* Aprons & Pans - Egg Banjo anyone? * DIORAMA INFO NEEDED

[JockMcPlock]

Dioramas!

 

Never made one but I've seen a couple of short videos on YouTube about them, and the seem quite involved to say the least.

I'm going to be looking for a few, and specifically a circular RAF dispersal pan from WW2 for a Heavy Bomber in 1/72 and 1/48 scales.

 

I was wondering, what is available out there, made and ready to go?

I have seen the sort of flat rectangular cardboard types (not really a fan of these), but what do people know about others with texture, foliage and a little bit of undulation etc?

 

I was also wondering if there are companies, or people on here that will commission and create dioramas to  a clients request?

What experience do people here have with either of these avenues and the cost implications?

 

Would be great to see some images from anyone that has made or bought some of these dioramas!

 

[Black Knight]

For a base see Coastal Kits; www.coastalkits.co.uk 

You can add your own grass to the Coastal Kit bases to make them more 3D

 

Amera does vac bases for you start making your own;  http://www.amera.co.uk/

[Gorby]

I kept well clear of dioramas for a long time because I thought they were too difficult, but now I find that they are one of the most enjoyable parts of modelling, so why not give it a try? This is my second dio – which cost only about £50 (excluding the aircraft and other vehicles):

 

It doesn't have to be expensive. This base I made for virtually nothing (I said £0 but the milliput for the sandbags probably 20p and the PVA probably 10p):

 

I'm never really very impressed with the realism of the commercially available dio bases, and the cost is usually quite high. Give it a go yourself, you might enjoy it.

[JockMcPlock]

On 13/08/2019 at 19:52, Black Knight said:

For a base see Coastal Kits; www.coastalkits.co.uk 

You can add your own grass to the Coastal Kit bases to make them more 3D

 

Amera does vac bases for you start making your own;  http://www.amera.co.uk/

It may have to be those CoastalKits, though at £25.00 each for a flat dispersal pan, plus whatever extra, this could turn out to be quite expensive.

On 14/08/2019 at 10:38, Gorby said:

I kept well clear of dioramas for a long time because I thought they were too difficult, but now I find that they are one of the most enjoyable parts of modelling, so why not give it a try? This is my second dio – which cost only about £50 (excluding the aircraft and other vehicles):

 

 

It doesn't have to be expensive. This base I made for virtually nothing (I said £0 but the milliput for the sandbags probably 20p and the PVA probably 10p):

 

I'm never really very impressed with the realism of the commercially available dio bases, and the cost is usually quite high. Give it a go yourself, you might enjoy it.

I really like how you've used fine grit sand paper for concrete! 

The dioramas I need will not be so overwhelming with so many intricacies, but I wonder if there's a diy way to produce many from bulk material.

[Paul821]

36 minutes ago, JockMcPlock said:

I wonder if there's a diy way to produce many from bulk material.

I would suggest the answer to this is down to your skills, how realistic you want the result to be and how much time you are willing to give to building the base(s).

 

My check and cheerful solution is to purchase suitably sized pictures from charity shops, where the frame is what I want. Put a formboard insert into it and then use printed tarmac etc and static grass. 

 

There are a number of free, and paying, sites on the internet where you can download surfaces

 

I have used both:

 

Scalemodels  

 

 and

 

Scalescenes  

 

For static grass there are a number of suppliers  and I would suggest using a search engine for worked examples and recommendations. My testing was carried out using Gaugemaster  but I also have experience of other more realistic systems including Peco. 

 

Good luck with whatever route you take and perhaps you will post some builds on Britmodeller.

.

[JockMcPlock]

21 minutes ago, Paul821 said:

I would suggest the answer to this is down to your skills, how realistic you want the result to be and how much time you are willing to give to building the base(s).

 

My check and cheerful solution is to purchase suitably sized pictures from charity shops, where the frame is what I want. Put a formboard insert into it and then useptinted tarmac etc and static grass. 

 

There are a number of free, and paying, sites on the internet where you can download surfaces

 

I have used both:

 

https://www.scalemodelscenery.com/

 

 and

.

I would say that I've never made dioramas before, but "how hard can it be".

