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'Close Contat' Street Scene Diorama (WIP)


tiking

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I have been working on the figures for some weeks now, on and off, when the time permits. It has not been easy as I have re-done camo paints many times over. I now have immense respect for figure builders. It is the most difficult form of modeling that I know of. Getting the right skin tone is still an issue for me, as well camo painting. But I will get there one way or the other. It will take time. I have read many articles and continue to study the different variations one can achieve. But I am not going to compete with figure builders just as long my figures do not look like a 3rd grader as painted them, I am fine.


So here is the results of my attempts at getting this camo painting job to look right. So far I am OK with the results after several weeks of trying to get it right. I still have four more USMC figures to do. More sweat and tears but the battle continues... I still have more details to add to the actual diorama.


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Well, things have been progressing slowly as you all know. Less time for building due to everything around the family. But I do a little each time I get a chance. Here are some pics of the roof details and little additions I have added so far. Made some water tanks and piping taken from my box of tricks. The concrete support blocks were made from the same pink material, Styrofoam


Remember, I am trying to do everything on a budget without putting holes in my pockets. I added a small generator from odd pieces from my bag of tricks. AS long as it looks the part, I am fine with it. Not a huge difference but details none-the-less. Will be doing some painting and refining of the details as I go along. I also added electrical cables around the building in a some-what sloppy manner as I was told this is common over there. More details still to come. A couple more Satellite dishes and what-nots.


I have just bought another set of USMC soldiers and awaiting Tamiya paints. I lost the right arm of Blast resin figured I had already painted. It got lost in the snow. Could not find it since then. So, here we go again for another round of painting figures. DAMN!!! I'm getting tired of this.


Oh well. So sorry if you were expecting my next update to be figures but these things happen, for some, more often than others. More weathering on the facade will be in order as well.


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My first choice but decided to go with the vertical tanks:


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Decided to repaint the cargo bay of the pickup, white and added extra armor to the sides to make it more interesting:


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Things have been going slow as I have been busy with work and my family. Also, I had not been so impress with the US paint job on the uniforms. So, I have renamed the dio and will discard the US figures altogether until I am satisfied with the results of my camo painting.I just do not want to bring the dio down just because the camo looks like a 3-year old had painted them. I am a somewhat of a perfectionist, in a way. Not to say that the insurgent figures are any better but they do not crave the complex camo design as that of the US figures do. I will add them eventually when I am totally satisfied with the results.
I have added a couple more details to the building and added a third insurgent figure and a kid. The new name of the dio will be called, '...around the corner'. Unfortunately it will be the insurgents that get the spot- lights on this dio. I have also decided to remove the pickup vehicle and replaced it with Diopark's new mercedes civilian car. I will be adding garbage bins, street lights and few other details. Will post pics shortly. Thanks for all the great support fellows. I do appreciate it

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Ok, here are pics of the diorama, which name has been changed to "...around the corner". The former name was, 'Close Contact'. The dio is pretty much done for the exception of one more figure to be added. The last figure will be a boy pointing to the corner of the building, alerting the insurgents that they( us troops) are coming around the corner. I am in the process of painting the figure, so will add that when it is completed and will post the pics.


As you can see there have been some changes and addition to the diorama. As mentioned in my previous post, the insurgents get the spotlight for this diorama. As I was not completely happy with the outcome of the US camo, I decided to put it aside until such time I can improve on it. So, I hope you can still find it in your heart to like the dio, regardless of the sudden change.


As you can see, the pick-up truck has been replaced with the new Mercedes from Diopark. Not a bad kit. A big plus with this kit, is that the doors can be closed or open in real-time. That's right. You can have the option to keep it shut or if you so desire you can open them on demand. Two thumbs up for this little addition. The downside is, it is not so easy to put together ans glue the part that makes this to work. Not a kit for the beginner, I can tell you that. Lots of mistakes and mishaps trying to get the doors to work perfectly. Unfortunately I only succeeded having one door work( the passenger side) The rest were glue into their respective position. Also forgot to mention that you need lots of patience, something I am striving to maintain.


