new to gundam models

I don't know ROBO SNOWMAN, I kind of like your first idea better.

A good diorama should tell a story. A simple story is easier for the viewer to understand.

If a dio is complicated on the other hand, you risk confusing the audience as to what it's really about.

With your first idea, I think viewers will get it right away. A sniper and his spotter take out an enemy.

With the second idea, non-Gundam fans may be confused by what's going on. Who is the sniper shooting at? Why is he shooting if that other guy has it under control? If he's not shooting, why is he there?

You should also try to keep you display as simple as possible for other reasons. Hypothetically, let's suppose your models are really kick a**, but the trees in your dio are substandard. I guarantee you that viewers will fixate on those bad trees. The more elements you include in a base, the more chances you have to mess something up.

Additionally, expansive dioramas are expensive, both in terms of money and time. You could add six trees behind your model, but would just one or two convey the same impression?

Large dios are also harder to store around your house. At my place, I have two bookcases and a curio cabinet just to store all my completed models. Honestly, I have no idea where I'm going to put the stuff I'm working on now...

Just some stuff to think about. Feel free to ignore my ramblings.

Cosmic J wrote:

... You should also try to keep you display as simple as possible for other reasons. Hypothetically, let's suppose your models are really kick a**, but the trees in your dio are substandard. I guarantee you that viewers will fixate on those bad trees. The more elements you include in a base, the more chances you have to mess something up. ... Large dios are also harder to store around your house. At my place, I have two bookcases and a curio cabinet just to store all my completed models. Honestly, I have no idea where I'm going to put the stuff I'm working on now...

I agree with what he said above. Keep it simple is the best advise one can give when it comes to diorama. Basically you need to design your diorama to force viewers' attention to the subject matter with no clutters to distract them.You said you want three kits in your diorama. Ask yourself do you need all three to convey the story? What about two instead of three or possibly just one? Sometimes things implied can be more effective than on display...

I like doing at 1/144 when it comes to diorama simply because 1/100 diorama can be quite big and hard to keep around unless you design your diorama so it can be broken down into the sub-components for easy storage.

How about to build vignette with the subject matter and see how it pans out~ You can always use the same kit in the diorama setting down the track... 

ROBO SNOWMAN wrote:

all i have to say is "give" its a hobby, go big or go play golf lol not the point though. hey its big but if you think about it it a all around training. You got battle damage, a river, a waterfall, loads of landscape, painting, and posing what else could you want . Thats all im saying it will give me lots of different little projects to research and play around with

If I were you I'd build a small vignette with each theme - battel damage, river, waterfall and etc. so you can concentrate and practive necessary techniques before combine them all into a single dioarama... ^ ^

smeagol the vile wrote:

I know they wre the mass produced version Puma, but they still wernt produced for the batallions outside of the Ukraine area (Odessa and all in 08th ms team)  It was a localized trial for new mass produced suits, and like you said, the battle was moved to space, so there were not many of these mechs, Hense the Ez-8, which was a hodge podge of other sutis because there were no spare parts for it.

The Ez-8(Extra zero-eight) was a rebuild using left over parts from the RX-78 gundams and a few custom upgrades such as better armor and the barrel vulcan in the chest. as for the RX-79 seeing combat outside the southeast asia battalions, the Blue Destiny units 2 & 3 were upgraded versions of the ground type RX-79. these 2 units saw comat in space as well as land. on a side note, both units were KIA in the final battle of that story, some how the main character lives through the battle.

now, less heated discusion and more zaku getting its butt handed to it by a RGM-79[G]SP GM Sniper! if you hve the will and the want to make it, go for it! cant wait to see the build up on it!

ok that makes a lot of sence. So what if i do like they said and make two small dios one with the zaku, and one with the sniper, with the possibility of interconnecting? But is the general idea good besides the bigness of it?

Oh yeah, I think its an excellent idea.

If I could make a suggestion mr snowman.  You can make them interlocking if you like, and while that would be quite cool. I have had that idea myself before...  If you keep them seperate scenes you can get rid of the problem of distance, IE the sniper being way to close... heres an example. 

http://www.bakuc.com/modeler/ballistic/946 

http://www.bakuc.com/entry?g=942

It conveys the same idea you are after, the bases are very small, and simple, it gives the person an idea of whats going on, but lets them focus on the Mechs.  The Gundam in that set is a prize winner too, so