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Book Review
DioraMag #2
DioraMag Volume 2
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by: Engin Kayral [ GRAYWOLF ]

Introduction

Pla Editions released the second issue of their quarterly magazine - DioraMag. As the first issue, Volume 2 again includes articles from well-known artists, showing their works by step by step articles and short-format tutorials to inspire and provide new ideas to diorama modelers for their own works. It also brings latest news about new diorama products.

DioraMag Vol.2 is in A4 format with laminated cover.

96 pages full of photos and all texts in English.
Inside The Book

Book starts with an Editorial written by Art Director Sven Frisch and continues in a list of articles.

  • Diorama Classics ; Three pages with 6 photos for one of the legendary German dioramas of John Rosengrant.

  • News ; In this part, you may see some new diorama products of companies like new producer from Taiwan Freedom Man Models, LSG Laser kits, Yen Models and Red Zebra Scale Models.

  • Balsa Foam ; A great article with 47 step by step photos. After a short note about the product, Jose Brito shares how to make a corner section with a building ruin. Photos are supported with short explanatory notes for every step of his built and article ends with a useful tips section. Top quality article!

  • Showcase ; 14 photos for vignettes and dioramas by Jean Bernard Andre. As usual, incredible water effects and fantastic scenes by the master.

  • Mig-29 in Maintenance ; Young Seo Kang builts a 1/48 scale with a Soviet aircraft with crew inside hangar. 15 photos for building and painting process, 5 close-up and a full scene photo for the finished hangar diorama.

  • Diorama Classics ; 5 photos of Godverdomme - God damn by Marjin Van Gils. A Panther wreck inside a Gothic Cathedral ruin.

  • For You the War is Over; Another great article including all details to build a World War II German scene. Bernhard Lustig brings a very well detailed article with 65 step by step photos for his Battle of Bulge scene. He starts in building the Dragon Models Jagdpanzer IV and painting disc camo pattern. Then he makes stone walls and building from styrofoam, a 1/35 scale tree from roots. Every detail on his diorama are well described and shown with close up photos. Really a very useful presentation with 5 photos of the final scene.

  • Showcase ; 14 photos for models by Andreas Rousounelis. Junkyards and relaxing natural scenes.

  • Shattered Glass ; Alex Friedrich tells about Glass, missing or poorly made part of dioramas. He demonstrates how to use Artefakt Diorama Accessories product Shattered Glass with 12 photos in numerical sequence.

  • Japanese Masters ; 10 photos of various World War II dioramas by Sumitomo Takahiro. Photos show German, Russian, British and United States vehicles and troops.

  • Uprising Praque 1945 ; A nice detailed article with 8 finished scene photos by Ivan Cocker. He builts a small diorama showing a Czech Hetzer crashing the gate of a concentration camp. Nice scene and good job on painting civilians.

  • Showcase ; Another great section full of photos showing World War II German dioramas by Johan Fohlin. Painting of vehicles and uniforms especially camo patterns are exceptional.

  • Natures Beauty ; A small but a fantastic natural scene by Andrew Argent. 32 photos in numbers supported with helpful text to create a figure base including all kind of foliage and water. 7 photos for painting the Alice figure from Nocturna Models.

  • Showcase ; 11 photos for 1/35 scale World War II dioramas with German tanks and soldiers by Robert Doepp. Painting of the figures and detailing of the tanks are great.

  • Scale Model Challenge ; 28 photos for models from different categories of SMC 2018. Inspiring photos to be there this year.

    Conclusion

    *Printing , photo quality and substantiality on DioraMag Volume 2, once again proves the rightful reputation of Pla Editions books.
    *News sections is useful to be informed on new companies and products. I liked the new products of Yen Models and Freedom Man Models website worths to visit.
    *Content is well organized. SBS and tutorial articles are easy to understand and photos are very helpful. Showcases are represented between step-by- step articles and they are really feasts for eyes.
    *Articles like Balsa Foam and Shattered glass are very useful to learn how to use different materials.

    Finally , I can say 2nd issue of DioraMag is really an inspiring and useful handbook for all diorama enthusiasts.

    Highly Recommended
  • SUMMARY
    Highs: More photos than first issue. SBS articles are very useful with photos in numbers and texts are easy to understand and helpful. Balsa foam article is top notch.
    Lows: No lows on this one.
    Verdict: Highly Recommended
      Scale: N/A
      PUBLISHED: Feb 23, 2019
    NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
      THIS REVIEWER: 92.20%
      MAKER/PUBLISHER: 95.00%

    About Engin Kayral (Graywolf)
    FROM: IZMIR, TURKEY / TüRKçE

    Born in 1962,married and having 2 sons. I started modelling about 8 years old building USS Fletcher with mom. It was a model dad brought from USA., I think in those days only a few people in Turkey had info on scale model kits. Grown as an AF officer son , I built many aircraft models in years. Som...

    Copyright ©2021 text by Engin Kayral [ GRAYWOLF ]. All rights reserved.



    Comments

    Beautiful stuff... very inspiring.
    FEB 25, 2019 - 07:36 AM
       
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