Global Scale Modeller

Hey everyone

So just had a random thought pop into my head...
And I have a question for you guys and girls who make dioramas.
How would you go about making a diorama that looks excatly like a black and white photo that you are using for reference??

Interesting idea, I'd start by buying a LOT of black and white paint! The human eye can differentiate 256 shades of grey so you will also need plenty of mixing dishes.
You'll need to paint on any shadows our highlights unless you plan on lighting the dio in the same way as the pic. On a plus note, you'll have to paint half the dio as you'll only be able to view it from one side.

Cool idea. How about some background plates of terrain printed off in high contrast grainy black and white.

Its amazing what you can achieve with a basic photo editor. I took some photos in the US cemetery in Normandy a few years ago on a gorgeous sunny day. I made a print out of one where I drained all the colour out of it and flared it up with the contrast and brightness settings, looked like a 60 year old pic.

If you put in background plates its easier to trick the viewer's eye and get the brain to accept what they are looking at.

As I said, a very cool idea.

I've wanted to do one for quite some time now, and even proposed the idea as a GB, but didn't get any response. Maybe I should give a try this year!

I was going to do one myself - I think the issue becomes all the different shades of grey. I was considering building the model in its "normal color" take a B&W and do a second build based on photos and use those as my guide points, then paint in steps and layers, but the idea is more brainpower than I want to engage. Although I'm open to the concept.

(Click to enlarge)

Here's a pic from last years IPMS Salisbury show. Sorry I don't know who made it, but it's an excellent example of a B&W diorama.