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Dioramas
Do you love dioramas & vignettes? We sure do.
Stug III B Dio base in Progress
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
Armorama: 1,707 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 07:57 AM UTC
Hello Campers! Here are some progress shots of my small dio. The base was made by our very own Ex-Royal - with some modifications.
Comments appreciated.













PanzerKarl
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 20, 2004
KitMaker: 2,439 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 08:25 AM UTC
Simpy breath taking ground work
Martinnnn
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Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: April 26, 2004
KitMaker: 5,435 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 08:31 AM UTC
Hey

Looks very good. Maybe you could add a wire to that telegraph pole? (broken, hanging on the pole, maybe on the ground next to the pole?)

Just an idea,
Martin
HILBERT
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Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: August 07, 2004
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 08:39 AM UTC
Looks great so far and it will be even better!
But I've a question. near the hill, the lower part of the dio, are you going to add some thing in there??

Bye Hilbert
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 08:54 AM UTC
Thanks Karl!

Martin, I think maybe 2 wires down and 2 still up in place? What do you think?

Hilbert, I plan on a deceased farm animal, and some swampy grass.

Again thanks for the comments all!
Rigger
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Washington, United States
Joined: January 09, 2004
KitMaker: 70 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 08:55 AM UTC
Great work , how did you do the base? Is it Celluclay over foam? What type of grass is that ?

Thanks Rigger
Ripster
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Wien, Austria
Joined: June 01, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 09:04 AM UTC
I would guess it's Heki grass of some sort, but please tell us exactly what sort - it looks superb! And the cart (which you scratchbuilt iirc?) looks great too... Can't wait to see how this develops
nexy
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Praha, Czech Republic
Joined: February 09, 2004
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 09:45 AM UTC
ground look WOW can you give us your secret
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 10:05 AM UTC
Secrets Revealed!


Quoted Text

Great work , how did you do the base? Is it Celluclay over foam? What type of grass is that ?



The Base is packing foam, carved to shape and glued to the plaque with PVA. The ground work is then added on top of this with Durhams water putty http://www.waterputty.com/. Before this sets, powdered water putty is sprinkled over the base, dont be stingy here, really cover it. This is left to set overnight. Then the excess powder is shaken off. What remains is sealed to the base with a spray of 50/50 PVA and water - again left to fully set. I then sprayed the base with buff color, then washed with raw umber oils in turpeniod, then drybrushed with lighter shades of the buff. The grass is silflor, about 5 different heights, put down in small groups with PVA glue. The telephone pole is from Tamiya, modifed to match a pic on the instructions. The cart is indeed scratch built. Thats pretty much where I am now, lots more to do!

Again Thanks to all who took the time to view my efforts!
Plasticbattle
#003
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Donegal, Ireland
Joined: May 14, 2002
KitMaker: 9,763 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 12:33 PM UTC
John .... a point of view....
The grass in the middle of the road looks a bit too wide and perfect to appear natural ofr a country track. When the stug sits there, the tracks suggests that its only wide vehicles that use the track. Then with narrow axle items like the cart or basically anything thats not a tank, that would also use the track, at least 1 wheel would travel over the grass in the middle. So, because of all the different vehicles/carts/civilian vehicles, this would get progressively thinner. Horses pulling the carts would walk in the middle, wearing away even more of the grass ....and if that wasn´t enough .. any stones or loose gravel would end up there as well, stunting grass growth.
Maybe modelling it wet and newly torn up by a passing convoy would explain the tank-width track.
Hate to sound picky, but its meant constructively. Otherwise, it looks excellent.
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 12:54 PM UTC
Hello Frank, thanks for the feedback. While what you say is most likly true, very little of it is actually visable with the tank in place. If you look at the rear view, the tank is at the outter most edge of the track, and most of what is visable has much less grass. I DO appreciate the comments, I will attempt to thin it out at the rear a bit.







umustb
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Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: April 27, 2005
KitMaker: 1,396 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 03:52 PM UTC
Awesome stuff sitcky.. the groundwork looks great! I especially like the grass... Would you be placing anything on your scratch built cart?? Progress looking good..
Darson
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Victoria, Australia
Joined: June 14, 2005
KitMaker: 247 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 06:10 PM UTC
John that looks fantastic especially the grass thanks for the explanation on the materials used. I'm really looking forward to the finished product.

