Greetings!
Indeed I´m planning to write a book about modeling , especially dioramas. It will be a part of my graduation work for the department of graphic design in University of Industrial Arts Helsinki.

It´s still in the planning but here´s what I thought it could include:
-Five diorama project diaries
-Top quality studio photos of the finished works
-Materials, focus on using everyday household stuff in dioramas
-Planning the theme, how to represent the main idea with one small scene
-I would make the layout, typography and the photos for the book and it would be printed in CMYK.

I´m not a professional modeller but I thought that I have quite a few things to share for a beginner and the main point here would be to encourage the reader to get in the world of modeling, to try things out. And to show how far you can go with the everyday materials.
I want to make a book that I would have liked to have when I was 14 years old!

The diorama projects will take a long time to execute, that´s why I´m on this now. I have a few ideas for the projects but the most important thing is that they would all deal with different techniques and problems.

Many things will change along the way depending on many things. I have to find a publisher for the book for example. I´d like to write it in Finnish, but it wouldn´t be too much trouble to publish it in the Internet in English later.

Any comments and suggestions are highly appreciated. I´ll use this thread to introduce ideas and progress of this project. I know this is the right place to get feedback to make this book worth the paper it will be printed on!


Cheers, Toni

Toni,


Finally our prayers come true !!! It's perfect that you've decided to do the book. I know it will be great.

If I can be of any assistance, don't hesitate to ask !

Good Luck !!

Will it only be your own ideas, or are you looking for articles from others? Interested in an article on how to make an entire dio scene from used polystyrene meat trays and wooden tea stirrers? I have it almost built now and Im about to start painting. I have several pictures in progress.

My 2 cents - Lots of 'progress' pictures. Not only explain the how to, include a photo of the how to. I encourage photos over illustrations.
As Plasticbattle illudes - include as many view points as possible. Go ahead and take credit and center it around you or a main focal point, it give a great deal of richness when readers can see a few different perspectives and decide which works for them.

Plasticbattle: Why don't you do an article for Armorama? I am intrigued by your project and can't wait to see some pics.

Toni: The book sounds great. Your idea of aiming it at beginners is excellent. It is the kind of thing that will help bring younger people into our hobby.

I haven´t decided the approach yet, but it would certainly add to the value of the book to include many different techniques. One way to do it could be that I introduce an idea, maybe a sketch for a diorama, post here and ask for some advice and tips on how to do certain things. That´s what I do all the time!
All techniques and tips would be credited to the one it´s from even though I would write the final text and of course introduce the techniques the way it suits the diorama.
I have to be very careful with it, otherwise it will blow up from my hands. Have to keep it simple and that´s the reason I´m not going to make a general how-to book but instead concentrate in single dioramas.



That´s what I´m going to do! One more thing to solve before even starting is how to arrange instant access to good photo setting during the building! A good digital camera with a simple background is a must I think...


Heh. I thought it would actually work when I still remember the first and biggest problems in getting started!

Thanks a lot so far! This is just the kind of feedback I´m looking for!




Toni

Glad to hear that Toni. I've heard a lot of good tips from your side and the dioramas you have shown here are wonderfull... I still remember that Finnish sniper in the snow; one of the best vignettes I have seen so far.




I like this one. I'm sure most of us have learned to use small, everyday thingies in modeling, and the learning process was usually filled with numerous flaws. In this way you could show to the begginer how you do things withouth having to purchase some of those overpriced accessories on the market...

Good luck, Toni
Mario M.

I haven´t used any other aftermarket stuff yet besides Hornet heads and a few weapons from a small Finnish manufacturer. At the moment I´m getting over the first difficulties with figures and groundwork but armor is still far from that. I´m gonna try a lot of things with my next real armor model. I´m playing with an idea of a destroyed convoy on a snowy road. I could buy three Komsomoletsh armor trucks and try different techniques with each one of those. They would be wrecked and covered with snow anyway...
So at the moment I prefer low cost over aftermarket.

BUT, if I was to make an accurate, nice model to stand by itself on a simple base plate, it could be different! You never know...

Thx Maki!

Toni

It seems that you like snow... (:-) #:-) How about tips on making palm trees in contrast.. Sorry, couldn't resist... #:-)

Mario M.

I see a scenery with palm trees...covered with SNOOOOWWWW....
Yes. I love snow. I think many of us are fond of things that we have a personal experience of!
After fifty years people will say, "Now that´s what snow in a dio should look like!" I would like that...

But palm trees...white sand...
Hmmm. An aircraft dio, Pacific theater....why not? :-)

Toni

You've said you'd do about five dioramas for your book. Why not do one for each season and an urban one,this way you could use many different techniques.

Spring; Lots of green foliage and maybe a hedgrerow.
Summer; A dio in the desert showing rocks and sand.
Autumn; Bare trees, muddy tracks, leaves on the ground.
Winter; Yes you'll be able to do your snow.
Urban; A good built up one showing lots of destruction.

For each different setting you could show the various effects on the men and vehicles i.e. weathering in the desert, extreme wear in the urban, mud on the vehicles in autumn etc.

I feel a look into all of these would be better than to just focus on one aspect.
Be sure to let us know how you progress, I am always on the lookout for new books to help improve my techniques.
Robbo

It´s a deal! Actually I had this in mind but I forgot to write it down. Your list really covers a big bunch of different settings! I will have a lot of homework with urban scenes and water as well...
Thanks for the great input!

Toni

I think your concept is first rate. From someone who is still just picking up the basics I think you're on a real winner.

The idea of using a number of contributors given their thoughts, experiences and techniques has a lot of merit - sometimes what works well for one doesn't necessarily for another. God luck with your project. BTW I did get the chance to visit Finland during December once. I recall the tempreture dropped to -22. At the time in Brisbane it was over 33degrees. One day I'll get back ther.

Cheers
Digger