Hi again, yes you are correct - I think I correctly identified the last one as Aghan kids, and the others were always of question due to the websites I got them from not being specific either just plain being wrong. One of the problems with relying on others reseacrh I guess. Someone such as yourself is a valuable resource in helping correct these issues.

This highlights how specific regional clothing is traditional and diferent from one area to the next and one country to the next.. yet most of the figures are marketed as "middle east" or 'Arab". Some do have "Afghan" but you better believe they are specifically Afghan!

Once again, I find myself having to consider my options. There are not a multitude of modern civilian figures around, and certainly not enough to choose from which ones I want. I have literally purchased every single "middle east" "Arab" or similar figure I can find that is not specific Afghan ( i wont use the ones dedicated to that clothing - it is just not plausible and the photos dont support that mixed dress standard with Iraq culture). So that leaves me with what I have basically done. Modified what I can to best suit both the Accuracy of the era/location and the needs of Audience understanding. Also i have to use what is available to me on the day. Some announced Figures are not available as yet but sure would be nice to have.

Cheers for the corrections. As i said I have alot of reference pics and these were meant to highlight some of the frustrations of learning the differences, and then translating that into model form.

your opinions are most welcome Vlad , please keep them coming!


Adam

Hello Again,

Thanks for the links. I have already got all the Verlinden kits, and x2. I made sure I had plenty as they are without a doubt the most abundant. the problem with their is they are not necesarily modern, and not necesarily Iraqi. They are for all intense purposes "generic Arab" civilian figure sets. an example of the figure swapping i did was to take the the head from the arrested guy and put it on one of the arab street curiousity figures, and swap the arms from the arab street anger set. that gave me two figures in traditional dress that look different, and with a different colour clothing, would be difficult to see they are same fig. However I only have a couple of figures to place heads on - the arab street anger set has figures with heads and body as one piece. The only workable adult figures in civvy clothes come from the arab street curiosity set of two figures and I have managed to yield a third from that set. the women all have headgear on ( I have the old woman and boy - I converted her to have a veil , and the boy is one of my vendors under the lightpost).

The warriors figures of the arab tankers is quite valuable, the heads certainly look like what I need, but to what body ? Once again stuck with the clothes issue. I need track suits and sports clothes - lots of adult males seem to wear football training stuff much like their western counterparts. The older men wear open buttoned shirts and jackets. There are some WW2 european male figures in suits that have potential - but they also need to fit the diorama, ad I feel I have almost balanced the figures to a point of adding more for the sake of it could be detrimental? I do have a couple military figures that might get added later if they become available - fingers crossed the maker can pull them off in time for me to paint them. Remember I have a deadline of first week of June.

I have another European waman coming - I already converted one to the full burgqua fig in the store, any old russian farm woman with long dress has potential, and I feel I could add a coule more of these to the marker atmosphere.

I would love to find a child figure leaning down and reaching around a corner - i would like him to be stealing an apple from a vendors basket while the the vehicle create a diversion..

lastly I have to admit, I have terrible figure painting skills. I am not great at them and would only rate myself a 5 out of 10. As for figure remodelling I think I am a complete novice and shouldnt touch that stuff too seriously at this stage or I risk adding 12 months of build time. ( I have a 7 month old baby here and every day my available model time shrinks less and less). So I have solicited the help of a very skillful figure painter to coach me in the art for this diorama. I have organised private workshops with him to practice and hone some skills before i start on these figures.

Figures are the glue that tie the whole story together and are very important to the overall picture and story. They demand attention to detail as much as the vehicles and it pains me to have to bend the rules and settle for 'whats available" to give an impression of Iraqi street life. I do not underestimate their importance.

But lastly I really appreciate how some members of this community are taking the time to help me out with either extra pictures, web searches for products or correcting mistakes. I will never "put them down". I have gained some great insights.

Keep them coming!

Adam - ps i type fast but really innacurate so sorry for spelling and bad grammar.

Hi Adam,

I've been following your builds and now your diorama with anguish, hate and envy It's truly out of this world! Beautiful and Inspiring! I've not seen so much effort and commitment into the little details until I saw your work! Each tells a story! I love it!

OK that's enough praise for you

About the figures... you are quite limited as you know for full package Iraqi dedicated ones.. However Head choices should not be too restrictive. Although you would have more choices if you were modeling an Afghanistan scene (hopefully your next diorama) since you'll find a mix bunch of Middle-eastern,Pakistani, Chinese,Caucasian,Indian looking faces of various skin tones. But not all is lost...