 

That site is much cheaper than the Coastalkits boards you can buy, the only thing I would say is that it's a little limited on types of surface and for me, since accuracy is important for me, I couldn't use the generic stuff they have on there. 

I will have a look around for some of those other sites you mention to see if they have the surface type that I need.

[s.e.charles]

On ‎8‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 4:00 AM, JockMcPlock said:

I would say that I've never made dioramas before, but "how hard can it be". ...

truly spoken as any home handyman who has watched a youtube video!

 

point being, a lot of people can build crap and boast with confidence. what are your performance standards? what is your audience? what is your goal?

 

once you minimize someone's contribution, you may be alienating someone who could have helped you.

[JockMcPlock]

1 minute ago, s.e.charles said:

truly spoken as any home handyman who has watched a youtube video!

 

point being, a lot of people can build crap and boast with confidence. what are your performance standards? what is your audience? what is your goal?

 

once you minimize someone's contribution, you may be alienating someone who could have helped you.

Well this is the problem with reading text, you read it in the manner that you choose, and not the manner in which it was written.

[Gorby]

9 minutes ago, s.e.charles said:

once you minimize someone's contribution, you may be alienating someone who could have helped you.

I'm not sure who you think is likely to be alienated by Jock's comment, certainly not me. In fact I think it's the correct way to look at it – most of it isn't as difficult as it looks.

[spaddad]

18 minutes ago, Gorby said:

I'm not sure who you think is likely to be alienated by Jock's comment,

s.e. charles sounds like a good bet.

Edited August 20, 2019 by spaddad

[JockMcPlock]

Let me clear this up...

Truly if it was a case of "how hard can it be" then I don't presume I would have had a need to ask for advice or assistance initially and create this thread.

The poor insult of "truly spoken as a home handy man who has watched a youtube video" was pretty uncalled for given that you know nothing about me and degrading to those who produce their youtube video guides to assist others, of which you will find many with suitable step by step guides producing very impressive works of art, and they are works of art. You may find that you're inadvertently causing offence to many others yourself.

 

Just be friendly and a little less on the negative.

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by JockMcPlock

[spaddad]

1 hour ago, JockMcPlock said:

 

and a little less on the negative.

 

 

Some people can't be anything else. There are people who lurk around on this site just waiting & hoping to be upset, best to ignore them for to get into it with them is a waste of time, unless of course it's just to wind them even tighter.

 

[PLC1966]

I was somewhat disappointed by the Egg Banjo in this thread......

 

I was hoping for something a bit more like this 

 

Preferably at stupid o'clock in the morning, liberally covered in Gun Oil, Hydraulic fluid, Blood snot and various other unhealthy products. 

 

Yoke still runny, ideally dripping down the front of your Noddy Suit.

 

From a time when Men were Men, sheep were scared and we all went to war with a Hereforder Handbag in our hands.

 

Meanwhile, back on thread...

 

 

 

Chill out guys, we're only playing with models here.....

[PhoenixII]

On 8/20/2019 at 3:01 PM, PLC1966 said:

I was somewhat disappointed by the Egg Banjo in this thread......

 

I was hoping for something a bit more like this 

Chill out guys, we're only playing with models here.....

'Ere, I see's yer banjo and raises you a 'baby's 'ead'!!

[PLC1966]

55 minutes ago, PhoenixII said:

'Ere, I see's yer banjo and raises you a 'baby's 'ead'!!

Another delicacy that only reached the dining tables of a privileged few.

 

Although the annual cook up of Lifex Compo Sausages in the cookhouse was another of Lifes great pleasures.

[s.e.charles]

On 8/20/2019 at 6:45 AM, JockMcPlock said:

Well this is the problem with reading text, you read it in the manner that you choose, and not the manner in which it was written.

we all have different filters. let's see how the more helpful replies shape your project.

 

 

in the meantime, perhaps find some pointers here:  https://www.creativebloq.com/digital-art/tips-composition-31514496

 

and here:  http://www.armorama.com/user.php?op=userinfo&uname=jba  

 

after mastering all that, enjoy some rest while looking at the principles put into action here:

 

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1972

Edited August 25, 2019 by s.e.charles

[Rickoshea52]

Making your own diorama base guarantees that it will be unique and suit your needs and it needn’t be difficult or expensive. I previously dabbled in model railways where a good chunk of the genre is the scenery and I learned a lot from my experience of building a layout. 

