Here's a couple of pics of my latest entitled 'Backyard Restoration' featuring a Tamiya Motorcycle (hidden under the blur tarpaulin in the 3rd pic) being restored in someones backyard after the war. Shed, fence etc. are scratchbuilt, vegitation is from Mininatur and some real moss:







John

Well done. I like the flowers. -zon

John looking good but whats in the shed

Now that's my kind of diorama! Would like to see a bit more of the motorcycle peaking out from under the tarp

Thanks for the comments, here's a couple more pics showing the motorcycle and the interior of the shed which still needs a load of work doing...





John

Hi John. You really captured the typical weathering of the old shed and fence nicely .... both in construction and painting and weathering. The bike peeping out under the tarps is a smart detail. The actual tarp is the weak point for me. Too much of it is floating and appears too stiff. Is it possible to push it down more to sit tighter around the bike and look heavier? Would make a difference here IMO.

Good rep of an old barn. Nicely done.

Cheers Frank, you are absolutely correct, the tarp does look like it is floating - it is possible to drop it down, just needs a little glue to keep it on contact with the bike.

The idea for putting it under the tarp came from me making a complete mess of the PE spokes on the rear wheel so needing some way to hide the mess

John

Hi John,

Fantastic work John! I love the idea; I also like how you made the shed a workshop. I myself did a similar thing with an old kubelwagen that broke.

May I ask what you used for the nails and flowers?
Regards,

Beautiful work here John!! Weathering is realistic..well done. Quick question..care to share how you weathered the shed? Looks like it was probably a quick and easy weather..but just the basic concept please?? Thanks a ton!

Johnathon

Thanks Vladimir - the 'nails' are simply holes drilled in the styrene strips, I need to add a few rust streaks yet. The flowers are from Mininatur.

John

Thanks Johnathan,

The styrene strips for the shed were first roughed up with course sandpaper to give them a grain and then painted with Tamiya Flat Red Acrylic without being too careful to give a bit tonal variation.

Before the paint had a chance to completely dry, a then painted over the top with a black fabric dye called Dye-na-Flow. This was then rubbed in quite hard with the end of a finger in the direction of the grain.

The final touch was some oil weathering particularly round the bottom edge with moss green oil paint.

Takes longer to describe than to do

John

Calling this one finished now albeit with a change in title, its now called 'What did you do in the war daddy?'. As I suck at painting figures, I had these done for me:













John

judging by that kid's legs, he's going to be one heck of a good athlete! The sephia is a very nice touch.

Hi John,

you have a very clever way to introduce your dio!! Every new batch of pics brings more details!! I like that a lot!!

beautiful little scene!! Congrats on the composition, the weathering and the vegetation...but also on that poor old rusty bike!! (The tarp looks perfect now!)

Well done indeed!!

And pass on my congrats to the guy who painted the figures!! What a great job on those overalls!!!!!

I agree that the kid is looking a tad "over-muscled", but that's not your fault!!

Cheers

Romain