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Dioramas: Buildings & Ruins
Ruined buildings and city scenes.
Hosted by Darren Baker
1:35 scale T-34/76 Diorama
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - 08:00 AM UTC
Hi all,

I'd started a thread in the Soviet section but as the project has evolved into a diorama involving some figures and a base I thought it best to start a new thread here as it is no longer strictly 'armour' now.

I am planning to have the T-34 covering an infantry unit dismounting under small arms fire. I'll have a ruined building that the infantry are moving into for cover.

Here's the base:

The road section is made from an air-dry clay layer, that has had texture added with a roller from 'green stuff world'.



I dont think enough of the environment will be visible to put it in a specific city, though I did base it almost entirely on photos of Kharkov in early 1943.

I added a small part of a tram rail as this is something seen in the reference pics I looked at, and it adds a little interest to what would otherwise be a fairly boring part.



These are some concrete/brick pillars that will make up the still standing segments of the ruins:





Between these will be some concrete and brick chunks, burned wood and possibly some burned furniture or something like that.


Thanks for sticking with me this far! Here's some pics of how the T-34 and figures look at the moment - more pics can be seen in the original thread HERE











Thanks for looking!

~ Steve
DrChopp
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Posted: Saturday, February 02, 2019 - 01:02 PM UTC
Hi all,

I've been working on the base mostly with the small amount of time I've had. I've been adding detail to the concrete pillars, and put together a damaged floor using balsa wood. I don't think much of the floor will be visible, as there will be a heap of rubble in there and fire damage, but better to have it there just in case!











Hopefully next weekend I'll be able to start painting, but we'll see.

Thanks for looking!

~ Steve
airborne1
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Posted: Saturday, February 02, 2019 - 06:40 PM UTC
Good progression Steve.

The figures and T34 look great.

Keep posting the images.

Michael
jrutman
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Posted: Monday, February 04, 2019 - 02:25 AM UTC
Lots of nice stone and groundwork here!. I love the low tech solutions,this is my favorite way.
J
AussieReg
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AUTOMODELER
#007
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Posted: Monday, February 04, 2019 - 02:53 AM UTC
I'm following this one Steve, really like what you've done so far.

BTW, I'm Melbourne based as well, north-eastern suburbs. Where are you located?

Cheers, D
SRAMSEY
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Posted: Monday, February 04, 2019 - 04:09 AM UTC
Steve

THe concrete pillars came out really well, especially with the basic materials you used. The T 34 and figures look great.

Shawn
DrChopp
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Posted: Friday, February 08, 2019 - 05:56 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Good progression Steve.

The figures and T34 look great.

Keep posting the images.

Michael



Thanks mate, will do!


Quoted Text

Steve

THe concrete pillars came out really well, especially with the basic materials you used. The T 34 and figures look great.

Shawn



Cheers Shawn, I've never made anything quite like these pillars so im learning as i go!


Quoted Text

I'm following this one Steve, really like what you've done so far.

BTW, I'm Melbourne based as well, north-eastern suburbs. Where are you located?

Cheers, D



Thanks D! I'm in the south east, in Pakenham near Narre Warren


Quoted Text

Lots of nice stone and groundwork here!. I love the low tech solutions,this is my favorite way.
J



Cheers J! I like the low tech stuff too, if it aint broke

Slow going as usual, but I've laid down the rubble for the base, and finishing details. The rubble is built up with a couple of layers of wall filler, then various consistencies of sand were built up. Theres also a window frame from balsa, and an old wrought iron railing from MiniArt.









Thanks for looking! should have some paint on it in the next couple of days!

~ Steve
GazzaS
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Posted: Friday, February 08, 2019 - 07:44 PM UTC
Nice work, Mate!
strongarden
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Posted: Saturday, February 09, 2019 - 05:01 PM UTC
This is really nice work Steve, I'll be following your progress.
Really nice paint work on the figure with the long coat.

Regards
Dave
DrChopp
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Posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 - 08:29 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Nice work, Mate!



Cheers Gaz!


