HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

These two guys look like they might be planning their next rum run!
They still look a little too military for my liking,I think that it is the high collar and large buttons that need to be worked on.

[JohnReid]

Although on occasion I will do a major modification on a figure (such as from a standing to a seated position ) mostly l try to work with what I got out of the box.The challenge is to come up with a good idea of how to use them.To create a little scenario that helps to tell the story of the diorama.I seldom use action poses .My purpose is to hold the viewers eye just long enough so that he really doesn't expect any movement from the figures.Long enough for him to suspend his disbelief at what he is looking at and let his imagination get to work.
My goal someday is to have complete control over the process from start to finish .Creating a figure to scale,painting it and have it look like a particular person.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Here is a great example of what I mean! This Soviet tank guy could be used about anywhere (except maybe standing in no-mans-land but
I think I can remember stories about some guys who actually did this to encourage their men into battle.)
Anyway,I had very little modification to do to make him into a mechanic from my era.I took off the shoulder belt and re-designed the flow of the clothing and waist belt.He is holding his cigarette(yet to be added)in a sort of European way.
He has a buddy (which I haven't received yet )who is also taking a smoking break who he could easily be in conversation with or I could just leave him as a solitary figure enjoying the fresh air!

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

This guy works just about anywhere you would care to put him.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

For now I am calling these two guys CNR truck drivers.I have not been able to find out in they would have worn some kind of uniform or not or what those uniforms may have looked like.If they wore uniforms I presume that they would have a military look about them which seemed to be popular in that era.
The colors for the under painting are from my imagination and were selected to blend in with the surroundings.Next up is the furniture which will be simple boxes built to accommodate the figures positioning.It is always a lot easier to adapt the furniture to the figure than the other way around.
These two guys are taking a break as their truck has either broken down or overheated.They could be waiting for a replacement truck or the engine to cool down ,either way they are not going anywhere for awhile.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

I want to position the figure in the foreground with just his heel and toe touching the floorboards.The shadows indicate that they are.Now it is a matter of cutting the right size box for him to sit on.