Dioramas
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Replicating night...with darker colors?
communityguy
#280
Joined: May 14, 2012
KitMaker: 493 posts
Armorama: 358 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 08:58 AM UTC
I was browsing the forums and started thinking about dioramas of night scenes. Has anyone ever attempted to better replicate a night scene using darkened colors and false shadows? I'm not (necessarily) talking about lighting up your diorama with LEDs... I'm talking about faking the scene to look like nightfall has come.
BobJ
Joined: October 15, 2006
KitMaker: 27 posts
Armorama: 19 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 09:10 AM UTC
1. Paint as normal.
2. Close the curtains.
3. Turn off the light!!
2. Close the curtains.
3. Turn off the light!!
Tiger_213
Joined: August 10, 2012
KitMaker: 1,510 posts
Armorama: 1,443 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 09:34 AM UTC
I think the more practical and efficient way would be to put a shroud around the diorama. This way you can focus light and the point of view.
Something made of foamboard would work nicely.
Something made of foamboard would work nicely.
1stjaeger
Joined: May 20, 2011
KitMaker: 1,744 posts
Armorama: 1,727 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 10:01 AM UTC
Hi Jake,
I think I understand what you mean....and I find the thought alone fascinating!! Not easy to do surely, but fascinating...and hopefully inspirational for some people!!
Good luck with this idea...and thanks for bringing it up!!
Cheers
Romain
I think I understand what you mean....and I find the thought alone fascinating!! Not easy to do surely, but fascinating...and hopefully inspirational for some people!!
Good luck with this idea...and thanks for bringing it up!!
Cheers
Romain
1stjaeger
Joined: May 20, 2011
KitMaker: 1,744 posts
Armorama: 1,727 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 10:01 AM UTC
Quoted Text
1. Paint as normal.
2. Close the curtains.
3. Turn off the light!!
Maybe not nice, but
!!!!!!
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 10:24 AM UTC
parrot
Joined: March 01, 2002
KitMaker: 1,607 posts
Armorama: 1,581 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 10:28 AM UTC
Hey Jake,
I think the only way to get a good night scene is build a shadow box with some LED's.I have for years wanted to do a dio of the scene from Platoon were Sheen wakes up to see the VC coming,but even adding ponchos and a wet look wouldn't pull it off.The other guys are right.I've added LED's to a few models,but if you don't turn off the lights you'll never notice and then you don't see much of the scene.I have a Viet Cong tunnel on the shelf I have been planning on making a box for,but it takes a lot of time and right wiring.A lot of LED's might may help.Chek out this http://www.dynamicdioramas.org/modelindex.html.
Tom
I think the only way to get a good night scene is build a shadow box with some LED's.I have for years wanted to do a dio of the scene from Platoon were Sheen wakes up to see the VC coming,but even adding ponchos and a wet look wouldn't pull it off.The other guys are right.I've added LED's to a few models,but if you don't turn off the lights you'll never notice and then you don't see much of the scene.I have a Viet Cong tunnel on the shelf I have been planning on making a box for,but it takes a lot of time and right wiring.A lot of LED's might may help.Chek out this http://www.dynamicdioramas.org/modelindex.html.
Tom
FAUST
#130
Joined: June 07, 2002
KitMaker: 8,797 posts
Armorama: 4,190 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 11:35 AM UTC
I have seen exactly what you describe done several times. I remember one figure scene that had a dwarf/leprechaun-like figure with a lantern in a dwelling and the painter even painted the glow of the lantern on the walls. It was really impressive.
Basically what it comes down to is a solid understanding of painting. And how to make light effects and such. Understanding how colors look when the light fades etc. It is quite hard to do but not impossible. It might be an idea to look up work of the old masters of painting. They were basically the HD camera's of their time and they knew exactly about the workings of light and color.
Basically what it comes down to is a solid understanding of painting. And how to make light effects and such. Understanding how colors look when the light fades etc. It is quite hard to do but not impossible. It might be an idea to look up work of the old masters of painting. They were basically the HD camera's of their time and they knew exactly about the workings of light and color.
