I have not modeled for a while about 2 years i never used "PE" kits or stuff like that before.

I have about $50-60 to spend. Where can i get those wood frame thingys that you guys put your dios on also needs to have some sort of a cover like a plastic cover so dust doesn't come in. All i will be buying online for this is -

http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=TAM35039
and
http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=EDU35433

i want a small diorama maybe even just a base with grass or something where the tank can go.

What are some ideas for the dio?

Thanks for any help!

The base can be an unfinished wooden decoupage plaque as sold in art stores or the craft section of Walmart. Sand it smooth and apply some urethane wood stain. Mask off the part you want to keep nice for the edges, and add whatever ground work you like. Some builders use a wood or plastic picture frame instead, as they can include recessed areas in the diorama, like trenches or shell holes.
Designing and creating the groundwork and details involves more than can be answered briefly on a bulletin board.
Do yourself a favor and pick up Sheperd Paine's book, "How to Build Dioramas," for a superb introduction to the artform (it's published by Kalmbach, the Fine Scale Modeler people). A whole generation of diorama builders grew up using his techniques.

Thanks, sounds like a good book i will read it.

Is this a good PE kit http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=EDU35433

for the M3 http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=TAM35039

Edit: My school ends in about a month and a half so it would be better for me to order this in about 2-3 weeks so it ships to my home right when summer begins, I will take this time to prepare myself by reading things on this forum.

The Tamiya Lee kit is an easy build, but it is really inaccurate. The Eduard set will dress it up a bit, but you'd be better off using the Academy M3 Lee kit instead (it's also imperfect, but it's a durn sight better than Tamiya's 1973 version). Eduard also offers a set for the Academy kit. If cost is a problem, there are other inexpensive Tamiya kits that are more accurate representations of their subjects. Their M4A3 Sherman is quite cheap and is a very decent representative of an early 1944 vehicle, and there is plenty of aftermarket stuff out there for it if you want to improve or customize it.

Its not a question of easiness i have modeled before, its the money thats a issue but you know what i think with all the new supplies i will have to buy it will cost me about a $100 so feel free to suggest me something more accurate and a bit more expensive with its PE on greatmodels.com must be on greatmodels.

Thanks for the reply.

Well i have made the land for the diorama it is of course as you can see in its very early stages i have alot of work to do on it.

It is still drying so it may look a bit glossy and the lighting in this shot is not that great i will add some patches of grass to it, i am still not done working on it i will try to get better shots in.

Better pics added, a second coat and did more pigmenting











Tell me what you think. I made everything myself except the sandbags which i got from a old kit.

As you can see there is still spots where you can see the mold showing i will be fixing those.