In the cold morning of December 19, 1944
New South Wales, Australia
Joined: May 04, 2016
KitMaker: 1,476 posts
Armorama: 1,463 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 08, 2016 - 04:17 AM UTC
Hi Kurt,
I’d be one of those YES-ers about the redeployments, and again brilliant photos this time. You’re probably right about how you’re getting the fog effect, my previous suggestion about wafting steam across it from a kettle or similar of course has the downside of instant condensation i.e. giant water droplets appearing everywhere…unless maybe you could blow the steam across between the dio & the camera in a “corridor”. Might be worth trying in order to get a less uniform fog effect, thicker & thinner?
PS when you take the final shots pls could you include a couple of overhead views?
Cheers, Tim
California, United States
Joined: January 22, 2016
KitMaker: 766 posts
Armorama: 518 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 08, 2016 - 08:02 PM UTC
You can also buy a "gauze filter" for your camera that will give your photos a "foggy feeling". Check with an online camera guru.
Adding the Panther to the scene just nails it, for me anyways. It tells a great story and as I was told this weekend, that is what a diorama should do... tell a great story along with exhibiting skills. Your scene certainly does that.
I am really interested in the "big reveal" tomorrow! You are keeping me in suspenders.
Just completed-
1/24th Tamiya Porsche 956 Skoal Bandit
In the works:
1/12th Protar Ferrari 312T2 (shelved for time being)
ERTL D-8 Caterpillar Bulldozer
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 - 06:43 PM UTC
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 - 07:29 PM UTC
Really nice photographic effects!! Some of those shots really look like you are there. Just like the captured Wochenshau footage from Stoumont. Excellent modeling and pictures both.
J
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 - 08:17 PM UTC
California, United States
Joined: January 22, 2016
KitMaker: 766 posts
Armorama: 518 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 - 09:36 PM UTC
Outstanding! With or without the "foggy" effect, this is quite a piece of work!
My hat is off to you sir for this great diorama!
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Just completed-
1/24th Tamiya Porsche 956 Skoal Bandit
In the works:
1/12th Protar Ferrari 312T2 (shelved for time being)
ERTL D-8 Caterpillar Bulldozer
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 - 11:50 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Outstanding! With or without the "foggy" effect, this is quite a piece of work!
My hat is off to you sir for this great diorama!
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Well , you tell me place , date and time and i'll get there , i'll bring desert Belgian waffles ? Chocolat ?? Cake ??
Thanks Patrick for the unbelieveble good compliments and replies , appreciated !
Kurt
Florida, United States
Joined: May 14, 2012
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 624 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 09:07 PM UTC
Kurt
Haven't been on here for awhile, but you've really come along on this very well.
Love the atmospheric setting, nice job. Don't believe I've seen that before. Have to almost struggle to pick up every detail, and that works well here bc of the uncomfortable setting you've layed out.
Went back over the last few pages and overall the 'fog' technique adds another level of realism: this already seemed cold, dreary, and gloomy. Now it just feels altogether claustrophobic!
The trees, groundwork, and your treatment of the snow and icy conditions, the compactness of everything is what really makes this one "shine"
Great effort.
Sincerely
Dave
"No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity.
But I know none, and therefore am no beast."
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 12:02 AM UTC
I have to echo Daves' comments on the fog. I said it already but it bares repeating because it is so effective. I have seen many many dios on the Ardennes but this is the only one with the true misty foggy damp conditions being readily evident !! Awesome pics,
J
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 01:30 AM UTC
Thank you very much Dave and Jerry for the nice words and warm replies .
The fog effect is nothing more than adjusting the saturation , brightness , contrast etc... on a digital picture. The best way is to take the dio in the open so that you have normal daylight shining on your dio. If the sky is overcast or cloudy it's even better . Take a clean white sheet of paper as background and there you go taking pictures in all directions but make sure that the white background covers the scene . When you have uploaded the photos into the computer you select the normal standard application from windows to adjust photos.