FAUST
#130
Joined: June 07, 2002
KitMaker: 8,797 posts
Armorama: 4,190 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 11:42 AM UTC
A little example I just found.
A work called "Harbour by night" from Desire Donny painted in 1840
These artists painted in 2D but I don't see how it would be any different in a 3D scene. It all comes down to use of color. Mostly blues at that. Pretty much every color should have some tint of blue added to it and really deep shadows.
A work called "Harbour by night" from Desire Donny painted in 1840
These artists painted in 2D but I don't see how it would be any different in a 3D scene. It all comes down to use of color. Mostly blues at that. Pretty much every color should have some tint of blue added to it and really deep shadows.
jhoenig
Joined: December 29, 2011
KitMaker: 343 posts
Armorama: 313 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 11:46 AM UTC
This is just as Robert said (close curtains turn off the lights) with a work light overhead (single bulb) then I put packing paper over it to diffuse the brightness. Gives a good moonlit effect.
- John
- John
SdAufKla
Joined: May 07, 2010
KitMaker: 2,238 posts
Armorama: 2,158 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 01:21 PM UTC
Some years ago there was an article in "Fine Scale Modeler" about a boxed diorama of a Lysander landing at night in occupied France with resistance forces loading / unloading the aircraft.
Not only was it a night scene, but it was done with forced perspective using 1/35 scale figures in the foreground and the airplane was in 1/48th scale.
IIRC, the article was pretty detailed with plans and a good explanation of the lighting scheme, to include the use of blue colored bulbs and darker colors on the ground work fading towards the horizon with the sky appearing moonlit.
Anyways, it can be done, but I don't think simply using darker colors in an open composition would really carry off the "night look." I think that you'd have to use a "boxed" diorama construction and actually control the lighting.
Not only was it a night scene, but it was done with forced perspective using 1/35 scale figures in the foreground and the airplane was in 1/48th scale.
IIRC, the article was pretty detailed with plans and a good explanation of the lighting scheme, to include the use of blue colored bulbs and darker colors on the ground work fading towards the horizon with the sky appearing moonlit.
Anyways, it can be done, but I don't think simply using darker colors in an open composition would really carry off the "night look." I think that you'd have to use a "boxed" diorama construction and actually control the lighting.
Tiger_213
Joined: August 10, 2012
KitMaker: 1,510 posts
Armorama: 1,443 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 01:45 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Some years ago there was an article in "Fine Scale Modeler" about a boxed diorama of a Lysander landing at night in occupied France with resistance forces loading / unloading the aircraft.
Not only was it a night scene, but it was done with forced perspective using 1/35 scale figures in the foreground and the airplane was in 1/48th scale.
IIRC, the article was pretty detailed with plans and a good explanation of the lighting scheme, to include the use of blue colored bulbs and darker colors on the ground work fading towards the horizon with the sky appearing moonlit.
Anyways, it can be done, but I don't think simply using darker colors in an open composition would really carry off the "night look." I think that you'd have to use a "boxed" diorama construction and actually control the lighting.
You could achieve a 'night' look with colors alone but getting everything to have the correct tint would be a nightmare. And when showcased in a lighted environment it would just be confusing to anyone who didn't understand your intentions.
Shadowbox, shadowbox, shadowbox...
You could try writing FSM. They occasionally answer 'In-what-issue-was-this' questions.
EDIT: About as good as it gets;
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/196572&page=1
Can't believe that was almost two years ago.
Jmarles
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 02:14 PM UTC
I was thinking something similar but agree with some others that paint alone will be difficult. I am a career lighting technician and I've been thinking about applying that to some sort of shadow box using LED strip lighting (like at cheesy clubs and restaurants). Was thinking small backlight,a top light, all diffused with filters, and then for the front glass or plexi insert some sort of blue filter like CTB or Steel Blue, or even Steel Green. hmm. 
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