Author Topic: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design  (Read 126425 times)

Offline elmeaux

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #390 on: April 9, 2007, 10:28 PM »
That stuff is cool. Would love to know parts used on that power building. And the array is cool. Never would have thought to use POTF2 R5 like that.

Thanks!
I really liked this Naboo wall Delaton did over at ffrurg:
http://www.ffurg.com/FForums/index.php?showtopic=2978

I want to do one eventually, so I bought three PotC sets on clearance and stripped them down. As you can probably tell now, it's three wheels stacked together. The top is some plastic cap from the packaging to a cosmetic product my wife had. I saved a bunch of them because I thought they'd be useful (there's another on my building.) And the other bit is a wall adapter for an old phone.

Really glad you like the R5! I was afraid it might look too much like him. I have been wanting to find a use for that figure since we finally got a good version. I need to figure out how I'm going to paint it. Hopefully it'll minimize the likeness if I do it right.

E> - I think that stuff looks great.  Especially your buildings and the power plant.  What size are those?  This is really starting to come together!

Thanks! The plant is 8" in diameter. The buildings are 8"x10", the cylinder part is 6" tall. The building proper is a little shorter than I should have made it (about 1/4-1/2" taller than a figure), but I suspect you step down into the interior which is partly underground so it's ok.  ;)

« Last Edit: April 9, 2007, 10:29 PM by elmeaux »

Offline Ryan

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #391 on: April 10, 2007, 12:09 AM »
My internet is mostly fixed... Looks like I've got a lot to go through here:



I checked the table - its 3.5' x 5.0' - good eyes!  I don't know if you are thinking the same thing I am but I'm actually worried that the diorama space will be too small  :-\  I know that seems like its counter-intuitive to everything we've said recently.  However, with 6-10 buildings, plus the large items from Chewie (including the junkyard), plus the market.  Are we going to need more real-estate?  

Yup. That was my thought too. I thought that looked a little small as I eyeballed it. I think Niub had said we can have up to 24' wide... we would need to confirm that with him though. Luckily the city will be easy to expand length-wise so pending his approval we should be ok. I really thought we'd have the opposite problem too, but it seems a lot of people not originally on my diorama team lists have expressed interest lately, and others like yourself are making multiple buildings so we suddenly have more than planned. For this reason I haven't come up with a final layout yet. I need to see exactly what we have in terms of numbers and sizes, that's why it is so important that everybody is letting me know exactly how many buildings you are making and what size they are. I'm think I'm going to have to cutoff all unassigned buildings at some point here if it still looks like we are going to have too many.


I think my buildings will be fine for the diorama, but like I've said all along - these are "rank and file" type buildings and not intended to be the "stars" if you know what I mean.  We really need to have enough room to show off some of the extra special buildings.  I know in your standard building description, you said mostly single story.  However, I think we'll need some larger (i.e. taller) buildings to really comform with Glassman's original concepts.

Point noted Brent. I was going off something Phruby said (I think) awhile back that no buildings should be taller than two feet and that the Tower should be the tallest building. I took that and because of the smaller area decided fewer taller buildings might help to make everything visible. If you get to another building go ahead and make it multiple stories. I'll do the same, and Glass can too.


As far as the trees go.  Let me finish the 6 I've got started.  I think I'll be able to do two more but I want to get these first ones completely finished up.

Sounds fair, I'll try and whip up a few smaller ones myself.


Things look like they're really shaping up guys.

As for tall buildings, I'll be sending two things that are two feet tall each (regular tower and the gun tower) so that will add a bit of height to it at least.

Also this probably isn't somethign that we have time for, but I think a sentry tower would really look cool in an Imperial deco -

Regarding the junk yard - Ryan, can you send me measurements again of what you'd like to see?  

 :P

I actually had a sentry tower on my original BP. If I have time I still plan on making it, and sticking it on the west end of the road. The measurements on that junkyard are about 18" - 14" on the outside of the building with 1" thick walls maybe? I'll let you hammer out the exact measurements, just try not to go too much smaller than that or there won't be room to walk around inside through the junk piles. The dealer shop should be about 5" deep, you can either make this internal or external. I think external would look better, but I'll leave that up to you.


Update time.

I painted up two of the trees and and started to add some foliage to one of them.  I also spray painted one of my buildings.  Here are the results:

...

Close up of the tree:
...

Question for the group - how much additional foliage do you think these trees should have?  I wasn't thinking that these trees would be "super-lush" but more sporadiacally covered with foliage.

Here are some more shots for the building:

...

Here's a close-up of the texture:

...

I'm not 100% sold on this building.  I used masking tape to cover all the parts of the foam.  For the most part, its completly hidden.  There are a few places (like the dome) where you can see it a bit.

