This is my first attempt at a diorama. Does this scene look natural? Also does it make sense and tell a possible story with the arrangement?







All comments will be welcome as this is a first for me...


Herky

The two guys on the dock edge are looking in different directions. My assumption would be that if one is pointing the other dude with the binocs would be looking at where he is pointing. Also the guy pointing is not looking where he is pointing nor at the other dude. What is the story you are trying to tell? The elements look good where they are placed, it leads your eyes gradually around the scene and you pick up lots of the detail you have added. I think this is a really good start, cant wait to see where you go with it. Cheers.

I don't think this works.

One guy examing the body and 5 others don't care at all.

For the moment (it's only 8 a.m.) and I have no idea what story could told with this kit at all.

What story do you want to tell!?

Claude

Hi Herky,

welcome to the dio-nutters!!

This is a typical "first" in my eyes. The multitude of little weaknesses will decrease with every new attempt.

It shows a certain talent for "quality" and I like that! It usually forms a sound basis from which great scenes can emerge.

The resin base is one of the weaknesses. The corpse f.ex. lacks the details the other figures sport. Also it looks rather biggish (1/32??). Maybe you should bury him halfway under some nice rubble.

Also the combination of landing (in a river? and kind of "rural"), ruin (incl. street lamp, i.e. very urban!) and tree stump (clean top cutting surface, laser gun fire?? ) all seem a little over the top (buy it, it fits everything and nothing, from Alexander the Great to 40K ).

Your choice of figures is also a tad "engulfing", tank, FJ, and all kinds of different uniforms. Who are they??
Looks like Eric the Viking about to embark with his motley crew..!! ...or are they planning to build a bridge??

Orchestrated directions (i.e. pointing/looking) are a little contradictory as well.

So you see, it's not that easy....BUT if you change certain things and take great care in painting etc, this can still become a nice dio!

I personally believe you can do it! Keep your eyes open and your mind alert..and you will be successful!!

I will look forward to seeing progress!

Good luck!!

Cheers

Romain

Well Romain, you are certainly more fit to answer as I am this early in the morning!
It is essentially what I thought but had no force to write down.

Greets

Claude

You may well consider that to be a rare exception Claude!

I am overall too much under romanic influence...neither french, nor italian or spanish have an appropriate greeting matching "good morning" or "guten Morgen".

A morning where other people can address you is a damn bad one!!

Cheers

Romain

Thanks for the Great comments and critiques so far. You are right about the dead soldier, he does look to large.. Maybe If I remove the guy looking at him and add some rubble it would look ok then? Maybe the scene is too busy?? Maybe I could just use these 2



And possibly this in the road??


or this



or this (if it will fit)


If I used the 222 I might grind off the tree stump and try to remove the logs on the left... Would that make more sense? have the 2 SS Recons bubba's and their 222....

thoughts guys??

Herky

It has potential but sticking a vehicle in will crowd a small base and won't work. Personally I'd lose the FJ looking at the body and pretty much cover him in rubble as if a walls come down on him so that solves the problem of him being out of scale. The three blokes on the pier. I'd leave figures 2 and 3 where they are and rotate figure 1 so that he's looking out to the right. Figure two appears to be looking down at a map so to mee it says three officers trying to work out the enemy positions across a river. The two blokes smoking in the background works for me.Two drivers totally disinterested in whatever their officers are talking about as they inevitably know it's not going to be good. Hope that's of some use to you?

I roughly set the 222 in the mix and it fills up alot of space, so you are correct there. I think i will ditch the FJ, I agree that he does not fit, maybe If i had more of them...

And you are correct the guy in the middle will have a map...

I am trying alot of newer techniques as well, well new to me. I am trying Mr. Surfacer 500 to fill the small gaps and stuff, I am also trying to use the Mr Thinner and a q-tip to smooth it out instad of sanding. Seems to be working well...

I must be heading in the right direction, although slowly, as that was my intent of the story, the three up front assessing the situation, the two in the back "killing time" waiting for the meeting to end, and the last guy was supposed to be "picking up" the remnants although I am starting to agree that he does not fit..

Also someone asked who the figures were I believe

They are the two alpine figures above

Wolf WAW28


Modelling Artisan Mori MG 017


and Modelling Artisan Mori MG 018


Herky

Herky, you are thinking along the right lines!!