Quoted Text

This is really nice work Steve, I'll be following your progress.
Really nice paint work on the figure with the long coat.

Regards
Dave



Thanks Dave, much appreciated!

I've started paint on the base, apologies for the low quality images, I'll take some better ones as it progresses:





The intention is for this to be just after winter in the Ukraine around 43, so there will be some snowfall, but not enough to cover everything.

Thanks for looking!
~Steve
scubatwo
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Posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 - 01:13 PM UTC
Looking really good. Great use of the cardboard, the thought to use it like you have would have never have crossed my mind.
cheyenne
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Posted: Monday, February 11, 2019 - 10:59 PM UTC
Nice work Doc , figures , T34 , distressed columns came out great , everything's falling into place !!!
This is just me so it doesn't carry much weight but the columns look perfect with the concrete/mortar/stucco in the light color before you painted them dark . The light color with a sooty wash would bring out more distressed detail, being dark that detail is lost . Please don't take this the wrong way the columns came out very cool and like you said better pics to follow .
DrChopp
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Posted: Tuesday, February 12, 2019 - 07:53 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Looking really good. Great use of the cardboard, the thought to use it like you have would have never have crossed my mind.



Thanks mate! I have an abundance of cardboard around the house so I try to use it for anything I can!


Quoted Text

Nice work Doc , figures , T34 , distressed columns came out great , everything's falling into place !!!
This is just me so it doesn't carry much weight but the columns look perfect with the concrete/mortar/stucco in the light color before you painted them dark . The light color with a sooty wash would bring out more distressed detail, being dark that detail is lost . Please don't take this the wrong way the columns came out very cool and like you said better pics to follow .



Much appreciated Cheyenne! I should have been a bit clearer that the columns were only just started in that pic, mostly just the brick work and a little texture, here's how they currently look:





I think the bricks may look a little too dark, so I may lighten them up a bit. The concrete will get a wash, and some enamel and oil streaking, and I want to do some fire damage with the airbrush but I'm not sold on that idea yet so we'll see!

I also wanted to show the window frame:



I am really not too happy with this, and will redo it because I'm sure with a little more care I can do a better job. This one does act as a proof of concept though, and I learned a whole heap about working with balsa wood, and doing the cracked glass.

Thanks for looking, and all comments and criticism is welcome and valid

~ Steve
cheyenne
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Posted: Tuesday, February 12, 2019 - 09:43 PM UTC
Beautiful !! cool , much more gooderer betterer .
Dioramartin
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Posted: Saturday, February 16, 2019 - 12:37 AM UTC
Belated Aussie cheer-squad member reporting in, towering work on the base & strewth even a tram rail - another good example of those rollers, I’m sold. Suggest fine-powdered (chalk or pastels) brick & stone-coloured dust brushed into/onto the masonry/rubble might help. The cracked glass looks really good – how did you do the top right one & what are you using? Great work Steve
DrChopp
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Posted: Sunday, February 17, 2019 - 08:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Beautiful !! cool , much more gooderer betterer .



Thanks mate!


Quoted Text

Belated Aussie cheer-squad member reporting in, towering work on the base & strewth even a tram rail - another good example of those rollers, I’m sold. Suggest fine-powdered (chalk or pastels) brick & stone-coloured dust brushed into/onto the masonry/rubble might help. The cracked glass looks really good – how did you do the top right one & what are you using? Great work Steve



Thanks mate! I think I’ll need to invest in some brick coloured powders, I've got most other colours but not a brick red. The rust reds might work?

The glass is done by taking some microscope slide covers, which are very thin glass, and sandwiching one between two layers of clear sticky tape then bending them to crack. The top right one is the same thing, but after some playing around I found I could just take some scissors and cut a piece out.