Question for the group -    What do you guys think?  What additional painting should I do to make it more "realistic"?

I think I would have used some sort of putty/spackling compound that could be sanded down to be flush with the foam. I've had bad luck with masking tape either showing throw paint, or peeling off under texture as it loses stickiness. Though that is over the long term, short term it should be fine. As for the weathering, a like what you have going in your later post...

And I agree with Smarty in that the trees should have more foliage. I'll PM you more about that in response to the one you sent me. Overall though your stuff is looking great so far.


Brent- looks great.  Since fleckstone is so uniform, maybe you can brush paint some weathering details over it.  The way your sample structure looked; kind of like stucco!  I was inspired by mentions of the hologram Sidious becoming a statue and pudding cups becoming storage/generator boxes, that I put these few together for Judde:

...

...

...

...

Looking good Greg! If you want to go ahead and whip up anything else like these little guys that'd be fantastic, you don't have to if you don't have time though. And elmeaux, if you want to whip up a few Palpatine statues on similar bases I'm sure we will find a spot for them. :)


Sarge and roron- Both of your sections are looking fantastic so far, keep it up! And roron, I think if you want to weather it I'd go with a whitish-green like you were suggesting.


Brent, Sarge, these look fantastic.

Brent, i too like the "finer" texture better also.  I think the Solid styrofoam buildings are gonna be amazing.
I started a building with foamcore.  I am including a bit of a how-to so the  construction is uniform.

What i am doing is taking a wall ( pre-cut to the size i want)
Then I am taking a NOTCH out of the corners.  The notch should be as wide as the foamcore you are using. ( 1/4" in this case)


Looking good Glass. I'm glad to see you modern architects still use foamcore on occasion, as opposed to nothing but the computer.  ;)  :-*

I've used that same technique a few times, personally I think I prefer double layering the foam core and then using matboard to cover up the exposed foam center, but I like that method as well.  What do you plan on using to texturize it? I've found that spray on spackling (aerosol based) works wonders. Just spray it on, knock it down, sand it, paint it up and you have instant concrete. I'm looking forward to seeing the end result.


Here's my Buildong all weathered up. I can't figure out what to put in the hole where I was going to mount the cannon. Any ideas?

I'd suggest another generator over the hole, or some other little gizmo. I think if possible you should try and find a way to cover the seam that is right down the middle of the two pieces. Right now they don't really flow into each other; it looks more like two smaller, skinny buildings just sitting next to each other. Normally I'm not a fan of regular styrofoam either, just because it doesn't translate scales very well, but I think the greeblies help this one a lot. And you did a pretty good job on the paint app too.


Got a bunch of weapons, Rocket Launchers, etc. that  I could contribute if you guys like.

Like Paul was saying we really don't need any weapons because this is a city as opposed to a military zone. But thanks for the offer.

I think news paper might be a little Low Tech for Star Wars. How about some hollow screens on some of the buldings. We could have them running wanted posters of some of our Rebel customs.

If anyone wants to Photoshop a few holoscreens, I think we could use some. They are going to need to be printed on photo paper, if not on a laminate with light behind it... And of course they will need some kind of framing/projector. Be sure to use Aurebesh font face too.

As for other accessories, if anyone happens to have a bunch of the crates that came with wither the SAGA 3PO or the SAGA Outlander Anakin we could use those as well.

Here's a few WIP I took this evening.
...
That's my mini power plant. I plan on having clear plasitc windows and a clear plastic cover. I'm planning to have a bunch of electric currents on the inside via those force power dohickies every Jedi and Sith came with. Hoping to have acontrol array on the side there and other details.
...
Funny you guys are talking about holoscreens because I put this together a couple weeks ago as a little holo projector. I figured a screen could come off the top. I have four of them primed and waiting for painting.
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I have four of these building put together. Still need to add doors and other details.
...
Hope this stuff is acceptable.

E>

Looking great E! For the power plant if I may suggest a dark shade of grey for the color on the outside?
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Offline roron corobb

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #392 on: April 10, 2007, 12:21 AM »
I want to do one eventually, so I bought three PotC sets on clearance and stripped them down. As you can probably tell now, it's three wheels stacked together. The top is some plastic cap from the packaging to a cosmetic product my wife had. I saved a bunch of them because I thought they'd be useful (there's another on my building.) And the other bit is a wall adapter for an old phone.

Really glad you like the R5! I was afraid it might look too much like him. I have been wanting to find a use for that figure since we finally got a good version. I need to figure out how I'm going to paint it. Hopefully it'll minimize the likeness if I do it right.

Cool, I might have to see if I can find a few of those. Where did you find them? And what was the price?

