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Ever evolvin dio. ft. 'THE INDESTRUCTIBLE TREE' as ft. on youtube.


Badder

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Okay, I've used 3 models to 'fill' the diorama, a Sherman 105mm which appeared in an RFI some time ago (but has yet to be placed in its own diorama) a Quad Tractor, sans 25pdr field gun (which only ever appeared in a WIP and has yet to be finished with very minor details) and the old Churchill which appeared in the RFI diorama 'Lost in France'.

Of course, the Sherman 105mm would not have appeared with either of the British vehicles, but it is standing in for a Cromwell which would. And the Quad is standing in for a Universal Carrier which was commonly seen with Churchills.

 

So, here's......

LAYOUT ONE

The black plastic trays represent a duck pond. The Churchill and Sherman (Cromwell) have just arrived on the scene, followed by British Infantry. The crew of a Universal Carrier are already there, doing something. I won't reveal what that is.

PzyAT1o.jpg

 

udPsibr.jpg

I'm not entirely happy with the layout because I really wanted to show a farmyard, with pens, outbuildings and animals. So I am going to try some more layouts.....

 

TFL

Badder

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LAYOUT TWO

 

Very similar to layout one, but with the duck pond front left.

This doesn't solve the problem concerning the lack of farmyard. There's also the problem with the positioning of the tree. Placed next to the pond it would be exposed to damage, or would be blocking the view.

LnrCLSM.jpg

 

TFL

Badder

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LAYOUT THREE

 

With the building moved to the left and the tree placed to the right I am able to show at least some farmyard to the right of the building and extending back towards the right hand corner. But again, I have a problem with placing the tree next to the duck pond.

T91wo4D.jpg

TFL

Badder

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LAYOUT FOUR

 

With the angle of the building sharpened: allowing more room for the farmyard, and the placing of the pond beside the tree. This works better. I can add another large tree or an outbuilding to the left rear corner.

TZ91BDI.jpg                                                                                                                                                                                                                       TFL

Badder

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3 hours ago, Major_Error said:

I feel that layout 3 gave the best balance in the picture. Two is off cause the second best. The pond in front is also giving some life and opportunities....

 

Wonderful!

 

8-)

Thanks for your input Major,

I think it's between 3 and 4, but if I drop the Cromwell that will give me more room to play with and allow for some rearrangement of the scenery.

So everything is in the air at the moment!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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2 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Which ever one you choose, I'm sure will look fantastic. What size board did you use? 

Hi Ozzy,

I'm pondering more options for the layout because I really do want it to look plausible. It has to be logically laid out, not cramped, or empty, but interesting, and with some humour.

The board I got from Wickes Trade and DIY Superstore and got it cut to a non-standard size.

 

If it's not written in the intro under materials, it's roughly 85cm x 60cm.

 

If I can use the same dio to display alternative vehicles/figures all the better.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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I do like the "angle" of the layout in photo 3 & 4.  A little more interesting when the layout is angled contrary to the frame.

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On ‎01‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 6:39 PM, RichO said:

I do like the "angle" of the layout in photo 3 & 4.  A little more interesting when the layout is angled contrary to the frame.

The thing is with this dio, is it's far too big to display on a shelf. So, I figure I'm going to have to display it in some kind of all glass/Perspex case on legs. A big job, I know, but my father is a cabinet maker so I will have to grease his palm!

 

And with this in mind, the diorama is going to have to look good from all directions. The 'angled' look is best for that, definitely.

 

I'm still playing around with the layout to see what I can and can't do with regards to the 'set scenes' I wanted to depict.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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On ‎03‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 4:45 PM, Vince1159 said:

Glass/Perspex sounds like a great display for a coffee table...

Hi Vince,

 

More like a coffee chest! :idea:The case will have to be 35cm in height at least. (The tree is 28cm tall) I'm thinking I may ask my father to make a chest of drawers with this dio in a case on the top. And in the drawers I can store my stash and bits and pieces, including models yet to be placed in a diorama???

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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Hi all,

It's okay, I've not suddenly given up on this dio or anything! I've just been contemplating the layout for several days!

I've still not nailed it down (the layout) but I have decided where the duck pond is going to be. And with that decided I've raised the ground level virtually everywhere else. I've not used any kind of filler to do this, plumping for screwing a rectangle of MDF to the base instead. The building will be set on this raised ground towards the right of the dio, and the tree to the building's left.