The first thing i do to start creating the fog effect is level up the brightness to maximum , the picture looks blurry and overexposed but that's exactly the goal to aim for. Than carefully increasing the contrast until the subject (tanks , figures etc....) shows up again. Increasing the sharpness but not too much and very important reducing the saturation to almost nil maximum 10 percent to blend in the colors and there it is a digital made foggy picture .
Thanks for watching , the more than 100000 views , the bookmarks , the good compliments and words of encouragement and above all your will to spend the time to read my bad English
Kurt
New South Wales, Australia
Joined: May 04, 2016
KitMaker: 1,476 posts
Armorama: 1,463 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 04:12 AM UTC
Hi Kurt,
It’s all been said already – brilliant in every aspect & it deserves to be included in any book or digital presentation on Great Dioramas.
And your English is excellent – I promise you it’s better than probably 50% of people who claim English is their native tongue. Having struggled to learn French at school I am constantly in awe of people like you who can achieve such an advanced conversational/idiomatic standard in another language.
Cheers,
Tim
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 05:26 AM UTC
Thanks buddy for taking the time to explain your process ! Very helpful.
J
Massachusetts, United States
Joined: February 08, 2012
KitMaker: 1,271 posts
Armorama: 1,253 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 08:28 AM UTC
There we go Kurt! You really know how to take very "atmospheric" photos. I think the best figure here is the wounded US tanker, he says it all and I can only see half of him! Great, great great outcome here. I think the best quality from the photos you took is that I can't really see what the base of the diorama is shaped like, if that makes sense? It doesn't seem to have any edges, just keeps going, like you're right there in the Arddennes... Fantastic, sir.
So. Dare I ask... what's next?
-Conor
I'm doin' stuff. Lotta stuff.
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 08:44 PM UTC
Thanks again guys for the good comments .
Tim , thank you for the compliment about my English .Hehehehe
Jerry , no thanks man you should give it a try with one of your ardennes dio's .
ah sir Conor
, yes a good point about the edges they are covered with tape to blend in with the background if they were painted in black (my usual color)it would disturb a lot . My next project ? Well recently i have started a diorama depicting a small section of a park . But i don't think there's enough interest here to start a new thread ... Thanks for dropping in .
Kurt
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 11:25 PM UTC
No interest ?? Of course there would be interest buddy.
Don't let the long dark tunnel get you down. It happens to others here as well.
Keep going man,we would love to see what you have going next.
J
Colorado, United States
Joined: February 24, 2014
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,492 posts
Posted: Friday, December 02, 2016 - 04:48 AM UTC
Hi Kurt,
Dammit! … My vision is already blurred and now you’ve gone and added fog to the equation — feels like I’m stumbling around in a cold, damp forest!
Always interested in seeing what you create.
—mike
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Friday, December 02, 2016 - 06:57 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Hi Kurt,
Dammit! … My vision is already blurred and now you’ve gone and added fog to the equation — feels like I’m stumbling around in a cold, damp forest!
Always interested in seeing what you create.
—mike
Hi mike.... i'm so sorry for that
and also because you have to crank up the stove everytime you visit this topic
But thanks for your help with the sergeant in the stream and the rifle thing and your words of encouragement .
Kurt
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Friday, December 02, 2016 - 07:02 PM UTC
Quoted Text
No interest ?? Of course there would be interest buddy.
Don't let the long dark tunnel get you down. It happens to others here as well.
Keep going man,we would love to see what you have going next.
J
Okay than ,but showing a wip or starting a new thread will be very difficult next year . I'll be back don't worry.
Thanks brother for your never ending support !
Kurt
Alberta, Canada
Joined: August 20, 2008
KitMaker: 1,295 posts
Armorama: 1,191 posts
Posted: Friday, December 02, 2016 - 10:42 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
No interest ?? Of course there would be interest buddy.
Don't let the long dark tunnel get you down. It happens to others here as well.
Keep going man,we would love to see what you have going next.
J
Okay than ,but showing a wip or starting a new thread will be very difficult next year . I'll be back don't worry.
Thanks brother for your never ending support !
Kurt
You have all our support Kurt. This representation of the battle depicts all the tension and stress of the situation very accurately, and with over 102000 views, I would say that the interest level for your next build would be high!