I've started work on a new window frame, this time it should look a little better. The top left hand will be burned, and so will have little to no glass in those sections, while the glass under them will be discoloured by the soot and flame. I did this with some citadel crackle paint:



This is the current state of the rest of the base:




I have added some random planks of wood around it to give the a less symmetrical silhouette




I did give the bricks a grey drybrush to alter the colour a little, but as Tim suggested, I may pop a little powder on there:


I wanted this to be during the thaw, so I made some snow sludge using AK's acrylic snow effects, Citadel snow effects, AK's snow micro balloons, Vallejo's gloss varnish hand still water:



Early on I was messing with the rubble, and I liked how this railing looked up against the pillar, I felt it added a point of interest and with some rusting it should add a little more colour to could be a drab area:


Thanks for looking!

~ Steve
cheyenne
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Posted: Tuesday, February 19, 2019 - 04:09 AM UTC
Nice work Doc , I like how your windows came out and the debris is falling into place , no pun intended .
jrutman
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Posted: Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - 02:28 AM UTC
Lots of very good work going on here so far. The debris and pillars came out great along with the busted glass and the ice and snow effects!
I would suggest in the future try switching to plastic strip and stock to make your window frames. Much easier to work with and more "in scale". The balsa tends to have a grain way too large IMHO.
Just my opinion though. The busted glass is superb though! Nice idea.
J
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - 03:36 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Nice work Doc , I like how your windows came out and the debris is falling into place , no pun intended .



Cheers mate, much appreciated!


Quoted Text

Lots of very good work going on here so far. The debris and pillars came out great along with the busted glass and the ice and snow effects!
I would suggest in the future try switching to plastic strip and stock to make your window frames. Much easier to work with and more "in scale". The balsa tends to have a grain way too large IMHO.
Just my opinion though. The busted glass is superb though! Nice idea.
J



Thanks mate, glad you like it! Thanks for the advice too, I'll keep it in mind for next time
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 12:18 PM UTC
Hello all,

Nearly finished with this one, some minor details to be added, and then the actual base frame will get some paint, but it is about 90% there.

Here's the new window frame - I had to angle the light to pick up the broken glass pieces in the rubble as they are very hard to see, so i might put a pigment wash over them to make them more noticeable.





Here's the final positioning of the T-34, and the infantry riders:



I hope it comes across clearly, but the ides is that as this squad has started dismounting they have come under fire, the commander received a glancing hit in the head knocking his helmet off. Using the vehicle as cover he is continuing to yell orders to his men to move into the ruins to out-flank the foe:








Here's a little photoshop enhancent:



Thanks for looking! Very close to completion -

~ Steve
dpeterso
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Posted: Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 01:24 PM UTC
Hey Steve!

This is looking great. I love the fact that I saw the pictures first and immediately knew what the story was, which was only confirmed when I read your description.

Looking forward to the last few steps you got there.
sgtreef
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Posted: Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 02:38 PM UTC
Dang nice job on the whole thing.
Very well done.
I would like to see more T-34's.
jrutman
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Posted: Thursday, February 28, 2019 - 02:33 AM UTC
Yep,I agree with the above comments! Lookin' good!
J
callmehobbes
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Posted: Thursday, February 28, 2019 - 05:49 AM UTC
Looking good. What did you think of the texture roller? Im tempted by the herringbone one so would be good to hear your thoughts.
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Thursday, February 28, 2019 - 10:55 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hey Steve!

This is looking great. I love the fact that I saw the pictures first and immediately knew what the story was, which was only confirmed when I read your description.

Looking forward to the last few steps you got there.



Cheers mate, glad you dig it and pleased the little narrative works!


Quoted Text

Dang nice job on the whole thing.
Very well done.
I would like to see more T-34's.



Thanks! It was a load of fun, might have to give the Dragon kit a whirl!


Quoted Text

Yep,I agree with the above comments! Lookin' good!
J



:) Thanks J, much appreciated!


Quoted Text

Looking good. What did you think of the texture roller? Im tempted by the herringbone one so would be good to hear your thoughts.



Thanks! I liked how the roller worked out with the air dry clay. The couple of things I learned was to lay a layer of cling film between the roller and the clay, as trying to clean the roller out was a nightmare!

Thanks for all the kind words, and I've completed the dio now so shall post some finished pics shortly!

~ Steve
 _GOTOTOP