HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

Do you guys know if theaerodrome website is accessable from Europe? two modelers I know cant seem to gain entry.Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

I can sense an exciting new trend in diorama making, that of photographic composition and digital art.In other words taking a 3D object and making it 2D.
Fred Shammas's work is a terrific example of what can be done with a staged setting using various models.He is a master of combining his models,a stage and the great outdoors into wonderful compositions.In fact in many ways I prefer the pictures to the real dioramas ,including my own.It is just as creative as any permanent diorama and in many ways even more challenging.(all you guys who claim lack of space as a deterrent to making dioramas,get your cameras out)With the convenience of digital cameras and instant gratification the possibilities are endless.Multiple pics can now be taken and instantly saved or rejected.Sort of like a director saying "take one " or "take two".If your not happy you can arrange or rearrange things as you like.Nothing is written in stone.This is a very exciting new era in diorama making.
Another area that I would love to get into is this whole idea of using your own 3D models in a digital art composition.Imagine taking your own hand built model and placing it in some historical context or future fantasy composition.Here again the possibilites are endless .For those of us who are frustrated producers,directors,set disigners,stage directors,authors or just the plain creative individuals amoung us, this is a wonderful time with so many tools available to us.
Everybody worries about the future of our hobby and the younger generation.I say that we have nothing to worry about if we are open to this new world of artistic endeavor.If we lead the way and show just how adaptable we are to the future.With the creative use of all these new tools available to us I only wish I was 30 years younger.
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

You know one of the biggest deterents out there to diorama making ,is the lack of figures and scale support equipment, available to the dioramist.I contribute to 5 aircraft,2 ship and 1 auto modelers site ,in their diorama forums, and this has always been an ongoing complaint in all of them and a big reason for not getting involved in this growing trend of diorama making amoung modelers .
I think that the model manufactures are really missing the boat on this one, especially when it comes to the popular aviation scales.Their excuse is probably, that there is not a big enough market.Maybe they are right, but I know from what I see the potential market is there, especially in 1/48 scale.
Do any of you guys know how to make them aware of this trend? Do their marketing guys monitor our websites for trends in the market? Do they care? I don't know but we modelers are their life blood.How can we make our needs known?Even generic figures that could be adapted would be very useful and would appeal to an even wider market.Is anybody listening???
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

I just found a Franklin Mint 1/16th scale model T Ford diecast (a little damaged) for sale and I am very tempted to add it to my Jenny diorama.It looks to be an early one from somewhere in the teens.The diorama ,as you know is of the mid to late 20s.I know that the Model T went well into the 30s before the new fangled Model A came out to replace it.I am debating whether it may look out of place in my diorama or how I can modernize it to the 20s.Of course it will get the full weathering treatment.
I plan to put it in a small structure that I plan to build over the garage door.Sort of half in and half out the door with a tire being changed(it is missing a tire anyway)If I use it ,I think that I will cut off the large roof to help maintain the view into the hangar through the garage door.
Presently I am finishing to weather the L/H side of the roof which I recently discovered that I had forgot to do.It is somewhat of a boring job ,that as you can see ,I am trying to avoid.Each nail requires a little dot of gesso ,then a little dot of paint to cover,then a little pastel for weathering.Then the checkerboard squares have to be shaded and weathered with the toothbrush flicking method When that is over most of the boring,repetitious jobs will be done and I can go on to the interesting stuff.
Cheers! John.

One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. Andre Gide.

[JohnReid]

Its too late to turn back now ,I just ordered the Model T.I like the idea of being able to tell the secondary story without it getting in the way of the main storyline.The tire changing will not be in direct view,you will have to discover it .I hope it works as the broken car was not cheap.Franklin mint doesnt seem to give their stuff away ,even the broken stuff.
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

Taking a break from the nails.Besides it gives me too much time to think of things like the following.I am now thinking about building 4 modular units to go around the hangar walls.The perimeter of the diorama will still be the building but I will add an office,the garage,the lean to wind break at the rear and a 7" ramp area in the front.Other than the modular units there will not be anything added to the outside.That way I can add more interest to the whole thing and get away from any boxiness.The viewer can then easily seperate what is diorama from the rest and the outside and it will not overpower the main subject ,which is the inside of the hangar.Problem solved.Add 6 months.Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

Rather than heavily weathering such a nice diecast as the Franklin model T,I think that I will use it almost as is, with only some slight weathering.The idea is that it will be a nice shiny parade car that has brought the dignitaries to the airport, but is undergoing emergency tire repair.This fits into the storyline of the old Jenny in the hangar being virewed by the ex airmen who happen to find it being restored into a barnstormer.In fact it improves the storyline to a chance encounter made possible by the flat tire.Its funny how things evolve as you go along if you remain open to change.Cheers! John.

[StephenLawson]

John; Here's a bit of fun.

[JohnReid]

Hey,that is a great pic.Full of great ideas.Got any more like that? Cheers! John.

[StephenLawson]

Hey John yes I have a few (understatement) images of Hangar Queens and the like. But I'm pretty sure that is the only one of a Jenny in that condition I have personally...