Here's my first attempt at a dio - an SdKfz 222 as well as a DAK motorcycle next to a N African building. So far I've started the base with some wood filler and talus for a gravel road, as well as crushed plaster for rocks and some debris. It seems like it needs a bit more dust/powder, so I might try putting down some dilute white glue with plaster dust in it to give it some more grain, as well as a pre-shade.

Apologies for the pictures, I didn't have my tripod handy.


Building will be going into the corner, currently working on plastering it.



Any tips/techniques for making it look a bit more "desert-y" would be very much appreciated - the 222 is actually my first finished armor subject and this is my first diorama.

May I ask what scale is this (1/35th?) ? Also what kind of house will u be adding (scratched or a kit)? It looks good so far, I would perhaps add some dried shrubs around the larger stones!

Hope you enjoy building your first dio!!
Regards,

Small update: base got a general overall shade of a dark mustard mix of acrylics. Just finished washing some burnt umber into most of the crevices, next up is overall drybrushing and adding some WS turf as scrubby desert growth. BTW, this is 1/35.

The building is scratched up from foamboard, tomorrow I'll be covering it in acrylic modeling paste to simulate the stucco covering the bricks. Then I'll be adding shutters and doors from either balsa or basswood (depending on what I have around). Going for the traditional whitewashed stucco/bright blue doors/shutters scheme often seen in Tunisia/Libya/Algeria.

The projected overall layout for the dio (sans some jerry cans and a water pump I plan on putting next to the building).



After the preshading and a burnt umber wash:


Better view of the building before it gets plastered:

nicce, more more

Ola Micheal

That really starts to look nice. Great set up and that building is really a good base to create something stunning. Looking forward to more.

With friendly greetz

Robert Blokker

Nice job Micheal,
The building is looking great.I always use foamboard for my scatch built buildings.
A few pointers on using it.To stop the paper ripple and uneven foam always use the sharpest blade,this can take a lot of breaking the blade for a new edge.Use a cutting board so you can dig the knife through the whole thickness of the board.Rough edges can be sanded easily.Always use Acrylic paint! Anything else by morning most of your building has dissolved.Last ,but not least,always paint both sides of the foamboard.If not the 1 painted side will contract and warp the foamboard.
Hope this is a help.Tom