Tamiya 1/35 Elefant with a few goodies

[ElCapitan]

I can't believe how awesome this looks! Can't wait to see it with snow

[demarcation]

Very very nice , really looking forward to the final result!

[privatepete]

Hi David if you are going to build anymore dioramas you might like to check this book out, I skimmed thought it at a show at the weekend it's I'm not criticising yours by the way.
http://www.themodellingnews.com/2017/03 ... es-of.html

[Stokesy44]

Hi David if you are going to build anymore dioramas you might like to check this book out, I skimmed thought it at a show at the weekend it's I'm not criticising yours by the way.
http://www.themodellingnews.com/2017/03 ... es-of.html

Thanks Pete

As I mentioned, dioramas are new to me so any advice and reference points are most welcome. Right now I'm enjoying the process of learning how to do stuff so having more sources to get ideas from is great. I don't really know why I've been bitten by the bug so late on but I'm going to run with it. I bought stuff for 3 further dios at the weekend and they will all be different in terms of what goes into them besides the kits themselves. I have a suspicion there's more learning round the corner

[Gb64c]

Very nice with the camo, I tend to make the splotches, either to big or to small, to long or to short. You got a good eye.

I have this kit in the stash and am glad to hear the Zim works well, I was concerned.

Nice thread.

[Tomcat64]

Wow - you've really cracked on with this again this week mate - it looks stunning.

And you've nothing to fear from the diorama bug either, that all looks great too - nearly there

[Stokesy44]

Thank for all the comments Guys.

I started on the snow today.



I used the basic snow effects paint. It has a really nice grainy texture so I'm hoping it will pile up nicely and dry with a nice texture. I started small, just testing it on a couple of bits on the rear of the casement.



It seems to work well with a knife for placement then a paintbrush for moving it around until it looks like its in the right place. I thought I would put a fair amount on the running boards as the snow would build up naturally there.






It looks nice and wet when it goes on, particularly as I wetted the brush with water as I went. More about that later.

I built it up on the front fenders, plenty on the flat areas and built up against the fairings.




I figured it wouldn't be blanket coverage on top, rather it would gather depending on wind and surface detail.



At this point I stopped as it was time for lunch!

One of the things I find with new products (new to me) is how different they can look from wet to dry. I should have realised it would look significantly different once it dried as I had used water as I applied it. It looked great on application but it lost its sheen (understandably) when it dried. Volume wise it shrank too. Both of these issues are easy to remedy. To maintain the wet look I achieved during application I'll apply a gloss varnish selectively when the snow is done. To deal with the shrinkage, well hell Guys, I just shoved more on!

I did the tracks at the rear



And applied more to the running boards and the top of the casement.



I then worked on the deck, adding snow at the front around the hatches and at the base of the front of the casement. The areas around the engine grills will not have snow as they would have been too warm while the engine was running. I added snow at the base of the casement as I think that is where it would gather if the vehicle was being driven as it snowed. That's my theory anyway.





I did the tracks at the front too. I'll do the sides tomorrow. When that's done I'll dirty down the snow on them with oils and pastels.



Then it will be time for the base.

[spock1701]

Looking great, stokesy! I was skeptical about those Tamiya diorama paints, but they look very nice

[Stokesy44]

Looking great, stokesy! I was skeptical about those Tamiya diorama paints, but they look very nice

Thanks mate. I've now used the 2 types and like them both. Texture wise they're quite different but the effects they create are nice.

I started on the base today. I decided the scenario I wanted was a good covering of snow down the sides and a area where a track had been cleared on the road so that vehicles could pass. I started on the right hand side using filler for coverage of the paved areas around the rubble piles. I then added the snow effects paint for texture and detail. in the corner I worked around the oil drums having stuck them down with blue-tack so they wouldn't move about.




I covered al the exposed areas around the rubble





At this point I wasn't sure if I hadn't made a real balls up. Looking at the rubble I was really unsure how to proceed. I didn't want to cover it all up with snow as I thought that would look awful. Also, I didn't really want to cover up all the hard work I had done with paints and washes.

After some head scratching I decided what I wanted to do was add snow to the rubble in all the areas where snow might have settled. Every kind of nook or gap between the bricks and timbers, as though the snow had landed and been blown into all the areas where it might gather.

I started with the small corner pile. I'll admit I was quite relieved with how it looked as I had been really concerned the effect wouldn't work. This is what I came up with.




Feeling encouraged I carried on with the rest of the right hand side. I also spent a fair bit of time layering the areas where the rubble met the snow on the pavement, trying to blend it in. By the end of the session I was relieved with how it was looking. It will need more layering tomorrow but it looks ok, that's the main thing.










More of the same tomorrow

[ElCapitan]

You're doing a fantastic job with that snow, it looks so real in amongst the rubble!

[Stokesy44]

You're doing a fantastic job with that snow, it looks so real in amongst the rubble!

Thanks mate, hopefully its heading in the right direction now.

I moved over to the other side of the base and laid down the filler which will form the edge of the cleared roadway and blend into the rubble and wall section.



