Dioramas
Do you love dioramas & vignettes? We sure do.
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jrutman
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 04:21 AM UTC
I know from personal experience how tedious and time consuming all those stones can be. Hats off!
J
Tank1812
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 11:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Nice work G , really coming along !!



I agree.

Can you tell me more about Das, not familiar the product? Are you going to scribe the wall or make it from cork?
Golikell
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 11:25 PM UTC
Looking great , my friend. Reminds me of a ford that was near the camping where I went with the school trip in the last class of primary school. This was in Limburg, the southern province of the Netherlands. Just there was no foot bridge there. Is was used by famers.

You must have attained a ghostish look after all this scribing
G-man69
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 04:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Nice work G , really coming along !!



Hi Cheyenne,

Thanks very much for your continued support, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 04:28 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I know from personal experience how tedious and time consuming all those stones can be. Hats off!
J



Hi Jerry,

Thanks for the support, . The one thing that surprised me is how much my fingers ached from scribing just that small area, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 04:42 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I agree.

Can you tell me more about Das, not familiar the product? Are you going to scribe the wall or make it from cork?



Hi Ryan,

Thanks for the thumbs up, .

DAS, is a modelling clay, I'd say it has a consistency similar to that of marzipan. It's extremely easy to work with using wetted fingers or sculpting type tools and, imho, it is 'cleaner' than plaster type products...I tend to end up with more plaster on me than on the base. The clay hardens on exposure to air without any need for baking. Allegedly it's the top modelling clay since 1963.



I haven't used the stuff since my teens, so over four decades ago, but saw some and thought it might be of use, .

Cheers, .

G
G-man69
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 04:46 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Looking great , my friend. Reminds me of a ford that was near the camping where I went with the school trip in the last class of primary school. This was in Limburg, the southern province of the Netherlands. Just there was no foot bridge there. Is was used by famers.

You must have attained a ghostish look after all this scribing



Hi Erwin,

Thanks for the feedback, it's nice to hear that it reminded you of your youth, .

Not sure about ghostly looks, but knackered hand for sure...no rude comments please, .

Cheers, .

G
G-man69
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 04:51 AM UTC
Hi all,

Finished scribing the horizontal surface stonework (see images below).







I'm reasonably happy with the 'undulation' of the surface but am wondering whether the stones themselves are too 'flat', would they have a slightly more rounded surface...any opinions out there?

Next will be the scribing of the vertical faces, .

Cheers, ,

G
Golikell
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 05:13 AM UTC
Due to wear the stones probably would be more rounded...

I actually ment from the white powder created by the scribing.

On the other hand... White powder, knackered hand... No, I won't say anything more, as you forbade me to make rude remarks...
G-man69
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Posted: Friday, August 14, 2020 - 05:14 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Due to wear the stones probably would be more rounded...

I actually ment from the white powder created by the scribing.

On the other hand... White powder, knackered hand... No, I won't say anything more, as you forbade me to make rude remarks...



Hi Erwin,

Thanks for your feedback regarding stones.

As for the white powder comment, I hope no one thinks I was snorting stuff, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Friday, August 14, 2020 - 05:20 AM UTC
Hi all,

Had a bit of a play with working on the riverbed, both texture and colour, and cobbled together the basics of a timber footbridge (see images below).









The plastic needs scribing to give an impression of woodgrain, plus handrails and suchlike.

Cheers, ,

G
jrutman
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Posted: Friday, August 14, 2020 - 07:16 AM UTC
Lots of great progress and fairly rapid as well.
J
Dioramartin
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Posted: Friday, August 14, 2020 - 11:46 PM UTC
Good grief this is a gloriously elaborate ploy to divert us from noticing your “Snows” figures haven’t been finished…but as ploys go this is just brilliant G! As you asked yes the cobbles look too hard edged & gaps between too deep but a deft bit of sludgy grouting should resolve that
Tank1812
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Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2020 - 10:13 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I agree.

Can you tell me more about Das, not familiar the product? Are you going to scribe the wall or make it from cork?



Hi Ryan,

Thanks for the thumbs up, .

DAS, is a modelling clay, I'd say it has a consistency similar to that of marzipan. It's extremely easy to work with using wetted fingers or sculpting type tools and, imho, it is 'cleaner' than plaster type products...I tend to end up with more plaster on me than on the base. The clay hardens on exposure to air without any need for baking. Allegedly it's the top modelling clay since 1963.



I haven't used the stuff since my teens, so over four decades ago, but saw some and thought it might be of use, .

Cheers, .

G



Thanks for the input. I like the work to date.

