First try at a 1:35 dio

[GerryW]

Fairly sure that there are a load of stuff which I did wrong, but this is the first attempt
Kit is a ESCI Demag from years back
Dio base scratch built with cardboard, and papermache using PVA glue instead of water - not sure about the 'river', but tried to get the best effect of water.
The heads of the two kneeling figures were 'filled' out with filler (Tamiya 'half-heads') the 'rolled up sleeve' arms were moulded by taking arms off a Airfix 8th Army figure & impressions into plastercine, then joining the two halves together

[Tim Marlow]

Looks good to me Gerry. You haven’t done anything wrong by the way, but there may be things you decide to do differently next time :thumb2:

[GerryW]

Looks good to me Gerry. You haven’t done anything wrong by the way, but there may be things you decide to do differently next time :thumb2:

True - I probably wouldn't use the green 'stuff' again, think that it's some 'scatter' that my sons had back in the day. and I'd probably use different scenery paint, fairly sure that I went through a tin of 'Humbrol Dark Earth' painting the two that we did do, so probably would go for poster paint & mix the colours that I want.:thinking:

[Guest]

Look good Gerry. I am all for dioramas they really enhance the models we make. Friends spend much more time looking at diorama. also very rewarding building them as you get away from just stick & sand for a while.

Just wonder, not a criticism :tongue-out3: , if a few boxes strung around the truck perhaps a taurpaulin & a couple of rifles.

Laurie

[Mini Me]

No real right or wrong there, It's your model and I am quite certain you put your best effort into it.
Well done. :thumb2:
Rick H.

[GerryW]

...........
Just wonder, not a criticism :tongue-out3: , if a few boxes strung around the truck perhaps a taurpaulin & a couple of rifles.

Laurie

Thanks, when this was 'put together' (several years ago now (10?,15?), just dug it out recently) hadn't really gone too deep, but I've always thought about 'extending/increasing' the base/dio, and over the years have slowly built up some more items for it (a Pak 35/36, a set of figures and now the BMW R75 outfit) so that I've got a few 'bits n bobs' to bring it 'up' - doubt if it'll ever be 'finished' - it'll probably keep growing and evolving - have the eventual idea of something like 'Coffee Break' with vehicles pulled up, a small fire with water/food on the go and a couple of lookouts

[wasdale32]

True - I probably wouldn't use the green 'stuff' again, think that it's some 'scatter' that my sons had back in the day. and I'd probably use different scenery paint, fairly sure that I went through a tin of 'Humbrol Dark Earth' painting the two that we did do, so probably would go for poster paint & mix the colours that I want.:thinking:

Hi - Quick Tip - if you have poster paint(dried powder or cheap acrylic) mix it into the plaster base (or the paste for papier mache) that way you don't get white chips showing through if the base is knocked

[GerryW]

No real right or wrong there, It's your model and I am quite certain you put your best effort into it.
Well done. :thumb2:
Rick H.

Thanks Rick, at the time, didn't know much about building dioramas, so went with 'what looked right', though modelling water has always been a 'hit and miss' for me - the stream/river was done by painting the 'bed' then giving some polythene a few strokes of 'dark earth', more coverage as the water got 'deeper', and laying on with the painted side underneath

[rtfoe]

Like it's said, there's no right or wrong as it's your model. You've done pretty good for a first time.

The base and terrain is actually good but I seriously think it wasn't what you intended it to be from your remark. You've actually captured a semi desert next to a wet wadi hence the short grass and dusty look. The cut into the banks of the wadi often look like that as these streams suddenly appear and dry off cutting into the soft sand banks. If I may suggest but ignore if you're done with the dio, the troops and vehicle would blend with a bit of dusting as the Afrika Korp in the early days may still not be provided with the necessary clothing for the terrain. The Demag(if someone could correct me if it was used in North Africa, I think it was) can be brushed over with mud strokes as this was quickly done by the troops for camouflage.

I hope you do more dios and hope to see more from you Gerry.

Cheers,
Richard

[Guest]

Thanks, when this was 'put together' (several years ago now (10?,15?), just dug it out recently) hadn't really gone too deep, but I've always thought about 'extending/increasing' the base/dio, and over the years have slowly built up some more items for it (a Pak 35/36, a set of figures and now the BMW R75 outfit) so that I've got a few 'bits n bobs' to bring it 'up' - doubt if it'll ever be 'finished' - it'll probably keep growing and evolving - have the eventual idea of something like 'Coffee Break' with vehicles pulled up, a small fire with water/food on the go and a couple of lookouts

Sounds good Gerry. Look forward to it.

Now got two diormamas 8feet long one of the Falklands (not quite finished) & Afganistan. At the moment I am on Jersey Airport (Channel Isles)about 50% finished. Accidently found that producing dioramas I have been producing models which I would not have thought about in the past. Very rewarding.

Another is producing your own custom built buildings etc all to your own design. I study, for instance, Falklands pictures & you get great ideas. Found one with a barn & behind a windmill generator. Great satisfaction building that windmill :hungry:.

Now back to jersey Airport & a Bristol Freighter.

Laurie

[Guest]

For a first diorama it certainly looks quite good. My only question is: what are the two chaps on the right supposed to be doing? They seem to be praying before their meal, while their buddy shoots local wildlife to add to it?

[spanner570]

Nothing wrong with that, Gerry.

Tim's post is stop on.

You will no doubt see for yourself where you can improve and therefore learn for the next one. That is always the way with folks who build dioramas.

Just take note of the positive advise offered by members.

On with the next.

Ron

[GerryW]

For a first diorama it certainly looks quite good. My only question is: what are the two chaps on the right supposed to be doing? They seem to be praying before their meal, while their buddy shoots local wildlife to add to it? :smiling3:

You can't quite make out the cups in their hands in the photo - so coffee break, and you never stop without a 'look-out' even in 'safe territory' (though his cup's gone missing somewhere along the way)

[JR]

Like it Gerry.
See what you meant about filling those heads, they look ok.
Ron is quite correct.
Agree with Mark about using cheaper poster paints for base work and mixing into the material. I add a spot of pva when mixing materials for bases, belt and braces !

[GerryW]

Like it Gerry.
See what you meant about filling those heads, they look ok.
Ron is quite correct.
Agree with Mark about using cheaper poster paints for base work and mixing into the material. I add a spot of pva when mixing materials for bases, belt and braces !

They were done using the Humbrol filler, which (from memory) was about the consistency of car body filler, the Revell Plasto, seems to be a good deal runnier (is 'runnier' a real word? Hopefully you'll get my meaning!) so the latest two heads are probably going to take more work.