Also I wouldn't worry about the R5, because even the white paint you have you don't see him that well. To us customizers we look at stuff that way ;), so we notice it. That is all good though as we see the parts, but can also pull back and see the custom as a whole. Others normally only see the whole ;) and sometimes see what was used.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #393 on: April 10, 2007, 02:42 PM »
Roron, the planet sculpture looks great.  Like Brent, I'm not sure it needs to be weathered.  It looks really good as is to me.

Elmeaux, the power plant really is looking cool, very creative!

Ryan, sounds good on the junkyard... I'll see what I can do.  I'm thinking that there shouldn't be a "floor" to it, save for the shopkeeper area... what do you think?  I am thinking something with two walls (modular perhaps?) the are shaped like an "L" and an area with a countertop for the junk dealer's "shop" area/desk.  I'm thinking I'll create this, take pics of how it can be presented on site, and send with it a bag full of loose droid parts, pieces from ships, etc. junk stuff that can be laid out on site however looks best.

I made these droids for it over the weekend -





I am planning on several more to go into the junkyard as well.  These will just be a few of the 'better shape" droids.

 :P

Offline Ryan

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #394 on: April 10, 2007, 03:57 PM »
I was acutally thinking of something enclosed, more like Watto's. To deter shopplifting and all. I think you could still probably make the walls modular if you wish and they wouldn't have to be much taller than 4". As for the floor that sounds fine and was just what I was thinking as well.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #395 on: April 10, 2007, 04:08 PM »
Ok, that should be doable.  Think it would be ok to have a small vehicle that is in disrepair inside it?

 :P

Offline Famine

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #396 on: April 10, 2007, 04:18 PM »
I hate foam core.

Pictures coming soon.


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Offline Famine

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #397 on: April 10, 2007, 05:03 PM »


Booth...I dunno if I like the design.


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Offline Ryan

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #398 on: April 10, 2007, 05:08 PM »
Ok, that should be doable.  Think it would be ok to have a small vehicle that is in disrepair inside it?

 :P

Fine with me if you can fit it in there.
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Offline Daigo-Bah

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #399 on: April 10, 2007, 06:42 PM »
Famine- that design is really cool!  I think you're going to need a much sharper x-acto blade, and cut your lines using a metal straight edge (if you don't already).  My cuts would be jagged if I used worn blades and/or if I tried to cut all the way through on the first pass.  Anyway, here is my market stall: Empire collectibles!  Get your 1:4 scale Imperial troops right here!  ;D







I was thinking this guy could be the proprietor:

« Last Edit: April 10, 2007, 06:47 PM by Daigo-Bah »
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Offline PenDragon

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #400 on: April 10, 2007, 07:03 PM »
That's hilarious!  The Imperial Collectibles should definitely make an appearance! :D

Famine & Daigo-Bah - nice work guys! I love the idea of the market. Funny thing, I was gonna ask about the possibility of having a canvas top to the stalls in the market. Not that I don't like yours, Famine. I actually quite dig the shady market stall you've got there - reminds me Watto's place in Ep2. Or something out of the middle ages like so:

And if you painted it up in earth tones, (maybe make it look like it's made of stones?), it'd be totally believable as is.

Are you guys going for something like the scene in the following pic?

Or are you going for something less spread out - more like a market place out of Indiana Jones?


« Last Edit: April 10, 2007, 07:11 PM by PenDragon »

Offline Famine

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #401 on: April 10, 2007, 08:09 PM »
I voted to either make this stall beautiful, or mask it down, and paint it up and keep it for my collection.

I used a mess of brand new razor blades, and I sliced my grandmothers new table cloth cover to ribbons. I sliced the thin cutting board to ribbons too. :-[

I need to try the metal straight edge. Diago, that's phenomenal work on your project!

I'm loving it mate!

Kevin


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Offline BrentS

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #402 on: April 10, 2007, 08:18 PM »
Those look great guys.  I think having different style booths is more than acceptable.

RyanEDIT: Kevin, good start.  Maybe you can texture up the final model to allow for some "rough" edges.

Daigo-bah, you never fail to impress me.  I love your finished booth!!  Absolutely fabulous.  I've got my WIP booth that I should show some pictures of.  It has a "canvas" backing as well.  Mine was made using Plaster Cloth sheets.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2007, 09:26 AM by BrentS »

Offline Fritzkrieg

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #403 on: April 10, 2007, 10:58 PM »
Okay I've added some more greeblies and stuck an Antenae in the big hole in the top. LMK what you think.

Imp Structure



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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #404 on: April 11, 2007, 12:15 AM »
Much better I think... also really like the rail, I hadn't seen that earlier.  The antenna is a great looking addition.

 :P