_GOTOBOTTOM
Dioramas: Buildings & Ruins
Ruined buildings and city scenes.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Ruined Factory Diorama
dimkaras
Visit this Community
Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: February 24, 2008
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 101 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 02, 2014 - 09:35 PM UTC
Hi all,
Here is an other one attempt with MiniArt vacuum diorama kits



As I wanted it to be a square diorama, I add some plastic to extend the kit's base, to fit exactly at the surface plate of my wooden display base.
Then, this part covered with soil, dust and brick ruins, so was not necessary to copy the engraved base at this point - it is not so easy
Also, I added some parts of an inside stair - what else would be there when the door is on the air?
BTW, I have bought this super kit, that enables me to include many-many stair steps at my next dioramas



Concluding, I decide to use the kit's vents, even if they made me upset with their very thin plastic, that melts at their fitting points - a lot of putty used over there indeed
Actually I have made from scratch a lot of these vents, before, using aluminum foil, or cigar metal cases for the cylindrical ones




And they look good IMO. But the corner part here was not at my ability to be scratch-builded - at least, this time.
So, enjoy some pictures of the progress.




At the next images you may see the plaster I usually use to cover all the ruined buildings.








And here is the most of the plaster brushed away.








Then I use to black primer my plastic buildings. I think that the black base-coat gives more dramatic sense (letting it as part-visible) when adding the final colors, later.






Stay tuned for the next part
Khosravi
Visit this Community
Iran / فارسى
Joined: November 04, 2014
KitMaker: 28 posts
Armorama: 16 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 02, 2014 - 11:30 PM UTC
That's awesome! Well done!
AlanL
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Tuesday, December 02, 2014 - 11:44 PM UTC
Hi Dimitris,

Nice work on the build so far. This will be fun to follow.

Cheers

Al
justsendit
Visit this Community
Colorado, United States
Joined: February 24, 2014
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,492 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 12:23 AM UTC
Very nice work Dimitris!

I will be staying tuned for more!

—mike
easyco69
Visit this Community
Ontario, Canada
Joined: November 03, 2012
KitMaker: 2,275 posts
Armorama: 2,233 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 01:11 AM UTC
Very nice! I love Miniart products!
Giovanni1508
Visit this Community
Napoli, Italy
Joined: April 17, 2014
KitMaker: 652 posts
Armorama: 600 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 02:15 AM UTC

Hi Dimitris,

Very nice project and good choice the Miniart damaged factory. I like how you've managed the ventilation ducts and their supports.

My suggestion: to add a little more rubble, inside and outside the building. A damaged building made of bricks produces a lot of rubble all around.

Then, I fully agree to primerize in black. Go ahead with the job...!

Cheers

Giovanni
alewar
Visit this Community
Canelones, Uruguay
Joined: December 27, 2006
KitMaker: 773 posts
Armorama: 765 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 02:33 AM UTC
Wow!!!!!!

No words!

Regards

Alvaro
jrutman
Visit this Community
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 02:58 AM UTC
I can only repeat what everyone else said!! Well done! These vac buildings are not easy to work with but you know how!!
J
callmehobbes
Visit this Community
England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 17, 2005
KitMaker: 751 posts
Armorama: 740 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 03:05 AM UTC
Why is it my Miniart kits never look this good?
Top job, looking good.
ironelf
Visit this Community
New York, United States
Joined: January 27, 2010
KitMaker: 235 posts
Armorama: 174 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 03:08 AM UTC
Hi, Dimitris:

Thanks for sharing your in progress shots. It already looks amazing. I'm curious why you use the plaster. Is that to fill in some marks in the plastic or to give a rough appearance to the bricks or something else?

I'm looking forward to seeing this as you move forward.

Cheers!

Chris
dimkaras
Visit this Community
Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: February 24, 2008
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 101 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 03:37 AM UTC
Hi all,
Thanks for your kind words.

@Chris
I use the plaster as it helps me at many things.

Firstly, as you said, it "gives a rough appearance to the bricks" or wherever I want to be so.

Then it helps me to cover the fitting issues at the visible join points of the walls. I have to say that I also use a lot of putty over there, and a strong mix of molded parts of plastic sheet into a very strong solvent
But the plaster is doing the best work over all the other attempts, as it gives more realistic ending at the ruined walls.

An other use of the plaster is to cover the "blackheads" where have been damaged, for example when I was trying of remove them with a cutter.

Concluding it helps to the integration of the ruins I have added near the building.

One more thing...
The coat of plaster is made by sprinkling it on wet, with diluted white glue, areas.

Cheers
JPTRR
Staff MemberManaging Editor
RAILROAD MODELING
#051
Visit this Community
Tennessee, United States
Joined: December 21, 2002
KitMaker: 7,772 posts
Armorama: 2,447 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 04:37 AM UTC
Dimitris,

That is an excellent model!
joepanzer
Visit this Community
North Carolina, United States
Joined: January 21, 2004
KitMaker: 803 posts
Armorama: 740 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 05:21 AM UTC
I have this same kit in progress. I am foloowing this with interest!
ahandykindaguy
Visit this Community
Alberta, Canada
Joined: August 20, 2008
KitMaker: 1,295 posts
Armorama: 1,191 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 06:53 AM UTC
Dimitris your work is stellar sir! I will have to try your plaster process on my next build as it seems to cover over a multitude of sins as it were....