You're not modeling a very defined-featured "race", as it's more the skin tone,hair color and clothes that make the main difference. Thus I think you have a lot of choices (minus those with full beards) So almost any head set would do. Of course selecting a facial feature with a profound nose' bridge with deeper set eyes and forehead wrinkles,etc would give you more free play via painting the various the shadows and tones and defining the facial feature towards "Iraqi".
http://www.greenwichgateway.com/hornetandwolf/Hornet/headsets/index.htm

Regarding beards, you can have them clean-shaven, 6 o'clock shadow, new aged beard or full bearded. Scrutinize the photos on your blog. It's also a pretty common practice I noticed (a decade+ back) for the Afghans when they get married and or go a step up in their religious practices. I think the Iraqis have this too.

I believe that for the kids, you shouldn't worry too much and get what you can find, kids are easier to model into a ethnic group, since they will wear or be dressed in just about anything from modern to cultural, obviously more off in a war torn country, being poor. (or have poor dress sense LOL) But seriously, an example for the figs in the link....(and a comparisons to the photos on your blog) The painting, particularly of hair color would make the difference. Go for a dark ash black in this case. Sand off the folds of the socks and so on..
http://www.miniatureshobby.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=738

MIliput the clothes over
http://www.hlj.com/product/MIGMP35-272
http://www.hlj.com/product/MIGMP35-288


On a side note I swore that some company that was announced on this forum maybe 2 years back, makes either a range of bearded faces or "instant" facial hair kind-of thing.
Someone chime in here..

Just my 2 little cents

Thanks for the comments angry dog,

I have looked through the head set range and there is a few there that have potential. Its the body i stick theonto that is the problem. even if I had a dozen male heads I only have the one body that lends itself to interchange. Also tht is a verlinden body, notoriously overscale, and the hornet heads would ook peculiarly underscale on that body.

The running children you mentioned I have already got, modified and used ( see pages 2 and 3 of this blog for pictures and explanations).

The old Mig woman(good idea this one A.D) I have 1 of them. I am considering how to modify her to a BMO. my first attempt didnt go so wel with another figure and I am nervous about ruining another. The masterbox russian farm civilians set has a woman in it that has potential as does the old man.

There are a few fat euopean businessmen that could be modified with suits, but my first instinct is to place headwear on them to identify as Arab and not foreign contractor.

As for the coincidence of all time... I see on the front page Nato in Minatures has released an Iraqi coffee break set. https://armorama.kitmaker.net/news/8440 that male figure looks very usefull! perfect head and perfect clothing. terrible arm position - but thats easily changed - he would make a good newspaper reader. As for the pose he has the kettle is massive! seriously oversize, but could be replaces and the arm corected at the elbow. I woul like two of these sets to get some balance into the scene with modern and traditional clothing, (putting this discussion to bed), but i went to the link and its US $40 A SET! delivered to me. Now thats gonna take me a few days to convince myself I need it that badly. ( for US$80 I could buy about 10 - 14 verlinden figures on ebay from 3dverlinden!). Maybe I should sell my stryker to help pay for it ?

Thanks for suiggestion. more to ponder I guess. I need to park the figures though and get back on track to the buildings and street. I really need to focus on finishing them with paintg etc! tick tock..tick tock..

Adam

HI Adam,

Looks like you'll have to just keep modifying and frankensteining the figures you get. I do see a lot of potential in what's avail, but you'll have to quickly master your figure sculpting skills -- for their clothes that is. Shouldn't be a problem for you at all.

The list are from lucky model, so not all may be there, it's best you check the company's home page for the full list.

CMK
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?department=FIG%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&catalog_no=CMK

examples:
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=CMK%20F35206
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=CMK%20F32091
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=CMK%20F32082
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=CMK%20F35204

I really see a lot of potential to what you can do for both the civilians and military personal.

Master Box
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?department=FIG%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&catalog_no=MB

examples:
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3509
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3525
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3535
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3514
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3551
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3559
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3564
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=MB-3560

Best of luck

hi your build is amazing, why don't you have a look at this figure, its for afghanastan but maybe you can convert him, keep up the great work
http://airborne-miniatures.blogspot.com/

Thakyou for the suggestion I have not een those figures before - exceptional!

I think you refer to the taliban fella at the bottom. Potential there for sure. I am quite taken with the new NIM coffee set, and when I muster the will to press buy it now I'll have one sooner or later.

I Appreciate the suggestion.. Adam

yes i did, should have said, the nato figures are look very good

Back to Blogging

I have been quite derailed in the conversation about figures, and needed to get momentum back to where I left off with the truck. So I spent today working on building C.