It's not only crowding the scene, the question would also be..."why the blazes did he drive the vehicle into this cul-de-sac????"

Get rid of that strange tree stump, or modify it to a more realistic status.

Basically, what you have decided now makes more sense. 3 officers examining targets/positions on the other side is a good idea, but what is their purpose...are they trying to instruct an artillery guy on the areas to fire on, then one of the 3 would be ari, maybe mobile?? Nashorn, Hummel, o.s., meaning that he would have a different uniform from the (superior?) officer who would be infantry. A 3rd one could be staff, i.e. karmesinrot as Waffenfarbe, (Ordonnanzoffizier, usually an Oberleutnant) with corresponding gear.

Oh yes, don't forget that (really) cold weather could mean a frozen river!! "Not really so cold" would not produce officers in Mantel!

Keep thinking...and you can't go wrong (rubbish, of course you could, but YOU won't!! )

Cheers

Romain

I didn't see part of your previous mail....it's up to you, but I would leave the Wolf fig out.
Strange thing, cannot make up his mind whether he is an Off or UOff although the pose itself is nice.

He smokes convincingly enough, but officers' drivers would not wear camo gear.

Cheers

Romain

Ok so here is where my mind is going with this one... Ditch the FJ.

Keep the two Artisan Mori Winter Coat Guys..




and add these two


Cover some of the river with snow, ditch the stump, and add a little debris and snow to cover the dead guy, seems to make more sense I think,

Finally getting somewhere I think...

Herky

Keep it coming and thanks for the help so far!

Well,you have gotten advice from some of the best dio and figure guys on this board so no need for me to give any of my humble advice. I will say that you have good taste as Alpine products are amoung the very very best around.
And oh......HAVE FUN!!!!
J

I plan on having some fun, that is for sure....


Now i just need to aquire the last Alpine Set.

I certainly don't want to be picky, but a dead Wehrmacht soldier would not just lie around in a (rather) stressless situation.
The germans, like basically all the armies tend to respect their dead and would -if possible- never just "forget" them!

Go on and have lots of fun!!

Cheers

Romain

P.S.: oh yes, Alpine figs are indeed among the finest around!! And a certain Mr. Tan stands among the greatest figure painters worldwide!

Jerry-- where did you get the base?
DJ

Here is a small update. I removed the stump, some finer work needs to be done in that area. I also started to add some chain around the water... Still figuring out how to get rid of the dead guy.....





The base is from verlinden.
VP 1761, it is OOP I believe...


So let me have it!


Herky

Nice project. I'd stick a motorcycle w/ sidecar near the logs, that way you won't have to do any surgery and it won't hog up the street.
Keep us posted.
Ironmike

Hi Jeremy,

That chain must go....it is way too thick, each link seems to
be the size of a man's hand, you must find something finer or
drill the posts and use rope instead.

Just a suggestion,
Cheers,
Joe

It is too large isn't it..... Well crap. I will fix it... Thanks for the input.


Herky

Herky, this can't go wrong...with all of us watching and nagging!!

But the chain is more "aircraft carrier", so dump it!

Cheers

Romain

Jeremy
I see no problem with using soldiers from different units in the same scene. Especially during the end of WWII a lot of different units in the German armed forces were thrown into battle groups, so a bunch of Officers and NCO's discussing their move, would in my opinion be plauceble. I did it my self, but in a different setting, though.
You could also place a smaller vehicle in the back, for transportation.


Best regards
Jacob

Chains have been removed (although they still are see in this picture).I have been thinking about just using the two figures seen in the picture below


and maybe just adding this thing??


My thought was perhaps they were heading somewhere and find out the bridge out, and now are trying to figure out where to go next??

Thoughts....

Sounds good to me.
J

Before your "freeze" the river, remember, it takes a very long stretch of very cold weather to completely freeze moving weather. It's been at least 5 years since the Connecticut River has frozen in Massachusetts and a local holding reservoir hasn't been solid enough to allow skating in more than ten years. It looks like you'd have to surgically correct or disguise some wave action at the pier and account for the barrels having been frozen into the river. Looking at the base again, there are ripples that would need to be addressed if frozen.

Given the tight space, I'd leave out any vehicles or other equipment. Even a wedgie would been too much, IMHO.

It was pretty strange that Verlinden would mold that tree into the base so close to the edge of the pier.