Hello from Nevada

[willc453]

Quit modeling 17 years ago because of things happening in my life, found it wasn't any more fun. Then in late 2016, felt my modeling mojo trying to come back, but didn't want to go back to aircraft/armor because I started getting AMS with my build rate being 1 model a month, sometimes it'd take me 2 months and when you have around 1,400 unbuilt kits.... With zombie/apocalypse being popular subjects on tv/in the movies, wondered if anyone was doing these kind of dioramas. Boy, was I surprised by what I found via Google and Youtube. Not only dioramas, but the thousands of paintings showing damaged/destroyed/abandoned cities, homes, etc. along with paintings of survivors. Been hooked since.

All my military armor, trucks, etc. are in 1/35th scale and that's what my dioramas will be in. Of course, things have REALLY changed in modeling over the years since my being gone. And since my military stuff ranged time wise from WW 2 to Vietnam, had to do some catch up model kit wise. Will be using my original stuff as mil surplus, along with newer kits such as Humvee's, BDRM's, etc. But found I had 2 MAJOR problems: lack of current civilians and cars/trucks. Started modifying Tamiya's and other companies military figures with idea of basic modifications, then making silicone molds of them as I plan on having up to several dozen figures in one diorama. Finding women was even harder. Yeah, there are resin figures available, but they run from $10 to $30 EACH?! Bought Master Box's Death Angels & Zombie Hunter kits, but not enough. Then found Master Box's pinup girls set and Trumpeters African freedom fighters. For vehicles, have bought several dozen diecast ones in 1/32nd and 1/36th scale. Not perfect, but I'm happy with my purchases.

Want my dioramas to be as realistic as possible, so no Mad Max or women with a lot of T&A showing. Learning how to cut up/modify these figures and using Milliput. Adding to all of this, is making styrene boxes of various sizes that I've made silicone molds of for different things. Like a refrigerator can used by using bits of styrene, but adding others, it can become a large tool chest as example. From Youtube, I've been learning a lot of how too's from those into doll houses, action figure, gamers, and railroaders. And of course, modelers.

Working on 2 of 3 dioramas: The Fountain, Childhood Lost and The Alley. The Fountain will have a tired looking woman leaning against an empty/ damaged city fountain while sitting on her backpack. She'll have her rifle and dog besides her. The fountain will have debri in it and at least 1 tree. The fountains base was made from 2 different sized sour cream lids and the fountain from a cut up/modified plastic wine glass. For the street, used a 28mm cobblestone street mold (Hirst Arts) that I bought 20 some years ago. Diorama will measure 9x9 inches, with fountain being just over 6 inches tall and the base also 6 inches in diameter.

Childhood Lost is from those words spray painted on a childs slide via Google. Scratch built chain link fence, merry go round, jungle gym (aka monkey bars), 2 seater swing set and dinosaur "horsey" rides. These are the kind that have springs under them so kids can rock back and forth on. Figure will be leaning against the merry go round while cooking a rabbit on a stick. He'll have a dog who's going to be looking at him & the rabbit. Rifle and backpack will be there too.

The Alley will have survivors fighting off zombies in an alley way. Just got Trumpeters staircases and hope to build a 3 story building. Have made a dumpster and grease recycling bin for the people to be on/in. Alley way will be cork. Not sure if I'm going to give them weapons or not. Probably not as I'm a mean & nasty kind of modeler for realism. Hope to show one figure attempting to jump from the dumpster to the fire escape above them.

Have to re-learn how to use my Canon 35mm AE-1, along with posting photos here. If interested, have a lot of photos of what I've bought since starting all of this on Flickr.

[sheppsea]

Hello and

[BobM]

and

[kiwigav]

from New Zealand

[AlexBB]

Hi & from Walsall, England

Your dioramas sound cool...

[DrSprue]

to the forum from New England.

[Kevthemodeller]

[Matthaus]

Hello!