The Imperial Shipyards

Imperial Creative Engineering => Dioramas => Topic started by: Darth More on September 23, 2016, 08:30:46 AM

Title: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on September 23, 2016, 08:30:46 AM
Just wanted to share some pictures of my mini dioramas, I built on picture frames. I hope they give you some inspiration! Please, feel free to comment on, share and post pictures of similar projects of your own! Enjoy!

I haven't been active on here for 5 years!! That's a shame I know, BUT I haven't quit the hobby and I probabally won't. In the meantime I collected way too many ideas, created drafts and realized at least some of them. My last project in 2011 was my big Mos Eisley diorama, which still needs to be completed. I will post some updates on that topic later on.

Since I also build model kits and saw some other model builders on fairs here in Germany, I got the idea of making mini dioramas on picture frames. After the big Mos Eisley project I wanted to go small before starting the next big project. Therefore I built different dioramas on picture frames which depict some famous planets of the Star Wars Universe such as Endor, Hoth, Tatooine, Kashyyyk and more... Enjoy!

Best regards from Germany and may the force be with you!

Philipp


List of contents:


Page 1:

Picture Frame Dioramas
- Hoth: Ice Desert - Reply #3
- Tatooine: Landspeeder Display - Reply #10
- Endor: Speeder Bike Display - Reply #11
- Kashyyyk: Swamp Speeder Display - Reply #12


Page 2:

Picture Frame Diorama
- Geonosis: Desert - Reply #19

Scenery
- Star Shooting: The Emperor's Arrival - Classic Style... - Reply #27


Page 3:

Fantastic Plants and Where to Find Them...
- Which materials do I use? - Artificial Plants - Reply #32

Picture Frame Diorama
- A Message from Yoda: Panda bear/Kashyyyk Diorama - Reply #40


Page 4:

Picture Frame Dioramas
- Endor: Ewok Assault Catapult (Display inspired by TVC packaging) - Reply #47
- Endor: Battle for Endor Scenery - Reply #55
- Endor: Ewoks! Almost all Ewoks of the modern line...do you know which one is missing? - Reply #56


Mini Diorama Display Stands by FialaFernbrugg - Reply #59
- BB-8 on Mini Diorama - legion078
- Clone Assassin - FialaFernbrugg
- Sandtrooper with Custom E-11 Blaster - FialaFernbrugg


Page 5:

Shelf Diorama:
- ANH/Tatooine: Mos Eisley - Work in Progress... - Reply #67



Page 6:


- Picture Frame Dio: Utapau: The 10th Level (ROTS) - Reply #88


Page 7:

- Display Diorama: Hello there! - Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. General Grievous - Reply #92


- Display Diorama:Scarif: Landing Platform 09 // Cargo Area - Reply #100


Work in Progress:

- Modular Diorama: Battle of Utapau: Large Scale Display diorama



Coming sooner or later...

- Shelf Dioramas:
TPM: Naboo
AOTC: Geonosis
ROTS: Utapau
ANH: Tatooine (work in progress...)
TESB: Hoth
ROTJ: Endor


- Picture Frame Diorama: Felucia
- Mini Diorama Display Stand for TVC Aayla Secura

Title: Re: Mini Diorama 2
Post by: hemble on September 25, 2016, 05:11:21 AM
Look forward to seeing the dio once you upload them.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Diorama 2
Post by: Tamer on September 25, 2016, 06:43:05 AM
Yeah, that last thing was weird. I can't even get into that one mini dio thread now.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on September 26, 2016, 09:22:18 AM
All you need for this diorama is:

materials:
- picture frame $2-6
- artificial snow powder <$2
- cardboard <$0.50
- white acrylic paint <$1
- wood glue <$1

tools:
- pair of scissors
- a brush

For this diorama I used the smallest white picture frame I could find in a dollar store ($2). It should be just big enough to display 2-3 3.75" action figures. The measures are:

outer edges: 20x15cm (7.8"x5.9"), inner surface: 15x10cm (5.9"x4")

The snow powder is actually a very funny story to share! I have been looking for the right snow powder for months! I finally found this one here in a local craft store in July 2015!!
I asked them for Christmas decoration and told them I needed it for model building. It was weird to ask for winter stuff during summer, but anyways they had two bags left for me!
What gave me a hard time before was finding powder that was small enough for 1/18 scale. Most of the artificial snow for Christmas decoration is too big and looks fake if you know what I mean...the picture below schows how small it actually is next to a millimeter scale:

Advice: Most of the artifial snow is just shredded foam. Don't use spray glue to fix it! It will liquify because of the propellants in sprays...

(http://i.imgur.com/I8mjwQV.jpg)

Figures:

The Snowtroopers on display are custom painted and weathered. Unfortunately I did not paint them myself. I got all three of them on eBay for just $9 ($5.50 plus $4.50 shipping)!
So thanks to the talented painter! Almost all joints are glued. Some thin tape/ribbon is applied to the boots to make them look more authentic.

Step-by-step:

1. You take out the glass of the picture frame and remove the frame's stand on the back.
2. Cut four stripes out of cardboard that is about as thik as the glass to replace the glass.
They should be as long as the edges of the inner frame and around 0,5mm (0.2") wide (depending on the picture frame). Put the four stripes underneath the edges of the inner frame and fix them with wood glue. They just fill the gap between the bottom wood plate and the frame. Make sure to put newspaper underneath in order to protect your work surface. You don't want to have glue on your table.
3. Paint the wooden plate beneath the glass in white to support the white ice/snow effect.
4. When the acrylic paint is dry, apply the wood glue on the white surface and scatter the snow powder on it.

And that's how mine turned out:

(http://i.imgur.com/zIaHVFJ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/mlAdIvF.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/1ds3d9o.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/pRKsweo.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/qzZGIzx.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/xUAmjo8.jpg)

They are easy to make, not much work and just a great way to display your favorite figures of your favorite movie scenes! Feel free to ask questions, share your ideas for improvement and have fun trying it yourselves!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on September 26, 2016, 12:15:25 PM
I already made 3 Hoth based dioramas on differently sized picture frames. They are not only great for displaying your favorite figures, but also to honor Hasbro's best figures of the modern series!

There are basically endless combinations of what and how much you display on these dios!
Some day I will build a huge diorama to display the battle of Hoth with the AT-AT, AT-ST and a nice trench for the rebels' defence...so these small dioramas are like a test/study before I go BIG!

(http://i.imgur.com/OEDYBBY.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Pw2gQMg.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/6UNOLBo.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/XZYXINL.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/hIuLT57.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/kIqOUPz.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Ikorr3E.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/WSYWqt4.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/IUoatBa.jpg)
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: hemble on September 26, 2016, 10:32:31 PM
Nice work.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: RCWCreations on September 27, 2016, 01:03:56 AM
Very nice work!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Tamer on September 27, 2016, 03:01:52 AM
These look great! Thank you for the step by step with pictures. I might have to try one of these!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on September 27, 2016, 10:27:41 AM
@ hemble, Panther and Tamer: Thank you very much guys! I was looking forward to receiving your feedback!

Here are some more pictures of the parts you actually need from the picture frame:
You might not need any cardboard to replace the glass, that depends on the picture frame you use.
Just make sure the edges are sealed so that nothing liquid (e.g. wood glue) can go through it...I will show you some examples with artificial water later on  0/

Philipp

(http://i.imgur.com/i5PlORG.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/si3ixzv.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/E00tD7P.jpg)
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Tamer on September 28, 2016, 03:07:39 AM
I am really enjoying these. Back to the front page with you. And thanks for showing us how you are doing this!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on October 18, 2016, 06:04:40 AM
Before heading to further dioramas of Endor and Kashyyyk I wanted to complete the desert themed dioramas...
I just finished another diorama, which took about 15 minutes to build plus the time the styrofoam glue needs to dry. So nothing really special, but still nice to look at.
This time around it's a Tatooine themed one. I know Luke is sitting on the wrong side, but I just couldn't fit him in the Landspeeder without breaking the stiring wheel.


All you need for this diorama is:

materials:
- picture frame $2
- sand <$0.50
- styrofoam glue <$0.50 (depending on how much you use)

tools:
- pair of scissors
- a brush
- (tea strainer)

figures/vehicles:
- TSC Luke Skywalker - SAGA-036
- TVC Landspeeder

- TLC Jawa with WED Treadwell Droid - BD-33/BD-04
- Moisture Vaporator: Accessory from TAC Luke Skywalker (Moisture Farmer) - 30-18

(measures are added shortly)

Step-by-step:

1. Prepare the picture frame as explained above.
2. Apply styrofoam or wood glue to the frame's inner surface.
You can also apply clay before to sculpt some texture/environment.
3. Apply sand to the still liquid glue (I utilized a tea strainer for this step).
Let it dry. Remove the rest of loose sand once the glue is dried. OR:
(4.) If you want you can apply some additional loose sand for footprints or other traces.

I hope you like it!

(http://i.imgur.com/LYUnojt.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/V04sAZe.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/C7VaC5j.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/kv1E1MX.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/pl5xgcs.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/vEZkrIg.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/f85uVHy.jpg)


Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on October 18, 2016, 06:35:49 AM
Models of forest, jungle and swamp dioramas take more time and money. But the work pays off.

This is an Endor themed diorama of which I will build at least one more.

For this diorama you need:

materials:
- picture frame $3
- modelling material/clay <$2
- brown acrylic paint <$1 (measured by the amount you need)
- wood glue <$1
- shredded material (e.g. cork) for the forest ground from a modelling shop, see image below
- artificial pants, small stones/rocks, wood/sticks etc.
(-) epoxy or similar transluscent resin for water effects

tools:
- pair of scissors
- a brush

Step-by-step:

1. Prepare the picture frame as explained above.
2. Apply modelling material/clay to the frame's inner surface. Imprint footprints or similar uneveness for further detail. Let it dry. It might shrink. You can apply some more to fill the gaps, then. The gaps can also make the environment look more realistic. It's up to you ;-)
3. Apply brown acrylic paint to cover the modelling material (mine was of a light beige color). Let it dry.
4. Apply wood glue and scatter the shredded flakes onto the still liquid glue (see image below). (Leave out all spots for artificial water if you plan to apply some.)
(5.) Apply epoxy or similar transluscent resin to create puddles, ponds, creeks etc. Read instructions before and make sure to protect yourself if you use epoxy (gloves, respiratory protection mask etc.) Keep away from children and animals.
I used a resin based on water. It's similar to wood glue which you can also use for water effects by diluting/mixing it with water.
6. Apply any detail you want like small stones/rocks, sticks or artificial plants.

Shredded material: I used flakes of a model buidling kit by BUSCH for ~$2:
(http://i.imgur.com/orizPin.jpg)

Here is a picture of the "starter-kit" I got:
(http://i.imgur.com/bSWdl53.jpg)
Source: www.mytoys.de ; http://www.mytoys.de/busch-busch-modelleisenbahn-starter-kit-spur-h0-1472406.html



(http://i.imgur.com/MXHS4rE.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/tDaM7VC.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/rh7jKuu.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/jMFTzkV.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/VIi9xpP.jpg)

Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on October 18, 2016, 07:29:46 AM
We reach the next skill level with the swamps of Kashyyyk which is a nice project for fans of water effects! I really enjoyed working on this project.

For the elite model builders of you: You can skip the text and just enjoy the pictures.

If you're still interested in how I made this, read on...

For this diorama you need:

materials:
- picture frame $3
- modelling material/clay <$2
- brown acrylic paint <$1 (measured by the amount you need)
- wood glue <$1
- shredded material (e.g. cork) for the forest ground from a modelling shop
- artificial pants, small stones/rocks, wood/sticks etc.
(-) epoxy or similar transluscent resin for water effects

tools:
- pair of scissors
- a brush

Step-by-step:

1. Prepare the picture frame as explained above.
2. Apply modelling material/clay to the frame's inner surface. Imprint footprints or similar uneveness for further detail. Let it dry. It might shrink. You can apply some more to fill the gaps, then. The gaps can also make the environment look more realistic. It's up to you ;-) This time around I filled the gaps between the clay mounds with artificial water. They look like little wells/connections between the puddles.
3. Mix sand to your acrylic paint until it reaches a coarse/mud-like consistency.
 Apply it to cover the modelling material (mine was of a light beige color). Let it dry.
4. Drill holes for every artificial plant you would like to place on your diorama.
You can also place the artificial pants while the modelling material/clay is still soft (Make this step before step 3). Place them in there and remove them before applying the acrylic paint.
Add any detail you want like small stones/rocks and wooden sticks.
5. Apply epoxy or similar transluscent resin to create puddles, ponds, creeks etc. Read instructions before and make sure to protect yourself if you use epoxy (gloves, respiratory protection mask etc.) Keep away from children and animals.
I used a resin based on water. It's similar to wood glue which you can also use for water effects by diluting/mixing it with water. I also added some green ink (Citadel by GamesWorkshop) to dye the water.

For any questions feel free to ask!

(http://i.imgur.com/ci0uXLL.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ni1xKd2.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/BpM3Xot.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/z8rJ85v.jpg)

Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on October 18, 2016, 07:35:00 AM
You might have noticed the translucent straws on the Kashyyyk diorama. I placed these in the modelling material while sculpting the environment because I dedicated this diorama to my favorite vehicle of the Clone Wars: The ISP Swamp Speeder.

