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Dioramas: Beginners
A good place to look if you are just starting out.
Hosted by Darren Baker
my first DIORAMA " Finished at last"
STRATERGIST
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 10, 2007
KitMaker: 43 posts
Armorama: 39 posts
Posted: Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 10:04 PM UTC
Hello people
At last ive finished my first dio ! . Thankyou to all the people who helped
with the Tank, Figures and Wall. Its in 1/35 scale -- Tank is Tamiya- M4A3
105mm Sherman Howitzer , Wall is by Verlinden Productions. Scratchbuilt
items include - gravestones-gate padlock-weapon slings-tank periscope
guards. Please feel to comment & ask questions etc
THANKS for looking , Andy










guygantic
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Antwerpen, Belgium
Joined: August 19, 2006
KitMaker: 7,084 posts
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Posted: Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 10:15 PM UTC
A good start you've made for this first one ! Can't wait to see more in a near future. Everything is in good harmony, certainly the colors you used fit together very well. Good vegetation, realistic action (good choise of figures), the cemetary wall with fences is stunning...Congratulations ! G.
slodder
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: February 22, 2002
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Posted: Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 12:17 AM UTC
For a first one you sure included a lot of techniques. You executed them well.

Keep up the good work- hope to see more of it.
STRATERGIST
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 10, 2007
KitMaker: 43 posts
Armorama: 39 posts
Posted: Monday, November 12, 2007 - 10:03 AM UTC
Thanks for comments
Guy, the figures are part of Tamiya kit 35251 m4a3 sherman 105mm howitzer "assault support " wont take credit for that
Does anyone know where i can get a custom made acrylic / glass display cover to keep the dust off . Thanks Andy
markVI
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: November 26, 2006
KitMaker: 118 posts
Armorama: 101 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 12:08 AM UTC
This is great - I like the contrast between the relatively open space and the confines of the cemetery/graveyard. The sherman and figs are crackin and the scratch/verlinden stuff is outstanding! Good work! I hope my first comes out even a fraction as good as this!
SGTJKJ
#041
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Kobenhavn, Denmark
Joined: July 20, 2006
KitMaker: 10,069 posts
Armorama: 4,677 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 12:41 AM UTC
Great diorama. Very dynamic with excellent action.

I feel the space in front of the diorama is a little empty. I would have fitted a destroyed/abandoned German tank at the edge of the water, but not everybody agrees with me as I can see from the previous posts.

Overall a great job - thanks for sharing
WARLORD
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
HISTORICUS FORMA
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Warszawa, Poland
Joined: April 23, 2003
KitMaker: 1,923 posts
Armorama: 868 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 02:00 AM UTC
Great work, Andy! Grass looks really realistic, as so other elemnts of you dio. Jesper may be right about the empty space but it is not so empty to consider that as flaw. I'm wondering only why the path leading to water is the same "size" as road track.
beefy66
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England - North East, United Kingdom
Joined: October 22, 2007
KitMaker: 971 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 02:24 AM UTC
Great dio Andy well done with it being your first do not think there is a lot of open space out front when you see that you have figures tree and water. Buy the way what did you use for that it looks realy good.looking forward to seeing some more of your creations
Jamesite
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United Kingdom
Joined: December 05, 2006
KitMaker: 2,208 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 03:14 AM UTC
It looks great, you really stuck your neck out for your very first dio with all of the techniques you have included here, it's very impressive.
My only problem is with the (excellently painted) wall that has it's corners poking over the edge of the base.
I understand you wanted it to butt up against the edge of the base, without showing the next section of wall, however, in future i'd suggest trimming/filing/sanding the offending objects so that they are flush with the edge of your base. Paint the cut edges black like the edge of the scenery and you are sorted.
It's kind of an unwritten rule of dioramas (like not lining things up with the edes as you have done so well) that nothing should hang over, or jut out from the edge of the diorama, except for perhaps the odd tree branch or a tank gun barrel (which are off the ground anyway).
Obviously it depends on the scene, and im sorry to bang on about this when you have done such an excellent job. It's just a tip for next time.

Great work,

James
STRATERGIST
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 10, 2007
KitMaker: 43 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 07:30 AM UTC
Thanks for comments guys

Marcin , the gravel to the water is suppost to be a "kind of " washed away area where the rain has washed part of the road down the embankment,,, the pics dont help - guess it does look like a path

James , your right about the wall, the only reason i did this was to represent an on-going wall , thanks for telling me though - ill know for my next one .