I washed it late last night with a burnt sienna / black oil wash in preparation for today. I also did a preshading airbrush of the shadow points. Today I base coated it again with tamiya acrylic "buff". The base colour for all th buildings is either the Buff or floquil "concrete". later they will lightened considerably with buff/white 50:50. This is just the first cotes so early days yet. no pinwash yet or drybrushing, and perhaps some more washes, certainly rainmarks etc.

I also started detailing the building. Upstairs i added the glass windows and some curtains made from tissue paper. the windows (as with all glass in this diorama) is real glass from microscope coverslips- about a thin as a sheet of paper! but they crack nicely and look the part much better than acetate or OHP film.

Downstairs I added flooring to the shop, built the front wall which is like a kiosk. when the scaffolding isnt there the vendor could lift the screen out and have a service bar. I base coated the shop fittings, and painted the walls.

The garage I made the roller door ( and chain), fitted some shelving above the roller door where I will have cartons and things stashed. Also made the verlinden garage shelving - very nice indeed. The floor in here will be concrete but mostly gravel.

Outside I did the painting as described and started to add the plaster that the renderers will be working on. the guys on the scaffolding will be spatula/ boarding this stuff on. I may slightly dull the white down, but it will always be "new unpainted render".

So heres some pic I hope you see the progress!

note the render.

shop front/kiosk and roller door

glass windows and curtains

garage shelving

roller door and chain

shop interior

detail

tomorrow is valentines day so I doubt I will get anything done in the model room...

Adam

realy great job well done

henk

Adam,

The truck makes me want to jump in it!

And the buildings...man...second picture (taken at "street level") makes me feel I am there.

Fantastic work!

would this set be of any use to you, warrior iraq insurgents wa35583, sorry i don't know how to upload photos

Fantastic job Adam,
I really like this diorama!
Only a thing you can consider, I find the chain a little oversized for the roller door, there are smaller ones on the market you can better use. Can you tell us what did you used for the roller doors ? they look great.
regards
Moreno

genius. yes that set would be of value. a seated figure in modern clothes with bare feet - yes he has an ak but that can be changed very easy, also he has no hat. Thankyou very much. the other figure with some mods might be usefull aswell.




I agree it may be slightly oversized, but if my design stays true it wont be visible very much and its all the spare chain I had on hand. But if I encounter some smaller chain in a bulk order I might correct it - cheers.

Adam

[quote]


genius. yes that set would be of value. a seated figure in modern clothes with bare feet - yes he has an ak but that can be changed very easy, also he has no hat. Thankyou very much. the other figure with some mods might be usefull aswell.

i have a set, if you have trouble getting it down under let me know and we can come to some arrangement

These progress photos keep on better! Some seriously realistic details Adam!

Thats just Wild Adam!

Hi Adam
been meaning to tell you about this little resin kit from Reality in Scale-it's called The Unfortunate Beetle. It is the front of a VW Beetle covered with tarps and rubble, as if in a disaster or something like that. Thought you could use it now or for future scenes. I may get one myself. Enjoy. I have no affiliation with Reality in Scale, but I have some of their products such as their floor tiles which are embossed and really do look like the real thing shrunk down. They make amazing stuff and are sort of a hidden jewel amongst diorama builders.





http://www.milminwh.com/images/Reality%20in%20Scale/35086.jpg

Howdy Adam,

This is coming along pretty sweet and very impressive. I'd have to say this is a Materpiece in the making without doubt. I really like all the research you're putting into this and the figures, rigs, and structures are stellar Bro. Watching from the balcany on this puppy. I'd kinda think you have an article in the making if not a small book on how to build dios? Keep er rollin Bro.

From the Great White North, Cheers, Ski.


P.S. How's the little muchkin coming along, they are a blast!

Sorry I didnt answer this earlier. The roller door is made from sheet aluminium corungated iron from the railway section of the hobby shop. They sell it in a4 size and you cut it to make your own sheets or in this case - rollerdoors.




Hi again , I sure have seen this one - and if I realised I wasnt using the MIG car in the garage I would of used that one. I have several RIS products and they are quite brilliant- the real carpets are are what i used for the prayer mat in the truck above.