As mentioned previously the snow effects paint has a high water content so it flattens a little and loses its opacity as it dries. I applied again over the paved areas and the rubble that I worked on yesterday. I realised some of the rubble was extending just a little too far out into the road for what I have planned so I had to do a little surgery to get rid of it. Once the snow effects have hardened I'll repaint the offending bits so they wont be seen




The tape down the centre is for me to mark where I will add snow and mud that hasn't been flattened and moved aside by vehicles. Not sure how I'll do it yet.

While the filler dried I added snow paint to the tops of the wall. When the filler is dry I'll work on the rubble pile and detailing the filler to look like the snow's been swept to the side and piled.




I put the Elefant on the base to see how it will look




I have a picture in my mind of how it will all look when its done but we'll wait and see

[Stokesy44]

Something's been bothering me about the composition of the base and its this. The snow on the right hand side doesn't reflect the idea I'm trying to create - that is a road cutting through snow and debris where the snow has been moved aside so that vehicles can pass.

The real problem is I had no plan at the start how to specifically show the roadway cutting through the snow. Being new to dioramas I was more interested with the bits I had in front of me and trying out the products and techniques I needed for the build. If I had mapped it out on the base at the beginning I wouldn't have had the composition problems that have sprung up during the build.

In short, this is the problem - the snow line on the right is wrong



So I thought, all is not lost, I need a proper road edge like I've got on the other side, that way the road will really look like its been cut through the snow. Its more work, and while I'm losing some of the detail I worked hard to create, this build is a learning experience and as long as I'm enjoying it I'll carry on.

So I turned to my filler again and got stuck in. This is the result.




I've now got a proper roadway

Its a lot of filler so I left it to dry and got stuck into applying the snow paint on the filler I lad down on the other side, building it up to look like the road edge and fresh snow. I got to work on the rubble too.



I also applied some base primer to the repair I had carried out earlier. The snow is essentially done now. I need to work on dirt and discoloration, particularly at the road edges and decide how muddy / snowy I want the road to be.

But hey, at least I've got a road now

[Tomcat64]

Great work on the snow mate that remodelling on the right-hand verge really makes a subtle but noticeable difference - nicely done!

[privatepete]

Hi David, all I can say is for someone who never built a diorama it's brilliant, you have certainly nailed this white stuff

[Stokesy44]

Thanks Fellas

I think I'm nearly there now. Today was time for the mud / snow on the road and the Elefant's tracks. I mixed some Vallejo dark earth paint into the snow paint and got stuck in.

I started with the top sections of the tracks and the front and rear links that will be seen once its on the dio. I also applied the mud to the front of the hull and the fenders




I like the grainy texture, hopefully once its dry and I apply a gloss varnish it will look nice and wet like snowy mud should do.

Then it was on to the base. Using the same mix of snow paint and dark earth I applied the 'mud' in front and behind where the Elefant will be parked. I then added plain snow into the centre for where the snow would have laid between the tracks of the vehicles as they passed. I brushed in black and brown and blended it in to the muddy snow on either side. I though this would be a better option than using oils once the snow had dried. Better to mix it in properly rather than try to create a painted effect once it all dried.




No free parking? The lads cant see a meter anywhere so here's a good place to stop Testing to see whether I've got enough of the road covered.





I added mud to the lower parts of the tracks - that pretty much finishes the Elefant save for a varnish to make it look wet.



So here it is. Last thing I did was do some blending at the road edges with diluted black and brown again. I need to add some more snow to the tops of the oil drums and position the last one on top but, save for varnishing, I think the finish is in site. Hopefully it looks like a proper winter scene, its been a proper adventure regardless







Once the road has dried, I'll do all the varnishing, put the crew on and that's it.

[spock1701]

[Stokesy44]

[Stokesy44]

The finish line got moved a little further back overnight. I wasn't satisfied with the texture of the mud. Too flat and uniform. I added some rutted texture using the powdered snow paint this time, mixing in brown paint again.





After more blending in and filling at the edges I think the mud should be ok now. With the Elefant in position it certainly looks suitably muddy.




Now its just paintwork and its done (probably)!

[krusty69]

dude

[Stokesy44]

dude

Thanks Krusty

I'm calling this done

Final things were wetting down the mud and the hull of the Elefant. I wanted everything to look wet so I sprayed using aqua gloss.

First up was the mud






I had added snow to the fuel drums earlier in the day. I applied aqua gloss on top of the snow to wet them down.




I then moved on to the Elefant, spraying the horizontal surfaces to simulate rain and snow melt.





Then it was on with the crew and time to put the big old fella on to the base. Finished





Some fancy camera angles




So there it is. Thanks for looking in. And thanks for the comments, encouragement and advice. I've decided I like dioramas so there's a few more in the pipeline. Next up will be a kit without a base though, I need a break






Just the reveal pics left now

[Tomcat64]

Absolutely fabulous work mate - great result especially on your first foray into dioramas.

Looking forward to seeing the reveal photos

[Bissyboat]

I´m speechless…