Keith , if your reffering to the water ? it was a disaster at first , i used woodland scenics E - Z water .Its pellets you heat and melt ! which i did ,but it set as i was pouring it in and ended up like clear honey full of bubbles and lines , i had to go out and buy a heat gun to re-melt the water . As this was the final part of my dio you can guess it wasnt fun taking a heat gun to it some grass took damage and you can see part of the frame was burnt "even under 3 layers of masking tape - - - but it turned out ok in the end .
IMO if your gona use the E-Z water be prepered to use a heat gun ,this stuff melts between 160 - 180 oF
mclen69
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England - North East, United Kingdom
Joined: February 21, 2007
KitMaker: 31 posts
Armorama: 27 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 08:28 PM UTC
fantastic dio Andy. Got your pics bookmarked as I've got this kit in my stash. Is the EZ water hard to use, I've used Woodland Scenics water effects to do puddles only.
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 09:08 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Keith , if your reffering to the water ? it was a disaster at first



Hmm... I was going to say that that water effect was one of the most impresive aspects. As the guy by the gate is wearing a coat, I assumed that you had intended to model "iced over" water, and that water certainly has the look of muddy water with a thin sheen of ice over it. To my eyes anyway. I like it a lot. I agree about the amount of dead space though.
Pavlovsdog
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Carlow, Ireland
Joined: June 05, 2006
KitMaker: 438 posts
Armorama: 352 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 01, 2008 - 03:58 AM UTC
Andy,

This is a great Dio, I realy Like the Way you handled the muddy tracks , really nice work , Look for ward to seeing your next , Thanks for posting the Pictures,



Jerry
Keef1648
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South Carolina, United States
Joined: January 23, 2008
KitMaker: 1,240 posts
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Posted: Saturday, March 01, 2008 - 08:06 AM UTC

Quoted Text

It looks great, you really stuck your neck out for your very first dio with all of the techniques you have included here, it's very impressive.
My only problem is with the (excellently painted) wall that has it's corners poking over the edge of the base.
I understand you wanted it to butt up against the edge of the base, without showing the next section of wall, however, in future i'd suggest trimming/filing/sanding the offending objects so that they are flush with the edge of your base. Paint the cut edges black like the edge of the scenery and you are sorted.
It's kind of an unwritten rule of dioramas (like not lining things up with the edes as you have done so well) that nothing should hang over, or jut out from the edge of the diorama, except for perhaps the odd tree branch or a tank gun barrel (which are off the ground anyway).
Obviously it depends on the scene, and im sorry to bang on about this when you have done such an excellent job. It's just a tip for next time.

Great work,

James



This is partly why I don't enter competitions!

It is a very good diorama and for a first effort, a great one. Now if I had put this in a competion and ANY judge commented about the corners of the wall etc, (being an unwritten rule) and marked me down because of them, I would give him the benefit of asking him to 'turn smartly to his right and disintegrate'. !!

If it isn't a written rule, it is irrelevent.....

Keith.
dioman13
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Indiana, United States
Joined: August 19, 2007
KitMaker: 2,184 posts
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Posted: Sunday, March 02, 2008 - 04:41 AM UTC
Great job. Love the river bank that has slid into the water and your grass is real good. Over all as a first, outstanding. The wall part haning over is o.k. too. many dio's I do have a part sticking out over the edge as I feel it makes the story jump out at you instead of endding at the border, like a continuation. The empty space is also good as not every inch of space need be occupied by something. Maybe a tree stump or some tall grass/shrubs to break the water line. Keep up the great job and look forward to seeing more in the future.
dioman13
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Indiana, United States
Joined: August 19, 2007
KitMaker: 2,184 posts
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Posted: Sunday, March 02, 2008 - 04:45 AM UTC
Rules were meant to be bent, shaped and or broken. It's your art work. Do as you feel and remember, they can't shoot us, at least not legally.
idanko
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United States
Joined: January 26, 2008
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Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2008 - 12:47 PM UTC
wow! you did an amazing job for being your first one! i like the details.

-ivan
milvehfan
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: June 26, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2008 - 01:04 PM UTC
Very Well Done.. I enjoyed seeing your work.
HastyP
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: April 23, 2003
KitMaker: 1,117 posts
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Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2008 - 01:30 PM UTC
Great dio! Thanks for sharing!

HastyP
jvazquez
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: September 26, 2006
KitMaker: 857 posts
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Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2008 - 02:09 PM UTC
Very nice!

I have to give you credit on this one. Most on their first would go for a more simple and subtle urban scene, but you went for a much harder nature scene with water and action. Keep up the good work!
TankTrap
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Invercargill, New Zealand
Joined: December 08, 2006
KitMaker: 456 posts
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Posted: Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 05:26 PM UTC
Very nice there man.
dont know if its been said but the figures look a little shiny you should give them a saten coat then a dull coat to take away the sheen.


David
guygantic
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Antwerpen, Belgium
Joined: August 19, 2006
KitMaker: 7,084 posts
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Posted: Saturday, March 08, 2008 - 09:11 PM UTC
I looked again a minute ago, and I must say this diorama is just great, and the composition is very well done, as well as the painting is good. Your second diorama will be great, that's for sure ! G.
cheyenne
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 05, 2005
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Posted: Sunday, March 09, 2008 - 12:05 AM UTC
Andy, very nice work for a first - all areas, paint, groundwork [ love the grass ], the gate and weathering, waterworks, etc.
I'm already looking foward to your next build.
Glenn
CaptainA
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Indiana, United States
Joined: May 14, 2007
KitMaker: 3,117 posts
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Posted: Sunday, March 09, 2008 - 09:10 AM UTC
Interesting and well executed.
Panzergrenadier44
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Iran / فارسى
Joined: January 30, 2008
KitMaker: 93 posts
Armorama: 84 posts
Posted: Friday, March 14, 2008 - 02:12 PM UTC
Very nice. Its hard to believe its your first one. You have a natural talent i guess.
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