The next addition is the concrete canopy on the right. I simply used a piece of pink Styrofoam and glued it in place and painted it a concrete color. No biggy there. I also added another canopy made of corrugated material. Made the bracing of some pieces of white polystyrene and glued that in place after painting it blue. I think the variation of these two objects adds a little spice to the dio.


I added a small sign which I took off the internet. That is in fact a pic of a real sign that one of the US soldiers were posting up. I just downloaded it and re-sized it in Photoshop. I thought it was a cool sign.


As you can see I added another satellite dish and a mast for a antennae array on the top of the building. I was given a pic which showed many of these on one building alone but decided to limit the amount as I did not want to risk cluttering the diorama.


I added another insurgent figure from Blast models. I hand bought it and saved it for a rainy day. I guess that rainy day came.


I included MIG street lights, which are pretty good. I also went ahead and bought a dumpster to place the garbage in it at the side of the building. All resin and are pretty good products. I thought it added life and variation. Variation is the key. But you all know that already.


Anyways, enjoy the pics and thanks for being patience and giving me tips to finally ( almost) bringing this project to a close.


Lots of pics!!!!



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Great work, Charles! I haven't built many dioramas, and reading this thread has given me some interesting ideas on materials and techniques.

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Guest PetrolGator

Wow. This is almost frightening with its realism. I don't think I've seen a more complete and finer build of anything on this board.

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  • 1 month later...

Really nice work! Your technique is similar to another I have used - but overcoated with Durham's Water putty. With the 'pink' foam, the grain is seems to be fine enough to look good under just a coat of paint.

Regards,

Robert

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That is truly amazing work. I have a million questions for you,but I think I will get them in order and send you a PM. Thanks for sharing this amazing work!

 

Thank you. Send 'em. I'll be waiting. :)

 

Really nice work! Your technique is similar to another I have used - but overcoated with Durham's Water putty. With the 'pink' foam, the grain is seems to be fine enough to look good under just a coat of paint.

Regards,

Robert

 

Thanks Robert. Being my first time working with pink foam I am really amazed how it turned out.

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I have now added the US figures. Again. I am no figure builder. I still need lots of practice but I had to add them to give the dio a more atmospheric ambience.

 

 

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Edited by tiking
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You said you added a 'kid'? Is he hiding in the 55 Gal barrel?

I 'second' the other comments, your landscaping talents are wonderful. The composition is outstanding, too.

R/

Robert

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Haha Robert. Yeah i know. When this photo was taken, I had forgotten to add him. I was moving the placement of the figures around because I was indecisive of where O actually wanted to place him.

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Charles, I saw the bicycle and thought he was nearby... caught in the crossfire, as it were. Although a 55 Gal drum wouldn't stop any rounds, it would certainly be like a kid to hide in one... really amazing what you've done with pink EPS foam!

R/

Robert

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  • 1 month later...

Charles,

 

I showed this my friend last night and he was amazed. He said the only thing that's missing is the skinny cat hanging around the dumpster. He has been in many areas of the world and said that you really got this right...except for the cat, there is always a cat.

 

Fantastic job, sir.

 

Bill

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  • 2 weeks later...

Charles, if you can't find one, take an image off the Web of a cat 'in profile', print it to scale on a piece of cardstock then transfer to a piece of sheet styrene. Cut out, and then 'flesh out' with some epoxy putty or Sculpey. The profile will make a quick, proportioned armature for the 'figure', and a toothpick can help give the tiny details... really nice work, mate!

R/

Robert

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Of course, Master Box may have one in their farm animals set... well checking it, no. But there is a small dog in one with modern US tankers and (what appears to be) Iraqi civilian woman with children. Pix at Cybermodeler in a 'preview':

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/mb/kit_mb_35159.shtml

 

R/

Robert

Edited by rbeach84
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