For the support pillars you cut a straw into pieces of about 5cm/~2". The distance between them is according to the holes of the three biggest screws (diameter 0,5cm/0.19"). You can hardly see them when a vehicle is displayed when the straws are placed in the vehicle's center. This effect makes the display piece look like it floats.
I am actually still looking for these straws here in Germany. The straw I used for this project is from a restaurant in Michigan. I collected some (about 20) during my time as exchange student...let's see how long they last! :D

(http://i.imgur.com/qIk0NlF.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/7zJcOwG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/JQq3eiy.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/quHudlo.jpg)


I then noticed that Hasbro's BARC Speeder can also be displayed on the three pillars with this particular distance:

(http://i.imgur.com/AeiG8co.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/vkf6DYA.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/KtJzHlM.jpg)

   
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: JDeck on October 18, 2016, 07:42:57 PM
   Awesome mini dios! Great tips too.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Tamer on October 19, 2016, 02:47:21 AM
Awesome, more environments. They look great! Off to share.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on October 19, 2016, 06:33:32 AM
Thank you very much JDeck and Tamer! It's good to hear you like them!
I actually started the "step-by-step" instructions so that also youger fans and model builders can build their own diorama on a picture frame. The desert models especially are very easy to build, although many moms will probably not be pleased with sand in the house...Thank to the maker for vacuum cleaners! 

For more accuracy I will paint some weathering onto the Swamp Speeder next...
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: hemble on October 20, 2016, 12:01:34 AM
Great work on the dio's mate but the Kashyyyk diorama is awesome.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on October 20, 2016, 10:05:22 PM
Thanks Ron! Yeah, I started with the easiest models and continued with the more challenging ones. I am also pretty happy with the Kashyyyk Dio and I am looking forward to weathering one of my Swamp Speeders!

Have a great weekend everyone and may the force be with you!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on November 18, 2016, 07:34:44 AM
When I got home from work on Wednesday night I grabbed another picture frame and started the next project.

First, I painted the back with a brown acrylic paint. I used a little more paint to give it a bit of  texture:

(http://i.imgur.com/gFLVogN.jpg)

I let the paint dry over night. Technically you can also go from here and let it be this way. I might do another one like this and just apply a few plants. That was it looks like an arid lake/riverbed. Then I glued the plate behind the outer frame:

(http://i.imgur.com/51kGQm7.jpg)

Next I applied a thick layer of (wood) glue onto the brown surface (about 0,3cm/0.12") and scattered some sand onto it.
 
(http://i.imgur.com/CqVqyAm.jpg)

So when the glue dried completely over (another) night (Friday) I could remove the loose sand. And that's what's underneath: A hard surface of sand. For additional stability you can apply some extra spray glue on it. I would recommend to cover the outer frame with tape, then.

(http://i.imgur.com/jn83UhL.jpg)

This sand is very fine as you can see in the picture below. I was looking for some sort of this sand for a while and finally found it in a pet shop that is spezialized in reptiles.
I even asked them where this sand comes from. They didn't know either and probally didn't even care. Haha, but I assume it either comes from Australia or Africa...what do you think?

(http://i.imgur.com/jhKr2RP.jpg)

So this little Geonosis display took me just about 15 minutes of "working time". It's not much work as mentioned before and I am happy to be able to make this even during the week and not only on weekends...

And here are some pictures of random figures and vehicles I put on there:

(http://i.imgur.com/sqqiKad.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/5sI1MNQ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/UmWa1ZU.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/whdducM.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/vGhARHh.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/zkF426z.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/8UN6dos.jpg)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Have a good weekend guys!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on November 18, 2016, 08:36:11 AM
Your Mini Dioramas are the best my friend. They all look amazing.
Thank you for the tips. It will help a lot when I try my own Mini Dios.

Excellent work!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on November 18, 2016, 10:47:31 AM
Thanks my friend! And you're very welcome! Can't wait to see your mini dios!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: JDeck on November 18, 2016, 02:59:08 PM
  Another great mini dio! The sand you used has the geonosis color. Personally I think the AT-TE looks awesome on it.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on November 18, 2016, 03:56:31 PM
Thank you JDeck! Yes, I agree with you! The Action Fleet AT-TE looks great on it. The reason for this might be that the figures are not weathered and therefore don't really fit into the environment...
I am going to re-paint and weather some figures and vehicles over the next time. Also a display for the 3 3/4" AT-TE is planned...but first I have to finish the repaint of the NR-N99...

And to the sand: Yes, I really had to look for a while until I finally found the right type - therefore I bought a 11 lbs bag...should be enough for the next bigger projects ;)

Best regards

Philipp
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: hemble on November 18, 2016, 06:06:04 PM
Great little dio's yet again mate keep up the great work.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Tamer on November 20, 2016, 08:12:29 AM
Great tutorial, off to share!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on November 20, 2016, 03:33:21 PM
Thank you Ron and Shawn! I am glad you like them! I will paint some weathering on a Phase I Clone Trooper soon, so that the figure actually fits into the environment of Geonosis.

Thanks for sharing it on the front page! I am very happy to see all the awesome project of this weekend together! Stronox, Ron, JDeck, FialaFernbrugg and so many more all together on the front page are just great to see!

Thanks guys!

- Philipp
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on December 08, 2016, 02:07:59 PM
By the way did you know the Emperor has a passion for Classic Cars?

(http://i.imgur.com/7m63DH9.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/4nlk6ha.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/kRtXM0d.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/pXST2ng.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/p5lvT9y.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/fYxpxPF.jpg)


Since I am a big fan of the Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz from 1959 I got a 1/18 scale model of this beauty! The idea of this scene came to my mind and today after work I finally realized it!
Hope this gives you as much fun as it does to me! Weekend is almost there! Best regards from Germany!

-Philipp
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: JDeck on December 08, 2016, 07:20:07 PM
LOL. thats awesome!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Tamer on December 09, 2016, 03:52:05 AM
You can read my comments on the front pages.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on December 10, 2016, 06:53:08 AM
 ;D
That is an appropriate vehicle for the Emperor.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas
Post by: Darth More on December 19, 2016, 02:55:43 PM
Thank you! I already got a couple more ideas for similar projects... ;) Won't take much longer until you'll see them!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas on Picture Frames
Post by: Darth More on January 15, 2017, 09:18:16 AM
"These ARE the plants you're looking for!"

So let's talk about artificial plants! Why? Because I think it's worth it! You might have noticed that it can be quite hard to find suitable material like (artificial) plants for your dioramas. That's why I would like to talk about this here!

During my time as exchange student in Michigan my host mother took me to Hobby Lobby a couple times. I can only remember this store as source of artificial plants. Most of them were not suitable for model building though, but more for decoration purposes. The second disadvantage was that Hobby Lobby or similar craft stores are not located in every city in the U.S. - for all of you living in the U.S. you might have better sources for model building supplies (like dollar stores maybe?).
Just let me know in the comments!
I also went to a model train store that didn't have much and was quite expesnive. Here in Germany it is pretty much the same thing:
Craft stores and model building stores have become pretty rare. But if you find one here it's likely that you also find some good stuff for your projects!

I've been "collecting" artificial plants for almost a decade by now and gained some experience on this topic. I would like to share my latest experience with you guys so that all of you can profit from it regardless where you live!
In November 2016 I found a good source for artificial plants online!
There are many stores on eBay that actually sell artificial plants in all scales! After ordering some items from two of these stores I can almost say for sure that they all belong to one and the same seller or company! The two stores I made experiece with are sfcdirect and schmuckshop88 (which is focused only on the German/European market). So in any case I recommend to you to go with sfcdirect because they send worldwide and are cheapest. 
All in all I am pretty contented with the plants I got from them. Here is why:

Advantages:
- you can get many for cheap
- most of them are shipped for free or just a low shipping cost (BUT: They do not combine shipping!)

Disadvantages:
- the items are sent from China and take about 3 weeks to Germany (and probably to the USA, too)
- as already mentioned above they do not combine shipping costs
- the communication with one of their several assistants of their customer service is a little difficult sometimes...
- they smell! I highly recommend you to wash them when you receive them!
- Most importantly: Colors vary! The plants sometimes come in a different color than shown on the pictures. You might have to repaint them. Which leads to my last disadvantage:
- Artificial plants (most of them in general) are pretty shiny/glossy. You might have to paint them in a matt color or just a clear varnish

My advice: Compare prices! I got the feeling they try to deceive the customer by selling the same item for different prices. Sort all items on eBay with the tool "show lowest price + shipping first"!!

Here is the link to the Chinese seller on eBay! Just type in "model tree" or "model diorama":

http://stores.ebay.de/sfcdirect/?_dmd=2&_nkw=model+tree+diorama

http://stores.ebay.de/sfcdirect/_i.html?_dmd=2&_nkw=model+diorama

Intentionally I do not post the direct links to their auctions/offers because they all end after 30 days. Just check out their eBay store.
I know they have a lot of crazy stuff and over 66.000 items, but if you just look for the target words mentioned above you will soon find what you are looking for!


So these are the first three items I got from schmuckshop88: By now sfcdirect sells all items sold by schmuckshop88. Seems they have reacted to my orders...It's not my intention to advertise for them here, but it's a source all of us can profit from!


I put all the plants in plastic bags and labeled each one of them with source, price and where I got them. I will post another topic about this later on...
(http://i.imgur.com/TDzVWwX.jpg)

I would have never expected to even find bamboo in this scale! I was very surprised when I found this and at this point I was sure I just had to share this with you! That's why I post the bamboo first here...so as you can see the tallest one is about 5.25"/14cm high, while the smallest one measures about 3"/8cm. You can buy a mixed set of 100 for about 8,59€/~$8.93.
(http://i.imgur.com/kXmSdGd.jpg)


I also really like these plants because you can use them for many environments like Endor or Kashyyyk. You can get 50 for $4.69+$0.52* - so about $0.10* per piece.
(http://i.imgur.com/KdJ1VCl.jpg)


These palm trees are sold as "Cyad trees". The color varies a little bit from the description. You can get 10 for 3,49€/~$3.63* + free shipping! So $0.36* per piece. There are other offers, too. The cheapest I could find is 50 of them for 10,75€/~$11.18* ($0.22* per piece). If you need so many of them visit gudongtoy:
http://www.ebay.de/sch/gudongtoy/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
(http://i.imgur.com/ebMRlXO.jpg)


They are about 2"/4,5cm tall. Keep in mind that these measures include the tip of the plants.
(http://i.imgur.com/kHoXkrE.jpg)

As mentioned above I highly recommend to you to wash them with water and soap before using them for your dioramas! They ship from Shenzhen, Guangdong or Hongkong where the air pollution is really bad. When I took the plants off the bowl I could even see particles of fine dust in the water which had turned grey .
(http://i.imgur.com/jAkkBTQ.jpg)


You can get different kinds of these "carpets" to use them seperately or to fill big areas on your diorama! They are arranged in 9x9 so you get 81 pieces for $4.99+$0.52 for shipping - so about $0.07 per piece. Again, please compare prices carefully before purchasing them!
They start from $2.74:
http://stores.ebay.de/SfcDirect/_i.html?_dmd=2&_nkw=81pc&_sop=2&rt=nc

Here is a selection of three types I bought. I will use them for Endor and Kashyyyk dioramas.

(http://i.imgur.com/MG3Vcig.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/l7KLx2u.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/irLQQTj.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/9seqB8h.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/vHf2lY1.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/gw8X7so.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/tO2HZmG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/zkTi3TO.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/hSu0JCQ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/ddB4pde.jpg)

You can get a mixed set of 100 of this kind for $9.20+free shipping! You can also order a bag of 100 pieces in one color, which is cheaper. Since I don't need a hundred of one color I paid a little more to have 20 of each. I will use them for dioramas of Felucia, Kashyyyk and Ryloth.
They are actually smaller than I expected, thanks to the long tip! They measurure about:
1.25"/3,5cm - or: 0.75"/2,5cm without the tip. Just wanted to let you know. I don't think this is a diadvantage. The actal plant is just smaller than told in the description.
(http://i.imgur.com/zby46hh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mwv1vFp.jpg)

Here are two kinds of plants I would like to tell you more about:

The one on the left is sold as "Lotus leaf". 50 of them are sold as cheap as $3.89+$0.52 for shipping. BUT: They are actually much lighter than pictured on eBay. I wanted to use them for an upcoming Endor diorama inspired by the new Star Wars Battlefront videogame...so will have to paint them darker. I think they look like the leafes of a water lily, too.

The one on the right looks like a bunch of leafes from a banana palm tree. They measure about  1.25"/3,5cm. They're sold as "50 Traveller's model tree" for $4.74+$0.52 for shipping.
(http://i.imgur.com/1G98xxs.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/pvYjTXT.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/1fPi84h.jpg)

These plants look also very obscure and therefore interesting and perfect for recreating the fascinating worlds of George Lucas' Star Wars!
(http://i.imgur.com/x5xf4LB.jpg)

This one sells as "50 Model Heart Leaf" for $4.49+$0.52 International Shipping - so $0.10 a piece.
(http://i.imgur.com/csQe1VM.jpg)

These here are alomost my favorite ones for Endor. They sell in two sizes (see picutre's center and right). They sell as "50pcs-Model-Grasses-Train-Railway-Wargame-Scenery-Landscape-HO-Scale-4-5cm" for $4.61+$0.52 for Worldwide Shipping.
(http://i.imgur.com/zmiVlug.jpg)




How to turn Palm Tress into Fern...


What I also found on sfcdirect are Palm Trees in many different scales. Here is a selection of them:

"20pcs Coconut Palm Tree Scale 1/150" sell for $3.99+free shipping. Height: ~3"/10cm
(http://i.imgur.com/7GQ6ntg.jpg)

"20pcs Coconut Palm Tree" sell for $2.77(offer)+$1.25 for Worldwide shipping. Height: ~4.5"/12cm
(http://i.imgur.com/ECxWpud.jpg)

"14 Multi Scale Model Coconut Palm Tree" sell as cheap as $4.35+$0.52 for Worldwide shipping. Height: from ~2"/3,5cm to ~7"/18cm
(http://i.imgur.com/y8e7fzx.jpg)



Of course you can use them as they are for your environments. What about a diorama of Scarif along with an AT-ACT model kit from Revell?

