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graveturtle

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About graveturtle

  • Birthday February 20

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  • Scale I Build
    1/25

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  • Full Name
    Rachael

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  1. I think it really depends on what real materials and what representitive materials you're using. Real dirt usually looks good in any diorama, but it's a toss up when it comes to things like gravel and rocks. I think it really depends on the scale you're your working in and the size/texture of the rocks.
  2. I know this is a rather subjective question, but what does everyone think is most essential to creating a good diorama? In my opinion, composition and story are most important. They're really what set dioramas apart from a car on a decorated pedastal (Nothing against them. They're just not quite the same thing). Having a sense of motion and a sense of activity really bring a diorama to life and help make it memorable to the viewer. It can be difficult to capture, especially when you're starting out, but even small attempts can make a big difference. Making sure the diorama base isn't too small is something else that makes a huge difference. I know it's really tempting to cram as much as you can into a base (There's space and it's there! You can totally fit that in!) but I've found that a bit of negative space makes the chosen elements stand out since they're not crowded out by extra items.
  3. It's a really long shot, but have you checked the nearby libraries? It's not the same as having your own, but if you find a particularly useful section you could photocopy it. If there are any nearby, a university library would be your best bet. They generally have all sorts of strange books.
  4. Just messing around with the incomplete base since the vehicles that go with this base aren't complete yet. Here's a nice shiny 1/16 Stutz. The driver seems to have gone off to make sure the Terrible Forces of Evil aren't nearby, but he really shouldn't have done that. The evil flat green Zaku tries to put a dent in the shiny Stutz out of jealousy (it wants to be shiny too). Ok... back to working on the real scene...
  5. Thanks for the tips on using dirt! I didn't even think of baking it >_<
  6. I actually have a book by Shepard Paine, it's been really helpful. I've mostly been combining stuff from that book and things I learned in my museum classes. I'll definitely look up Ken Hamilton. Today I covered everything in a thin layer of plaster, then did an earthy paint as an undercoat. While the paint was still wet I dusted it with some Real Dirt from the backyard and shook off the excess. The dirt actually got really good coverage. I did all this outside, so please forgive the ever changing lighting in the pictures. Added some highlights and lowlights with a mix of railroad scenery earth stuff. Four different colors of turf, terrain and shrubs added and logs. The chewed up pieces of wood were old toys from my chinchilla's cage. He thinks a bundle of sticks is the most exciting thing in the world. I thought that his destruction of them gives the wood a natural look since the the trees are victims of Terrible Forces of Evil. The glue is still drying in the picture, so ignore the little white globs. Still need to add people, vehicles and the Terrible Forces of Evil. Not quite sure how to transition the edges of the diorama into the base though.
  7. So I've started a new base recently and I thought I'd post some progress pictures here. I've only been modeling for about a year, so helpful tips are always appreciated. I started with some plywood, primed it and then carved out some Styrofoam boulders. I added some spray foam insulation so the ground wouldn't quite be so flat. This picture was taken right after I added the foam-stuff. It expanded a bit more after it dried. After the foam stuff dried, I carved away most of it since I just wanted a bit of texture to the ground. I then covered everything in plaster cloth. These pictures are of the smaller base in the photo above.
  8. What kind of tools have you improvised or cobbled together for building your models? I'm kind of curious to see what things people have done. It seems that it's not that uncommon for nail files to be used, and I've head of nail polish being used to paint small sections of cars before. But I'm kind of curious as to what more unusual things people have come up with. And on that note, here's a bit of humor along that vein. http://retailminions...need-know-basis
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