I have just made 2 dios, my first ever! (Check my Photos) .The small one is made from leftover stuff. I know the camera is a bit fuzzy (sorry). I would greatly aprieciate any advice as i am starting another one soon and want to correct any modelling errors.

Those sandbags need to look less rigid. Other than that the dio is good.

The leftover dio, the dead guy is awefully bloody.

The barbed wire looks a little out of scale. Looks good though.

Ola Morsecode

With these two being your very first dio`s I have to say that I will be looking forward to your future projects. Sure there are some things that can be changed but that is a process of learning. You can`t expect to learn Diorama making in a week or a month (I`m not an exception on this rule my first diorama`s were about the worst in the world.) First of all Check out the Internet you will find a lot of Information about making diorama`s. This site is a very good start look around in the Features section you will find a ton of Information. Also Keith Forsythes www.docdio.com is a very usefull site. there are dozens more do a search through Google or look up the Links sections of several sites Like www.missing-lynx.com

Now up to the dio. What I say may sound a little bit harsh and I definately don`t want to scare you away from the Hobby. This is stuff I have heard enough times too.
I`m not going to notic the Sandbags and the barb wire others have done that already. When I look at the pics I see that the Arms of some of the fig show the line on wich they are attached to the body. This can be easily solved by filling that gap with putty. Putty is a 2 part epoxy filler that is sold in most of the modeling shops. When you glue the figure fill the lines and holes with this putty and when it is cured carefully sand the area where you added too much putty. then paint the figure and the lines will be away. I like the way you made your bushes. Next time you could even add more leaves. Your groundwork could use a little drybrushing to create more tones of colour. this you can achieve to get some paint on a big stiff brush and whip it dry on a piece of cloth until you almost see no paint coming off it. Then Gently whipe over your dio. the higher edges will get the color you are drybrushing with. This technique is also apllyable on figures.

As I said for your first attempt it looks very good better at least then my first attempt and it will be a promosing start too for your next projects. At least there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Enthusiasm

I hope this is of some help for you

Hey Morsecode1!

I stand in your position too!.. my first dio is started!.. I like your bushes!..
What if done is done out in to the garden and literally collected different types of dirt and what not and threw it on the dio randomly, makes it look more "natural". its another way of adding different tones, yet Faust's way is more realistic..
Cant wait to see more work!.. Keep it up!.. Im too new at this to dont worrie

Welcome in the magic world of dio's. As Faust said wisely, check on improving techniques the items to be presented on the dio (figure building painting, armor..etc) cause a good dio consists of well build items. Then the second thing is to match them up and blend nicely with the groundwork and the environment. Some details are good , but when presented in the right place and in the right way. I means some guys fighting their t**ss out in the country would not need a propaganda poster near them, but more than one of these posters will be nice in a city urban scene. Try to study carefully , real scenes and real photos even more than other dio;s that might also have some errors. I mean check on sandbags positioning and look in real battle scenes, then see how they re used in modelling , and then last search about their techniques and how to make them good. I think that this is the way of working properly in all areas. i understand that u have an urge to finsish items and show your work, cause even me after24 years of modelling cannot always hold my horses and i do mistakes due to speed of finishing up. But this is the secret to give everything the proper time, the time that it needs. Its better to do 2-3 dios in a year and have 10-20% improvement in each next than to produce 10 and all be in the same modelling level.
Here is the right place to seek help and advice. Please try to develop your own style, but using well checked and working techniques that will surely ease up your work.
All of us will be here to assist. it good to see new guys in town so we all be happy to push you to get better. Dont be afraid to try things and ask even the more silly (you think that) question.

Greetings from Greece

Costas

Thanks for the advice everyone!

What the other guys said.
Also, if you're going to depict combat, think line of fire. In the first, the two man team in in directline of fire to their comrades behind them. Not a healthy place to be. Also, the gunners have someone in range, hwich means THEY are in range. The guy with the binoculars in that position would be a target.
In the second, you've followed Hollywood's training on blood, that it is a bright red. Having seen a decent sized pool of my own in the street (the day I learned to wear a bicycle helmet), it does not look bright red when spilled, but a darkish red brown, more the color of liver in the butcher shop than the color or a raw side of beef.

I have almost done my men and base for "Outpost". My Base (with cliffs) needs a thick layer of baking powder+Glue snow layer. Unfurtunatly my darn Motorbike hasn't arrived so i can't do much more!!! I posted pics, give me your advice please!!! What do you think of the camo nets on helmets, i'm very pleased with them ,if you want to know how to make em just ask. I am also very pleased with my campfire.

Question for you - are the figures slated for the base? If so, your guys will be a bit on the cold side. You mentioned a layer of snow and the figures are in summer uniforms.
The figures could use a bit of touch ups here and there. Around the shirt sleeves the lines between shirt and skin could be a bit straighter. What I would do, is get the color you want and thin it a bit, then load your brush full, but not dripping. Then just touch the brush one more time in the paint so there is just an extra bit of paint that will come off easily. Then touch that to the little spot you want the paint to be on. Do this over and over till you've straightened things up.

I have touched up my men now ready to go in, my motorbike is out of stock (unfurtunatly) so i will probally get it finished this week. Could anyone please have a look at these photos and give me any extra advice?

I like the self-hardening clay as well...

DISASTER
My extreme bad fortune caused me to confuse baking powder and baking soda (not hard?) my beautiful snow covered outpost RUINED. The whole thing went brown with mould in 2 days!!!!

sorry. um...quick new idea mudslide?!?!