Check out this one built and excellently weathered by FialaFernbrugg:

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=1625.210



So when I told Christoph about these palm trees and how much I was looking for fern in 3 3/4" scale he came up with the idea of using just the biggest ones by taking them apart.
And I have to admit I am really contended with the result:

(http://i.imgur.com/qHMNgU0.jpg)

By the way this is also a hint at an upcoming project...stay tuned for some action on Endor!


So these are just a few examples of artificial plants you can all buy at the moment on eBay from sfcdirect.
The nice thing about STAR WARS and its diversity of worlds is that you can just use your full imagination! You can utilize all the artificial plants for your dioramas in several scales and to recreate the fantastic environments of STAR WARS! Some are more, some are less useful. It's up to you and what you would like to create in which scale! I think the secret to make your diorama look authentic and natural is to use many different plants. There is a structure but no regular order. Just mix them all together!
I hope I could help and give you some inspiration for upcoming or already existing projects. I wish you a lot of fun and joy for our beloved hobby!
Best regards from Germany!

- Philipp


* All prices are in the current EUR/USD exchange rate (1€=$1.04). Prices and currencies vary. They should just give you an idea of prices in general. Some items may be cheaper or more expensive in your countries. By the way you should come and visit Europe! The Euro is still quite cheap!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/15/2017
Post by: Tamer on January 16, 2017, 07:44:54 AM
Great resource and great idea.

I would love to get some links to start giving folks some options.

Any eBay, amazon, etc. stores you folks use to get your plants?

Off to share.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/15/2017
Post by: hemble on January 18, 2017, 03:03:15 AM
Fantastic job buddy and I'll have to check the links out.

As you know and the other members I like using plants in my dios as well and my favourite companies are.

Woodland Scenics - Fine Leaf Foliage
http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/TRFine-LeafFoliage (http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/TRFine-LeafFoliage)

Joefix Studios
http://www.joefix-studio.be/producten.asp

and another two places are pet shops mainly aquariums and craft stores.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/15/2017
Post by: bubbavader on January 18, 2017, 06:42:56 PM
I love you for your Sith Cadillac
Crushed velvet seats
Riding in the back
Oozing down the street
Waving to the girls
Feeling out of sight
Spending all my money
On a Saturday night
Honey I just wonder what you do there in the back
Of your Sith Cadillac
Sith Cadillac
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/15/2017
Post by: Tamer on January 19, 2017, 03:22:23 AM
I love you for your Sith Cadillac
Crushed velvet seats
Riding in the back
Oozing down the street
Waving to the girls
Feeling out of sight
Spending all my money
On a Saturday night
Honey I just wonder what you do there in the back
Of your Sith Cadillac
Sith Cadillac

LOL! Fantastic, I so have that tune in my head now. What a great laugh to start the day.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/15/2017
Post by: Tamer on January 19, 2017, 03:23:30 AM
Fantastic job buddy and I'll have to check the links out.

As you know and the other members I like using plants in my dios as well and my favourite companies are.

Woodland Scenics - Fine Leaf Foliage
http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/TRFine-LeafFoliage (http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/TRFine-LeafFoliage)

Joefix Studios
http://www.joefix-studio.be/producten.asp

and another two places are pet shops mainly aquariums and craft stores.

Ron

Thanks Ron, I am gonna try to get a thread set up for diorama and custom resources. I probably ought to do a US and an International One.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/15/2017
Post by: Darth More on January 19, 2017, 06:07:06 AM
@Tamer: Thank you Shawn. Please, go ahead and open a thread set up for diorama and custom resources! I think that's a great idea! I didn't know where I should post this topic. When you open the new thread I will transfer/re-post everything on here if that's okay with you?

@hemble: Thanks Ron! Your sources look very promising! I really enjoy your custom creations and dioramas! Keep up the great work!

@bubbavader: Wow are these lyrics of a song I don't know, yet? You probably mean "Backseat Of Your Cadillac by C.C. Catch! You're quite a poet! Glad you like my little set-up of "The Emperor's Arrival - Classic Style"!  :)


Sorry guys. It took me more time than I thought when I posted the new topic. Now, I completed the scipt and added more pictures. So please make sure to re-check everything I posted above!

Here are some examples of plants from local craft stores:

This one was quite expensive (7,99€/~$8.30*). I found this at a German chain for gifts and decoration supplies called "Nanu-Nana". I took it apart and already used some parts on my "Swamp Speeder Display" - seen on Page 1.
(http://i.imgur.com/TiLFAAR.jpg)

You often find mixed bags. Here is an example of a bunch I got for 3,95€/~$4.11* at my city's biggest decoration store! These bunches contain 60 pieces which makes 7 cents per piece. And they got a MASSIVE selection of diffeterent plants. I check them every few weeks for new/seasonal stuff.
(http://i.imgur.com/JwtXNfc.jpg)


I collected these plants and sorted them after planet/theme. These are meant to be used on Endor dioramas.
(http://i.imgur.com/USZ3cFA.jpg)

As Ron already mentioned above, artificial plants for aquariums can also be very suitable for diorama projects! The only disadvantage is that they can be quite expensive compared to what they are. I will take these for a Felucia display.
(http://i.imgur.com/79I1vRD.jpg)

Another source is...IKEA! They also sell artificial plants mostly for decoration purposes of course. This one costs 4,99€/~$5.20*(Germany). This is also quite much for a single piece, but it might pay off if you need trees in scale 1/18 on your dioramas...
(http://i.imgur.com/hrJEX3P.jpg)

* All prices are in the current EUR/USD exchange rate (1€=$1.04). Prices and currencies vary. They should just give you an idea of prices in general. Some items may be cheaper or more expensive in your countries. By the way you should come and visit Europe! The Euro is still quite cheap!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/19/2017
Post by: Tamer on January 20, 2017, 02:53:03 AM
If I can find some time soon I plan to create a detailed section for this and other customizing resources.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: What Materials do I use? 01/19/2017
Post by: Darth More on January 20, 2017, 09:02:29 AM
@ Tamer: Sounds great! I will re-post a part of my stuff in there if that's okay with you. Or just a link to my topic would work, too.

So as I already mentioned before I was really surprised to have found model bamboo in different sizes. It seems to perfect for 1/18 scale sceneries!
And in order to celebrate these new artificial plants I just finished my latest project:

This is not directly meant to be a Star Wars Diorama, but I could easily turn it into one with an urgent message from Master Yoda himself...

I would like to share it with you anyway because I think there are useful hints for you guys!

All you need for this diorama is:

Materials:
- picture frame $1.50
- cardboard $0
- modelling material/clay <$2
- brown acrylic paint <$0.50 (measured by the amount you need)
- wood glue <$0.20
- sand <$0.10
- shredded material (e.g. cork) for the forest ground from a modelling shop, see image below
- artificial pants, small stones/rocks, wood/sticks etc.

Tools:
- pair of scissors
- cutting knife
- a (cheap) bigger and flat (synthetic hair) brush


For this diorama I used a picture frame I found at ALDI (3 frames for just 3,50€!
Not only the price was great, I also like the kind of wood.
The measures are:

Outer edges: 20x15cm (7.8"x5.9"), inner surface: 15x10cm (5.9"x4")

Step-by-step:

1. You take out the glass of the picture frame and remove the frame's stand on the back.
2. Cut out a piece of cardboard that fits the back of the frame to replace the glass. (see picture 2) Use wood glue and/or craft glue to attatch the wood plate and the cardboard.
Make sure to put newspaper underneath in order to protect your work surface. You don't want to have glue on your table.

The following pictures show how I prepared the picture frame:

1. Prepare the picture frame as explained above.
(http://i.imgur.com/ZrLa2K1.jpg)

2. Cut out a piece of cardboard that fits the back of the frame to replace the glass.
(http://i.imgur.com/FsnfHBy.jpg)

3. Apply modeling material/clay to the frame's inner surface. Imprint footprints or similar uneveness for further detail. Let it dry. It might shrink. You can apply some more to fill the gaps, then. The gaps can also make the environment look more realistic. It's up to you ;-)
(http://i.imgur.com/Y97fxwY.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/sQNzSv9.jpg)

4. Stick all plants, rocks or other parts that will be glued on later into the modeling material as long as it is soft. This way you can structure your diorama as long as the clay is workable.
(http://i.imgur.com/ziyos9R.jpg?1)

5. When the modelling clay is dry you can use a tooth pick to widen the holes for the plants before you paint it. That way it's easier to find the holes again. For the brown paint I mixed dark brown acrylic paint with a little bit of sand and wood glue in order to make it look more like soil. The wood glue is useful to make the ground sticky for the shredded material.
Apply brown acrylic paint to cover the modeling material. Let it dry.
Apply any detail you want like small stones/rocks, sticks or artificial plants.
(http://i.imgur.com/77av4MQ.jpg)

6. Finished diorama after I applied color, shredded flakes e.g. cork and a couple stones. All artificial plants and stones are glued on with wood glue.

I bent some of the bamboo to make it look more realistic. The scenery depicts the edge of a forest where Panda bears have already eaten some of the bamboo...
(http://i.imgur.com/Mmgexuc.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/4xKgHtE.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/oHfoujX.jpg)


Kashyyyk might look similar to this model in some areas so I put some Star Wars figures on it:

TVC VC20 Yoda and TAC Order 66 AT-RT Driver, Wave 2 Set 5 of 6
(http://i.imgur.com/aXIxKq7.jpg)

TVC VC20 Yoda and ROTS Sneak Preview 3 of 4 Wookie Warrior
(http://i.imgur.com/WpJydTz.jpg)

TBS #11 Luminara Unduli and TAC 08-04 Kashyyyk Trooper
(http://i.imgur.com/oI47hZi.jpg)

2 Schleich Panda Bears I got used on eBay for $2 each.Schleich 14706 and 14707
(http://i.imgur.com/e12oIZs.jpg)



Yoda's message to us:

TBS #22 Yoda with Schleich Panda Bears: Schleich 14664 and 14707
(http://i.imgur.com/9sLIUO0.jpg)

"Listen to Yoda you should!"
(http://i.imgur.com/ZI5mDpN.jpg)

This set-up should not convey any political message. The Panda bears are just a symbol of any species on earth that is in danger of extinction. The population of Panda bears is actually recovering thanks to the breeding of zoos mostly in China. But I think what mankind has already done and still does to Earth is more than alarming and appalling!

I let the Panda bears stay on this diorama because in my opinion the environment fits best to them. There will be more dioramas of Kashyyyk, Felucia and Endor later ;)

I say: Listen to Yoda!

Have a good weekend guys!

Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: A Message from Yoda 01/20/2017
Post by: Tamer on January 21, 2017, 06:49:21 AM
What a cool project with a great message. Off to share.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: A Message from Yoda 01/20/2017
Post by: JDeck on January 22, 2017, 06:27:00 AM
   Another great mini dio! The groundwork is very good.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: A Message from Yoda 01/20/2017
Post by: Darth More on January 22, 2017, 01:31:10 PM
Thank you guys! It was much fun to work on this dio! More are to come, soon!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: A Message from Yoda 01/20/2017
Post by: hemble on January 22, 2017, 11:11:27 PM
Another great research on were to get plants for our dio's mate well done.

The last dio is brillant you have a great eye for details and how much should go onto a dio with out it coming to cluttered. I especially like the fact that you placed the plants in one area then sparsely did the other 10/10.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: A Message from Yoda 01/20/2017
Post by: bubbavader on January 23, 2017, 01:42:48 AM
Love the idea.

I can't help myself.  Its a Stick in Box!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwCbbMgp3Lw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwCbbMgp3Lw)
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: A Message from Yoda 01/20/2017
Post by: Darth More on February 04, 2017, 02:54:31 AM
@ hemble:  Thank you! Yes, the presentation on all the plants took quite some time. All the pictures, texts and links...but it was woth it! Thanks for posting your sources, too! I am looking forward to contribute to the new topic Tamer was talking about.

And about the latest dio: Ron, it honors me to hear that from you! I had a lot of fun working on it!
I look up to you and your incredible skills! Your dioramas and landscapes look beyond authentic!


@ bubbavader: Thank you bubbavader! Haha, I did know this one before! A friend of mine from high school showed me the video. It's hilarious! 
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: Darth More on April 05, 2017, 02:42:22 PM
Next up for my series of picture frame dios is a tribute to the Ewok Assault Catapult from the Vintage Collection!
I've always been amazed by the design of the packaging and especially by the dioramas Hasbro used to present their products. Three of them were the packaging of the Endor AT-AT, AT-ST and the Ewok Assault Catapult that inspired me for this project.

The TVC Ewok Assault Catapult was released in 2013 and exclusive to Kmart:


(http://i.imgur.com/mQKjTAz.jpg)
I do not own this image! All rights reserved to dorksidedotcom and those in charge of their website.
Source: http://www.dorksidetoys.com/Star-Wars-Vintage-Collection-Kmart-Exclusive-Ewok-p/hassw75550.htm

(http://i.imgur.com/NBItRBJ.jpg)

It took me about 20 minutes to get here:
(http://i.imgur.com/OLmEAou.jpg)

I already put some plants on the model clay to see how much space I approximately have on this display.
Next I have to paint the ground and apply sand, wood and leaves...


(http://i.imgur.com/7HcvuOn.jpg)

One detail that is new to this project is a piece of styrofoam which should become a rock...I'll paint it with acriylic paints. Let's see how this turns out and how much it will actually look like a rock later...stay tuned!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: hemble on April 05, 2017, 04:30:47 PM
This is coming along great.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: Tamer on April 06, 2017, 02:23:06 AM
Looking great. I wish I had picked up this set. Off to share.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: Darth More on April 26, 2017, 11:44:36 AM
@hemble: Thank you Ron!
 
