How I Build Dioramas in 1/16th.

[Guest]

A couple more figures! I feel like painting figures for awhile.I have chosen to do two WW2 Soviet tank crew members that I have acquired recently.I want to put them in the area shown in the picture that is in the rear of the hangar well away from any confusion with the main storyline.The final composition or arrangement of the objects in this area will be made when the figures are finished.I thought that I could add a little life to the area without having to show a lot of activity which is not my style.I like my figures in relaxed poses.I haven't quite decided what the truck will be hauling or if it will have any obvious connection to the figures.

It could just be parked there or temporarily stopped.I thought that one figure could be holding a map and another pointing in a certain direction as though it had stopped to ask for directions.These guys are dressed in what looks like officier's uniforms so they will have to be depicted as doing something other than grunt labor.(like unloading wood)

These figures will not require too much modification to make them into WW1 German types.In fact they could be used as is with a few minor uniform adjustments.

I have already put the torso of the first figure together and like what I see so far,minimum flash and the parts fit well together with minimum adjustments.Any unwanted seams can easily be filled with super thin ,super glue and sanded smooth.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Having fun with pictures! To the knowledgable eye lot of info can be gleaned from this pic even though it only shows just a small portion of the overall diorama.

I love taking these pics as much as actually building the diorama, so I am taking advantage of this while I can.A lot of these shots will not be possible once it is in the case.

This is easily identified as an American squadron of WW1 by the "Hat in the Ring" symbol.The tail assembly obviously says Nieuport due to the wood sheathing type skin.The "Iron Cross" piece of fabric, complete with bullet holes, is a trophy nailed to the wall.The English language "Warning" sign leaves no doubt that although the aircraft is French,the squadron is American.

I try to leave little clues around like this so that every picture tells a story ,even when taken out of context with the whole piece.

[Guest]

all i can say is WOW!! your work is absolutely amazing and breath taking. the attention to detail is almost over whelming. i love your diorama.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Harley,the fighter pilot's dog and I are sharing a great feeling of loss today.My beloved Dolly,a 14 year old Siberian Husky/Arctic Wolf mix died of old age last week.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Thanks guys for your kind words about the loss of my doggy companion.

I finally have started back to painting the last two figures.I have discussed my painting methods many times before so I won't repeat it here.Sufficient to say that it is based upon Jo Sonja flat acrylic paint and pastels for shading.A little unusual way to paint but it works for me in a diorama setting.

Both figures have been given a couple of coats of a burnt umber/water mix.The figure on the left has been given a single coat of nimbus gray undercoat to approximate the final color.

The WW1 uniform experts will notice a few discrepancies here and there but they are pretty close for my purposes.I understand that there were,in the beginning, a lot of different uniforms accepted in the German air force as many of its members were from cavalry units and were allowed to wear their previous uniforms or parts of them.So in keeping with that fact I am leaving them as they are.

[Guest]

[Guest]

The possibilities are endless with digital pics! Just havin some fun with pics!

Through modern digital photography we can all now be great dioramists.Using all the digital tools available to us now ,just add a little of your own creativity and before you know it the simplest diorama can take on new life.

For some pics black and white are perfect for the era that you are trying to recreate.Lucky for me my eras of choice are mostly before the color stuff was invented anyway.

All you budding dioramists out there now have a lot of options.Do you want to create an actual , physical ,3 dimensional diorama or do you want to be a Steven Spielberg type and bring all the elements of your ideas together and get your stuff on film(or digital in this case).Everyone recognizes that film makers, such as Spielberg in our era, are great artists but what do they actually have to physically show for all their creativity? A few cans of film?

Storyboard dioramists can do exactly the same thing but our challenge is even greater because we only have one frame of our movie to work with and no dialogue.Our dialogue exists in our viewers imagination and we as artists are only there as guides to help point the way.

As an artist it is such a wonderful time to be alive!

__________________

"Once upon a time......." Storyboard dioramas by JohnReid.

[Guest]

[Guest]

This is how I would envision what a shadowbox storyboard diorama would look like if it was hung on a wall.It is a little weak on story line,(more like a vignette), but you get the idea.Note the inner black border that acts as a reveal.

These are great visual tools that can be used to plan your diorama and change things as you go along.

Even as an ordinary picture it works well because of the feeling of depth that is given off because of the floor boards and the single lit window.

The border colors and frame were chosen to harmonize with the colors in the diorama.

[Guest]

[Guest]

Here is something at the other end of the scale.Same frame,size,color etc... but the main subject is in the foreground.Depth has been achieved and the main subject highlighted by simply fuzzing things up a bit.It also adds kind of a dreamlike quality to the whole thing.

The license on the car adds just enough info to put the whole thing in context.

Damn! this is fun stuff to do.

[Guest]

Fantastic builds John, as always i take my hat of to you when i see your quality.

ian.