I even got some modeling done this week, a coat of paint on 1/35 Stuart that’s due 9/7. Pics when further along.
AndrewTomlinson
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Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2020 - 11:39 PM UTC
Hi Darren
Excellent idea and progress.
To round off the stone edges, or make initially, a Como mini drill is v useful.
Modge Podge and other acrylic gel mediums would be my basis for water ripples etc, loads on dioramas using this technique on Youtube.
It comes in differing Matt or Gloss finishes, an airbrush to blow it around helps too.

Cheers
Andrew T
G-man69
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020 - 05:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Lots of great progress and fairly rapid as well.
J



Hi Jerry,

Thanks, maybe too rapid, the bridge didn't look quite right. I realised the bridge was a tad short for the spars to rest on the buttresses, so I will need to slice and dice, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020 - 05:21 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Good grief this is a gloriously elaborate ploy to divert us from noticing your “Snows” figures haven’t been finished…but as ploys go this is just brilliant G! As you asked yes the cobbles look too hard edged & gaps between too deep but a deft bit of sludgy grouting should resolve that



Hi Tim,

Darn it, you saw too easily through my subterfuge, .

I'll see what I can do to soften and fill...not sure that sounds pukka, but I know what I mean, .

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020 - 05:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks for the input. I like the work to date.

I even got some modeling done this week, a coat of paint on 1/35 Stuart that’s due 9/7. Pics when further along.



Hi Ryan,

You're welcome, and I look forward to seeing some images of the fruits of your modelling labours, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020 - 05:30 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Darren
Excellent idea and progress.
To round off the stone edges, or make initially, a Como mini drill is v useful.
Modge Podge and other acrylic gel mediums would be my basis for water ripples etc, loads on dioramas using this technique on Youtube.
It comes in differing Matt or Gloss finishes, an airbrush to blow it around helps too.

Cheers
Andrew T



Hi Andrew,

Not sure who Darren is, , but thanks for the positive comments.

The 'how to' feedback is very much appreciated, especially the tips on the water products, I'll be checking those out as I was a bit wary of going down the two-part clear resin route, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020 - 05:39 AM UTC
Hi all,

Not much progress this weekend, but I did manage to slice and dice, and splice two extra plank widths into my bridge without too much pain...I think it sits better (see images below), .

I have also started to scribe some 'grain' into the plastic, though I still need to do so on the rails once the glue has set. The bridge isn't painted, I just gave it a wash of diluted brown oil so that I could see how the 'grain looks, and where it needs tweaking, .













All feedback welcome, and cheers, ,

G
cheyenne
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020 - 09:08 PM UTC
Nicely done G , you're making good progress !!
Golikell
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Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020 - 09:58 PM UTC
Hmmm. Snorting DAS, that would be a new one


I love the way this turns out... Though I would not have opted for plastic. Either popsicle sticks, or if thinner sticks are wanted: coffee stirring sticks. Since they are made of wood, it is much easier to work with. A good brushing with a metal brush wil deepen the grain...
G-man69
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Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 - 04:07 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Nicely done G , you're making good progress !!



Hi Cheyenne,

Thanks, though as previously mentioned my 'fairly rapid' progress seems to end up in me revisiting/redoing stuff already done, e.g. the length of the bridge, so I think I'm actually slowing down, ...as you'll realise a bit further down, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 - 04:12 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hmmm. Snorting DAS, that would be a new one


I love the way this turns out... Though I would not have opted for plastic. Either popsicle sticks, or if thinner sticks are wanted: coffee stirring sticks. Since they are made of wood, it is much easier to work with. A good brushing with a metal brush wil deepen the grain...



Hi Erwin,

I hope I don't sneeze whilst snorting DAS, I'd end up rendering the house, .

As for wood, I know what you mean, but I just have this boyhood memory of using strips of balsa to make doors and windows and them looking nothing like wood at the end of the day...that's not to say my plastic will look anything like wood either by the time I've finished, .

Cheers, ,

G
G-man69
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Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 - 04:33 AM UTC
Hi all,

I ended up revisiting the stones for the ford today as I agree with a number of people who'd observed that they look too flat, .

Having said that, the picture I based my stones on actually look flat (see bottom left on the image below).



I decided to use a white glue to water down some decorators caulk and dollop it on top of each stone using a toothpick (see part painted images below).







The images below hopefully give an idea of how the stones now have a more rounded and smoothed appearance when compared with the originals, .

Before:


After:



Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Tedious, but hopefully worth it, will give them a bit of a dry brush tomorrow with a stone colour to see how they really look.

Cheers, ,

G