Hello everybody. This is my first post in this forum and also my first attempt for a diorama. It includes a Panzer IV abandoned after the battle, some tree scenic and a small river below.

This is the initial stage and there are a lot to be done. Here are some photos so far. Your comments are most wellcome.

Hi Dimitris and welcome!
I say this is quite an effort for a first diorama scene! There is lots to be proud of here.
You have incorporated different heights and a good blend of both earth and man-made items. I do think that a shell hole of this diameter would have the destructive power to penetrate through to the waterway/tunnel below though. The mud looks really good in place on the vehicle, and would benefit from a lighter coating of 'dry' dirt maybe?
You could do small things to help the scene avoid being too symmetrical and therefore less interesting to the viewer. Try picturing the scene inside the base rotated slightly, so that there are less parallel or perpendicular edges to the base. Try a slight traverse of the turret to have the gun face slightly into the scene maybe?
These are all things to muse upon for now or later, but all in all a great effort and I look forward to your further works on the scene.
Brad

Nice very nice indeed looks great,love the mud and weathering nice job,Tank it self looks well used and battered nice job,have you got a photo of the complete did front and back would like to see it all.

http://trackpads.co.uk

First of all thanks a lot guys for your feedback. As I said this is the beginning and a lot need to be done, so your comments are most aprreciated and will be taken into consideration.
Brad the base is not finished yet, I still working on it. You are correct about the turret, I'll try to fix it. Unfortunatelly the photos are not very well, as I tried to take them with sunlight and not a proper background. The shell is not so big maybe it gives this impression through the color shading. Abit of water inside the crate will give a different perception maybe ?

Some more photos

It's moving along nicely. What did you use for the bricks on the bridge - kit or scratch?

Hi Greg, the bricks are scratched. I first create the mould with very soft type styrofoam, then I fill it with plaster, let it dry, then I burrowed the plaster and wash it with grey oils.

Is the bridge scratch made ? what's the plan for further down ?

Andrew the bridge is scratched, see my previous answer above on how I built it.
The plans include, a small river, a dead german soldier in it, further work on the scenic and maybe some snow ???

Sounds interesting,looking forward to see how you go about the river and bring life to the water,I am working on a dio with snow myself and i must admit never again ,it's very good for covering up flaws though, but i found it very hard to get it to look right though crisp and fresh.

Was the tank there when the shell went off? If so, I would expect the left hand side and the roof to be splattered with mud from the explosion.

But other than that, its tremendous

this looks like the makings of a great first diorama! I look forward to seeing it completed. A few things though...
The weathering on the tank is really well done, but the tracks and wheels are completely clogged with mud. If this is the case, shouldn't the sides of the lower hull be covered with mud as well? Your mud has an interesting 'boggy' texture which i have never seen before. How did you make it? It looks like it has some kind of plant matter in it, no?
The other thing is the tracks. Just a few of these links would be extremely heavy, so they would never poke up in the air like the broken ones behind the tank. Try to stick them down if you can. It's only a small thing, but these details make a difference.
Keep it up!

Hi Neil, and Luke.

The tank came there after the bombing, at least this was my initial thought.
Now concerning the mud, first of all It was not done yet, so yes a little mud will be placed on the tank. Yes the tracks should be fixed but it is just a test.
Now the mud is actually real earth from a smal flowerpot, mixed with some very very small leaves and a substance called compost. First I sprayed a mix of white glue and water and then I put the earth on it while I was rubbing it in my hands. And the small leaves you will see in one of the pictures under the tree is thyme...

Hi Dimitrie

excellent, I really like it