Apart from this, I've tidied up the tree a bit more, adding some more foliage where there was a bit of an...er... untidy patch.

I've also made a log pile,

baGAbBw.jpg

 

And finally, I've 'greened' up the wall a bit by applying another wash of the green Grit Paint.

fyPQBGz.jpg

 

 

Looking at the 'ivy' in the log pile shot, I've come to the conclusion that the leaves ARE too plain. I've been denying this for a while, hoping that I'm just being too fussy, but no. The leaves do need further work. And yes, I imagine it's going to be a long and tedious job.

 

TFL

Badder

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21 minutes ago, Badder said:

 

Hi Vince,

 

More like a coffee chest! :idea:The case will have to be 35cm in height at least. (The tree is 28cm tall) I'm thinking I may ask my father to make a chest of drawers with this dio in a case on the top. And in the drawers I can store my stash and bits and pieces, including models yet to be placed in a diorama???

 

Rearguards,

Badder

That's not to bad at just over a foot,say 18 - 24 inches on its legs off the ground but the price of the glass may not make it worthwhile...

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7 minutes ago, Vince1159 said:

That's not to bad at just over a foot,say 18 - 24 inches on its legs off the ground but the price of the glass may not make it worthwhile...

I figure this will be my one and only 'Grand Diorama', the biggest and hopefully my best.  I doubt very much that anyone would grease my palm to take it off my hands, so it's mine for keeps. I can't just put it away somewhere gathering dust. It HAS to be cased. Whether it's on display or not is a different matter.

I've no idea what the glass would cost, but I am prepared to be a bit mental!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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I thought the log pile needed a bit of protection from the rain, so I came up with the idea of using the 'corrugated roofing' I made earlier. And of course that meant me ending up building a proper lean-to, and having to remove a lot of the ivy from the wall to get it to fit correctly.

 

Here it's only dry-fitted. The corrugated roof, and woodwork (coffee stirring sticks and large matchsticks) need further work.

UqKnx2i.jpg

TFL

Badder

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I've blackened the lean-to with black weathering powder, applied dry and then washed over with water. Once dry I took a flat file and gave the woodwork a going over, following the grain.

oFrHJFD.jpg

 

BLyW6Ec.jpg

The roof will be rusted up a lot more with weathering powder. Once it is fixed in place I will add some ivy to the side near the steps and drape some ivy over the roof.

 

TFL

Badder

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4 hours ago, RichO said:

Very nice wood shed!

 

51 minutes ago, Vince1159 said:

That's a lovely job Badder,if you got a magnifying glass you could probably find wood worm....

Thanks chaps,

It's a shame I never thought of it before adding all the 'ivy' that I've subsequently had to remove!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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The woodshed is now fixed in place. The front edge of the roof needs tidying up where the corrugations deformed during further weathering. I used too much water and it got soggy! And stupidly I didn't wait for it to completely dry before rubbing a graphite stick over it.

I also gave all of the ivy at this end of the building a wash with Humbrol 'chromium green weathering powder' This has created more colour variation in the leafery but it doesn't really show up in this photo. Whilst I had envisaged having to improve the leaves with careful and painstaking painting, the wash may prove enough. I shall have to stare at it several times a day for several weeks to see if my conscience allows me to say that they are absolutely, finally, finished.

WCxvHId.jpg

 

I will add a few bits of 'ivy' to drape over the roof, but otherwise this section of the building is finished.

I think the next job will be to make a water butt for the drainpipe which will be fitted at the rear of the building. I imagine that the water butt will be a large wooden barrel. Hopefully I can scratch this from paper and/or plasticard.

 

TFL

Badder

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The water-butt was just an experiment, constructed whilst watching Kingsman (The original, not the probably rubbish new one)

 

I cut coffee stirring sticks into thinner strips, and then to length, filed them to shape (roughly) soaked them in water for 10mins then bent them, let them dry and CA'd them around a Tamiya Fuel Drum. A bit of sanding was needed to get a smoother shape. If I'd taken some care over the shaping of the ...er.... slathes?.... then the butt would have been a lot better.

 

I don't know whether I will keep it and do it up, or start again taking more care.

 

TFL

Badder

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