I also came very close this week to buying the same kits, well the one almost got was the metal stairs....

I have plans for my next work and think they will fit in well. They look great on you project. Looking forward to more pictures, and I like your explanations too....

Dave

clovis899
#155
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: May 05, 2002
KitMaker: 774 posts
Armorama: 605 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 07:27 AM UTC
Dimitris,
Awesome, just awesome. A little help on the plaster; do you use a normal mix or is it thinner than usual?

Cheers,
Rick
dimkaras
Visit this Community
Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: February 24, 2008
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 101 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 12:39 PM UTC
Once again, thanks to all
I think many of you use a thin plaster when scratch building brick walls.

Here is another small secret:
I also use this thing at my ceramic parts/copies of cobblestones and brick walls. It is doing a double work there. It fills the small bubble holes
(sorry I have not a decompressor), but covers the tinny bubbles themselves too

@ Rick
As I wrote it is a construction industry product.
Using the Google translator it says on its label
"Special fast setting restoration and repair mortar. It contains white cement and sand" which is removed by me with the sieving, so what is left alone is something like fine powder.
I wet the surface with very diluted white glue and apply the powder over it.
Maybe a video would help some time
Because among others, the most of the work I am doing ...is by hand and a very sharp old brush
In case it has come very hard, I wet the brush (or my hand) with pure water and this is very useful.
The plaster is very visible at the following images.




Hope all these help.

Cheers
Tank1812
Visit this Community
North Carolina, United States
Joined: April 29, 2014
KitMaker: 1,112 posts
Armorama: 886 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 05:26 PM UTC
Excellent work Dimitris.

In this photo, what are the products used to make the sidewalk, curb and cobblestone street?

dimkaras
Visit this Community
Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: February 24, 2008
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 101 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 05:43 PM UTC
Hi Ryan,
These are 1:16 copies using the excellent molds from www.dioramadebris.co.uk
I have invest a non insignificant amount at their products
Tank1812
Visit this Community
North Carolina, United States
Joined: April 29, 2014
KitMaker: 1,112 posts
Armorama: 886 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 06:05 PM UTC
Awesome...I can see why. What product do you use for the molds? I am wondering if Aves clay shay could be used.
dimkaras
Visit this Community
Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: February 24, 2008
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 101 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 06:45 PM UTC
Ryan,
Don’t forget I am in Greece and your at the US
So what I can find here may differ of what you have available there.
I use a kind of Plaster of Paris or Synthetic Plaster of Paris for use in Relief Casting. They call it Giluform (you may google it, as it is a trademark) and it comes in two colors, teracota (the red brick color) and pure white.
It is very hard indeed and dry fast.
As I have no managed to find some cheap pigments to coloring this plaster, I use the teracota one, as it is for the bricks, and the white one for all the other castings. Actually I use a little amount of …black dry tempera for coloring it as gray cement.
If the amount of color is too much it start to loose its capacity to be hard enough.

Here is some progress too: “the basic painting”. Hope to finish with oils and pigments soon.






Cheers
Biggles2
Visit this Community
Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 08:38 PM UTC
Some times I just don't understand MiniArt's concept of architecture. In this case the entry door is at a higher level than the windows, requiring a landing and steps, both inside and out...for what purpose? But excellent building (modelling) techniques!
justsendit
Visit this Community
Colorado, United States
Joined: February 24, 2014
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,492 posts
Posted: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 - 09:15 PM UTC
Hi Dimitris,

A couple of things I'm noticing:

The broken brick edges look a bit too smooth and I may even be seeing some residual mold seams.

I really like the rubble on top of the inside vent ... maybe you could do something similar on the window sills ... especially the top one? And if you're into it ... a bit more rubble at the building's base.

Just wondering: Will there be a vehicle included in the scene? If so, I hope it's not too large or hanging off the base, so as not to take all the focus away from the factory.

All said, this is extremely nice work — keep at it!

—mike
dimkaras
Visit this Community
Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: February 24, 2008
KitMaker: 104 posts
Armorama: 101 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 04, 2014 - 03:37 PM UTC
Here we are again
First of all I appreciate all your suggestions, tips and comments.
I know some times the scenics we make have some issues with reality, but the theatrical stage view (a friend posted this, above) is what I do like to recreate in scale.
BTW, I just finished this diorama but ...when a factory is leaving ...an other one is coming



Yes, you guess right, just another adventure at the Vacuum World of MiniArt is waiting for me
So, after ...5 layers of washes, some pigments, some corrections with paint over them, and here are the last images of this project
Enjoy them and have fun
Cheers


1stjaeger
Visit this Community
Wien, Austria
Joined: May 20, 2011
KitMaker: 1,744 posts
Armorama: 1,727 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 04, 2014 - 04:26 PM UTC


Very very nice!!!!

Great show!!!!

Congratulations!

Cheers

Romain

Szmann
Visit this Community
Netherlands Antilles
Joined: September 02, 2014
KitMaker: 1,977 posts
Armorama: 305 posts
Posted: Thursday, December 04, 2014 - 05:59 PM UTC
Hi, Dimitris. Thank you for your inspirational work. Nicely done - i was following the topic from the good beginning. Warm Regards.
 _GOTOTOP