@Tamer: It's not too late, Shawn! You can still buy it for a decent price:
There're some "Buy it Now" offers for $24.99!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xstar+wars+vintage+ewok+catapult.TRS0&_nkw=star+wars+vintage+ewok+catapult&_sacat=0

Or check out your sponsors to see if they still have it in stock.  ;)

So I finally had time to make some major progress on the Catapult Display...I taped the frame's edges to avoid that I accidentally paint the wood as well.
The inner area is painted with brown acrylic paint. 

(http://i.imgur.com/1XYh1uh.jpg)

I applied a thick layer of paint so that the shredded flakes (as pictured below) could sink into the paint and were fixed. Using spray-paint was an interesting experience here. My suggestion: Don't use it. Fix all materials for the forest ground with paint or wood glue.


(http://i.imgur.com/P4EYqxF.jpg)


Toothpicks helped me to fix the "fern", that used to be palm tress before. 


(http://i.imgur.com/ti8uAFa.jpg)


To fix all plants I used some of these instruments and drilled holes into the modelling-clay:


(http://i.imgur.com/QPUhsZi.jpg)


Then, I cut each plant according to the depth of its hole and fixed it with wood glue.


(http://i.imgur.com/43RwOE4.jpg)

And here is the result:

(http://i.imgur.com/vJBOKxY.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/N8uhcPJ.jpg)

About the rock: I used these acrylic paints for painting the rock:

(http://i.imgur.com/n5CL7sg.jpg)
I also mixed them on a glass-top (which was an unused part of the picture frame).

I started with the deepest parts of the rock by applying the darkest shade of grey. I then dry-brush the less deep areas until I briefly brush over the highest edges with the lightest tone.

(http://i.imgur.com/e8hWmZv.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/t1Q0V5A.jpg)

I also re-painted the fern in two different shaed of green because the plants were too glossy before.

(http://i.imgur.com/niRfmsc.jpg)

I used a slightly darker green for the "smaller fern". Names amd numbers of the colours I used come later this year...

(http://i.imgur.com/qQYS9TM.jpg)


Display with TVC Assault Catapult Set:

(http://i.imgur.com/y6Tb5Fg.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/aMMYXah.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/DSvCztg.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/TeTWPUy.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/wu3fbih.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/lYqHlYQ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/XvG7e1v.jpg)



More pictures...


(http://i.imgur.com/CP4uau3.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/vjQ1UNT.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/iGHjyWR.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Whl5GJQ.jpg)


(http://i.imgur.com/lIBvaFR.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/9G35nEF.jpg)


Conclusion: I know this recreation of Endor is NOT perfect! You might miss some trees, the ground is too dull and the overall area looks too clean, maybe more like a garden.
If you think about it like that, I agree with you! This was my second attempt on an Endor display.
I wanted to make it look like the background of Hasbro's TVC packaging as mentioned above.
Ron (hemble) gave me some precious advice and I will add some more components to the ground including rocks to make it look more like the Redwoods and less like the Queen's garden...stay tuned for more fun to come...

Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: Tamer on April 27, 2017, 02:26:08 AM
Now that just looks awesome and is such a multi-use display. Off to share.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: hemble on April 27, 2017, 02:49:06 AM
Love it, you did a great job.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on May 07, 2017, 11:05:24 AM
Another awesome Mini Dio my friend.
The vegetation and the rock look very realistic.
Great job.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: mr.Jedi1977 on May 09, 2017, 01:42:44 PM
Wow Very cool ! great work !
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: Darth More on May 27, 2017, 03:21:15 PM
@ Tamer: Thank you very much Shawn! Yes, it was my intention to make it a multi-use display. That's the main reason why I haven't added trees to it. But in my next Endor project, there WILL be trees! Stay tuned ;)

@ hemble: Ron, thank you so much for your feedback, which means a lot to me! Your projects have inspired me a lot and I appreciate all your tips! I will add some more components to the ground to this dio before I call it finished...

@ FialaFernbrug: Thank you, Christoph! I added to my last post and wrote a "conclusion" including the things we pointed out while talking about this display. I continued working on my next series of displays today and made some nice progress! You'll see pics of them, soon!

@ mr.Jedi1977: Thank you very much! I appreciate your positive feedback since I look up to you and your tutorials on YouTube! Keep them coming!




So as mentioned above I still have to work on the details of tis display. Last week I painted the plants with Revell's #2 - Clear Varnish (mat). The plants were just too glossy. Now, I think they look more realistic. For this occasion I also displayed some figures to recreate a battle scene:


(http://i.imgur.com/x3Jg1at.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/eQPHWc2.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/tRjUVP2.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/2OW0TEe.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/eUzq0q9.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/0wow4z5.jpg)

One soldier (TSC - #46 Endor Rebel Soldier) was hit and fell. Orrimaarko ("Prunce Face" - TVC #114)
comes to his aid...

(http://i.imgur.com/RTBRCaN.jpg)



Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: Darth More on May 27, 2017, 03:37:08 PM
EWOKS!!!

Some hate 'em, some love 'em...last week I had time to put all of them on display. With these pictures I want to thank Hasbro for all these great Ewoks we could buy over the last decade!
Until 2008 I did not own a single Ewok - not even a POTF one!! I started collecting in 2005. And with a retail price of $15 at a local Comic Shop Chief Chirpa was too expensive for me in 2006...the Ewok 2-Packs were already extremely rare when they were released in 2007 and 2008...last year I finally got them on eBay...in contrast to little Chief Chirpa I shelled out 32 bucks for TLC - #4 Leektar & Nippet...and $22 for TLC #18 Paploo & Nho Apakk.
Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think these are all Ewoks of the modern lines from 2006-2013.
Do you find all of them and can tell me how many there are? One hint: The MH Ewok (5-)Pack is displayed twice in this picture as well as TVC #27 Wicket with their alternative accessory parts...


(http://i.imgur.com/AOZmUwz.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/ruLdN0N.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/vq2Ifx9.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/1AaJH0Y.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/cqf01Od.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/FRsMdRa.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/8xQtVwr.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/oa82StC.jpg)

To be able to display so many figures on this diorama is the main reason why I did not put any tree-trunks on it, yet...

 
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: Tamer on May 28, 2017, 04:39:47 AM
Very  nice. Off to share.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: TVC Ewok Assault Catapult Display 04/05/17
Post by: mr.Jedi1977 on May 28, 2017, 07:31:05 AM
Very cool display !
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Mini Diorama Display Stands
Post by: Darth More on May 28, 2017, 09:55:59 AM
@ Tamer: Thanks for sharing, Tamer! One Ewok is still missing: I just found the Ewok Glider of the TLC "Battle for Endor" Battle Pack in my glass cabinet...I will use that glider in one of my upcoming projects, then ;)

@ mr.jedi1977: Thanks again! It's still the same, but more are coming! Utapau for example and I got many, many more on my mind...


Some time ago a couple more ideas came to my mind. Last week I finally found some time to work on both:

1. Mini Diorama Display Stands

2. Shelf Dioramas


1. Mini Diorama Display Stands:

I decided to rename my "Mini Dioramas" because they are actually not as mini as these here:

FialaFernbrugg sent some of his impressive wood display stands to me and last week I painted the first one of them to give BB-8 some sand from Jakku to roll on...


Christoph made these stands with a scroll saw and used cotton swabs as peg stakes:

(http://i.imgur.com/QWYpfU1.jpg)

First, I removed one cotton swab because BB-8 has got only one peg. I then painted the base with Revell's #301 - White mat.

(http://i.imgur.com/L15zQJB.jpg)

Screed was used to structure the display.

(http://i.imgur.com/LqC0dmI.jpg)

I formed the screed to make it look like BB's trace in the sand...

(http://i.imgur.com/Pe50U6P.jpg)

Sand was added right after applying the screed. Before I used the screed, I tried to fix the sand with wood glue. The wood glue worked out to fix it, but the sand looked too wet. The screed has dont its job, but I recommend to you to rather use styrofoam glue.
The base was further painted with Citadel's "Fiery Orange".

(http://i.imgur.com/DxR0GET.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/M1HlHao.jpg)

And that's the finished Mini Diorama Display Stand:

(http://i.imgur.com/TcU4wCh.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Y25znHv.jpg)


BB-8 next to two of FialaFernbrugg's customs:

(http://i.imgur.com/vayEs9Q.jpg)

Christoph gave these two customs to me:

(http://i.imgur.com/iHZOSAY.jpg)
Left: Clone Assassin (based on a TLC ARC Trooper) with a resin BARC Trooper Helmet from Clint,
Right: TAC Sandtrooper with custom E-11 blaster rifle

The Clone Assassin is my favorite Clone Trooper in my collection! Christoph put so many details into this figure and the colors look 100% accurate!
Thank you so much! The display stand alone is a masterpiece!
And it's amazing what you can do with such thin wire! The E-11 blaster was made even before Hasbro released the foldable E-11 Blaster!

Watch all his videos of his amazing custom projects on FialaFernbrugg's YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/FialaFernbrugg

And don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already done so! ;)

At the same time I'm working on my first shelf diorama...

- Philipp

Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on May 28, 2017, 10:53:55 AM
Excellent display stand for BB-8.
I'm glad that my wood display stands are still in use.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: Darth More on May 28, 2017, 02:05:12 PM
Thank you very much, Christoph! Your display stands are great and inspire me a lot!
The next one will be a diorama display for TVC Aayla Secura on Felucia...I'll try to make it look like Sideshow's Premium Format figure...
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: JDeck on May 28, 2017, 06:49:33 PM
  I really like the Ewok display. Very well done. The figure stand/mini dios look very nice as well.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: hemble on May 29, 2017, 12:15:23 AM
Damn that is a lot of ewoks but I love it and the small bases look great.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: Tamer on May 29, 2017, 05:51:42 AM
Impressive. Off to share this in all the right places.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: Darth More on June 25, 2017, 03:51:56 AM
@JDeck: Thank you JDeck! It's hard to believe that I didn't own a single Ewok just 7 years ago...I am glad Hasbro released so many new versions of them in 2006-2013!

I might renew the surface of BB's display. This time around I would use a different glue.

@hemble: Thanks Ron, your feedback is always welcome! So I assume you are not the biggest fan of these furry furballs? :D

@Tamer: Thank you, Shawn!



Sorry guys for my long asence. I couldn't connect my computer to the internet for a couple weeks. But now I am online again with some new stuff to be added to the forum!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: Tamer on June 25, 2017, 05:01:12 AM
Sounds good to me!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: BB-8 on FialaFernbrugg's awesome Display Stand!!
Post by: Darth More on August 03, 2017, 04:38:14 AM
Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - A New Hope


Here I show you my first shelf diorama! This is the first realization of many ideas. My rack has 6 shelves - each for one Epsiode! So obviously I begin with the fourth floor! :D

1. First, I measure the length and depth of the floor. I use a 4mm / 0.16" chipboard and saw out a suitable plate with a jigsaw. Of course a circualar saw works even better, but I haven't got one...

The plate's measures are: 56,2x33,3 cm / 22.126"x13.110"

(http://i.imgur.com/T9OCLQC.jpg)

I had many ideas for this project! But this time I didn't draw a sketch. Instead I experimented with styrofoam parts I found in my bin.

(http://i.imgur.com/UO0OgP4.jpg)



For this diorama I had a main priority: Variety! I wanted as many different shapes as possible. And this is how it turned out:

(http://i.imgur.com/OtgoJdb.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/iL8JU0b.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/fLKHHyK.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/NwbRXe6.jpg)



Doors:


Remember the door profiles of my Mos Eisley Diorama from 2009/2010?

If not, check it out by follwoing this link: http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=3139.0

(http://i.imgur.com/DypVnJY.jpg)

Back then I made the doors out of balsa wood and plywood. That was much work and quite expensive. In order to save time and money I simply used cardboard this time.
Since the door profiles will be glued later and don't have a function, this solution works fine for me.

The door profiles are drawn on graph paper and cut out so that you have a stencil for multiple doors.
Translate the profile on cardboard (1mm) with a fine pencil, cut them out with a scalpel using a ruler as support. The cardboard profile has to be glued onto a second piece of cardboard. The thickness of the cardboard is up to you!

(http://i.imgur.com/pH8bvWB.jpg)


The doors are then painted with the following tools and colors:

(http://i.imgur.com/uvB2RxW.jpg)


For the garage gate I also used cardboard and glued a piece of corrugated cardboard on it:


(http://i.imgur.com/If0QoKr.jpg)

The back of the walls have to be adapted to the cardboards dimensions:

(http://i.imgur.com/ne2N5O3.jpg)

And this is how they look painted:

(http://i.imgur.com/EqY9Iwe.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/akkYBo1.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/hnch5fz.jpg)



Nothing is glued, yet, except for the doors themselves! And there is a reason for it:

I've been looking for a suitable profile for the door frames for 8 years by now.
In the movies almost every door (in Mos Eisley) has a profile on the wall's depth:

(http://i.imgur.com/1M37TQM.jpg)
I do not own this image!
Source: http://illuminatedcelluloid.blogspot.de/

So since I haven't found an accurate profile, yet, I decided to make one myself:

I used graph paper and glued these tiny cardboard stripes on it. Tweezers helped me a lot to apply them! The measures of this paper prototype are: 10x2 cm / 3.94"x0.79".

(http://i.imgur.com/JfH7ET6.jpg)



I am glad I can finally give you some insight into the "mold and cast" technique!