Keep going Mister... if you build it, we will come....go the distance...
Do what you love, and love what you do... then everything else is simply an extension of that which drives your heart.
Colorado, United States
Joined: February 24, 2014
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,492 posts
Posted: Saturday, December 03, 2016 - 12:51 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Hi Kurt,
Dammit! … My vision is already blurred and now you’ve gone and added fog to the equation — feels like I’m stumbling around in a cold, damp forest!
Always interested in seeing what you create.
—mike
Hi mike.... i'm so sorry for that and also because you have to crank up the stove everytime you visit this topic But thanks for your help with the sergeant in the stream and the rifle thing and your words of encouragement .
Kurt
No worries buddy — not your fault — just me whining about small stuff. Waaaaa! 😝
The good news, or so I thought, like my old place, the new apartment I moved into last year has a wood stove. The bad news … I had it inspected and it was deemed a fire hazard — unfortunately, too expensive for the landlords to fix. 😖 The good news … Less dust and I’ve not gone up in flames! Lol! 🔥
In order to feel warmer, maybe I’ll just pull up your ‘Field of Silence’ or ‘Omaha Beach’ dioramas! Haha! ☀️
Cheers, and I hope all is well.
Year-round lurker!
—mike
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Saturday, December 03, 2016 - 10:40 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Hi Kurt,
Dammit! … My vision is already blurred and now you’ve gone and added fog to the equation — feels like I’m stumbling around in a cold, damp forest!
Always interested in seeing what you create.
—mike
Hi mike.... i'm so sorry for that and also because you have to crank up the stove everytime you visit this topic But thanks for your help with the sergeant in the stream and the rifle thing and your words of encouragement .
Kurt
No worries buddy — not your fault — just me whining about small stuff. Waaaaa! 😝
The good news, or so I thought, like my old place, the new apartment I moved into last year has a wood stove. The bad news … I had it inspected and it was deemed a fire hazard — unfortunately, too expensive for the landlords to fix. 😖 The good news … Less dust and I’ve not gone up in flames! Lol! 🔥
In order to feel warmer, maybe I’ll just pull up your ‘Field of Silence’ or ‘Omaha Beach’ dioramas! Haha! ☀️
Cheers, and I hope all is well.
Year-round lurker!
—mike
Hi guys ,
* Dave , thanks man for your visit and the compliments . It is very flattering to have a high rate of views but i'd rather finish a diorama than starting a build with no ending , if you know what i mean ?
* mike , well that makes two of us living in an apartment
i have two electric stoves to warm up the place but if you want to pay the bill of the electric consumption '' BE MY GUEST ''
. Ow yes Omaha beach ...euhm....i've still got the figures ...and a LCVP from Italeri.... and a tank... but not much time i'm afraid . So be patient don't start open up the bag with popcorn , put the beer back in the refrigerator . Thanks for the reply buddy.
Kurt
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Friday, December 23, 2016 - 03:02 PM UTC
My best wishes for next year and have yourself a little Merry Christmas tonight !
Greetings to all of you !
Kurt
#362
California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2013
KitMaker: 1,661 posts
Armorama: 1,202 posts
Posted: Friday, December 23, 2016 - 03:22 PM UTC
Hi Kurt -
Best wishes to you and yours!
I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll (hopefully!) build and share with us in 2017!!
Cheers
Nick
Alberta, Canada
Joined: August 20, 2008
KitMaker: 1,295 posts
Armorama: 1,191 posts
Posted: Friday, December 23, 2016 - 09:46 PM UTC
Quote: * Dave , thanks man for your visit and the compliments . It is very flattering to have a high rate of views but i'd rather finish a diorama than starting a build with no ending , if you know what i mean ?
As a matter of fact I do indeed know what you mean Kurt!
Nevertheless we build, and we build, and we....
Merry Christmas my Belgian friend, and a very happy new year. May all your builds get finished in a timely fashion in 2017!
Do what you love, and love what you do... then everything else is simply an extension of that which drives your heart.
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Friday, December 23, 2016 - 10:16 PM UTC
Yep !! Merry Christmas buddy.
