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Dioramas
Do you love dioramas & vignettes? We sure do.
The resistant snowman
VLADPANZER
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Lebanon
Joined: December 20, 2010
KitMaker: 568 posts
Armorama: 549 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 10:48 AM UTC
Hi my name is Vladimir and I am new to Armorama, I hope that I can learn from you all and improve my work. I have seen some of your dioramas and they truly fascinate me. Hopefully I will improve my skills.
This is not my first diorama (actually my third), so I hope it’s not too bad. The problem is that I currently live in Dubai, so I don’t have much material to work with. I am still not sure about the name and the diorama is not complete, I still have to add the snow covered straw roof, the furniture and ruble in the hut, as well as the Russian troops.
The Panzer III and the German infantry are kinda old, collecting dust on my shelf for a year, so I decided to make a diorama.
Please comment on my work, and I would love some advice on how to improve it.

Thanks’ to all, and Season’s greetings

Tried to upload the pictures, didn’t work.
Please check this link: http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/43938
CMOT
Staff MemberEditor-in-Chief
ARMORAMA
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: May 14, 2006
KitMaker: 10,954 posts
Armorama: 8,571 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 10:58 AM UTC
Welcome to the site Vladimir. I like the idea behind this diorama as the snowman is a great touch. Here are your pictures to save people going to the gallery;


meaty_hellhound
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: July 23, 2010
KitMaker: 786 posts
Armorama: 753 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 12:17 PM UTC
perfect scene just in time for christmas Vladimir. the snowman is a great item for your diorama and hope that you will post more pics once the whole project is completed. cheers, bd.
retiredbee2
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 04, 2008
KitMaker: 757 posts
Armorama: 518 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 02:09 PM UTC
Very nice so far. The theme is great and I really like the fresh snow with the first time footprints. Thank you for sharing...........Al
roudeleiw
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Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 06:40 PM UTC
Hi,

LOL, a winter dio coming from Dubai! That's good.

You should disperse a bit your grass, tufts like that are never looking good.
I am no specialist in tanks or tanks with snow, but you should limit your snow on the tank a bit.
Just as an example, there is probably no snow where the turret turns or over engines.
You should search some refernces for that.
I just noticed also that you could easily cut your dio a bit. There is a lot of empty space .

Cheers
Claude
slodder
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: February 22, 2002
KitMaker: 11,718 posts
Armorama: 7,138 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 11:46 PM UTC
Great story and good execution. I hope you keep building dioramas you show good potential.
One tip I'll add is to put some snow in the building. That will tie it together better.
Keep on building
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 - 11:46 PM UTC
Nice. Some excellent work. What did you use for snow and how did you get it to stick?
Dangeroo
#023
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Zurich, Switzerland
Joined: March 13, 2009
KitMaker: 2,058 posts
Armorama: 1,656 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 - 12:56 AM UTC
Nice work so far Vladimir. I am also curious on what you used for the snow. I agree with Claude's comments on the snow on top of the tank and would like to add that it looks like the soldier's foot marks are deeper than the tank track marks. If so, it should be the other way around as the tank is heavier. Just a thought.

Cheers!
Stefan
dioman13
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Indiana, United States
Joined: August 19, 2007
KitMaker: 2,184 posts
Armorama: 1,468 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 - 05:03 AM UTC
Nice job there Vladimir. If you can find a thick type white glue like Alinens, it would help with your tall weeds. I use the woodland sinics type. The glue is strong enough to hold it in place while it dries. After you place your weeds where you want them, wait a minute and then spread them outwards with a knife inserted between the grass and with a little twist spread them out. It will look more natural with an outward splay. Also cut some different lengths within the same cluster to give it some growth factor. You'll pick up some good tips from the members here as you go along. And the long grass from woodland ( the tan/brown stuff) is great for thatched roofs too.
VLADPANZER
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Lebanon
Joined: December 20, 2010
KitMaker: 568 posts
Armorama: 549 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 - 07:07 AM UTC

Thanks’ everybody for your comments and advice, thank you Darren for posting the pictures for me.
Concerning the tank I was waiting for the snow to dry so that I can remove some from around the turret. It’s true that the tank tracks are too shallow; I will try to fix that problem. Thanks’ Bob for the advice on the grass I will also work on that. About the snow I used Bicarbonate soda mixed with water and Glue.

