Claude, your work is truly amazing! An inspiration for us all.
The hotel and the garage look like the real thing.

Thanks a lot for sharing.

Pablo

Martyn, Pablo, thank you guys!!

During the last 14 days i used all spare time to take my copper wire and twist some branches for the trees to put on that parking lot (a row of trees with the one near the truck)

I soldered the branches to fix the strands and also eliminate most of the twisting signs. Then i fixed them on a real branch, wisely chosen.

I will cover this with finely sifted earth spread over white glue i applied to all the twigs and branches (except of course the vry fine ones).

I also prepared the collected Thymian leaves by drying them and painting them a nice fall color. Here they are spread over a surface of diluted white glue (that explains the color difference between left and right)


No pictures, but a lot of work to is the replacement of the ivy on the castle's tower. I did not like it anymore (to big and an awful natural decoloring)so i am redoing them right now do be presentable at the expos.

I will have finished in 2-3 days with Mod.4, so stay tuned.

Claude

Claude,

Great work as usualy. I'd really like to see this diorama personally...

Andrzej

Wow, seeing the blocks/parts of the big landscape is a bit different to the usual close-ups shots.
So one can see a bit of the size of this great work!



Me too!

greetings...
Soeren

Claude it is looking great as normal. Waiting to see Mod 4 done. Keep up the great work.
Tom

Thanks guys!

What do you think about this view?



not finished yet!

Claude

Claude,
Cann't say anything but awesome!!! Can't wait to see this section finished.
Tom

The view looks interesting. Also the join of these parts is not really visible.
My idea was, to make some additional photos from "eye-height".
But this could be a problem using the camera.

greetings and thanks for showing!
Soeren

Thanks Tomas and Soeren,

I tried such a picture already. As you said i's a photografic challenge and i really have no time for that now (i will keep those pics to put in my second book! LOL)

Seriously, my "good" camera only has a max. depth of focus of f 11. I did pay attention to a good macro function years ago when i bought it, but missed the depth of focus stuff.
Also , even i am limited with space, so the border of the dio is just 50 cm from the wall, so there is hardly pace for a tripod. I took those pics quickly and just for fun.
It's also a good method to look for errors.
I will fix the trees today and spread more leaves.
(Probably need to wait for next spring to make it right as i do not have enough Thymian anymore)

Cheers
Claude

HI Claude, nice work on the trees. What is next on the dio?

Well Martyn,

I am finishing this part now with the painting of the willow and some more weathering here and there.
Need to check on telephone poles also.
Before the expos in September i absolutely want to get the next module started and outfitted with 2 houses and a 30 cm road part. This road is going from part 2 to part 4 and is cutting part 5, so i want this done to get a nice overall view.
Then i must build a half dozen figures to simulate at least a bit of movement in the town.
Considering that the Sherman commander is still not finished and painted from nearly 8 months ago, you see my actual dilemma with figures.

Thanks for looking

For those interested, Euromiltaire on Sept 18/19 is confirmed and the Eurotunnel already booked, so for everyone in the UK this is probably "the" occasion to see it live

Claude

Hi Claude. Sadly I cannot do Euro it is to far South for me!

I am looking forward to your German part of the diorama. What section is that?

Martyn

Part 8 and 9 ! LOL
Inbetween are two parts with a 2 Meter resin river!

The german part will feature a column of vehicles and a lot of figures, i must progress a bit on that front, otherwise it will be a neverending story and you will be a married man when i'm done! LOL

Well, i made up a plan already in the case i don't feel doing all that.
I would call others to help and provide "guest" work to the dio.

Claude

Seriously, my "good" camera only has a max. depth of focus of f 11. I did pay attention to a good macro function years ago when i bought it, but missed the depth of focus stuff.
Ahh, I know, what you mean.
For this you need a lot of light or a tripod for these high f-numbers and big deepth-of-field. (sharpness)
I also tried this with my both dioramas.
And you´re right, at this low height (and distance from the wall) it´s very difficult to make good photos with a good "real-effect" (sharpness).

it will be a neverending story and you will be a married man when i'm done! LOL
I had to laugh about this one. ;-) You´re right, its a lot of work!
And it´s great!

greetings...
Soeren

Thanks Soeren, well, i took some decent pictures yesterday , just to notice that by accident i set the picture quality at 640x480 only! Grrr!

Juankar, thank you very much, always good to see some new faces here.

Here is what i started the weekend : Module No.5 !!

The road covering the gap between the module Vilaage and Mod.4 and a little wall bordering it (everything W.i.P of course)


And the first steps on two houses.


An interesting build again because of the steep slope of 6 cm to cover in only 30 cm distance.

Well, what is easy here?

Cheers
Claude

Looks incredible. I remember way back when you were building the castle for this dio Claude. The whole thing looks amazing.


Matt

Hi Claude, I am very happy to see you go straight into the next section! Nice job.

You have to do a second book -I'll pre-order now if I have to! Sadly I won't be able to get to Euromilitaire this year -I would have gone to see this dio alone!

Matt,Martyn, Callmehobbes,

Thank you very much!

I will do a second book, but probably not until everything is finished. This will taks some more time as you know.
The good thing is that evrybody can start right now to slowly put aside some money to buy it when it comes out

I will try to update my Blog this evening i am really busy working on the dio right now, finishing the cobbles, putting together the houses, wndows already done etc.

This is only a little pre-lunch break and then it goes right on until this evening around 10.
I am even smoothing my cobbles while watching the evening World Cup match !

Cheers
Claude

Glade to hear you are going to do another book. Can't wait to see your updates. I check daily to see if there is any udates. Keep up the great work.
Tom

Thank you Tom!

A bit more progress to show now but one picture only


Meantime i also made the windows and nearly finished the cobblestones.
I think i will open a bottle of champagne with the last piece of cork set as it will be the final touch to an estimated 7000 pieces overall for nearly 2,50 meters of cobblestone road! I'm glad it's done!

Cheers
Claude

Amazing Claude! What is that white material you have used for the building?

Hi Martyn,

It's 10 mm Foamboard. Very easy to work with.
I could have used it also for the sides but did not have enough in stock, so i used this pieces of wood from the backside of a discarded cupboard.

Claude

I am always in awe at the size of that project -great street too.
and now I just think that my complete diorama production of these last 2 years could fit on that road of yours