I’ve made dispersals and aircraft parking bays from artists mounting card, Wills’ concrete plastic sheets and Woodland Scenic’s scatter material like this one - 

 

 

Or just a piece of artist’s mounting card with drawn on cracks and gaps for the concrete slabs and a bit of weathering, this one was made in less than an hour - 

 

 

If you’d like to display your models in a hangar you could always have a go at it like this one - https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/forum/lightning-servicing-flight/?p=1

 

Currently I’m building a Harrier hide - 

- this was made using a box frame from Hobbycraft, polystyrene packaging covered in pva soaked bogroll, Will’s concrete sheet for the road and scenic material mentioned before. 

 

I hope you find this of interest and not too show off like.

[JockMcPlock]

16 hours ago, Rickoshea52 said:

I hope you find this of interest and not too show off like.

They're all good examples of different levels of complexity. 

Certainly useful and food for thought.

[Pete in Lincs]

You want cheap and convenient?

Have a look on the bay for cake boards. That's the silver things that Birthday cakes come on.

Various sizes, round or square. Spray with grey primer and shade with the airbrush to suit.

Simples.

[dcrfan]

On 8/21/2019 at 2:01 AM, PLC1966 said:

I was somewhat disappointed by the Egg Banjo in this thread......

 

I was hoping for something a bit more like this 

 

Preferably at stupid o'clock in the morning, liberally covered in Gun Oil, Hydraulic fluid, Blood snot and various other unhealthy products. 

 

Yoke still runny, ideally dripping down the front of your Noddy Suit.

 

From a time when Men were Men, sheep were scared and we all went to war with a Hereforder Handbag in our hands.

 

Meanwhile, back on thread...

 

 

 

Chill out guys, we're only playing with models here.....

I read this thread last night then woke up this morning and the wife asked 'What do you want for breakfast', naturally I replied 'An egg banjo please', something I never eat.  There must be subliminal messages 

[PLC1966]

41 minutes ago, dcrfan said:

I read this thread last night then woke up this morning and the wife asked 'What do you want for breakfast', naturally I replied 'An egg banjo please', something I never eat.  There must be subliminal messages 

 

I believe this shows you to be a man of both class and standing. 👍

[PhoenixII]

On 9/3/2019 at 7:36 PM, Pete in Lincs said:

You want cheap and convenient?

Have a look on the bay for cake boards. That's the silver things that Birthday cakes come on.

Various sizes, round or square. Spray with grey primer and shade with the airbrush to suit.

Simples.

Simples Indeed! Can tell your from the wealthy South you Lincolnshire-ite you! Boards fer cakes? never heard of such things...Ee, when I were a lad...Oh, sorry, wrong thread! Jock @JockMcPlock find a timber merchant and ask if they will sell you a few off-cuts (he IS in Scotland!) if he's modern 400 - 600mm square should do, failing that it's

16" - 2' in owd money!

6 hours ago, dcrfan said:

I read this thread last night then woke up this morning and the wife asked 'What do you want for breakfast', naturally I replied 'An egg banjo please', something I never eat.  There must be subliminal messages 

And the Wife's reply? 

[dcrfan]

14 hours ago, PhoenixII said:

And the Wife's reply? 

Well I had an egg but cooked it myself.  I think the wifes reaction was shock rather than refusal.  

Edited September 6, 2019 by dcrfan

[PhoenixII]

2 hours ago, dcrfan said:

Well I had an egg but cooked it myself.  I think the wife's reaction was shock rather than refusal.  

Have you thought it might have been fear? Probable thinking was a Banjo made from egg? the yolk'll be all over the kitchen! 

[dcrfan]

14 hours ago, PhoenixII said:

Have you thought it might have been fear? Probable thinking was a Banjo made from egg? the yolk'll be all over the kitchen! 

Ah could be.  I guess I only know of the term egg banjo from living in Singapore as a youngster and later visits when in the military when we visited the char walla