Just a few details to the figures and some small areas and I will be done with my first real "snow" scene! Learned a lot about what not to o next time (Hopefully I learned) Anyway, comments/critizsim/sugestions welcome.............
(here's where I always mess up...adding the photos, with any luck Robert won't have to bail me out this time)
(cross fingers)









Cheers,
Charles

Charles, WOW this is excellent!!! I love the frozen pond effects and the snow effects you have reproduced here. The figures are excellent as well. Could you tell us a littl eabout the snow effects? Thanks for sharing and i am defintely looking forward to seeing this finished. Cheers Kevin

Fantastic diorama. I love the figure on the sled.
My only critique is that there isn't quite enough snow on this greatcoat bottom. If there has been enough snow to fall and stay on his helmet. I (personally) would think that there would be a bit more around the bottom fringe.

This is a great diorama. And you should consider at least on On Display feature out of it.

Wow Charles, this is a beauty. I think you have nail it! I felt a chill just looking at the scene.

Outstanding! Great build, great figure painting, love the snow effect...just an all-around fantastic piece of work.

I'd love to know more about those figures--who makes 'em, how much "Frankenstein" work is involved, etc. as well as details on how you did your snow.

Great piece...inspiring.

Wow that's awesome mate. I love the figures, the way the Tiger has pushed the trees down to the water, and the whole cold feeling of this diorama!

Great job, seems like you've thought about every detail here. What did you use for the snow?

Cheers and keep them coming

Martin

Looks great. I feel cold and tired just looking at it. I would love to see a better overall scene.

wow that is amazing...i am especially amazed by the intracacy and the realism of the trees structure...simply amazing composition. I love the stark contrast between the face of the injured and the white washed surroundings. I think a neat effect to the guy dragging the sled would be to put snow on one side of him, simulating the windswept snow that would build up on one side of him if he were marchiing for a long time. In love this dio...keep up the good work!
Ian

Thanks to all for the kind words.
Kevin,
The ice is parafin (candle wax) and the 'snow' is Woodland Scenic's product SN140 (snow)

Scott,
I agree about the greatcoat and was planning on adding more snow/ice to this figure.

drucifer67,
The 'pulling figure is from Firestorm Models "Retreat From Stalingrad" set. I scratchbuilt the sled and used a Hornet head for the wounded guy. The blanket is tissue /white glue and I roughly made the form of a body out of clay to drap the blanket over.

Martin,
Snow is Woodland Scenic's 'snow'

Alan,
I will try to post an overall photo in the next day or so

Thanks again,
C.

-any person who even attempts something with snow truly shows some modelling bravery (to me). I'd ask how you manage getting the snow to stick, but in the end like most techinques that people explain - I'd still be scratching my head :-) I like how you were able to something as simple as paraffin wax in this as oppossed to a complex resin pour.

Wow....this is truely a work of art. Everything is wonderful. I also like the guy on the sled very much...where did you find that figure?...Great Job...
Mary (++)

Ola Charles

Well I was actually waiting for an Update of this project of yours. It was already a wonderful piece last time but this time it became even more beautiful. The Snow is very well done and gives the whole scene that chilly atmosphere. Great job. The figures also tell a heavy story of defeat.
A good piece again from your hands



Nope you did all correct this time. So you didn`t need the help from.... Dum dum dum ......... ME

very nice story and outstanding dio.this guy looks relly sick
congrats Charles

great job mate, looks excellent.
How did you find working with the paraffin wax? I have been think of using this in a dio of mine, any tips.
The dio is great but I think there is always room for improvement, or if not something to bear in mind for next time.
the tracks on the tank look very uniformed and grey, maybe discolour them with some rust/dirt?
Since the tank shows no sign of damage i picture it having driven in to the water.The fact it hasn't been recovered leads me to believe it was abandoned at speed, maybe having a couple of hatches open would have shown it as abandoned rather than very badly parked.

Anyway great job, best have a couple of these to warm up
When its is finished try taking a picture on a black and white photo or sepia setiing, I bet this would make it look even colder.
cheers
Robbo

Congrats on a great build!! Getting the snow effect right is a difficult task, and you nailed it. I will echo Remearmr's suggestion and open a hatch or two on the tank. I think this small modification will really dress up an already great dio.

i must say this is one of the best dios i saw recently!

marvelous work!

Vadster: a good mix of diluted white glue and baking soda works fine, baby powder gives a ncie effect also aperantly, and its simple to use!


As for the tank, the ice should be broken and cracked, and Re-frozen around hte tank, therefore having ice on the tank kind of liek a waterfall kinda thing, or if its been there before the ice was there, you should have more snow, and its should be thinck like the results you get with baking powder and white glue, and you would mostlikely have rust

Besides that, loos realy nice

Frank

Wonderfull job Charles. Great story and excellent technique. I think that Robbo's suggestion (opened hatches) is a very nice.

CReading -

Truly an outstanding diorama. You've captured the scene and supported the theme beautifully. I remember a post a while back that was talking/asking about how to get the effect of seeing the breath of a figure in the cold. Was wondering if that could add even a little more to the figures? The German pulling the sled has his face covered and might not work as well an the man in the slide. Since that figure's face isn't covered (which would work also but "hide" a really well done paint job), maybe his "breath" could be shown with like some fine cotton?. Just an thought. Maybe going too far as this diorama is so well done that it really doesn't need anything more. Thanks for the lesson,

Blade48mrd

Fantastic!! That's all I can say. Pretty darn realistic looking to me, and way too cold!! Beautiful job. Thanks so much for sharing your work with us.

Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions.

Some answers:

Alex,
The base was misted with a white glue/water mixture and then dusted with Woodland Scenic's Snow and left to dry. This process was done numerous times to 'build' up the 'snow'

Mary,
The 'figure' in the sled is basically just a Hornet head. From the 'sleeping heads' set. The body was roughly formed to show the correct shape when draped with the blanket.

Remearmr,
Parafin is pretty easy to work with....here is a link to some tips:

http://www.ww2modelmaker.com/Tips/CRice%20tips.htm

The photos don't do a good job of showing the tracks or the turret area. The tracks are actually caked in dryed/frozen mud which at the distance of the photo appears to be a uniform color. The 'hit' in the turret is just visible on the 'snowy' side of the turret.
My idea was that the Tiger was hit as it drove along the road, killing the driver which caused it to drive over the edge. I didn't open any hatches because there is no interior and this project started out to be a "quick" one so I didn't want to get involved in a bunch of AM products.

Francios,
The tank drove into the pond and then the tempurture dropped and it quick froze? You got me on the snow! realistically there probably should be much more but I didn't want to completely obliterate detail!


Again, thanks to all who took the time to look, comment and make suggestions
Cheers,
Charles

Charles,

Your figure painting is outstanding (maybe the greatcoat isn't dirty enough ... but that's nit picking) ... the emotion and bleakness of the scene screams out!

Excellent job.

Fantastic dio. Very nice touch with the figure on the sled.

Excellent dio, makes me feel colder every time I look at it. Something that popped into mind when I was looking at the figure on the sled was giving the face a bluish cast via a wash, with perhaps some darking along the cheekbones to suggest frostbite. Very impressive (and expressive!) work.