GazzaS Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 Welcome fellow styrene warriors. I've wanted to build dioramas my whole life, but just never got around to it. So. it's about time I got started by uniting the Bronco Marder II build and my Soviet Frankentank t-34. As in those threads, some of the pictures are captioned. The base is 25 cm X 25 cm. I don't want to go any bigger due to storage. Happy modelling! 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaireckstadt Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 Nice idea how to place the tanks on the diorama. To my gusto it‘s big enough! The figures will turn out awesome Gary. Can‘t wait to see you progress! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomber_County Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 Looking forward to this, I had, only a thought at the moment of putting the LRDG Chevy together with a SAS jeep I have in the stash, figures are my concern. Your figure work is amazing…. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 Your Steppe develops nicely, Gaz. I like the layout of the base and like the others said, it will look good with the figures on. Cheers Rob 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 some inspirational stuff 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 19, 2021 Author Share Posted November 19, 2021 8 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said: Nice idea how to place the tanks on the diorama. To my gusto it‘s big enough! The figures will turn out awesome Gary. Can‘t wait to see you progress! Thank you, Kai. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 19, 2021 Author Share Posted November 19, 2021 6 hours ago, Bomber_County said: Looking forward to this, I had, only a thought at the moment of putting the LRDG Chevy together with a SAS jeep I have in the stash, figures are my concern. Your figure work is amazing…. Thanks, Phil. I'm never really totally happy with my figures. But I'm determined not to build another model without them. Even if you don't give them a lot of scrutiny they just add so much to the model. I imagine my 1/48 figures (haven't bought any, yet) will look really bad. There's really only one way to deal with figures... tackle em'. Accept that they may never be as good as you want. And move on to the next model... with more figures. And hope that they get better each time. It's either that or put a building next to each vehicle to give it scale. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 19, 2021 Author Share Posted November 19, 2021 4 hours ago, DocRob said: Your Steppe develops nicely, Gaz. I like the layout of the base and like the others said, it will look good with the figures on. Cheers Rob Thank you, Rob! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 19, 2021 Author Share Posted November 19, 2021 3 hours ago, Martinnfb said: Thanks for the pics, Martin. I wouldn't mind doing a tank really blown up... I just need more discipline. It might be better with a full-interior kit. I'm not very inventive when it comes to making damaged stuff. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 Gaz Terrific planning and the dio layout is perfect for portraying your story. Your figures look fantastic and completely agree, they just keep getting better and better. Keep 'em comin Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 20, 2021 Author Share Posted November 20, 2021 3 hours ago, Peterpools said: Gaz Terrific planning and the dio layout is perfect for portraying your story. Your figures look fantastic and completely agree, they just keep getting better and better. Keep 'em comin Peter Thank you, Peter! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 20, 2021 Author Share Posted November 20, 2021 Though I spent a lot of time modelling today, I don't have much to show for it. First thing I did was apply all of the rank insignia and award decals. The Decals I used were by Passion Models. I think they are a little over scale. Then I assembled the men, including their personal weapons. Once everything had a few hours to dry, I added some mud stains to their lower trouser legs and boots using enamel paints and the sponge chipping method. Who knew it could be so easy to soil your trousers. Wait... I think there's a joke in there, somewhere. Remember my sheet of Plaster of Paris from yesterday? Now it is ready to provide chunks of earth. Som with grasses. This morning I had a thought... How about if I had mixed in some pigments first? It woulda saved a lot of time. Last week I saw some cool corner clamps on farcebook. I looked for the same thing at a local seller and ordered them. Here they are holding the frame for the base together while the PVA glue dries. A not to the interested: They aren't much good for anything thicker than 20mm. Happy modelling! 4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted November 20, 2021 Share Posted November 20, 2021 Nice, I like the mud residues. Seeing your figures, I had the spontaneous idea, why not simulating wear on knees and elbows with a lighter chalky tone. will try this in one of my next figure related projects. The framework looks decent, but those plastic thingies . Cheers Rob 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted November 20, 2021 Share Posted November 20, 2021 Gaz Nice progress on the figures and dio base. I all to well know the feeling of spending countless hours working and at the end of the day, it doesn't seem as if much was accomplished, but we know how much effort went into any stage and can easily appreciate the amount of work and effort that goes into a work session, especially figures and scenery. Keep 'em comin Peter 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaireckstadt Posted November 20, 2021 Share Posted November 20, 2021 Great progress on the figures Gary! I didn’t know so far that you can get decals for rank insignia. The diorama base will be nice too. And thank you for the beautiful documentation. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 20, 2021 Author Share Posted November 20, 2021 9 hours ago, DocRob said: Nice, I like the mud residues. Seeing your figures, I had the spontaneous idea, why not simulating wear on knees and elbows with a lighter chalky tone. will try this in one of my next figure related projects. The framework looks decent, but those plastic thingies . Cheers Rob I have considered that, Rob. The danger is that white, once dry often looks frosty. 3 hours ago, Peterpools said: Gaz Nice progress on the figures and dio base. I all to well know the feeling of spending countless hours working and at the end of the day, it doesn't seem as if much was accomplished, but we know how much effort went into any stage and can easily appreciate the amount of work and effort that goes into a work session, especially figures and scenery. Keep 'em comin Peter Thank you, Peter. 23 minutes ago, Kaireckstadt said: Great progress on the figures Gary! I didn’t know so far that you can get decals for rank insignia. The diorama base will be nice too. And thank you for the beautiful documentation. Thank you, Kai! Rank decals are a lot neater than what I could ever paint. Just a note to the user... remove as much surface detail from the places where the rank badges go... otherwise you have to wrestle with the decals to get them to stick. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 22, 2021 Author Share Posted November 22, 2021 Hello Friends! Big steps today as I joined the AFV's to the base. The main goal was to marry the vehicles to the terrain in a believable way. You will notice some color discrepancies. These are places that reflect using different materials to add texture to the burned, open areas. They will all be fixed with paint and effects. The incense are burning as I type to provide some real ash. I didn't use any real dirt. Yesterday I mixed pigments with plaster of Paris to produce a grey-brown earth tone which I broke up this morning. The pigments made the plaster less rigid, but no easier to grind into little bits. I used various sized pieces to fill in around the tracks. Hopefully it not only makes the vehicles look like they belong, but also makes them look heavy. Anyway... onto the pics. If you have any thoughts or opinions, I'd like to read them. Happy modelling! 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 I would mimic the burned down rubber by soda powder. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 22, 2021 Author Share Posted November 22, 2021 2 hours ago, Martinnfb said: I would mimic the burned down rubber by soda powder. Thank you, Martin. Are you talking about baking soda? What do you fix it with? I would hate to have it react. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Yes, or any white powder of similar grain. That is a good question, I never had to neutralized soda before, also there was nothing acidic on my models that soda would react with. LAst time I used on Merkava tank while making the anti skid surface, mixed up with white glue and Tamiya extra thin cement, no reaction whatsoever . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Gaz Many years ago In our old house, I was a model railroader and spent Years working on my layout. Back then, most scenery was held in place with good old Elmers White glue, thinned with water from a spray bottle. You could brush on the white glue or use an eye dropper and when dry, the glue was invisible. Keep ‘em comin Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted November 23, 2021 Author Share Posted November 23, 2021 19 hours ago, Peterpools said: Gaz Many years ago In our old house, I was a model railroader and spent Years working on my layout. Back then, most scenery was held in place with good old Elmers White glue, thinned with water from a spray bottle. You could brush on the white glue or use an eye dropper and when dry, the glue was invisible. Keep ‘em comin Peter Thank you Peter. I'm definitely going through a lot of PVA. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaireckstadt Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 On 11/22/2021 at 2:30 AM, GazzaS said: Hello Friends! Big steps today as I joined the AFV's to the base. The main goal was to marry the vehicles to the terrain in a believable way. You will notice some color discrepancies. These are places that reflect using different materials to add texture to the burned, open areas. They will all be fixed with paint and effects. The incense are burning as I type to provide some real ash. I didn't use any real dirt. Yesterday I mixed pigments with plaster of Paris to produce a grey-brown earth tone which I broke up this morning. The pigments made the plaster less rigid, but no easier to grind into little bits. I used various sized pieces to fill in around the tracks. Hopefully it not only makes the vehicles look like they belong, but also makes them look heavy. Anyway... onto the pics. If you have any thoughts or opinions, I'd like to read them. Happy modelling! This looks simply stunning Gary! Great work! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Seems I've missed a bit Gary . Amazing work on all. One question though, are you going to hit the figures although dull coat or semil gloss ? To me they are a bit shiny....harv 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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