This is actually the easiest way to make a mold. Parts that only have one positive and have a flat bottom side can be glued on an even surface. A glass plate (obviously taken from a picture frame ;) ) is very suitable for this purpose.
Make sure to use a craft glue that can be removed once it's dry...I used LEGO bricks to mark the mold's dimensions. The bricks are also glued on the glass plate, but only along the inner edges.

(http://i.imgur.com/ztovDE4.jpg)

I then used silicone which is mixed in a ratio of 1:1 (weight or volume units). Just pour the silicone over the mold until all parts are covered well. Make sure to make such a mold at least 0,5cm / 0.2" higher than the highest edge of the part to be duplicated.
In the picture you can see the mold from below. Of course the silicone had vulcanized by then.

(http://i.imgur.com/xONwg9m.jpg)

After you have removed the original parts, that were needed just to hold the space, you can pour resin or a similar material into the mold and let it harden. Unfortunately my paper prototype didn't survive the production process, but I expected that to happen. The mold is good and the cast is exactly what I was hoping for.

(http://i.imgur.com/ZMsd1a1.jpg)

To make the paper profile took me over 2 hours...I definitely do not want to do that a dozen times, over and over again...

(http://i.imgur.com/k53bpLR.jpg)

The resin profiles are thin and can therefore be bent well! I cut the edges and painted them white using Revell's SM 301 white, mat

(http://i.imgur.com/IAbqcxi.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Dgz62Kr.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/yV67mtm.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/WFtSrT3.jpg)
 

Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Tamer on August 03, 2017, 05:03:45 AM
Looks good to me. Looks even better on the front pages.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: JDeck on August 03, 2017, 03:54:45 PM
Very cool! The doors are looking great!
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: hemble on August 03, 2017, 06:17:59 PM
This is coming along great, keep the WIP pics coming and look forward to seeing the final build.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Darth More on August 07, 2017, 09:00:05 AM
@ Tamer: I agree, Shawn. Thanks!

@ JDeck: Thanks, JD! I might go back to the doors and add a shade to the inner edges...

@ hemble: Thank you, Ron! I keep them comin' and try my best to finish this project as soon as possible!

This building consists of two walls. The second wall gives this building a certain depth. These buildings in Mos Eisley, built out of sandstone, are exposed a constant decay and have to be fixed persistently. Sandstorms and extreme heat cause inevitable damage. This wall should look like a second wall was built in front of the previous one because it wouldn't have been economic to restore the first one. 

(http://i.imgur.com/flTEOna.jpg)

These stakes connect the new wall with the old one.

(http://i.imgur.com/zMnYSNd.jpg)

I mostly used spare parts of styrofoam for these walls. It makes these "scenery dioramas" even cheaper.

(http://i.imgur.com/BInQmwx.jpg)


Did you know that George Lucas and his team worked the same way on the shooting of The Phantom Menace?

(http://i.imgur.com/433l5V6.jpg)
Left: In the Sahara desert the city of Mos Espa is established. The sceneries consist of wood frames, wire netting and foam insulation.
You can buy this book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Star-Wars-Episode-Phantom/dp/0345431111/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1502126573&sr=8-10&keywords=star+wars+making+of

In the book "STAR WARS - TheMaking of Episode I - The Phantom Menace" there is this article (see picture above). I got the book in German so I'll translate an excerpt of the text here:

In accordance with the istructions of the producers the sceneries of Mos Espa were only built as high as the actors' sizes or a little higher in order to keep costs as low as possible.
"Not a single scenery had a roof", says Rick McCallum. "We knew exactly what we needed and when George decided that he wanted the scenery to be higher, we just added a Bluescreen so that ILM could add that part digitally later on. We had a kilometer of Bluescreen with us so that we could access to it whenever we wanted. We always had portable Blue- and Miniscreens at the sets which could be installed within minutes."


The wood stakes are then painted with Revell's No. 84 - Leather Brown. I might use a lighter brown to highlight the edges later on.

(http://i.imgur.com/duvZgIt.jpg)


Rendering

One improvement of this project I am most proud of is the rendering! If you remember my big Mos Eisley model from 2009 you know that the walls of my older buildings were 1. too light-coloured and 2. too "creamy". I always wanted to recreate sandstone...and the one component I never used is: Sand! This solution is as obvious as it is trivial...
Here I'd like to thank Ron (hemble) for his valuable and decisive hint to use (instant) filler!

(http://i.imgur.com/7nrLw2Z.jpg)

So for the rendering I used:

1. Acrylic Paint (beige) (~ $7/l)
2. Instant Filler (~$4/kg)
3. Sand! (~$1/kg)

Just mix all three components in a ratio you like until you get the result you are looking for.

And here is what I got:

(http://i.imgur.com/YDjWd5S.jpg)
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: hemble on August 07, 2017, 05:20:52 PM
Awesome work on the doors and walls mate.

Ron
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Tamer on August 09, 2017, 07:16:47 AM
Very nice. Off to share.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on August 25, 2017, 09:19:26 AM
The idea to build a diorama inside of a shelf is brilliant and your execution of such a project is amazing.
It is incredible how much work you have put into this project especially the doors and door frames.
Thank you very much for the detailed building instructions.

Excellent work my friend.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Dag Marus on November 15, 2017, 11:37:18 AM
These picture frame dios are absolutely brilliant.
Title: Re: Mini Dioramas: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Darth More on November 16, 2017, 11:30:56 AM
@hemble: Ron, it's always great to rceive your feedback! There's so much amazing work focused on Tatooine in the internet. It's just so much fun to build these dioramas depicting Mos Eisley...this is how it all began in 2009 - good memories...

@Tamer: Thank you, Shawn! It really bothers me to not being able to continue and finish this project since I moved. I hope to do so after Christmas, though.

@FialaFernbrugg: Thank you, Christoph! That honors me to hear! Obviously I am not the first person coming up with this idea, but my white shelf with exact six floors just inspired me to make them. I give my best to include as much detail as possible. I've collected enough material and references. I just need more time - that's all keeping me from my progress. I am happy to share every single step with you including as much detail as possible. And working on the door frames is just fun!


@Dag Marus: Thank you very much for your comment! I am glad you like them and look forward to making more of them! Do you have a favourite diorama or theme? Do you have any suggestions which planet to pick next for a picture frame diorama? You can find some of my future plans on page 1 ;)


Thank you so much for your comments guys! I can't wait to finish the latest project around Christmas! The walls and doors will be weathered, too - that's for sure!
May the Pre-Xmas-Craziness be with you!

- Philipp
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Darth More on March 16, 2019, 03:41:57 AM
Update:


I'm back home at the moment and removed the dust from my project, I started in summer of 2017.


Progress:



(https://i.imgur.com/Xf8dySB.jpg)

I still need to cover the three other door frames. To do that I need to make some more profiles with resin, paint and weather them. That'll hopefully happen tomorrow. Once done that, I can weather the walls to make them look more accurate. I'm quite happy with the development compared to the walls I made back in 2009, but still don't look quite exact. My dream would be if I could make them look like the walls from hemble or the Cantina from Vincent Agatha.

(https://i.imgur.com/TATC1Pf.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/y17kq3R.jpg)


I did paint the bars for the awning and applied some weathering and shades to the fabric.


(https://i.imgur.com/giMAiel.jpg)

And since I neither have a Desert Skiff nor even the Sail Barge, Jabba's gansters have to utilize something else here...

(https://i.imgur.com/cCb27zv.jpg)


Once the walls are done, they'll be glued onto the base plate and sand will be applied. For some strange reason, the tape, I fixed the blue cardboard with, caused black stains over time. I'll use a sponge with some thin white paint to cover these stains and make the background sky look a little faded/dusty.


I plan on building at least five more of these shelf dioramas - one for each Episode - but before I even think about it, I need to finish this one here, first. Can't wait to populate it with denizens of Mos Eisley!


- Philipp
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Tamer on March 17, 2019, 06:16:05 AM
Looks great to me. Glad you are back to working on it.

Off to share. Sure hope you get a chance at a Barge or at least the new Skiff.
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Starchaser on March 18, 2019, 08:40:03 PM
Your diorama is developing nicely. That awning looks really excellent. I also think that a Hummer is a most appropriate vehicle for the Tatooine environment, I think Weequay like it better than skiffs :)
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on April 20, 2019, 12:25:55 AM
Sory for my very later reply.
As you know I'm a big fan of your shelf dioramas. It is great to see you working again on the Mos Eisley dio.
I'm really looking forward to see it weathered.
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: hemble on April 20, 2019, 01:17:44 AM
Looking excellent and the setup in the shelf is perfect and bugger Jabba's goons make them walk LOL.

Ron
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Don on November 13, 2019, 05:08:36 PM
Thanks for the detailed process description and images! I am really loving your resin door profiles. Very nice work. Inspiring!
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: RC-1136 on January 11, 2020, 08:02:34 AM
That's an impressive looking piece you've got there. I like the weathering technique you used on the cloth bits on the awning. That moisture vaporator looks spot on!
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Darth More on January 12, 2020, 08:19:43 AM
Tamer: Thanks Tamer! I'll cover everything in full detail shortly. Remember a year ago...

Starchaser: Haha, thank you Starchaser! And sorry for my very late reply. I might weather it up, too. Was going to sell it when I took the pictures a years ago. But FialaFernbrugg gave some excellent pigments to me which I'm going to use on this one. I also like how the awning turned out. More pictures to come.

FialaFernbrugg: Same here. Almost a year has passed again! Hope I find the right way to weather the walls properly. It's try and error I guess, but I got my sponges Ready to rumble...it's gonna be a dabbing party!

hemble: LOL! Thanks heaps mate and sorry for the late reply. You're probably right. Jabba would make then walk...unless they fly now!  ;D

Chuckles: Thank you very much Chuckles! Still Need to add pigments here and there and weather everything up. I might dry-brush the doors again to make the brown a little lighter. More detailed pictures to come soon!

RC-1136: Thanks a lot RC! The Vaporator is a Hasbro piece that came with TAC Luke Skywalker. I'll share better pics of the awning as soon as the diorama is finished. I really want to get it done now.
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Darth More on January 12, 2020, 08:20:52 AM
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(https://i.imgur.com/dStySGy.png)


Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Tamer on January 13, 2020, 03:59:38 AM
Thats a lot of under construction.
Title: Re: Shelf Diorama: Streets of Mos Eisley - Tatooine - ANH
Post by: Darth More on January 20, 2020, 01:50:41 PM
Sorry Tamer, I use them as placeholder until i finish my shelf dio "Streets of Mos Eisley". I also tried to get to a new page that way.
Title: Darth More's Dioramas: Utapau - The 10th Level - ROTS
Post by: Darth More on January 20, 2020, 04:03:54 PM
Utapau





(https://i.imgur.com/n1FzhdB.png)



"The Battle of Utapau was one of the final battles of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems, and was one of the last battles of the Outer Rim Sieges. It would prove pivotal due to the death of General Grievous at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi. This was the last major battle before the destruction of the Jedi Order and the fall of the Republic."
Source: Wookieepedia; Full article about The Battle of Utapau:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Utapau/Legends


Read on on Wookieepedia about:

The 7th Sky Corps: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/7th_Sky_Corps

The 212th Attack Battalion: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/212th_Attack_Battalion

The 2nd Airborne Company: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/2nd_Airborne_Company




(https://i.imgur.com/xiWMl1A.png)




(https://i.imgur.com/jKnBs6B.jpg)


Ever since I started building dioramas back in 2009 I wanted to build one of Utapau. You might know that Revenge of the Sith is my favorite Episode of George's movies. And the Battle of Utapau is illustrated in an epic way in ROTS.
So here's my first attempt on making a piece of Grievous' last place to hide...




(https://i.imgur.com/HWMXTz7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hZaQNlS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rnr8FKs.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JebdUge.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/29JHfmW.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/VW9BVLa.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DYgMBEs.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5kGwe6s.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/lzpOURM.jpg)

A big shoutout goes to Ron for helping me on this one! He gave me great advice on how to paint styrofoam to make it look as natural as possible. Check out his Incredible sceneries & landscaping here:
http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=1865.msg210614#msg210614


(https://i.imgur.com/8YLvIZ2.jpg)


Details:



Water always finds its way...


To give the styrofoam a bit of texture, I randomly cut out pieces with a scalpel. The idea was that water had run down in the Bottom left Corner years ago. As shown in the movie, Utapau's Surface is quite dry, but water reservoirs are found in deeper layers. First I wasn't that happy with the shape if the rock. Now that it's painted, I am! Next time I will also try to cut styrofoam with a Branding pen.

(https://i.imgur.com/GAwSfnh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/x0UxbUm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4ZJZVO9.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/QdkcKo5.jpg)


Behind the scenes:


As mentioned in the little teaser from last week, the LEGO 75036 Utapau Troopers Battle Pack inspired me to to dedicate this diorama to those Five figures and make a" Hasbro Version" of it. By the way LEGO fans had to wait for Troopers of the 212th Attack Battalion for 8 years! Aitborne Troopers were ALL NEW in this Battle Pack back in 2013. So also a thumbs up for Hasbro for having made them "only" 2 years after Revenge of the Sith came to theatres!


(https://i.imgur.com/vfOMH7Z.jpg)


http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg216110#msg216110


Making of:



I've Always been amazed by the original models and Dioramas of Industrial Light & Magic for the real movies. Apparently their diorama is a Major Inspiration for me and I tried to get as close as possibe!


(https://i.imgur.com/YsbDVfh.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/rPmhM9u.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0eTi7VR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/h32x43y.jpg)


Human's imagination vs. Nature's perfection 


So I got the real rock at a pet shop and wanted to turn styrofoam into rocks, that look just like the real one. Wasn't that easy  as expected. So I tried different things like cutting random bits off the styrofoam plate, trying texture paint, mixing all suitable shades of acrylic paint, painting from dark to light - I had no idea what I was doing. It was a try-and-error this time.