Howdy Ski - loved that figure dio you did - hope the printed stuff helped out. I have several new sheets from another supplier now too. Sooner or later I will lay out all the printed material i have and take a picture - I have about 25 pages/sheets of printed details for this dio (see the arabic newspapers in the Truck). As for the munchy(my 7 month old son named Hamish) - just a blast. I feel very very guilty about doing this dio now as its time Im not spending with him. I could easily pack it up for several years. So I burn candle at both ends and only work when he is asleep to make sure this gets done. Good thing I am a fast builder. This dio was supposed to be my last big one for several years anyways, - I wanted to do something really nice and then pack it up for a while- go out with a bang - and concentrate on him. I was going to keep my fingers stuck by taking that time off from dioramas to develop figure painting skills. several years of painting figures should be good practice for the next big build... (when he's at school )
Cheers for the nice comments Ski and others. Always appreciated!

Adam

Thanks Adam for the answer. What it is frustrating me is that here in Venice there is no one hobby shop left, and when there was one it was absolutely weak. So any special item must be searched on the web and not ever you find what you are looking for. Sorry for the outburst.

Moreno

this is a wonderful diorama (almost missed it)
great job on the road, nice technique

hey folks

just an update, I have been trawling the net for figures using the suggestions provided and seeing where it takes me.

To be clear, the issue was the inbalance of male figures in civillian clothing and without headress on. (so too many tradional robed figures etc)

I have managed to cobble together 5 figures that are not wearing traditional clothes and are not in western clothing either.

figure A is offering some cigarette or tobacco from a pouch. his torso and legs come from the middle east scud crew from kirin I had lying around and forgotten about. his arms are from different figures in the same box (there were 4 figures but I had already used some parts for another project). he has no head yet but i have that coming...
figure B is also from the middle east scud crew. their uniforms are basically pants and a long sleeved shirt. I had to shave off the epaulets from the shoulders, but they look like any pant/ shirt combination. their shoes are a closed in leather boot but is consistant with reference pictures. I may change one to having sandals. His arms come from a warriors kit I think ? afhgan tank crew or something - basically I have changed the radio into a mobile phone and while talking into it his othr hand is shielding his ear from the noise of the vehicles driving past.
figure C is from a Mig figure kit middle east tank crew, I had a few spare of these and once again their clothes lend themselves to the brief quite well. I like his little zippered vest/jacket. his arms ar swapped with the other figure in the same kit and he is gesturing as talking. I had to shorten his right leg as it was disproportionally long and made him lean aggresively to the left.
Figure D is from the verlinden captured iraqi kit. I had to cut his arms off which are moulded onto the figure in a position behind his back (handcuffed?). then replaced them with ones from the spares box. he will be reading a newspaper. his head is spare frm the Arab street curiousity set.
Figure E is a spare torso from the Kirin scud crew set, and the legs and arms from the Dragon Viet Cong set. he is squatting having a smoke. He has sandals on.

All the figures need work on gaps and seams etc but that goes without saying.
I have ordered the verlinden head set number 2 which has 15 bare heads of which 5 with hair that can easily fit these figs. the shouting head will work well for the phone guy.

I have also ordered two other sets - verlinden "the bad ones" which although wearing headgear, their torsos legs and arms are extremely suited to modern era. (will change rpg guy to reading a newspaper OR dinking coffee- squating guy will be chatting with other squatting guys) I also ordered the warriors Iraqi Insurgents set number 2. I am intrigued by the fella sitting down with bare feet holding an ak47. I will remove the weapon of course and have him looking around a cornere at the vehicles coming, he too might hav a coffee or tea or something in other hand. The bent over figure might be useful on the scaffolding or something. the heads will be changed too of course.

So that makes the civillian figure population grow to 25. I havent got 4 of these figures yet but the test shots show it is starting to get very crowded (just like a real street???). The figure locations move and nothing is final of course. Also I may have to remove a couple of figures if they dont fit (probably traditional clothed ones). so heres few pics of potential layouts, figure clusters.


good mix of traditional and modern clothes


the old figures sort of make a new cluster (this is where most of the 4 figures Im waiting on will join)


also the potential to sneak a figure off to the side for a quiet smoke or phone call or whatever...

Lastly, I am still working on the figs, and it is really obvious that its getting figure heavy (too many). I dont really want to buy more other than what I am waiting on - I feel they will make a better balance than previously. I will get into figure much more detailed later with regards to painting and posing later when the buildings are finished. This is just to touch base for all the people who kindly offered advice, so they can see I have taken what they said to heart and made a compromise of changes.

more building work to follow!

Adam

Adam,

hats off for taking the suggestion on board. Many thanks indeed.
Outstanding work so far and I look forward to what they will all look like when finished.

As usual also many thanks for sharing all of your thought-processes while planning and building.

Keep it up, it is awesome!

your figures are looking great, i was looking at mb iraq insurgent set, they have chest rigs etc but one of the guys is in tracky bottoms and trainers, there is also a kid, hope this is of use to you