my 1/16th figures beside them.The bikes are from the 1909 and 1936 models.The 09 looks good as is but the 36 may be a little small.
I took the 36 apart(very easy to do,as it is only pinned together and not glued)
I will increase the wheel diameter as well as the frame and modify it to look like a racer.The wheel spokes are not very realistic so I will cover them with some brightly colored fabric.I will de-chrome some parts and repaint all the parts.I have some good pics of bikes from the 20s so I will modify the 36 version as need be.I dont anticipate any real problems in doing any of this.I think that it will really add to the diorama when it is done and weathered.One thing bothers me though,do you think a Harley of this era would be capable of towing a sign trailer? If not I will just show it as a stunt bike or racer.

They are amazing little models for the price and I was luckly to get them as they are now out of production although you wont be able to recognize them as stock models when I am finished. to be cont......
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It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guid

Harley mod. cont.../Modeling for God

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Figures part 2

The pic of the above figure is one of the "Legends and Lore " series in 1/16th(120mm).It is of John Dillinger a gangster of the 20s.
It is typical of the numerous figures available in this scale(See Great Models website)
The primary reason that I selected this figure is that it is dressed in the 1920s style.I plan to put him in the office module along with Harley the company mascot.
These figures are very well done as they are ,but I seldom use them as is without some minor or even at times major modification.
Depending on the manufacturer they can come with the various parts attached or in seperate pieces.I often remove or add or modify parts depending upon my requirements.(see Ken Hamilton or Shep Paines book on modifing figures)
I use A plus B Epoxy Paste as a glue and filler when working with the various parts.
It is the white areas that you see in the first picture in this series on figures that I posted.It is important to use the paste and not the putty if you want to sculpt it with rotary bits.The paste will powder when you work with it but the putty will melt and clog up your rotary tools due to the heat created.
I was really lucky with the WW1 military figures as I can use them straight out of the box with only minor head adjustments when I see how I want them to relate to each other in the diorama.These figures are very well done and are by Model Celler(also available at Great Models) to be cont........

Shadow Boxes

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