Dioramas
Do you love dioramas & vignettes? We sure do.
Carrier Crossing
G-man69
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 04:18 AM UTC
Hi all,

Gave the groundwork a first dry brush prior to starting in on the vegetation (see image below).



Then managed to get a covering of short grass (see images below).













I'm aiming to try and build up several layers of vegetation, hopefully that way it might look more realistic, .

Cheers, ,

G
JPTRR
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RAILROAD MODELING
#051
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 04:19 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The base size will be A4...



Hi G,

I am embarrassed to ask but what is size A4? Is that a base that is sized to the dimensions of paper products?

Really enjoying this. I have been trying to create a crossing diorama for years but something is misfiring between my intentions, skills and endeavors, and I got nada.

Here's a cool YouTube of reenactors taking halftracks and a M8 across a ford: https://youtu.be/m4UntZn4tIY

I'll be watching!
Tank1812
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 04:26 AM UTC
Looking great G.
G-man69
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 05:12 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi G,

I am embarrassed to ask but what is size A4? Is that a base that is sized to the dimensions of paper products?

Really enjoying this. I have been trying to create a crossing diorama for years but something is misfiring between my intentions, skills and endeavors, and I got nada.

Here's a cool YouTube of reenactors taking halftracks and a M8 across a ford: https://youtu.be/m4UntZn4tIY

I'll be watching!



Hi Frederick,

You're bang on, yes the base dimensions are the same as the paper size A4, so 8-1/4" x 11-3/4" or 210mm x 297mm (whichever you prefer to work with, .

Glad you're enjoying the build, like you I'm not certain that I'll be able to pull this off, the water will be the make or break of it, but time will tell, .

Thanks for the link, and cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 05:16 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Here's a cool YouTube of reenactors taking halftracks and a M8 across a ford: https://youtu.be/m4UntZn4tIY



Hi again Frederick,

Just watched the link you sent, it's great, will give me ideas as to how the water should move, .

Thanks again, and cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 05:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Looking great G.



Hi Ryan,

Thank you for the thumbs up, much appreciated, .

How go your builds?

Cheers, ,

G
Tank1812
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 06:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text

How go your builds?



Going well, thanks for asking. Got some modeling time the last few weeks but no pics yet. I have a Stuart due for a club meeting on Tue 9/8, so I will be busy with that this weekend. I will post pics when done. My 5t Man is closer to only needing painting. I wish the parts where better cause I don’t have the time or energy to fix them as they should be.
steel_tiger1
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 08:20 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Watching this for sure. Planning a river crossing Diorama of my own. Amazing work so far. The second attempt on the road stones is spot on.



Hi Tom,

Thanks for the feedback on the stones, always nice to get positive comments and, hopefully, you'll enjoy following this build, .

have you any specific thoughts as to what you intend to create on your diorama?

Thanks again, and cheers, ,

G





I want to do this photograph I have all the vehicles purchased. Working out details. Reviewing the accompanying video that goes with it. Planning stage at the moment, just not as wide as where the trucks are just the road and some of the soldiers.
cheyenne
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 08:25 AM UTC
Love the greenery G looks awesome !! Very cool !!
Golikell
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2020 - 09:41 PM UTC
Nice progress...I just would smoothen the pathway to the foot bridge. It is far too rough imho. It should be quite smooth as it seems trodden.


G-man69
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2020 - 04:01 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

How go your builds?



Going well, thanks for asking. Got some modeling time the last few weeks but no pics yet. I have a Stuart due for a club meeting on Tue 9/8, so I will be busy with that this weekend. I will post pics when done. My 5t Man is closer to only needing painting. I wish the parts where better cause I don’t have the time or energy to fix them as they should be.



Hi Ryan,

Enjoy your busy modelling weekend, I look forward to seeing some images of your Stuartm it's one of my favourite tanks.

Annoying when you pay good money for a kit that frustrates.

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2020 - 04:06 AM UTC
[quote

I want to do this photograph I have all the vehicles purchased. Working out details. Reviewing the accompanying video that goes with it. Planning stage at the moment, just not as wide as where the trucks are just the road and some of the soldiers.[/quote]

Hi Tom,

That will be one interesting build, a big one too, very impressive.

