First diorama - The Choice

[Jim R]

Are you using any special type of wire for the tree? The tree is looking very good.

[adt70hk]

Hi Paul

Can't offer any advice as I've never done a dio. I do have one on the stalled pile though, so will follow with interest.

Loving what you've done so far.

ATB.

Andrew

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks chaps.

Are you using any special type of wire for the tree? The tree is looking very good.

It's florists' wire, Jim. It comes in various grades and finishes. I've got paper covered 30 gauge wire precut to 14" - normally used for making sugar flowers, apparently. So really cake decorators' wire, I guess. Made by a company called Culpitt. The paper covering should make the next stage easier - the whole tree gets a liberal coating of PVA to consolidate it, and the paper should soak that up and hold it together better.

[JR]

Every thing seems right Paul, like Jim said the PVA will do for the foam.
Don't know how much you've used Sculptamold before but I add a small amount of PVA to it just to help it to bind .
Very impressed with the tree, I've some of that florists wire , lovely stuff to work with . Yours looks really good .

[Tworrs]

What an excellent idea, thank you Paul.

[rtfoe]

Hi Paul, just read through your progress and it looks real good from planning to the wired tree. Japanese pound shops like Daisho stock all types of handicraft glue including those for polyfoam. Uhu also has one for polyfoam.
The huge tree will add character and pull the eye to what is around and under it just like what I am attempting to do for my dio as well. Dios with 2 to 3 levels of height usually are more interesting. An empty space needs to have a purpose if there is one or should be occupied. Odd number figures or subjects will break stereotyping and monotony of the scene. If possible to not space subjects evenly unless they are in a parade.
Judging from the tree assembly it looks like you either are gifted or experienced, either way that's good. Definitely a dio worth looking forward to. BTW what will you be using for the leaves?

Cheers,
Wabble

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks all, you're very kind.

rtfoe - what am I using for leaves? I'm not completely decided. I've got some postiche and foam scatter (on order from Greenscene) but, until that arrives, I don't know whether it'll be good enough for such a big tree.

Part of the problem is that I intend to paint the groundworks black (or dark brown) then colour it as per Martin Kovac (YouTuber Night Shift). The technique gives a great unified finish and means you don't have to buy tons of different coloured materials. However, if I'm using pre-coloured foliage for the tree, how do I integrate that into the groundwork (that I've painted myself) beneath it?

I'm not too bothered at the moment, because I've quite a way to go before that becomes a pressing issue. I may use pre-coloured foliage materials and do a bit of judicious airbrushing on it to tie it in with the rest of the scene. We'll see - happy for any suggestions anyone might have, of course.

[PaulinKendal]

I've just seen that AK Interactive do some superb 1/35th scale laser cut Oak leaves, which would be the right size for this. Sticking those on individually would look incredible, but also be a Herculean task, which I'm not sure I'm up to.

The workaround would be to make this an autumn/winter scene, sticking fifty or so dead leaves on the tree itself and then adding many more of them on the ground beneath.

Hmm...

[rtfoe]

I did mine with a full head of hair(leaves). Simply stretching fine fibre cotton over the branches and then spraying with spraymount and attaching bunches of my wifes dried fern. Sought of cheating.

Cheers,
Wabble

[AlanG]

I've just seen that AK Interactive do some superb 1/35th scale laser cut Oak leaves

Make your own

https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/leaves-punch-oak-1-35-1-32-54-ak9170-ak-interactive-p17894/

[PaulinKendal]

I did mine with a full head of hair(leaves). Simply stretching fine fibre cotton over the branches and then spraying with spraymount and attaching bunches of my wifes dried fern. Sought of cheating.

Cheers,
Wabble

I've just started working through your dio build, Richard. Fabulous stuff (the waterfalls!) - I'm sure I can learn plenty from that thread alone. The laser cut plants certainly look superb, too. Like you, I'm a bit of a gardener, and I think that helps in making vegetation look realistic.

[rtfoe]

As Alan has said you can make tons with a punch. Initial investment is high but the returns if you intend to make more oak leaf dios will be good.
Thanks...can't wait to learn something more from you too which I already have from painting figs skin tones.
You'll probably finish yours ahead of me as 'Whooaah, Yes I'm the great procrastinator...wohuwohu...' the Elvis movie isn't getting much gongs is it?

Cheers,
Wabble

[PaulinKendal]

The Sculptamold is still not fully dry (our home is pretty cool), but the wire bending for the tree is complete. Next step is to soak it in dilute PVA to consolidate the individual paper-covered wires. I'll possibly add some IPA to the mix to help it penetrate.

[wotan]

Paul

Very nice armature for your tree, are you going to add texturing over the wires?

John

[PaulinKendal]

Oh yes, wotan - lots! I've got some Flexi-Bark™ on back-order from Squires Tools.