Cheers
Darren
russ
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Christchurch, New Zealand
Joined: May 01, 2002
KitMaker: 432 posts
Armorama: 359 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 09:32 PM UTC
Great ground work John, the grass looks great. I also think you have done a great job on the cart as well.
Can't wait to see the Stug on it.

nato308
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Iowa, United States
Joined: October 23, 2003
KitMaker: 884 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 10:08 PM UTC
Nice ground work! Good color choices. Being a spring or summer setting with the grass so lush... I think I would add a little more visual interest by adding a few weeds or flowers to break up the soild green grass. Maybe feather some of the edges of the grass just a bit they look kind of hard edged but that could be the photo as well. Lookin' good, I'll be waiting for the final results...
HONEYCUT
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Victoria, Australia
Joined: May 07, 2003
KitMaker: 4,002 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 10:33 PM UTC
John that looks great! I love the nonconformity of the dio base. Grass has set perfectly! Think that in the worn/bare patch of road in front of that German vehicle thingy you should put a small rock nestled on the edge of a grass patch... Don't know why! :-)
Grumpyoldman
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Florida, United States
Joined: October 17, 2003
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Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 11:54 PM UTC
Looks good..... this may sound a little off the wall, or goofy, but I love the cart, sets it off perfectly......
Oh don't you love WaterPutty...... been using it myself since the 70's for all my ground work, and a lot of other things.
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
Armorama: 1,707 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 01:45 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Awesome stuff sitcky.. the groundwork looks great! I especially like the grass... Would you be placing anything on your scratch built cart?? Progress looking good..



Thanks Ike, yes I plan on a spilled load of hay.



Quoted Text

Nice ground work! Good color choices. Being a spring or summer setting with the grass so lush... I think I would add a little more visual interest by adding a few weeds or flowers to break up the soild green grass. Maybe feather some of the edges of the grass just a bit they look kind of hard edged but that could be the photo as well. Lookin' good, I'll be waiting for the final results...



Thanks Paul, yes I agree needs more weeds and flowers and some feathering.


Quoted Text

John that looks great! I love the nonconformity of the dio base. Grass has set perfectly! Think that in the worn/bare patch of road in front of that German vehicle thingy you should put a small rock nestled on the edge of a grass patch... Don't know why!



Thanks Brad - a rock - hmm interesting - maybe I will give it a go - good idea!


Quoted Text

Looks good..... this may sound a little off the wall, or goofy, but I love the cart, sets it off perfectly......
Oh don't you love WaterPutty...... been using it myself since the 70's for all my ground work, and a lot of other things.



Thank Dave, I looked high and low for a suitable cart, but alas could find none. So I just made one! And the Durhams is the best for groundwork to date! I learned about it years ago from Ray Anderson.

Now if I could only find a well sculpted russian babushki in 1/48!
Mosseman
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: July 25, 2005
KitMaker: 153 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 03:07 AM UTC
Sticky....Wow! Thats an amazing base and complete diorama! Are you planning on adding on groundmen or anything like that? Is that water putty with the odd mascot hard to use?
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
Armorama: 1,707 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 03:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Sticky....Wow! Thats an amazing base and complete diorama! Are you planning on adding on groundmen or anything like that? Is that water putty with the odd mascot hard to use?



Thanks Stephen. Yes figures are indeed planned! I have one completed already he is in my gallery. Water putty works very similarly to plaster of paris, but drys better and is stronger. It also dosen't absorb water from the air like plaster can.
Max_Fischer
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Indiana, United States
Joined: January 02, 2004
KitMaker: 639 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 10:33 AM UTC
Looks very nice!
I like it alot...

But in my opinion, the road looks a bit....to clean, you know what im trying to get at?
slodder
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North Carolina, United States
Joined: February 22, 2002
KitMaker: 11,718 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 12:24 PM UTC
Great updates(s) I like it a lot. I would liek to see a bit of dusty pastel work on the middle of the road
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
Armorama: 1,707 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 12:45 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Great updates(s) I like it a lot. I would liek to see a bit of dusty pastel work on the middle of the road



Ah be patient Padawan
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