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Dioramas: Beginners
A good place to look if you are just starting out.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Introducing myself as im new
blondeassasin
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United Kingdom
Joined: September 12, 2010
KitMaker: 7 posts
Armorama: 6 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 06:56 AM UTC
Hello,
I would like to introduce myself. My name is Heather (yes i am a girl lol). You can call me Hev or Heather i really dont mind. My member-name was just something i came up with as i am blonde and im also intrested in millitary things.
I am 21 years old. My partner is an ex squaddie and he has just started building rc scale 1:16 tanks. He has also taken me to the war and peace show in Kent which is where i started to really show an interest in WWII. I am not really sure what areas im interested in yet as i am just starting out. I would like to have information on how to Start building up the scenery and build up hills or tracks as well.
I have been playing Call of Duty on the PS3. I really enjoyed the War and peace show. I have empty amunition cases around my flat. Now as my partner is building RC tanks i have a few of them dotted around the place as well.
Im not sure about any other areas yet as i am just starting out.
Any help would be fantastic. I have compleated 1 diorama which is US solders in Normandy. That came in a Tamiya kit all there for me but i am wanting to create my own. I have just bought :- Tamiya German Anti tank crew, German Assauly Troops, Brick Wall Set, Coarse Earth Ground Cover Turf, Scenery Maker and a base.
I would like to only make half of the battle with German people only as i am not confident enough yet.
Any ideas would be fantastic. I would like to say im sorry if i annoy anyone as i am new and if i keep asking lots of questions.
Thank you so much for reading this.
russamotto
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Utah, United States
Joined: December 14, 2007
KitMaker: 3,389 posts
Armorama: 2,054 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 07:29 AM UTC
Don't ever worry about being annoying. Ask as many questions as you need as there are many here who are more than willing to help. Post photos of your Normandy diorama.

It may help if you start your next diorama by drawing a plan and asking for input. There have been several basic articles posted showing how to make walls, roads, mud and trees, and if you cant find them from the search bar above just ask where they are or who knows of one and someone will help with a link.
meaty_hellhound
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: July 23, 2010
KitMaker: 786 posts
Armorama: 753 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 07:34 AM UTC
hi Heather, like Russ said drawing a sketch is a good point for discussions. also, i usually build the vehicles and roughly put together the buildings with tape and maybe even half assemble the figures and begin to layout a scene.

this can really help because you have the actual pieces of the diorama for visual reference and can post pics for discussions.

lastly, check out the Features section for lots of great how-to's. recently here in the Diorama section there has been some great threads where modelers have been bouncing ideas on composition. cheers, mh.
panzerIV
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: January 02, 2007
KitMaker: 781 posts
Armorama: 676 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 07:36 AM UTC
hey there Heather
welcome to armorama nice to see the ladies getting into the hobby
like russ said dont worry about being annoying
questions are questions and so many are asked and so many are answered its never a bother! i ask a million and one questions myself.
but if your ever stuck post any ideas up and we'll help out as much as we can


tony
woody6968
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England - North East, United Kingdom
Joined: March 02, 2006
KitMaker: 454 posts
Armorama: 380 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 07:52 AM UTC
hi heather welcome aboard.
your in a great place if your starting out or if your an old timer whos been round the block a few times like me .this site has a wealth of info on just about every aspect of the hobby ,keep asking questions its a great way to learn
blondeassasin
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United Kingdom
Joined: September 12, 2010
KitMaker: 7 posts
Armorama: 6 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 12:03 PM UTC
Hello,
Thank you all for your kind replys. Does anyone have any tips on how to start building the ground sceanary. I am wanting to put little lumps or hills in and also tyre tracks from my anti tank gun. My first diorama was a kit one but now i want to build my own.
If anyone has any ideas then please let me know.
Thank you
Zaltar
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British Columbia, Canada
Joined: May 03, 2008
KitMaker: 272 posts
Armorama: 264 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 12:46 PM UTC
Hi and welcome to the forums!

For building scenery on a base, I would recommend using styrofoam to start off with in a nice flat piece. Then cut it to size and keep the scraps of styrofoam, because you'll need them later. Next, use a marker and plan out where all of the scenery and models/figures are going to end up. Use the leftover foam to carve out the rising terrain such as hills or rubble heaps, and then for depressed regions, carve out of the existing foam. Once you've glued them in place, cover the whole diorama in drywall mud in a moderate amount: enough so that it will make it seamless, but not so much as to make it hard to dry and so that it chips. Then just paint the whole thing and start applying the ground cover while the paint is still wet.

If I've missed anything, I'm sure anybody would be willing to tell you what to do!

