Finally got a chance to get some work done on this project. Vehicles are Tamiya, and figures are Verlinden and Warriors. Both vehicles are straight out of the box with a jerry can rack to come for the jeep.








It's my first try at a diorama in over 20 years so let me know what you think.

Hello there Dave, i like the look of it very much, nice and clean groundwork.

both vehicles (especialy the jeep) needs a bit more weathering if you ask me (or its the pics that makes them too clean)

also one more notice from me, the scene is nice but in my opinion its a bit too large and looks a bit empty, there is place for some more figs or another vehicle. Also, there is no track marks behind the vehicles...

just my notices, hope you will show us more progress as you go! :-)


Mirko

I agree with Sensei. The base is too large for and there is too much open space.

It would be better if you mount those figs and vehicles in a smaller diorama or....

You can solve that by adding another vehicle or some figures.

You can add a few items around to fill up the space such as empty crates, ammo boxes, tarps, maybe even a camel or two.

The bush 7 o' clock of the figure at the ridge looks too uniformly cut. Better trim off the grass for an uneven look.

That jeep is screaming for details. Place some tarps, jerrycans, machineguns and some other junk inside it. Have you seen the Tamiya's British "airborne" jeep? (I really forgot what is the real name of the kit. It consists of two British soldiers driving a jeep. The jeep's grille is cut and it has a water container in front of it. Machine guns bristle out of the jeep). You can use that as a reference.

Also put a little more weathering to the vehicles. Put up some pastel chalk dust on it. Someone here also advised me on this earlier and I want to share it: Make a wash of 70% water and 30% Tamiya Acrylic Buff. Paint this all over the tires. When it dries, it looks great!

This is a very promising diorama. I like it very much and I can't wait to see more pics when it is finished. Very nice work. How did you do the groundwork? It is really excellent, superb, fantastic....

Angela

I have to agree with the others there is just to much open space, otherwise i ithink you have an excellent base going there. Find a few more things to add activity or vehicles to fill up a little space. I do think your desert ground work rocks!! It is very good. I agree with angela the jeep is begging for some more stuff. Keep us posted as you progress. Cheers Kevin

Hi Dave

I kinda agree with Sensei' and Angela's opinions.

I'm in a bit of a mixed opinion about the size of the base. One the one hand it looks too big & empty, but on the other hand the emptiness reflects the starkness/emptiness/vastness of the north African desert (sorry, if it sounds kinda deep).

Re. your figures: the lads look a bit too lilly white. They sould be well tanned if they are veterans (which they probably are), or pink if they are newbies.

Here comes my two cents. The size of the base does play with you a bit. To me (as with Tarok) gives a sence of open space and emptyness - very desert. In looking at the Time life series of books, this scene is very remanisent of the pictures in it. If I were to 'fill' any space it would the top left above the LRDG truck.
The ground work is very well done, nice even tone, color and texture.
A couple of things to look at in my opinion, the tone of the figures flesh seems to be very brown/tan, not rosy enough for a desert tan but to pale for natural skin.
I would also work in some tracks that the vehicles left behind when driving into the scene.
I personally would stain the base a dark color that will draw your eyes inward and give higher contrast to the dio.

Thanks for the feedback. As I said, it's been a while since I did a dio so any constructive criticism is welcomed.

I agree that it does look a little bare, but it was supposed to show the desert's emptiness, and these guys trying to fix their location (I figured they were LBS). There will be a "basha" (lean to) set up on the left side of the truck and probably some more bushes on top of the dune to occupy a little of the space.

The pics don't properly show the weathering on the truck, the jeep hasn't been weathered yet, or had the accessories put on it. The figures need a touch more shading on the skin (I can never do skin)

Peacekeeper-
Nice work. Though I'm still pretty new and really just getting back into this "game", I tend to agree on the open aspect of the scene. However, the desert is a very wide open expanse so from that perspective it could work. Using that open area in upper right for a Bedouin tent, a cooking fire, with a camel casually chewing on some of the grass, kind of ignoring the troops would help fill in and add more to the overall theme. The weathering probably would help also, vehicles in this environment get a sand blasted feel I would think so maybe some exposed metal surface would add to this. Just ideas. Great job for a first attempt, I'm going to have to get to work on mine.

Blade48mrd

Hi,

Nice dio !

The commentaries that have been said are pretty good advice and I will put it one more:

Usually, rocks are in the ground and a part of the rock is exposed. From the photographe, it seems that the rocks have been put on the ground but not in the ground. Like the rocks between the two vehicule.

See U and Happy Modeling !!

#:-) #:-)

Nice work. The size as some have already stated lends to the barren expanse of the desert. I think this adds an element to the overall scene. One little suggestion, to simulate an intense sun overhead, enhance the shadows particularly under the vehicles, subtle darkening of the groundwork around and under vehicles, rocks, etc will create the effect the key is subtle.

I think the openess of the diorama is good, as said previously, it represents the openess of the desert. Minuteman's suggestion for the shadows is very good, but I would only do it under the vehicles, if you try it with the figures or the rock the effect may not work (or even be counter productive) depending on the ambient light.
I would not add anything to fill the dio, but the other suggestions regarding filling the vehicles with gear are right. Remember that these LRDG patrols had to carry everything with them. your idea for the leantoo does sound like a nice idea.

Keep at it
Henk

Looking good mate!
i agree with what the guys said about it being a bit oversized for what you are showing, BUT, that being said, it does kinda show that its in an empty, vast desert, so either way youve done a pretty good job so far.
cheers