So I contacted Ron on here and his answer surprised me:

"I have used real stones in dios before and instead of trying to get the foam to match which is almost impossible I just paint the stone and foam so they match as this is a lot easier and helps keep everything look real.

I use Vallejo Paints for my stone work and use Iraqui Sand for the base coat and then give it a wash of Vallejo's Flat Brown and then I use Games Workshops AGRAX Earthshade as a wash and then let dry. Once it has dried give the stone areas a light drybrush of the Vallejo's Iraqui Sand as this will highlight the edges and give the stone depth."

Ron


This sounds much easier than all the different stuff I tried on my rock. Sometimes It's easier than we expect to achieve a great result!
I'm still glad I used darker shades of beige, too.


This pic was taken right after I applied the first wash (vallejo's 73110 Burnt Umber):


(https://i.imgur.com/biCkJKn.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/TGucNS3.jpg)

After the last wash (light sand) had dried, I removed the masking tape - done!

(https://i.imgur.com/9JEaP99.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iCulHPo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iLruBpK.jpg)



Let me know your opinion and suggestions in the comments down below!

(https://i.imgur.com/YSoANmb.jpg)


As Lions - The Fall on YouTube




Experience:


Ron's tips really helped me on this one! I'm very impressed by vallejo's pigments already and I've only tried 3 of 11 so far! I certainly did not waist a single lump of it.
I knew it was going to be hard to recreate the real stone. I thought I got quite close before the first wash was applied. BUT I think the result looks even more like Utapau than the stone does and that makes me quite happy!
So I'll use the same techniques on my next Utapau Diorama, which will be bigger. No more real stones - let's see how this looks!


Editorial comment: Some text I wrote yesterday got lost somehow. I had already written it a second time, but it won't appear in the saved/updated post. Maybe the maximum of data on this page is reached, now. So I needed a break last night. This morning I deleted some "text" above and hope it works now.

- Philipp

(https://i.imgur.com/OcKZcuD.jpg)
More cliparts here: https://www.pngguru.com/free-transparent-background-png-clipart-fsvgr

P.S.: Here's another w.i.p (spoiler) pic of upcoming projects:
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Utapau - The 10th Level ROTS
Post by: Tamer on January 21, 2020, 04:09:18 AM
Looks like rock to me. Just great effect work here. Off to the front pages.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Utapau - The 10th Level ROTS
Post by: RCWCreations on January 21, 2020, 04:53:26 AM
Nice job, well done.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Utapau - The 10th Level ROTS
Post by: Darth More on January 22, 2020, 08:27:49 AM
Tamer: Thank you very much for the front pages! I'm also glad how this Little test project turned out. Nothing special from a model building perspective, but definitely great joy to me since I had planned to have this in my glass cabinet for quite a while...the next dio will be much bigger.


RCWCreations: Thanks so much! I really appreciate your feedback, Richard!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Utapau: Hello there! & The 10th Level
Post by: Darth More on January 24, 2020, 06:13:56 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/FBcgY2B.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/VjU6KH7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/duaD1J5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eXBRnBE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2oFmeiX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RNbU1dA.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/R6fxnHT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/G2ig698.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GoTEwkH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lIqYrKe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YqRu1d4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7b9XLFD.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4tQ23Jf.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Z8mXupC.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WQVp4Zj.jpg)


Printed on cardboard this would've been a cool 2-Pack from Hasbro back in 2005 or 2008.



(https://i.imgur.com/v1SmhOR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DcjNZk3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iyIlFsN.jpg)




Making of:

(https://i.imgur.com/BjE6bgQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZB1MJCf.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Q7MTl0f.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JuoZmXB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/K2uUJL4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JBrfemi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xt4RZnF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/67a9vyS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XnUHHhR.jpg)

I wanted to make a display diorama for this scene. The duel between Obi-Wan and Grievous is one of my favorites and the surprise attack of the 7th Sky Corps is just cool.

So I grabbed a piece of styrofoam (20x30 cm) and started working on it. I know my display is not screen accurate, but I didn't add the white stripe because I'm not quite happy with the surface. Sure the CIS wouldn't use the best steel, but the surface of the styrofoam still is too uneven/porous to me.

So if you want to build this, here are the instructions for a better version:

- glue a piece of cardboard on the styrofoam plate (e.g. from the back of a college block).
- cover the sides with the same cardboard (all measures according to your styrofoam plate).
- draw the pattern with a set square on the cardboard (I just looked at screenshots and drew it)
- Use different acrylic paints to paint the surface:
-- inner (thick) line AND cardboard at side edges: slate Grey
-- outer (thin) lines: light Grey mixed with White (60:40 ratio)
-- rest of surface: middle Grey
- optional: add some additional damage to the surface for more reaslism (not accurate to this scene, I damaged the styrofoam by accident and just fixed it by adding some Leadbelcher from Citadel)
- let everything dry.
- add a black wash at the end (I used vallejo's Natural (black) Iron Oxide). Let it dry. Full details on pigments here:
http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg216160#msg216160
- seal the painted surface with a clear varnish (I used one from a dollar store that dries "ultra matt")


I'll do a second one following the steps above. Learned a lot from the first version. I also added the cardboard to the sided AFTER painting (bad idea), so I had glue on the top where it doesn't belong. Tried to cover it with more black wash. That's why the wash is so prominent at the sides of the surface. Learn from my mistakes. Still looks nice on display and was much fun to make, too! Revenge of the Sith sure is a great source for dioramas and customs!


(https://i.imgur.com/uKPWGmp.jpg)



Double-click for full size screen. You can then minimize the video again to watch it imbedded on this page. ;)

Star Wars Episode III: Obi-Wan vs. General Grievous
uploaded by StarWarsTiggy (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7ouvLISY2kwaLa8cZVktdQ)


(https://i.imgur.com/VXyDFxV.jpg)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_l3qpKDzncpGhOcmcP1SWA


(https://i.imgur.com/KfMGaAO.jpg?1)



I find it a cool coincidence that Mos-Eisley-Customz and I both have current projects related to Utapau in Revenge of the Sith! Check out Grievous' ride he repainted excellently:

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10715.msg216304#msg216304




Please, also check out RC-1136's weathered CIS fleet here:


Seperatist Air Wing

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10695.msg215709#msg215709


HMP / Droid Gunship

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10714.msg216297#msg216297




- Philipp
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Hello there!
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on January 25, 2020, 02:14:48 AM
What an awesome mini dio.
The texture, the colours and the weathering look perfect.
Excellent work.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Hello there!
Post by: Tamer on January 26, 2020, 07:16:34 AM
Looks pretty awesome to me. Off to the front pages.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Hello there!
Post by: hemble on January 26, 2020, 09:23:04 PM
Fantastic work mate, I love them all.

Ron
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Hello there!
Post by: RCWCreations on January 29, 2020, 03:27:14 AM
These are fantastic mate, well done.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Hello there!
Post by: Clonehead on January 29, 2020, 06:32:14 AM
So you are a madman. I love all the step by step documentation.
These look great and matching the scenes is a fun challenge.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Hello there!
Post by: Starchaser on January 29, 2020, 04:42:24 PM
Hey Philipp, I love both of these smaller dioramas that you have shown off. I so appreciate that you give the "process" images (that is a lot of extra work too). Its great to see how you are building these. They turned out really well and also are compact (which I imagine makes storage easier). Keep up the excellent work.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on February 09, 2020, 02:49:00 AM
Thank you so much for your comments, gentlemen!


FialaFernbrugg: Thank you, mate! It's good to see you back around!


Tamer: As always, much appreciated. Thank you.


hemble: It's an honor to hear that from you, Ron! I hope you'll like the next one, too. You are a true inspiration and big role model to me, mate!


RCWCreations: Thank you so much, RCW! I'm always blown away by your walls as well! And your casting skills are truly impressive, too! Thanks for coming by and leaving your feedback!


Clonehead: Yes, I am, Sir! It's so good to have you back here, Clint! Thank you so much for checking back in and leaving a comment on my thread It does mean a whole lot to me!


Starchaser: Thank you, my friend. I was already a little afraid that nobody cared about my stuff anymore...but I'm thankful & happy to have gotten 6 comments by now! That means a lot to me. I'm really glad you like them! Wanted to make a couple of Utapau dios since I saw ROTS for the first time (2006). I try to always think of stopping what I'm doing when I'm working on my projects. I think those process pics are always helpful and explain everything quicker than words do.


I hope you'll like the next one, too!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on February 09, 2020, 02:56:15 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/9vG3qU4.jpg)


Special thanks go to hemble. He's a true inspiration and his amazing projects contribute to enjoying this hobby even if times get Rough. Thank you for sharing what you do, Ron! Make sure to check out his phenomenal dioramas here:

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=9778.msg211055#msg211055





(https://i.imgur.com/upE2xOp.jpg)

Since I'm a big fan of palm trees and they're also canon now, I was thrilled to finally give my first diorama of Scarif a go. To me Rogue One is by far the best movie that Di$ney have produced since they took over. So I looked for reference material online and by doing so I really wanted to watch Rogue One, again! It's just addicting, it's brilliant, it's even thrilling - despite any plot armor. Yes, their Mission will be successful and yes they will steal the Death Star plans - but at which price? Rogue One manages to make me appreciate the effort needed to get those plans even more! So many heroes had to sacrifice their life and also many villians did to defend them. First and foremost Director Krennic . what a brilliant character. This movie is FULL of brilliant new characters who all die unfortunately. I also like how evil and selfish Tarkin is shown here. And the grand (brutal) final takes place on this beautifully looking Holiday planet. Is Scarif actually a metaphor?


Anyhow here's my first Scarif diorama in full detail: Initially, I wanted to start with a larger diorama including water effects. But then I decided to better start smaller (easier) instead. Utapau is going to be bigger (even an AT-TE fits on it!).


(https://i.imgur.com/Xi5zFH7.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/9EqvBlh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tUd1ylH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jpvLuUm.jpg)


First, I thought of calling this dio "Two Jewels" because I like the palm trees so much. But then the landing platform where "Rogue One" lands came to mind. That's when I re-watched the scene very quick because I didn't remember the number. So it's Landing Platform Nine and my diorama shows it before Cargo Shuttle SW0608 lands.


(https://i.imgur.com/97jP7fM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/69K1q08.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/ZTEAC3n.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/s7qNPBS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Pzfs2TI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oglzgAF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/TBwgVYu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/anLzNz4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5uH5vRJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KCfCd4z.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dpWZN3M.jpg)



And in the next step I show you how you can make those palm trees!


http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg216633#msg216633


Star Wars - Imperial March | Heroic Version | Piano & Orchestra



Editorial Comment:

Of course I'd love to write all words in aurabesh, but I don't know how! lol & cheers!
Special thanks also go to my rubber tree, Rob, for the natural inspriation.



- Philipp
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on February 09, 2020, 04:13:25 AM
Making of Landing Platform 09


As teased before I didn't want to throw away all the masking tape that I used on the Hello there! display diorama...AND I finally wanted to make some palm trees. So here were go:


Follow this link to a detailed step-by-step tutorial for making those palm trees:

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg216633#msg216633


(https://i.imgur.com/hpnB2eT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3I9YOG5.jpg)


And this is what you may need:

(https://i.imgur.com/DnDJy6Q.jpg)

List of materials:

- Palm leafes (found on eBay, shipped from China) - 5 branches x 35 leaves each for 5,98€ (excellent price if you ask me! + FREE shipping)!
- florist's wire (30 meters for 60 cents)
- bamboo stick (2 meters for ~ $2)
- masking tape
- acrylic paint (sand, beige, brown - whatever you want)
- Pigments (sand, black, Brown, beige - sky's the limit) - I used vallejo's "burnt umber" Pigments (73110) and made it a wash
- big wood pick (thicker than toothpicks) 
- wood glue




I used wire to fix the branches and to make them adjustable at the same time:

(https://i.imgur.com/9BY7J1L.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HpB7Quc.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sQrwy2J.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eTffYVL.jpg)

I also found bamboo to be best for the trunks. I actually found the bamboo stick (2 m for $2) while I was looking for garden hoses. If you still want to make crooked Palm trees, hoses might still be the best choice. The nice Thing About bamboo is that it's hollow. So the wire and the Wood sticks (also bamboo in this case) fit in perfectly. A drop of wood glue and everything is fixed!

(https://i.imgur.com/mMsh5fr.jpg)



Follow this link to a detailed step-by-step tutorial for making those palm trees:

http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg216633#msg216633



Making the Display:

(https://i.imgur.com/lDdFUCM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cSQk4ug.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WCpxmFu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0fu8WvK.jpg)

wash
(https://i.imgur.com/9Dicuk1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QO8HJGY.jpg)

I recommend to you to also use a sponge here instead of a brush.

foliage
(https://i.imgur.com/6JbVkdh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ffKOWYQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tQwezXN.jpg)


platform Details
(https://i.imgur.com/0cP3gxJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gFJnHj6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/93mAqXT.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/RLhWpaT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/uOBAzEv.jpg)


result
(https://i.imgur.com/ywN6cf5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/L6Mb1I8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7Zwwguo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UoV1i20.jpg)




Reference Material

(https://i.imgur.com/0KCeV86.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iDDh5Kv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9IX4LSq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Gpyyxq3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Rj5he85.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xoUspPx.jpg)




Linkin Park - Figure.09
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Clonehead on February 09, 2020, 06:49:15 AM
Love the scarif platform dio. Those palms look great. I’m anxious to see your take on em as I have some palm tree work coming up for the racetrack.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Tamer on February 09, 2020, 07:36:17 AM
One great dio and one great tribute. Off to the front pages.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on February 09, 2020, 02:04:13 PM
Clonehead: Wow, thank you for early comment! I had an invitation today, so I had to leave the desk while editing. But I've added the w.i.p. pics now to the post above. I'll also share a tutorial on my other topic:

And I'm curious to see your next palm tree project! I can imagine some classic cars in California are involved. I have to admit, I'm a little thrilled by the result so I might build another display dio for my 1/18 scale 50's T-bird...