Good Luck!

zaltar
retiredbee2
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 04, 2008
KitMaker: 757 posts
Armorama: 518 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 01:51 PM UTC
Hi and welcome. I am glad to see another young lady, interested in this particular art form. Many of the women who post are very good modelers. Feel free to ask any question . No matter how many times that a question may have been asked in the past, there are many of us who would be more than happy to answer the question again as best we can. Most of the time the answers will be a little different as there are so many ways to accomplish the same or similar results. Not everyone on this site are, or ever will be masters, so do not worry about your models not being as good at first, they will only get better with practice.........take care......Al....
sfctur1
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California, United States
Joined: December 12, 2007
KitMaker: 643 posts
Armorama: 497 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 02:44 PM UTC
Heather
Welcome aboard. Like some of the others said the best way to plan a diorama is to sketch it. Then lay it out as you build it , that way if it don't look right you can redo it before you commint to do the scenery. I know on some of the ones I did along time ago I put them together and took them apart a lot of time untill I was satasified. Like they always say the only dumb question is the one never asked. You are at the right place for getting help. Good luck, don't forget to post some pictures of your diorama in progress.
Tom
roudeleiw
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Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 06:24 PM UTC
"Coarse Earth Ground Cover Turf"

and stop buying such things! LOL
go in the park, in the woods, collect earth and bush undergrowth of all sort and sift your fine earth out of this.

Welcome and have fun!

Claude
ColonelRoberts
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Colorado, United States
Joined: October 05, 2009
KitMaker: 20 posts
Armorama: 15 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 09:31 PM UTC
Welcome heather, as I myself I am new this too. only been at at for about a year. And I can tell you are going to learn allot from this forum. there are some really great molders here and from just reading thru the different post i have gotten more ideas in a few months than I could ever do on my own.

I too draw out on paper first then move to the Styrofoam for using as base and marke it out with a marker. the pink stuff is the best in my mind. I find it cuts real well and you will find it has a grain to cut too make nice clean edges.


but good luck and soon you will have more dios than you will know what to do with. I am on fourth one and love ever second of it.
sdk10159
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Oregon, United States
Joined: December 08, 2005
KitMaker: 556 posts
Armorama: 433 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 10:16 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hello,
I would like to introduce myself. My name is Heather (yes i am a girl lol). You can call me Hev or Heather i really dont mind. My member-name was just something i came up with as i am blonde and im also intrested in millitary things.
I am 21 years old. My partner is an ex squaddie and he has just started building rc scale 1:16 tanks. He has also taken me to the war and peace show in Kent which is where i started to really show an interest in WWII. I am not really sure what areas im interested in yet as i am just starting out. I would like to have information on how to Start building up the scenery and build up hills or tracks as well.
I have been playing Call of Duty on the PS3. I really enjoyed the War and peace show. I have empty amunition cases around my flat. Now as my partner is building RC tanks i have a few of them dotted around the place as well.
Im not sure about any other areas yet as i am just starting out.
Any help would be fantastic. I have compleated 1 diorama which is US solders in Normandy. That came in a Tamiya kit all there for me but i am wanting to create my own. I have just bought :- Tamiya German Anti tank crew, German Assauly Troops, Brick Wall Set, Coarse Earth Ground Cover Turf, Scenery Maker and a base.
I would like to only make half of the battle with German people only as i am not confident enough yet.
Any ideas would be fantastic. I would like to say im sorry if i annoy anyone as i am new and if i keep asking lots of questions.
Thank you so much for reading this.


Hello Heather and welcome aboard!

Please don't feel like you're being annoying. Ask all the questions you want - that's how we learn and improve. There great people on this site who are willing to share information, ideas and suggestions.

THere are quite a few modelling sites out there on the internet. The top three in my opinion are
Amorama,
www.track-link.net
www.missing-lynx.com

Get involved in all three (or others). Each site is unique in appearance but covers the same topics. THey have their regulars where some post exclusively. Each site also may have articles that can't be found on the other sites. Check 'em out and explore.

Again, welcome aboard and have fun. I look forward to seeing some of your work.

Steve
blondeassasin
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United Kingdom
Joined: September 12, 2010
KitMaker: 7 posts
Armorama: 6 posts
Posted: Monday, September 13, 2010 - 10:37 AM UTC
Thank you everyone for your really kind comments. I have started painting my figurs and my walls. I am going to sketch out the base and sceanary and then put them on here so you can have a look and see what you think. Is it a good idea to do a smaller one for a tester.
daffyduck
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United States
Joined: September 07, 2006
KitMaker: 164 posts
Armorama: 155 posts
Posted: Friday, September 17, 2010 - 03:33 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you everyone for your really kind comments. I have started painting my figurs and my walls. I am going to sketch out the base and sceanary and then put them on here so you can have a look and see what you think. Is it a good idea to do a smaller one for a tester.


Hi Heather and Welcome.

Of course you can do a smaller one...a small vignette would be a good choice.

Might be helpful for you as well as you can concentrate on a smaller setting and not be too overwhelmed if too much detail is involved etc.

Good Luck!

Regards, Paul
ColonelRoberts
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Colorado, United States
Joined: October 05, 2009
KitMaker: 20 posts
Armorama: 15 posts
Posted: Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 09:28 AM UTC
I finally got around to doing a small dio about 7 months back and found out that I could get even more detail in a small one than some of the bigger ones. The little details show up much better on smaller dio. Also I got practice at making stone work and that was a lot of fun.
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