Hi guys. This is my first diorama, and I want to get the layout ok, before building etc takes place.
The pics are bad, but I only want to show the layout idea. Please imagine that the dio 'ends' about 1/2 inch around the sides.





As you can see it includes a Jeep, three figures, and a log pile. The idea is that they are on a recon patrol.
There will also be a wooden fence at the back, as well as raised areas too.

Please comment! Is there anything that I should change?
Harry

Apon looking at the pics, I think I will move the models closer to the front, to reduce the size of the gaps on the left. i think it needs to be made more compact.

Harry

Harry,
I agree that the jeep should be a little more central. It may look a little left out at the back.
Nice idea. Keep us posted.
Cheers
Tony

Yeh to get the balance right it definately needs to be more central, and more compact but hope all goes well.....also wondering if u had any dio tips for me and tuffners?? http://modelgeek.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=forums/90107&page=1#744312

hey harry the placement looks great, just remember when your weathering the jeep, they collect alot of snow , also heres an idea for you , try adding like 2 or 3 tree stumps, it will give it the appearance of freshly cut wood.
adding alot of detail within the scene tells the story better.

cant wait to see it when its finished,

Sorry Sam - I missed that one, but I just read it now and it's very good!
I have also altered the layout slightly - as you guys said to do.



Hi William - I thought about this right at the start but didn't know how to. It would be much better though - it would show where the trees had been before they were cut down.

Does anybody know how to make easy tree-stumps?

Thanks,
Harry

Shep and Verlinden discuss a visual triangle where three elements guide the view from one to the other by thier positioning. So I would say that the jeep could stay where it is if there is another element in the bottom right. The three figures are almost in a perfect line diagonally across the base. If you move a few logs in the way or add logs in the way of the jeep that could be your third element (jeep, log, figure on left). The jeep is the prime subject, log gives reason to stop the jeep, which draws attention to the figure on the left. I would position the figure with the white helmet closer to the front fender of the jeep turned more down the road.

And make sure you don't have to much empty space in the diorama. To me what you have suits itself to a rectangle or oval.

The logs look very neatly cut and placed. Sappers would have strapped a bit of explosive the tree and blown it up to remove it quickly - leaving a very jaggad bottom edge. A lumberjack would have used a crosscut saw and that would/could have left a bit of a jagged 'last hangeron' piece. I would roughen up and break one or two of the logs to give a bit more visual interest to the ends of the pile. Make it look a little less 'production' and 'placed'.


Very good start and very good planning.

Thanks very much Scott
I agree 100% with you on the logs - I will 'rough them up' before I decide where exactly to place them - in the pictures I just lay them down to show roughly where they would go.
I will play around with the layout untill I think that there are not too many gaps.

Harry

Check out what I did with these stumps... This is the look I was mentioning.

Scott - that is a great dio - and thanks for the tips on tree-trunks over in the Diorama Forum. Did you just use a model knife to 'rough up' the logs? Thanks again.

Here are some pics of my new layout - but there are still large gaps, but these will be 'filled' with tree stumps and other ground work. The back will be cut shorter as well. Ground work will be added once the paper has dried completely.





Harry

Hey Harry I had a thought on the tree stumps, if you get a chance go take a hike in the woods and look around for some dead or up rooted small trees, over here where I live in NY there are a lot of small hemlock or cedar trees that grow wild, that die off in winter or during fall. Find one that fits the dimension of the dio and use that. I have even used the roots from upturned big trees and scaled them down and used them. That way you get the affect of either blown up ones by snapping them or sawed down ones by using a knife or a file plus you can the chips as rubble. You might even want to place a small make shift camp fire pit to show were the wood cutters huddled together to keep warm during the period they worked there. This will add to the figures within the dio?