Tamer: Thank you for the front pages! I was hoping you were checking back in today. So thanks for coming by!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: hemble on February 10, 2020, 08:03:09 PM
DM it's my pleasure buddy and thank so much for the kind words and this is what customizing is all about, it's sharing information between people so they can appreciate the work that goes into a custom of diorama.

It also allows people to give it a go like yourself has done and to try new things and mate you have done an awesome job on your dio and I love everything about it and you taught me something today and that is tape is great for Palm trunks thanks buddy.

Ron
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on February 11, 2020, 09:49:29 AM
Your Scarif diorama is a true masterpiece my friend.
I love the extremely realistic looking palm trees and the weathering on the concrete panels.
Thank you very much for the detailed tutorial and WIP pics.
Excellent work as always.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: jkno on February 12, 2020, 07:19:25 AM
I like that shelf there, especially the Scout trooper.  :)
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on February 15, 2020, 03:57:44 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/TjDaA8x.jpg)



hemble: Hey, I'm so glad you came by and saw this dio! As you know you're a big inspiration and I love all the work you do! So your feedback does mean a lot to me! Thank you, Ron.


FialaFernbrugg: Thank you, bud! I'm also quite happy how the palm trees turned out. It was definitely worth to consider a few different concepts.


jkno: Haha I know you're a mega fan of the Empire. You got a good eye my friend! I'll make some dioramas of OT scenes this year, too! So stay tuned for that.

Here's some rare footage of Palps' private life JUST for you! Our best paparazzi risked their life for these:



(https://i.imgur.com/pWGgLsn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YaZWODS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HG54dHL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/wG26FjB.jpg)



So I'm also taking a break guys. I got an important exam to take at the end of March and it's killing me already…I'll be back in April!


- Philipp

Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Starchaser on February 23, 2020, 11:58:08 PM
Hey Philipp good luck on the exam - I get that! I think your Scarif diorama turned out really well. I love the step-by-step you showed us. I got a huge kick out the Imperial tanning bed too!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Tamer on February 24, 2020, 03:52:07 AM
Yes, good luck on your test.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on February 26, 2020, 03:46:53 AM
Thank you so much Tamer & Starchaser! I give my best to pass it. It's Biology, Chemistry & Physics for my medical degree. It's quite a lot to learn. But my goal is the time after this challenge. Until then, take care.

Starchaser: Thanks for coming by, mate! Your crossfire of comments made me come back for a couple minutes. I'm glad I could provide some useful input. The feedback for Palps on Holiday was awesome! Posted this on Facebook, too, for the first time. Some are reminded of Ozzy Osbourne or Udo Lindenberg by this one. It's Always interesting how much character people associate with sunglasses. 
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on May 08, 2020, 03:56:53 PM
Played with my toys in the backyard tonight:


Sunset on Coreilla

Playing on Han's Radio: On the Woodway
(a classic in my book)



(https://i.imgur.com/GsBCUmN.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/wo0lSaZ.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/RF6oe2w.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/5KLKv97.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/gLnS7yA.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/jHqqZrM.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/Y8uOO1N.jpg)

Guess that ride is over for today...but enough foreshadowing! A plot twist: he's stopped by Stormtrooper Han - he even got a holster!  :o



For more outdoor footage, make sure to check out:

Starchaser's custom figures:
http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=9294.msg175125#msg175125


FialaFernbrugg's review of the Vintage Collection Imperial Combat Assault Tank:
http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10590.msg211263#msg211263


My second version of the NR-N99 Persuader-class Tank Droid:
http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10165.msg218138#msg218138



Have a nice Weekend everyone!

- Philipp
 
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Tamer on May 09, 2020, 05:57:59 AM
Looks like fun to me. Nice little outside dio.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Starchaser on May 14, 2020, 04:46:59 PM
Whoohoo for outdoor pictures! These are great pictures, with really good lighting. I love the scene. Thanks for the shout out, too:)
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: hemble on May 15, 2020, 12:21:20 AM
Nice pics mate.

Ron
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: jkno on May 19, 2020, 12:30:46 AM
Very cool, I always liked outdoor shots!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Mos-Eisley-Customz on May 29, 2020, 10:05:51 AM
Great shots, looks fun  ;D
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Scarif - Landing Platform 9
Post by: Darth More on May 31, 2020, 02:41:22 AM
Thank you so much for your feedback guys! It always means a lot to me and is much fun every time I read it! The light was pretty good that evening and I spontaneously decided to make some outdoor pics of the Imperial Combat tank to add to FialaFernbrugg's awesome review! (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10590.0)

I even expanded that session a bit and got out more toys to play with! (Taking a note to myself: You should do this more often!) It's a nice way to enjoy the stuff we already have. I tend to only see what I still don't have, instead of just enjoying the collection I already own.

Thank you very much everyone! It was much fun! I can really recommend it & see you on the next project!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Darth More on August 05, 2020, 08:29:58 AM
I continue getting some stuff out and just enjoy what I already have. Here are some images of the setup I built last weekend. Had these styrofoam plates lying around covered with grass mats. Always wanted to take some pictures of the MTT on them. And don't ask me why, but somehow the MTT reminds me of a mammoth...

Here's just a small scene of the Battle of Naboo built with the Hasbro toys I got:




(https://i.imgur.com/xBLhzZP.jpg?1)

(https://i.imgur.com/nlQkhXe.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/rHcbN2y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lYHFfw9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/w10KN2Z.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/k8EbezW.jpg)


Comment:


I set up al the figures and vehicles like I would've played with them when I was 6 years old. At the end it reminded me of EA's latest Battlefront videogame.

When I edited the pictures I thought this could've also been a display behind a shop window back in 1999 or 2012. I was lucky enough that The Phantom Menace was shown in cinemas as 3D version making it the only Star Wars movie I watched in theater! By now I'm pretty sure that Disney and their new 3D release of the Skywalker SAGA was the reason why Hasbro had to put
The Vintage Collection on hiatus.
We saw some brilliant new toys and awesome sets in the Movie Heroes Line back in 2012. I also assume that some of the new figures & vehicles of the line were actually meant to be part of The Vintage Collection if it had continued longer. I think of the all-new Imperial Z-94 Speeder Bike with Biker Scout, the Ewok Battle Pack, the Naboo Starfighter or Rock Ollie. It was odd enough that we only saw a single wave of the Discover the Force Series. That's why I'm so thrilled to take a look at the book (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10598.0) by Derryl DePriest dedicated to The Vintage Collection, which is supposed to finally ship in September 2020.

I think this setup also shows how long it takes to complete a single scene or even an army. An MTT wasn't available back in the day. Instead, you could get a Fambaa, but only at FAO Schwarz. I saw a couple Fambaas on ebay over the years for 100-150€. I didn't buy them at that price although I could well use one for my tabletop game.
Hasbro took the mold for the STAP from Kenner and use it ever since. The AAT and the Naboo Starfighter were great toys and oponents 20 years ago. We got Kaadus and a Gungan Battle Wagon. The lineup for TPM and POTJ provided great figures and army-builders to play massive battles. I still dream of a Droid Carrier and building one myself seems to be the only way to finally get one.
 
I don't have that many Gungans - not even a Kaadu. That's why I was so thrilled with this set here, which was supposed to be release as part of the Movie Heroes Line back in 2012. Unfortunately it was cancelled. Does anyone know why?

(https://i.imgur.com/FsLuFZ1.jpg)

coleka.com has more images also from the back of the packaging:

https://www.coleka.com/en/collector-action-figures/star-wars-action-figures/movie-heroes-darth-maul-package/battle-of-naboo-never-released_i1730


The Phantom Menace didn't receive much love. I leave it uncommented if it was justified or not. However Hasbro dedicated one wave of The Vintage Collection to Episode I including some decent army-builders:

(https://i.imgur.com/bLkwfnr.jpg)
'This shot gave me a hell of a hard time to take. As you might know, I refuse to put my figures on stands. Fortunately I bought three tubes of chips just yesterday. Those lids really saved my day and even hold two figures easily. Maybe an idea I should develop and share on this topic later on:

Resources and References: Materials for Dioramas and accessories (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg205459#msg205459)



- Philipp

Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Tamer on August 07, 2020, 06:06:16 AM
Looks like fun to me.

I regret not getting the big Sep MTT when I saw it on clearance at TJ Maxx one time. Oh well, can't buy everything.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: JTrooper on August 25, 2020, 04:19:10 AM
Just wanted to say these all look great.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Starchaser on August 27, 2020, 12:11:44 PM
Those grass mats really work well for a large spread. I hadn't thought about using one as the field for Naboo (d'oh!), that's a great idea.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Tamer on August 28, 2020, 05:08:25 AM
I just figured out I didn't get this on the front pages. Problem rectified. Sorry Philipp.

You show us all that this is a fun hobby. Its not about just getting the stuff, but having fun with it.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Darth More on September 01, 2020, 05:52:53 AM
Tamer: No worries boss! I had a lot of fun setting up this display. This hobby can be quite addictive, but I'm over that phase, also thanks to Di$ney and Hasbro having released so much stuff that does not appeal to me at all from 2014-2018. If the interest is there, we can talk about addiction of collecting stuff in a different thread.
The MTT is another bulky brick tat takes much space. But if you want one, just tell me and I'll look for one in the condition you want. I could bring it next year when I hopefully come to the U.S. again - actually wanted to do so this summer!
I'm looking forward to setting up my collecting room in about 5 years from now. I'll share it all with you guys on here. Can't wait to get out all the stuff and finally put it on display!


JTrooper: Hey man, thanks so much for your comment! Have you looked at some of my projects? Do you have a favorite one? So glad to see you back!


Starchaser: They really do! My father and I actually put those on styrofoam plates to display our circus from playmobil. My dad just really likes the circus theme from playmobil. Later we displayed some of his G scale model trains on them. And now I borrowed them to make this Naboo setup. I'm glad I could give you some inspiration! Still need to finish my display for the Naboo Flash Speeder which I got a similar grass mat for.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Tamer on September 02, 2020, 04:54:28 AM
Hey, I appreciate the offer, but I am so out of space I am cutting way way back. I have so got to get rid of some stuff.

I sure appreciate it though! I guess maybe if you found a good boxed one on super clearance somewhere in some of your travels.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Darth More on September 12, 2020, 03:25:06 AM
Alright, sounds good! I'll keep my eyes open, but know where you're going. One cannot collect all - unless you're Steve Sansweet! lol The price for the MTT has risen from around 40-60€ to 100€ and above within a couple years. Let's see if we're going to see other large Class III vehicles from Hasbro like the Razor Crest.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on September 27, 2020, 10:09:07 AM
That is a very impressive Ep. 1 collection that you have there.
I like the battle scene you have created with all the Droid vehicles.
I hope one day we will see a custom droid carrier from you. That would be awesome.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Naboo - Battle of Naboo display setup
Post by: Darth More on March 17, 2021, 11:37:18 PM
Thank you so much, Fiala! You won't believe it, but I started working on the Droid Carrier just yesterday. Now it's on me to finish it in one lifetime. But who says the first version has to be the last one, right? W.i.p. pictures follow soon.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on June 04, 2021, 12:53:22 PM
Felucia Containment
Picture Frame Display Diorama



(https://i.imgur.com/lvkKW3C.jpg)


It's finally here: My first attempt to recreate the botany of Felucia. The display stands I found on ebay recently (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10178.msg224789#msg224789) inspired me to combine them with a picture frame.

(https://i.imgur.com/VhEZT53.jpg)
I do not own this image. Source: StarWars.com (https://www.starwars.com/databank/felucia)


Felucia, known as Galush prior to the formation of the Galactic Republic, was a colorful, humid jungle planet located in the Felucia system of the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories. The headquarters of the Commerce Guild, its primary agricultural export was the valuable crop nysillin, which was largely farmed by the native Felucian tribes. Its important strategic location along the Perlemian Trade Route made it a major battleground throughout the Clone Wars.

    "I have spoken with the tribal leaders on Felucia. They use a very ancient dialect which is hard to understand."
    -- Obi-Wan Kenobi

Source: Wookieepedia (https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Felucia)


Work-in-progress:
So I decided to incorporate one of these action stands into my next diorama. My first Felucia test diorama was on my list for years now and a modified & repainted BARC Speeder is planned to follow as well. And coincidentally the arms of the displays I got recently fit some Class I vehicles perfectly.

(https://i.imgur.com/ApHJ7cT.jpg)
I used this modelling material which air-dries for the ground and covered both the base of the stand the the frame leaving out both holes for the poseable arm.
(https://i.imgur.com/e2G9xnX.jpg)
Once the area was covered, I textured the clay with this lava stone, that I found on Gran Canaria (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10814.msg224348#msg224348).
(https://i.imgur.com/UMdMF13.jpg)


Choice of artificial plants:
Even though I was already picky when I bought these plants online, I was extra picky when I finally had to choose the few that fit on this picture frame. I know they look nothing like the amazing Felucia diorama seen in Revenge of the Sith, but I aimed more for the depiction in The Force Unleashed and Battlefront II. The color scheme of the Felucian Warriors were a great inspiration for choosing these plastic & silicone aquarium plants.

(https://i.imgur.com/1u8i0w4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EaZE1rE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/84cWG0w.jpg)
You can see these artificial plants in more detail here (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg205646#msg205646). The modelling material takes about 12 hours to harden so I had enough time to place them on the diorama using tweezers and a sculpting tool:
(https://i.imgur.com/N8xOEqT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PjrsZWr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xHI32qx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IzCLSkn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vDHRasd.jpg)
Once I was happy with the botany, I left the stuff to dry.

