This is a new piece recently finished of a German Marder II in France the days after the D-Day Invasion: Out of Ammo – remainder of the Marder crew surrenders to a US Paratrooper after running out of ammunition.




Appreciate your thoughts and input…

John
www.johnneill.com

GREAT DIO JOHN - CONGRATS
EXCELLENT PAINT,WORK,ETC ....

ROBERTO

Looks very nice. Any more angles or photos we can see?

Click here - "Out of Ammo..." - to see other angles at my webpage.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement,
John
www.johnneill.net

Nicely done! What did you use for the groundwork? Care to share? :-)

The ground cover is a combination of things: Durhams Water Putty, Celluclay, Real dirt & gravel from the street gutter and some oregano and jute rope cut in irregular length.

I sketch out on my base where everything will go, then drill, and peg where my figure will stand with a Paper Clip. After constructing and securing the wall and drill holes approximately ¾ to 1” apart with a ¼ drill bit. I covered the whole base with a 1/8 to ¼ layer of Durhams Water putty, creating the basic shapes (road area and embankment and down the edges in this case) and carving the bricks on the wall. Next I place irregular tape over the carved brick and plaster on a very thin coat of Durhams as it dried I pull up the tape making great irregular pattern of peeled away plaster.

Next, I mixed Celluclay with lots of white glue and layer it in with an artist spatula while the Durhams is still wet. After getting the terrain in the basic shape I want, I pour a full mason jar of dirt and gravel (very small stuff) on to the base and press it with my fingertips. I dump of the excess, work in the tire, track marks and foot prints.

Once dried, I painted the wall and terrain (weather and dry brush). The jute rope (or hemp) it then cut and I place patches of glue where the brush/weeds are to go… the jute rope is then added in irregular heights to these location. I also added a few dry root tendrils from a departure (may it rest in peace) rose brush (and “No”, contrary to rumor I did not kill the rose brush just for the diorama). Finally, I drew lines of glue straight from the bottle on the wall like vines and sprinkle the oregano on the wet glue. Once everything is dried, I give it all a good “Blow” with an air compressor to get rid of the loose debris and do my final paint, dry brush and weathering. Then add the Marder and Figures.

Hope that makes sense,

John
www.johnneill.com

hi Neill its a great diorama, indeed, im just wondering how you make the wall ? what is the base material ?, actually can i use balsa wood as a foundation of the wall and add the celuclay ??.. and how you paint all the wall, its looks realistic, i hope i can do it like that someday,,thks

The wall is just piece of scrap lumber I have collected… I think this was fro n the wood crate of a chocolate Easter Egg. Once I cut or glue them together into the rough shape I want I glue and pin them to the base and let it dry. Then I drill holes into the wall to give my coating material (Durham Water Putty – I buy it at Home Depot $7-8.00) something to grip onto. Durhman dry to a leathery consistence first and then it becomes very hard. While it is leathery in texture, I carve my bricks ( or finished stones or rough rocks) . Then I take blue painters tape, rip it into irregular shapes and cover most of the brick area. Leaving the very edge of the bricks area exposed to be covered later. Now I smooth on a very thin coat of Druham like plaster and r after it dries little I pull up the tape, which creates the peeled away plaster look.

Painting is a matter of a coat of flat black sprayed over everything (straight from the spray can) as a base coat - and to cover any spots i might miss as I paint. Then I dry brush lighter and lighter shades of grays and browns. Bricks are paint burnt sienna and dry brushed.

John
www.johnneill.com








John
www.johnneill.com

Looks very nice...great dio...

Neill,

I impressed with this dio ! Excellent work.

Maybe you could write some small articles for us on techniques you used ? If you are interested to write us some small articles, please contact me (PM or [email protected])

John,

Truly awesome work. Especially appealing is the colour palette and the layout.
Very tight, intensive scene.
I would add wooden frames around the base to cover the edges. There you would also have some place for a title plate.



Cheers,
Toni

Excellent piece of work. Just the right amount of "stuff" well laid out; well contructed and painted; good, obvious story line. No excesses, the Marder looks used, not abused.
Many kudos. Congrats.

Great idea , appreciate it. I am always reminded of my Grandfather's words when I sculpt or model or teach. He said, "It is what you learn after you know everything that really counts."

Thanks for the ideas,
john
www.johnneill.com

John,
You have done a sweet job here. Very subtle and impressive work!
Thanks for sharing it with us.

John:
Very impressive diorama. I have a couple of questions: (1) What figures did you use? and (2) Did I understand you correctly that the actual vine is nothing more than a line of glue with herbs attached?

Figures: The two surrendering Germans are converted Tamyia Figures. I carved away the original casting and re-sculpted the tunic, pants and camo smock with A&B Epoxy Putty. The Paratrooper is a DML Figure (101st, I think). To get the pose I wanted I had to carve the jump jacket off, re-articulateteh figure and resculpted in A&B. The Backpack, ammo and pouches were also made from A&B.

Vines: Yes, the vines on the wall are simply strings or white glue cover with oregano. I did glue a dry root and it tendrils against the base of the wall and attached the glue and oregano to it also. I always have a tendency to want the detail to be there and used to use wire or dry roots to create the vine. But one day I heard Shep Paine say, “Why produce detail that no one can see or that would not sow up in scale.” A ¼ vine in 1/35 is thinner then a piece of hair… (which I also tried using once).

John
www.johnneill.com

That is really a great looking diorama! I am impressed by the simplicity of the whole process. I really like the idea of having the Germans surrender. That adds an interesting and mysterious side to the art. What will happen after he takes them captive?

~Chip

Thanks! I think that is why I enjoy single figures and dioramas... the story. If I had been born a 1000 years back, I wold probably be sitting around the fire of the great hall deep in the Highlands and telling tales of the our latest raid...

John of the clan MacNeil of Barra
(sorry I think I had a flash back)
www.johnneill.com