Have you ever seen a dio and youve seen that Verdilin biulding or whatever in 20 other dioramas. They are still good dios but I think we all admire people that scratch build there buildings. You look at that scratch built building and think how much effort that person put into it. I just want to tell people to keep scratch building. I love it.

I find a happy "combination"... while the majority of my work is all scratchbuilt (love that Balsa Foam!), i often use elements of kits from Verlinden, Plus Models, and Custom Dioramics to create a custom effect. A good example is my diorama feature "Breakout"... while much of the building is actually an old Verlinden piece, I put it together in a totally different layout, and added tons of Grandtline, homebrew, and scratchbuilt items. I don't worry about the "source" but the creativity, realism, and details - regardless of source.

all mine dios are scratch built, cause i can't find anything for dio in Romania (except some static grass and other stuff like this for rail modeling)
but i'm happy that all i do is original and i'll never see the same builds in other people works.

I think the only excuse you have for building from a kit is for the vehicle and figures, the rest of the stuff is possible to scratch build. so what's the fun of buying a premade building? there is no satisfaction!

I agree with you dragonslain. I see these articles in FSM and the like, "and then here i used Verlinden set ##### combined with Verlinden ##### and made this street diorama without ANY ORIGINAL THOUGHT" :-)
But that's my opinion. And I'm stickin to it!
Although, I've only ever tried doing 2 building... both are in a stagnant unfinished unpainted stage... One i built this time last year but haven't finished.... one even earlier than that. I haven't had the time... never mind.

As most of you know I do all of my own buildings. But I can ague for the use of what ever you can get your hands on to complete the project you have in mind. Let us face it we buy kits, we buy figures, we modify, detail, convert, so why is it any different for the building in the dio? I am not a purest in that sense ( my own failling from grace I fear...)

It is like the modellers who are details purest. They will super detail everything/ Even if you cannot see their work once the job is completed… WHY? Me, I follow the Shep Paine method… do what can be seen and imply the rest. But I am in awe of those who choose to detail every last wire, nut and bolt seen or unseen. It is simply not my thing.

So… buy kits, or convert, or modify or scratch build or all of them and enjoy!!

John
www.johnneill.com


Scratch built building and window. DML head & rifle/equipment and paper clip and A&B Putty body/uniform… a little bit of this and a little bit of that…