Author Topic: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design  (Read 126039 times)

Offline Phrubruh

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #555 on: May 2, 2007, 09:42 PM »
I've decided not to use wood for the front wall. It's made out of foam core simular to the construction of Brent's buildings. I've bought a number of styrfoam balls that I will cut in half for domes that will go all around the top of the walls. All the walls will be painted in a rock-like finish simular to Brent's buildings. Black plastic H sticks will act like gerders. Finally, I'll spray paint some comtech chips for kibble. I just need to figure out how to do the gate. I would like to make one that opens and closes.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #556 on: May 2, 2007, 10:05 PM »
Phruby, do you think the foamcore wall will look similar at all to the wood wall then?   Or do you just want to trash what I did, and make the back wall out of foamcore too?

For the gate, wooden dowels would work pretty well - somewhere there's a pic of a drawing that I made of what I had planned...

 :P

Offline Phrubruh

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #557 on: May 2, 2007, 11:29 PM »
I intend to plaster over both the foam core and the wood with some texture and paint them the same color. I think that way they will look very simular. I just went with the foam so I would be able to handle the cuts easier.
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Offline patreektherodian

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #558 on: May 3, 2007, 12:10 AM »
Can we get some pics of what you have done Ryan? (landscape)

Offline Ryan

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #559 on: May 3, 2007, 01:34 AM »
I intend to plaster over both the foam core and the wood with some texture and paint them the same color. I think that way they will look very simular. I just went with the foam so I would be able to handle the cuts easier.

Plaster will warp the **** out of foamcore and won't stick. Be forewarned. I think Niub has said plaster cloth works if it is stapled on, but regular plaster will just **** up all your hard work, trust me on this one. It's not fun.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #560 on: May 3, 2007, 01:44 AM »
Just my personal opinion - I think the wall might look better if it appears to be more of a metallic appearance - the kind of walls we see Imperials have is usually metal.  But at this point, I'm not the one detailing it of course.  But for weathering it, it would be a piece of cake doing it if it had a metallic appearance.

Now, in theory Phruby - you could do the wall in wood, with the "ends" where the angles are being done in foamcore if that's easier.  The reason I went with wood was because it's very durable, there's no chance of it warping, and you don't have to create an internal support system for it like you do with foamcore.  If you are able, I'd go with wood but I can certainly understand your concerns.

 :P

Offline Ryan

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #561 on: May 3, 2007, 01:55 AM »
Personally I think a metallic look would be better than stone as well. It is up to you though.
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Offline patreektherodian

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #562 on: May 3, 2007, 12:48 PM »
Ryan?

Offline Phrubruh

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #563 on: May 3, 2007, 01:19 PM »
I do have shiney metalic black and that would look cool with the plastic girders on the outside looking like supports. The half balls on the walls could then be turned into turrets.

What if I took thin cardboard stock (ie like comic book backer board) and covered the foam core with it? That will make the foam core wall smooth feeling just like the wood.
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Offline Glassman6

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #564 on: May 4, 2007, 11:07 AM »
I vote metal too. I have always invisioned it like that.
Paul, i dont know if you got my message, but my box should be there tomorrow/Monday.
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Offline Phrubruh

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #565 on: May 4, 2007, 11:27 AM »
I'll pick up some black gloss metalic. The only can I have is a small can made for plastic.

Ryan, got any work in progress pictures? It would be helpful to see where to place little accessories on the wall if I saw where this thing will be placed.
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Offline Ryan

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #566 on: May 4, 2007, 12:05 PM »
I'll pick up some black gloss metalic. The only can I have is a small can made for plastic.

Ryan, got any work in progress pictures? It would be helpful to see where to place little accessories on the wall if I saw where this thing will be placed.

I don't have any pictures at the moment. I'll get some tomorrow. I had another all nighter last night writing three different papers for the same class that are all do today, so I think I will probably crash ealry before I get them done tonight, but tomorrow I can do. I've been putting off taking any since I'm about 90% done and I just wanted to get the finished pictures up at the and of the weekend/begining of next week. All I really have left to do is pour the water and then add some tall grass.
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Offline elmeaux

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #567 on: May 4, 2007, 12:28 PM »
I do have shiney metalic black and that would look cool with the plastic girders on the outside looking like supports.

Just a suggestion:
http://rustoleum.com/product.asp?frm_product_id=643&SBL=1

I used this on several plastic parts (door panels, verticle pipes, "a/c unit" in back) of my buildings and the adhesion and dry time was excellent. I used the "dark bronze" which looks grey to me, but they also have a black. Got the stuff at either Wal-mart or Home Depot.

E>

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #568 on: May 4, 2007, 12:43 PM »
You know, this might or might not be how you want to go about the painting Phruby, but when I was referring to a metal look, I really didn't mean for it to be overly metallic, just the texture to not look like concrete.

What I would suggest is the walls having some sort of "border" on them - you could use strips and glue them to the top and bottom of it - almost like what is done with base boards on a real wall in a house.

For example, on the junkyard wall if you want to look at that you can see the "border" that I made on it -





When painting something like this - I've found that a base coat of a Krylon gray primer works best... then you can use another Krylon gray paint after it dries, and then add a bit of weathering to it.  For weathering, all you need is some water, acrylic paint and a couple brushes.  It's very easy if you have the right kind of base paint coat down first (again I'd suggest Krylon but the Rustoleum might work too).

Also - I've found that using the cheap 99 cent paint from Walmart is a huge mistake, it's better to buy the Krylon stuff that costs about 3 or 4 dollars per can. 

Just ideas though, how you go about this will be up to you - I wish I could have done more on the wall, but as you know my situation I was afraid to possibly over commit on it.

 :P


Offline elmeaux

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Re: The Ultimate Group Project - Diorama Construction/Design
« Reply #569 on: May 4, 2007, 01:03 PM »
(again I'd suggest Krylon but the Rustoleum might work too).

The Rustoleum didn't require priming on plastic; it had a very good bond too.
I don't think I looks overly metalic but I guess ymmv:



Anyhow, Paul should have my stuff now so he can take a look it and see if it's a direction he wants to go or not.  ;)
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