Please try and remember to give me a heads-up when you start posting as I'd like to follow it.

What plans have you for replicating the water...it's the main worry for me on my build, getting it to look right, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2020 - 04:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Love the greenery G looks awesome !! Very cool !!



Hi Cheyenne,

Thank you, getting foliage to look right is one of the many things that I find frustratingly difficult, ...unlike your goodself, who seems able to replicate plants so well that one can even tell what species they are, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2020 - 04:16 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Nice progress...I just would smoothen the pathway to the foot bridge. It is far too rough imho. It should be quite smooth as it seems trodden.



Hi Erwin,

Thanks for the feedback, it probably is a little exaggerated, so I will soften it a little. But I did 'google' dirt paths, and they ranged in roughness from relatively smooth where the soil was softish (like your images) to even rougher than mine where the ground was stonier.

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2020 - 04:33 AM UTC
Hi all,

Managed to get a deliberately patchy second, slightly longer, grass covering down as I build up the layers of vegetation (see images below).











It probably doesn't look that much different, but in human terms it's gone from 'skinhead' to 'short back and sides', .

I have also started to build up a third layer of vegetation on the right-hand side of the footbridge embankment (see images below).









Cheers, ,

G
Golikell
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2020 - 05:16 AM UTC
Ofcourse the effect is just what you have in mind...

Your grass looks good. Just be carefull to determine where the waterline will be. If the water will be flowing rapidly, there won't be any grass below in the water...
steel_tiger1
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2020 - 12:25 PM UTC



Quoted Text

Hi Tom,

That will be one interesting build, a big one too, very impressive.

Please try and remember to give me a heads-up when you start posting as I'd like to follow it.

What plans have you for replicating the water...it's the main worry for me on my build, getting it to look right, .

Cheers, ,

G



My plan right now is to use the Woodland Scenics water system. As it has many different components to simulate water effects. Very much a model railroad product but has unlimited possibilities. Water upstream side needs to be pretty clear, downstream where vehicles have crossed muddy and murky as well as disturbed by the crossing.
G-man69
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2020 - 03:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Ofcourse the effect is just what you have in mind...

Your grass looks good. Just be carefull to determine where the waterline will be. If the water will be flowing rapidly, there won't be any grass below in the water...



Hi Erwin,

You know me too well, .

Thanks for the feedback and advice, always appreciated coming from you.

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2020 - 03:55 AM UTC

Quoted Text

My plan right now is to use the Woodland Scenics water system. As it has many different components to simulate water effects. Very much a model railroad product but has unlimited possibilities. Water upstream side needs to be pretty clear, downstream where vehicles have crossed muddy and murky as well as disturbed by the crossing.



Hi Tom,

Thanks for the information, I'll check out Woodland Scenics, hadn't thought of them as I always associate them with OO/HO American railroads.

I was thinking of resin, but was nervous as I think it might be too messy for slapdash approach to modelling, .

I too had been thinking about the clear upstream, dirty downstream issue, and the displaced water and how it would look against moving water...quite complex when one starts to think of the variables involved.

As mentioned, please keep me informed of your progress, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2020 - 04:02 AM UTC
Hi all,

Started to paint the bridge today *see images below), it's a wip, it needs more contrast, some dry brushing and oil washes should help. Also a more worn appearance to the middle of the bridge walkway.











The sticky-out bits are my attempt at 'brambles', . Once they are securely fixed I will bend them so they're less prominent, I will also be adding a lot more of them springing out of the ground in threes, as they do in real life, .

Cheers, ,

G
Golikell
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2020 - 08:57 AM UTC
Thanks for the confidence you put in me.
I do not only have modelling as a hobby, but also sports fishing. I have quite often fished in Brooks and small rivers. So have quite some knowledge about them... I also can say that the stones of the ford's might get rather slippery from algae. Of course the amount of muck thrown up by the carriers as partly based on how frequently the ford is used.

