MikeTrice Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Like a lot of the country, I have a few days off between Christmas and the New Year. I have lots of modelling techniques I want to try out working towards my larger layout, however do not want to risk doing so in case they are a disaster. A couple of small dioramas would be the ideal opportunity to try these out without risking the main layout. I say diorama but in really these would be small set pieces that I can use to photograph models against and prove my ideas. Of course I am having to plan ahead to make sure any materials/parts are obtained before the break. A quick visit later, complete with 25% off voucher, to Hobbycraft will hopefully provide a couple of Really Useful Boxes to house the completed dioramas. I have foam board, track, scenic materials, paint etc all ready and have ordered an Engine Shed kit in preparation (just hope it arrives in time). If anyone fancies joining me building their own diorama over Christmas check you have everything you need in advance? Roll on the holidays. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hippo Posted December 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 2, 2012 Hi Mike I look forward to seeing them develope over christmas. Everytime I go to Hobbycraft I start looking at those really useful boxes and my mind wanders Owen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DavidLong Posted December 30, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 30, 2012 Like a lot of the country, I have a few days off between Christmas and the New Year. I have lots of modelling techniques I want to try out working towards my larger layout, however do not want to risk doing so in case they are a disaster. A couple of small dioramas would be the ideal opportunity to try these out without risking the main layout. I say diorama but in really these would be small set pieces that I can use to photograph models against and prove my ideas. Of course I am having to plan ahead to make sure any materials/parts are obtained before the break. A quick visit later, complete with 25% off voucher, to Hobbycraft will hopefully provide a couple of Really Useful Boxes to house the completed dioramas. I have foam board, track, scenic materials, paint etc all ready and have ordered an Engine Shed kit in preparation (just hope it arrives in time). If anyone fancies joining me building their own diorama over Christmas check you have everything you need in advance? Roll on the holidays. When will we get an update, Mike? After New Year? David (a fan of Really Useful Boxes) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenng Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Here is my little diorama I made over the Christmas period it’s my first one I have made not quite finished too clean. Please feel free to comment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 I was hoping people had quietly forgotten ;-) I always overestimate exactly how much time I actually get over the Christmas period. My original intention was to produce a couple of simple dioramas based on an A4 paper size to fit in a couple of Really Useful Boxes I had already purchased. One would be a stretch of countryside, the second a simple shed scene (and yes the ordered Kibri kit arrived Christmas Eve so no excuse). Typically I always take on something far more complicated and decided to model instead a real location for which I have a real soft spot. I spent many hours trying to find images from t'internet but with no drawings available had to start creating my own. This actually proved quite difficult but after a few false starts I got something that looked about right. Before spending many hours on the actual model I prefer to do some mock ups using foam board to see how it might look: Everything looked promising and what is more it would fit on an A4 base. I cut the sides of the shed in cream and white plasticard and got bored cutting out all the windows. Probably a mistake as I then had to add the verticals afterwards: Note there is a rebate around the windows. On the prototype these should be quite deep chamfers so I might fill with Milliput to create a shallow chamfer. For the windows I created some artwork and printed it on overhead transparencies on a laser printer. Having taken sample photos I am really not convinced: As another experiment I tried using a white paint pen but the results were not good being far too heavy: About this time I started thinking about having some laser cut windows produced and need to revisit the artwork. It also means I can have the shed doors cut at the same time. My last use of the mockup is to see how much, or how little of the roof I need to provide in order to get reasonable photos: I now have half a main shed plus the front of a second shed which has now pushed the footprint beyond a simple A4 base. I have a number of options on how to proceed: 1) Buy a bigger box 2) Trim the width of the main shed 3) Trim the right hand portion of the second shed Part of me is tempted to keep at least half of the main shed as I could detail the interior giving an alternative photography angle but I am undecided at the moment. Unfortunately a late research project and family commitments have meant I have had to park it for the moment but given I need to produce artwork for laser cutting and await supplied that is probably not such a bad thing. BTW, can you guess where it is? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Here is my little diorama I made over the Christmas period it’s my first one I have made not quite finished too clean. Please feel free to comment. Looks fun. Hope you enjoyed making it and you have probably learnt a lot in the process. I wish I had not been so ambitious. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenng Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Hi Mike yep how addictive it can be. Not happy with the brown in front of the shed with the brown/black yard dirt not happy with that at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Just to illustrate the size issue. I can trim back the main shed to fit: Or the side shed: This rear view shows the potential for the inside of the main shed: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 A couple more glazing experiments. Don't like this: Might be able to live with this one though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Mike, imho the variant with the main shed trimmed back is better, it gives you more space NOT to clutter. And the second glazing experiment sure is the most convincing (how did you do that, pls?). This is good work, go along with it! Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Mike, imho the variant with the main shed trimmed back is better, it gives you more space NOT to clutter. And the second glazing experiment sure is the most convincing (how did you do that, pls?). This is good work, go along with it! Armin The original drawing was produced in Inkscape, a superb free vector graphics package, and a window coloured in using a gradient fill. It was then printed using a colour printer onto glossy photo paper: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Decided to reduce the width of the main shed on the basis that I might actually finish it!!! What was foamboard is now styrene: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Quick update while there is still some natural light around. Using the same technique of colouring in using Inkscape I have produced artwork for the doors and windows and temporarily taped in position. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Needs a bit of tidying up but overall I am happy with how the buildings have worked out: Back at work tomorrow, more is the pity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
backofanenvelope Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 NIce work Mike, you have caught the Swiss feel to the sheds I think and all in a small space! T. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 I realised I had sized the sheds for a sheet of A4 paper and forgot to allow 5mm for the backscene board. Rather than try and reduce the width of the main shed it was easier to take 5mm off of the secondary shed to the right of the board. A basic board was made of 5mm foamboard, track positions marked and carefully fixed down with Evo Stick. A photo of the location downloaded, cropped and printed as a background: Views from a more realistic angle: One of my next tasks is to fit a very prominent Catenary span. Could not find an easy way to scratchbuild this so have ordered a Sommerfeldt one and now need to await its arrival. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DavidLong Posted January 5, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 5, 2013 Glad that you are persisting with this, Mike. It is coming together nicely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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