sorry, I posted this message before but I think my title was a bit to ambiguous so I'm going to try this again.
My post seemed blocked before, I don't know what happened but I couldn't read my own post and the repplies I got, I got the message: "you must be a member to read this forum ???". So I'm going to have it another go, here they are...again .
Let me know what you think ,
feel free to ask if you want to see more pics...
cheers
Feelpanzer

No No you've got it all wrong... This is meant for models and diorama's, not real photo's. We have a reference page for those.... :-)

Wow, that looks stunning. How did you do those trees?
I love the subject, very well done, but maybe the titel needs some explanation to those who do not speak German very well....

I only think that you would need to show the imprint of the tracks behind the StuG more, as these would make a hell of a mess of a forrest track. But that might not have shown in the photo.

Well Done

Henk

wow oyur forest looks really good have you used real branches ect? you could easily imagine that being in a thick wooded area

Feelpanzer, I've got to tell you, that Dio is absolutely AMAZING, sir...Your trees, well, I'm speechless. I'm with Henk on this one, dude, How did you do those???
Gunny

Hey, excellent groundwork you made there! Those tree look absolutely great! They look real big, and together with all the stuff on the ground, they realy give you the feeling you're in a huge, thick forested area!I'm also wondering how you made them!

Do you also have some more detailled pics of the StuG ? It looks great, but it disappears in your wonderfull forest :-)

Grt

The painting, trees and the ground are very nicely done, but imo the trees are far too big.
One trunk seems to be nearly half as large as the complete StuG.
I´ve never been to the ardennes, but I can hardly imagine the trees there to be that big.

Don´t get me wrong it is still a nice diorama.

greets, ekke

@Henk:

"Verrückte Scheiße" is best translated with "holy sh!t"...

Ekke, trust me - these are 'mature forests' the trees are big...

Impressive, nothing else - impressive....Jim

Feelpanzer -

Fantastic, outstanding, incredible... words don't do it justice. Your forest almost takes the focus away from the Stug III. Almost, cause that is a great build in it's own right. Have to go with others and beg you to share info on the trees. Who and/or how? The fallen tree with the roots...way cool. I don't know about the Ardennes as far as tree size but they aren't out of scale for mature evergreens as Jimbrae confirms. Hey, I've got them that size in my own front yard! I am after all from the "Evergreen" State. We've got rather large Douglas Firs, Cedars, and Pine trees. Again absolutely beautiful job.

Blade48mrd

Very well done! The trees are great. I do agree with track prints behind the stug.

Hello Feelpanzer,

Your previous message was "edited" due to the fact that your title was found a bit to inconvenient by some people. Although we in Belgium aren't so easily shocked, you must keep in mind that this is a "family friendly" site. Some viewers could be young, and we don't want them to learn any bad habits. They have still plenty of time to do so, we don't have to encourage them.

So, and this is a request to all of you, if you think of a good title for your dio, try to avoid offensive words.

BTW very nice dio. I like the roots from the trees.
But (here we go... ) don't try to overdo the rust on exhausts. The pipe part is normally black on an active tank.

@ Ekke:

Ekke, believe me, there are trees that big in the ardennes. Pine and fir trees can grow to huge sizes.

Kris

wow feelpanzer..
for a few times u did it again! i can help my self to amaze at your dio. Nice ground work and the snow work. The trees are also excellent!

The third image looks to real to be true im loving it!

thaks guys for the helping words, sorry for the late response but time is my only annemy at this moment.
I hope to answer the questions this week-end.
And i'm working on a text how I made this trees.
But it take some time to get it translated. I dont want a
computer does it becaus otherwise you construct a
cactus instat of a pine tree :-) .


feel panzer

Do you also set a dutch text in the forums.
(zet je ook een nederlandse tekst in de forums)

Greetz Robster!

I think it looks good. The techniques of the groundcover and trees are very nice and I do hope you will share with us.

However, I am in agreement that the trees look very HUGE in relation to the tank. Is this 1/35th scale. If so, it looks like the trees are 1/35th and the tank is 1/72nd. Not trying to be too critical because overall, I think the work is very nice!

Having indeed been to the Ardennes myself on several occasions, aswel as other forests, I know that pine trees will grow to a large size if left alone.
As for the proportion part, when building a diorama the proportions often have to be 'fitted' to the subject, either because of the scale of the project, or the size of the diorama. The main point is that the story and emotion of the diorama subject is clear to the viewer.
I think that this diorama depicts the feeling of confinement which prevails in a forest such as the ardennes well. It is well documented that in the Huertgen Wald (which is just over the border and very similar) the GI's dreaded going into the forest because it was so thick that it was impossible to see your fellow comrades only feet away. The loss of direction and spatial awareness in such a forest plays havoc with your nerves. As for there being to much snow..... I have been in the Ardennes in the winter, and this is definitly not 'to much snow'...





This I do agree with, having looked again at the dio, I think that the Commander figure should be showing, either in the cuppola or by the tree. It's is also unlikely to find a StuG without infantry around it.. but saying that, I think that the diorama works as the story is about the StuG being 'defeated' by the forest. Well, it's not my dio, but that's my interpertation.

Cheers
Henk

Absoultely amazing work!!! The trees look awesome! I await you sharing with us your technique of creating such detailed foilage!

G'day feelpanzer.
First off, great dio mate, i reckon its really well done, the snow, the trees and foliage.
now, about the trees, i personally think they are fine, i dunno if the ardennes pines have some height restriction, where they do not grow any more :-) but i can tell you here in Australia, i have seen bigger Pine trees, and other trees, than the ones in your dio (if it were scaled out to real life)
cheers mate

Excellent work.

Ola Tom

No need to pay people money to go to the Ardennes. Lot`s of Ref already available on the web.
Ardennes Forest
Scroll a bit down. also some snow pics.

My thoughts about the dio....

Well having been in the Ardennes multiple times and in different times of the year. I have to say that the cold image the Dio shows is really well done. No overdone snow. I have seen it much worse there.
About the trees I have seen such big trees in real life and in some parts of Belgium you indeed still have these old forests. Also in Holland I have seen massive trees like these so I think they are not that strange. Somewhere on my HD I have some pics of the old forests around Arnhem and Oosterbeek which have some trees that would easily fit in the scenes of Lord of the Rings.

I too agree about the lack of figures. Often a Stug is accompanied by a small army of Panzergrenadiers and Infantry which would make the scene more alive.