To reproduce the whirling will be quite a challenge, since it must be done in a very controlled way. Upstream from the carriers, the water must be clear, yet down stream the swirl will be present in a very particular way. It obviously will start at the bottom, where the intensity will be at its summit, gradually decreasing as it, in the same time, will fan up and out.

If you want to put the first carrier mid stream, the area before it will be clear too, but if it will be across the brook, then the swirl will be fading behind it already, in a sweeping way. I hope you understand what I mean...
Not sure how to represent this...
PolishBrigade12
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2020 - 01:36 PM UTC
Hey G-man, this scenario is looking really good, especially the reference pic, you can do it! I like the idea of the Shermie better than the Bren carrier. More dynamic, IMHO.

Water works can be a pain, but after tons of research I found using 100% silicon caulking can add to the wakes created by the rigs, etc. Under coats will give you the water tones, trial and error on a mock-up would be my suggestion. Here's what I did for my U-boat Gun deck, hope this helps.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/268273&ord=&page=5

Veggies is up next for me too and your layering idea is what I hear works best, watching how you do it, I'm a nooby on that.

At any rate G-man, Ruck On bby, all is coming along nicely!

Cheers, Ski.
Dioramartin
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2020 - 03:17 PM UTC
So cool scrolling down this page & seeing how you just keep on upping the quality-meter, well into the red (or should that be green?) zone already. I agree with Ski, make a basic replica of the stream section (using exactly the same materials you’ve used) and do trials on that. Make it so you can do at least two trials & make whatever mistakes there so you’ll have the confidence of experience for the real thing. I know I would, having never attempted water before either
G-man69
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Posted: Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 04:44 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks for the confidence you put in me.
I do not only have modelling as a hobby, but also sports fishing. I have quite often fished in Brooks and small rivers. So have quite some knowledge about them... I also can say that the stones of the ford's might get rather slippery from algae. Of course the amount of muck thrown up by the carriers as partly based on how frequently the ford is used.

To reproduce the whirling will be quite a challenge, since it must be done in a very controlled way. Upstream from the carriers, the water must be clear, yet down stream the swirl will be present in a very particular way. It obviously will start at the bottom, where the intensity will be at its summit, gradually decreasing as it, in the same time, will fan up and out.

If you want to put the first carrier mid stream, the area before it will be clear too, but if it will be across the brook, then the swirl will be fading behind it already, in a sweeping way. I hope you understand what I mean...
Not sure how to represent this...



Hi Erwin,

Any chap who has four models on the go at once has my confidence, .

I only ever went fishing once with my dad when I was young and he swore he'd never take me again, .

Yes, I did understand what you were trying to describe, I've been trying to imagine the variations in my mind's eye...it's a very small image, . Luckily, a number of the materials I've been thinking of using for the water suggest laying down 3mm thick layers which, I'm hoping, might give me the chance to control churned up discolouration a bit better, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 05:15 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hey G-man, this scenario is looking really good, especially the reference pic, you can do it! I like the idea of the Shermie better than the Bren carrier. More dynamic, IMHO.

Water works can be a pain, but after tons of research I found using 100% silicon caulking can add to the wakes created by the rigs, etc. Under coats will give you the water tones, trial and error on a mock-up would be my suggestion. Here's what I did for my U-boat Gun deck, hope this helps.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/268273&ord=&page=5

Veggies is up next for me too and your layering idea is what I hear works best, watching how you do it, I'm a nooby on that.

At any rate G-man, Ruck On bby, all is coming along nicely!

Cheers, Ski.



Hi Ski,

Thank you for your feedback, it's much appreciated, especially your suggestions and advice, it's always good to get a different perspective as it makes one stop and think, and sometimes one can overlook the obvious.

I totally understand your comment about the 'Shermie', funnily enough I had toyed with putting my completed Cromwell or partially finished Firefly but thought better of it as a) getting the wheels/track to sit correctly on the the 'concave' surface might be a challenge, and b) they were both a tad too large and would conceal too much of the vegetation and water (see images below), which is really what this build is about, .





Your U-boat vignette is truly amazing, and your figure painting skills are something I would love to be able to emulate, love the detail, a true work of art, .

Cheers, ,

G