Scratch building Ideas for Practice?

[SLIPKNOT]

Dear forum members,

As we all know, diorama construction is the one area where attention to detail is a must, as it usually involves historical accuracy, or is an abstract body of work or vignette, who's construction is in the mind of the modeller.

It is also the one area where I am at a complete loss when it comes to the subject of scratch building as I have had simply no practice at it. My question is to you all is? What would be the best ideas to practice and build so I can gain a range of skills in this area? I should state that I am not a complete novice modeller, but my experience relates mainly to kits. 

many thanks 😀  

[Mancunian airman]

Depending which avenue you want to go down, be it scratch build of buildings for a diorama or scratch build of vehicles then the best suggestion has to be to obtain a plan.

This will give you scale size but if you just want to build something that you totally want to create randomly that a sketch of sorts would be needed I would suggest if you want to create a landscape . . .

 

If you can be more specific than I am sure suggests will be forth-coming

Ian

[the South African]

build things with a "single" color such as tree trunks garbage cans etc I have found in my limited experience that these type of things is the most difficult to represent accurately.

 

Also make things with a lot of curvature eg again dustbins and skips these curves are difficult to keep in place and render accurately with dents etc.

 

HTH

 

Shaun

[dcrfan]

Regardless of the subject you choose take it in small steps by choosing small simple subjects first so you can actually finish them without loosing heart. 

[Badder]

Pfffew..... where to start???

I could write pages in response, so it would be a lot easier and more concise if I knew which genre of our hobby you are most interested in!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

 

[Badder]

Having read a  couple of responses though, I'd say either start of small and simple and build up gradually towards a grand masterpiece, or go straight for the grand masterpiece. I've chosen the latter because if I leave it too late I'll be pushing up daisies before it's finished!

 

If you can be more specific I can give advice on the 4 areas I consider most important.. and those are Buildings/constructions, Vegetation, Groundwork, and Composition.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

Edited July 23, 2018 by Badder

[bar side]

I start off by getting a bunch of cardboard box material together & some masking tape.  Use these to mock up what you want & see the size it will be.  If you are happy with it start thinking of materials (and budget and time it will take) to build it & dive in.  I don’t go for high detail or expensive materials first time - you can go there later if it will improve what you have.  But then mine are always a work in progress & rarely have everything exactly the way I would like it.