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A concept I am considering for a diorama - sort of

JamesOLeary

Master at Arms
In my mind, I have several great ideas for dioramas that I would like to build. The main problem, though, is space and the ability to transport what I would like to build. An example is the diorama I want to build using the figures that are in the thread about "Platoon Sergeant on Radio". The diorama would be of the entire patrol and the activities of each Soldier, but when you factor in intervals between Soldiers, terrain, and stuff like that, the diorama would become huge and most likely would not adhere to the "rules" concerning composition, balance, etc. for a diorama. What I have been playing around with in my mind, and now that I cut a bunch of blocks for bases with the bases as well, would be a split up diorama so to speak. It would consist of several vignettes where I can position them on a larger display, such as a map or sketch, where they can still show interaction and the viewer can understand the story, but the large areas of wasted space would be eliminated and the work can be a bit more compressed but still maintain the understanding that there is some distance between the pieces.

Here are a few photos of what I am talking about. These blocks are not necessarily laid out in the way they will be, but it serves as an illustration of the concept. The 'vignette' of the Platoon Sergeant with his RTO shows interaction between them and another element of the scene on a different block. The second set of figures may not be the one's located there, but let's say that this is the LT and another Soldier looking at a map or something. The Platoon Sergeant is clearly interacting with the LT in this example. Figures from the other blocks would also have some sort of connection with those near them. Then the whole thing could also be modular where sections could be moved. Ultimately, instead of a 3 or 4 foot long diorama with a lot of wasted space, I can cut it down to several easily transportable vignettes that can be arranged as a single display in a way that tells the story that the "diorama" is designed to convey.

Here is the overview of how they could be set up:

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Each "vignette" would have it's own story. This one is where the platoon sergeant is inquiring about something or is giving direction to another element. The RTO is leaning forward to adjust the weight of the radio. Those of you who have humped a ruck have done this to rest or stretch your back from time to time. He will have his left hand on his knee to support the weight and an M16 in his right hand. The head I chose that looks like someone who is a bit worn out from the weight and humidity will be glued on after I finish removing the flak jacket and sculpt in jungle fatigue details.

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And here you can see the clear interaction between the two scenes.

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I'm not sure how well this will work, but if it doesn't, I will at least have a bunch of vignettes that could be displayed separately, too.

What are some of your thoughts?

Cheers,
James
 
Concept sounds perfectly good to me James, Ruck On. I understand what you are trying to get at, but I wouldn't worry about the compression. IMHO, there is no hard and fast rule to composition except to keep the eyes of the viewer moving throughout the scene. My 200mm dio is an example of a compression nightmare. Size of the baseboard, as you stated, is also a major concern for transport, could get ugly and costly.

You can do exactly as you are hoping for without having these individual blocks being movable, unless of course, you want it that way. I would personally do the layout so the most action/interaction is visible to the viewer from all sides of the board/base, making the board smaller rather than a huge chunk, in a way that your main characters are clearly interacting or appear to be interacting as you are intending. Everybody knows a patrol would be spread out for security reasons.

I've used the huge Rubbermaid tubs with foam inside and screws up thru the bottom to secure my base. It keeps the top side safe and cushions the base. I'm just thinking multiple mini bases would be more of a logistical nightmare than a single secured base.

I hope I understood what your were getting at correctly. If not, boof on me. but either way Bro, it's gonna be good!

Cheers, Ski.
 
How about irregular shaped bases that can be interlocked like a jigsaw puzzle? Each individual base is an independent vignette yet when joined together they make up a whole. Don't forget that artistic license will allow you to have the figures closer together than they'd be in real life.

Cheers
 
Thanks for the input, guys. I am still playing around with the idea and how it will actually work out. There are several factors causing me to lean towards doing the smaller vignettes rather than a larger diorama, one is that I already have containers that I transport figures in, so I wouldn't have to get any more or anything larger for a larger diorama. Second is that with the residual effects of TBI, I have a shorter attention span than I used to and a larger diorama would take longer to make and I would just lose interest. With the smaller vignettes, I can knock them out when I can with it being a work in progress, but still have some things that are "completed" to keep me motivated to continue. Another thing about the smaller related vignettes is that often times I change my ideas in the middle of a project. If I do with the related vignettes, I can just place things in different order or add the new idea as it goes. I kind of like the idea of irregular shaped bases so they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. That is something that warrants further thought.

Thanks for your thoughts about this concept. We will just have to see what evolves. :)

Cheers,
James
 
Great idea with splitting up the big dio in smaller connected pieces (y) (y)
Been thinking of that to when planning for dios

Greetings
Mats
 
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