Hopefully I will finish the diorama by Christmas, thanks’ again for your help.

Regards
VLADPANZER
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Lebanon
Joined: December 20, 2010
KitMaker: 568 posts
Armorama: 549 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 23, 2010 - 07:02 AM UTC
Hello everyone,

I really enjoyed building it, but I didn’t have much reference for the interior. I tried to fix the problem with the tracks but it’s very hard to correct once the snow dries, about the empty space I was going for the barren vastness of Russia. I was not sure about the wreath, I don’t know If they had some of those in the farmer huts.
I would still love some advice for the interior, please leave a comment. Thank you for looking at my diorama.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Regards


Again really sorry, I don’t know why they are not loading, please check the following:
http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/350555/ppuser/43938
http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/350554/ppuser/43938
http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/350556/ppuser/43938
Thanks for you time.

Bodeen
#026
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: June 08, 2002
KitMaker: 1,744 posts
Armorama: 1,359 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 23, 2010 - 08:02 AM UTC
Hi Vladimir,
Very nice Diorama.

Jeff
Dangeroo
#023
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Zurich, Switzerland
Joined: March 13, 2009
KitMaker: 2,058 posts
Armorama: 1,656 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 23, 2010 - 08:23 PM UTC
Vladimir,nice progress. I noticed some cracks where you can see through in the walls, might want to close these? Photography is unforgiving...

Check out this thread, about half way down (post of July 6th) for a "how to post pics".

Cheers!
Stefan
VLADPANZER
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Lebanon
Joined: December 20, 2010
KitMaker: 568 posts
Armorama: 549 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 23, 2010 - 10:20 PM UTC
Thanks’ Jeff for your comment, and thank you Stefan for your advice I will work on those cracks . Here are the pictures:




Merry Christmas
jeepkid019
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: November 22, 2008
KitMaker: 50 posts
Armorama: 29 posts
Posted: Friday, December 24, 2010 - 01:49 AM UTC
this is a nice one, I like the snow and figuers and the tank. The Snoman is cool. Bobby
Plasticbattle
#003
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Donegal, Ireland
Joined: May 14, 2002
KitMaker: 9,763 posts
Armorama: 7,444 posts
Posted: Friday, December 24, 2010 - 02:57 AM UTC
Hi Vladimir. I think your snow looks very convincing as snow. It could do with a little refining on how it sitting on a moving tank ... to reflect the heat of the engine and also how snow drifts against anything that sits still.
skortch
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: November 11, 2006
KitMaker: 28 posts
Armorama: 27 posts
Posted: Friday, December 24, 2010 - 08:52 AM UTC
Well done Vladimir and nice timing for Christmas.
I like drama in this one. Can sense the tension.

I live in the snow for at least 6 months a year and I must say that your snow does look very nice.
The extra touches like the helmet on the snowman and the wreath really make this fun to look at.

thanks for posting this dio,
Tony
VLADPANZER
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Lebanon
Joined: December 20, 2010
KitMaker: 568 posts
Armorama: 549 posts
Posted: Saturday, December 25, 2010 - 09:07 PM UTC
Hi, I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas day.

Thanks’ a lot for your kind remarks. It was very kind of you. Stefan thanks for the advice on the hut, I closed the gaps with some putty, it looks much better now.
Thanks’ for all your advice and comments
Regards
thenorm
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New York, United States
Joined: July 13, 2010
KitMaker: 125 posts
Armorama: 102 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 03:20 AM UTC
How did you go about applying the snow? it looks great.
VLADPANZER
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Lebanon
Joined: December 20, 2010
KitMaker: 568 posts
Armorama: 549 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 30, 2010 - 05:26 AM UTC
Hi,

The snow was very simple as I stated above, mix bicarbonate soda with water and glue. Put a generous amount of glue in the mixture but not too much. I then put walls around the diorama and poured the mixture onto the base and spread it out.
Hope this was helpful enough.

Regards and Happy New Year!
 _GOTOTOP