Painting the ground:
When the clay had dried and hardened, I painted it with different acrylic paints. This time it was a wet-brush of different shades of brown and green. One disadvantage of this clay is that it retracts to a certain extent, so there's a small gap between the "ground" and the frame now. Need to add some more paint to the edges:

(https://i.imgur.com/bV1Jcqp.jpg)
After the paint had dried I glued the plants back in position using wood glue and tried if the poseable display stand still fit on there. The height of one element towers over the plants' perfectly:
(https://i.imgur.com/UJ6Mmck.jpg)
I don't have any more TFU figures here, but I plan to add Shaak Ti to duel Starkiller on a second arm - force jump air combat so to say:
(https://i.imgur.com/174Vwiz.jpg)


Enter Aayla Secura & Details:
Every time I play Battlefront II Felucia is a must play - mowing through some clankers in the jungle of Felucia with Aayla Secura is always fun. That's why I display her with two lightsabers here as featured in the original BFII game:

(https://i.imgur.com/xjaFDwz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FZits1E.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kamjM4T.jpg)

Making of the Fungi:
Initially I planned on making the base of Sideshow's Premium Format Aayla Secura (http://rebelscum.com/Sideshow_Collectibles_SSC/Aayla_Secura_Premium_Format_Figure_Sideshow_Collectibles/IMAGE15.asp) to begin with, but these display stands inspired me to make a display diorama for a BARC Speeder first.
Here's a picuture of the tool and paints I used for the sculpted plants and fungi, that are also seen in the movie(s). I used the same cheap clay for these as I did for shaping the ground:

(https://i.imgur.com/0Uk45if.jpg)


You can find sculpting tools on ebay and Amazon using the forum's affiliate links to support it without any extra costs:

ebay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=sculpting+tools&_sacat=0 (https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=sculpting+tools&_sacat=0&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5337377665&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1)

Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sculpting+tools (https://amzn.to/3waY3Vf)


(https://i.imgur.com/CCyRSPN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6pv8ok8.jpg)


Couple extra details:
Today I went to my trusted gem dealer. It's been a while. Last time I was there is 15 years ago.
On my way to the workbench I re-discovered a pouch of Pyrite crystals. I thought these were perfect to cover the holes for the posable display arms. But a few moments later I was reminded by a Bornite that I got years ago. But I couldn't find it that quickly. So I decided to just get a couple more and paid 5€ for these here:

(https://i.imgur.com/SOXLJ4V.jpg)
I think these look perfect in the colorful botany of Felucia and could either be ore found on the planet or an meteor from decades ago, uncovered by Felucia's acid rain.
If you're interested, you can read more on Bornite here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bornite


(https://i.imgur.com/yhBoEus.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GrfZF53.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/r1Gj9EK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rBhV3NG.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/PZVNHqe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nL4nt5k.jpg)
I do not own this image. Source: ModDB (https://www.moddb.com/mods/hd-graphics-mod/images/wip-realistic-felucia-rezzed-and)

Comment:
Nothing special, just a test shot and first attempt on this toxic planet...the vibrant colors are what I enjoy most on Felucia. This planet is so toxic and dangerous that you don't know if your next step is the last one. The next diorama is going to be bigger with more sculpted plants. If you want to see a truly impressive one, you can see one in this German forum that I found during my research
https://www.sfmforum.de/index.php/topic,571.0.html


Got any questions or suggestions for improvement? Please, let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading!

- Philipp
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Tamer on June 06, 2021, 05:56:13 AM
Wow, this is fantastic!

First off I love the colors, this is exactly what I envision when I think of Felucia. I think you absolutely nailed the plant life. Just bravo.

Second, I think how you intermingled this for all of the different options with those display stands is great too. You can do all kinds of things with this and change it up every so often. So cool that stand supports the weight of the speeder bike too.

Needless to say, I am off to the front pages with this. Thanks for sharing it with us and explaining how you did it all.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: hemble on June 06, 2021, 03:32:09 PM
Fantastic work on the dios mate and the colour are awesome.

Ron
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Starchaser on June 07, 2021, 12:29:02 AM
Thanks for sharing your process. I really like the color scheme you came up with, I do agree it matches the Felucian figures really well - maybe it's a different part of the planet from the movie scenes? :) One question: how did you make the little flat brown disc fungus - I didn't see those in your artificial plant packs?
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on June 08, 2021, 02:40:08 PM
@Tamer: Thank you for the kind words! Yes, I really tried to only use plants that could possibly be found on Felucia. Didn't want it to look like the ground of an ocean or an aquarium. And those display stands are awesome to work with and to incorporate into dioramas. The bases are very durable thanks to the square pattern underneath. And these kits in particular which come with screws are perfect even for heavier models because the joints can be adjusted. So even small vehicles like STAPs or the BARC Speeder are no problem to display. I currently work on three of them and cannot wait to share the finished repaints. I'm going to use the 327th Legion Trooper, that came with the Gelagrub, to sit on my first custom Speeder. Thanks for sharing it on all the channels. More displayed action coming soon.


@hemble: Thank you so much, mate! I'm always glad to read your opinion. I'm happy to have found some properly colored plants over the years. The Force Unleashed videogame was a huge inspiration to me. But I also seek to recreate the diorama by ILM seen in Revenge of the Sith. That's going to take some serious effort though and will probably realized in 4 years from now. Thanks for coming by and leaving your feedback!


@Starchaser: Thank you for asking! You always proof to have such a good eye for details! I actually sculpted these disc fungi with the same (cheap) clay that I used for the base. I paid 3.99€ for 2 pounds of clay at my local art supplies store.
(https://i.imgur.com/iBGH4JZ.jpg)


There's this one sculpting tool which was included with the rather cheap set of sculpting tools I found on Amazon a while ago. Guess that's the next opportunity for an affiliate link (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10155.msg225112#msg225112) here.
But you can also take some thin wires, bind them together and bend them a little. Or a thin needle will do as well. I was quite happy with the instant result. Sometimes I don't know what to use a particular tool for until I got a specific model in mind. So I looked at the tools that I got and thought of which one would lead me to the desired result.
Here's a picture of the tool and paints I used:
(https://i.imgur.com/0Uk45if.jpg)

And to be honest, these two details were added at the end. I was actually going to make a 1/18 scale version of the base which came with Sideshow's Premium Format Aayla Secura first. But these display stands inspired me to make this picture frame diorama first. That's why I hardly left any space to display figures on the ground here. This one is to for displaying a BARC Speeder or two fighting characters from The Force Unleashed. More pictures will follow soon. So as mentioned, this one was a test and I don't want to mess up the small version of the premium format dio.
rebelscum.com has the best pictures of the base I could find online. So big shoutout to them. Sideshow only used two kinds of plants seen in Revenge of the Sith or the Battlefront game(s), which makes it rather easy for me to make this one. I'm only waiting for the black base, which I found on AliExpress days ago.

Here's the link to rebelscum's review on the 1/4 scale statue, that I'm going to make in 1/18 scale:
http://rebelscum.com/Aayla_Secura_Premium_Format_Figure_Sideshow_Collectibles.asp

I figure these wooden bases can be quite costly, here's an offer for about $4 each with a diameter of about 3 inches:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/8-19cm-Diameter-Real-Solid-Wood-Carving-Vase-Base-Stone-Buddha-Incense-Flowerpot-Wood-Carving-Teapot/1005002376777982.html

A base for Darth Malgus on Korriban will be fun as well!

Thank you for your comment! Yes, that's a solid point you make here. There are so many different plants on Earth as well. Star Wars has always been heavily inspired by all the different landscapes of this planet, so different botany on Felucia sounds plausible. I'm glad you can see this being part of Felucia's jungle.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on June 09, 2021, 02:32:47 AM
@Starchaser: I now added a couple pictures of the making process above. The next time I sculpt these fungi, I'll thin the paints with a drop of water, so that even the smallest pores are covered. I'm also going to use a dark brown as base coat. Sometimes the smallest living things are also the most lethal/poisonous. That's why the idea was that nothing else grows around these brown fungi. I could well see them excrete some poison. I painted them with a wet-brush and didn't see myself using a bright orange to be the correct color for these. Sometimes mixing colors makes all the magic happen.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Starchaser on June 10, 2021, 05:21:22 PM
Thanks for the new pictures. I really thought those disc fungi were a great addition to the diorama and kind of thought you had sculpted them yourself :) I think your color choice for them was excellent.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on June 11, 2021, 12:52:55 AM
You're welcome and thanks for asking! I really like how these aquarium plants kinda glow in the sunlight even though they're made of plastic and silicone. Thank you, I just copied the once from Sideshow. Cannot wait for the black base to arrive from AliExpress because then I'll recreate their Premium Format diorama for my extra TVC Aayla Secura.
Thank you also for commenting! I value your opinion very much.

(https://i.imgur.com/Gu2inqD.jpg)
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Tamer on June 11, 2021, 04:30:04 AM
I also appreciate you supplying links to the products and tools you used to make this.

I have got to take this back to the front pages.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: JDeck on June 13, 2021, 12:20:10 AM
Looks awesome! Felucia is definitely in my opinion the most unique biome in star wars, as far as I know. It's like a combination of underwater plants and fungi, that you really pulled off well.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on June 13, 2021, 02:35:56 AM
@Tamer: Thanks, Shawn, I'm going to sculpt way more on my next project and will take the occasion to share some other tools I use. I'm happy if the links help the forum, it's become my second home so to speak. I'd love to see a custom contest this or next year like in the good ole days!


@JDeck: Thank you. I tried to not make it look too much like an aquarium or ocean ground. If you followed the link I shared at the end of my original post, you'll find a truly impressive diorama (https://www.sfmforum.de/index.php/topic,571.0.html), which a fellow artist from Germany made. He has such amazing sculpting skills and the accuracy of the plants he sculpted is what I'm aiming for down the road.

I'm happy with the result of my first one, but want to achieve much more. The next diorama of Felucia will include some LEDs because I love how the plants glow in the dark. I'll also try to find some more Bornite because apart from Aluminum it cannot get any more spacey for me!
Thanks for coming by and leaving your comment!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: FialaFernbrugg on June 13, 2021, 09:43:38 AM
A beautiful representation of Felucia.
The plants that have been selected fit very well into the scenery.
In my opinion one of your best dioramas so far.
Excellent work my friend.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: customjedi on June 14, 2021, 03:43:51 PM
Absolutely fantastic representation of Felucia! Thanks for sharing all the how-to details.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on July 10, 2021, 02:12:55 AM
FialaFernbrugg: Thank you so much buddy! I think it's small, but fine.
The Force Unleashed was a major inspiration for this test diorama and I'm happy with the plants I found over the years. Last night my sister came in and saw it on the window sill. She really likes it and it reminds her of an underwater world.


customjedi: Sorry for my late response, I somehow missed your comments here. I'm glad to hear your feedback and hope some of the footage is helpful for your own projects. The next time I'll tackle Felucia on a larger scale will involve more sculpting. Or as Count Dooku said: "That is just the beginning."
Thank you for your comment!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: JDeck on April 24, 2022, 05:10:37 AM
Yeah I don't know how I missed your Scariff Dio, but man that's really well done. The way you made the palm trees is smart. The ground work with the concrete section and the sand/forest litter looks sharp. Great job!
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: BlackThorne on April 24, 2022, 09:23:59 AM
This dio is hot! Its hard to make a living nature dio really feels living, and yours is a spot on and a nice inspiration too.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on June 10, 2022, 04:11:05 AM
JDeck: Thank you for the nice words, J! That was a fun project and looking back now, I would do a few things differently. Guess it's time for a bigger project like this.
But I've got to say you did the most thorough research on your Scarif project (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=9462.msg229303#msg229303)! I really appreciate that you actually looked up where the scenes on Scarif were captured and shared with us which plants grow on the Maldives (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10416.msg229334#msg229334).
Your Scarif diorama is one of the very best I've ever seen! It's great fun following your projects.

It was also fun to paint that piece of thin cardboard for the cargo area. I knew why I saved those backs from my notepads...  :D

BlackThorne: Thank you so much! I'm very happy that you like it! Sorry for my late response though. I'm always glad when I can inspire other artists out there!

Best regards from Germany!

- Philipp
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Starchaser on June 11, 2022, 11:07:10 AM
I never commented on that last image, but I can see what you mean about the light. I still think you've done a masterful job with recreating the Felucia look. So kudos to you.
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: hemble on July 05, 2022, 12:37:59 AM
Absolutely love the dio mate, the colours are spot on.

Ron
Title: Re: Darth More's Dioramas: Felucia - Display Diorama (Test)
Post by: Darth More on July 05, 2022, 12:31:25 PM
Starchaser: Thank you so much for coming back to comment on that picture! It's always nice to look at this picture frame when I walk by - especially now in the Summer.


hemble: Thank you very much, Ron! I really love the concept art of Felucia and how it was executed. The diorama that ILM created for the actual film is an absolute prime example of diorama building insanity. I appreciate the flora and fauna of Felucia even more now that it has been used for more media like The Force Unleashed. It really helped to find more reference material and inspiration. The planets and locations of recent media by Disney has been rather dull and not innovative. I'm looking forward to improve my recreation of Felucia much more to get as close to the original as possible. The closer I'm going to get the bigger the diorama will be.
A dream of mine is to display a custom AT-OT (from scratch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRmpjetSMC8) or 3D printed) next to a repainted AT-TE on a Felucia diorama with approximate dimensions of 150 x 120 cm.

Thank you guys for coming back and sharing your thoughts with me! Your feedback is always highly valued!