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"House to House" May 1968 Vignette COMPLETED!
- Thread starter JamesOLeary
- Start date
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
I wish I could make one of each.
Cheers,
James
All are great ideas.
Make one of each. :yipee
Frank
I wish I could make one of each.
Cheers,
James
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Thanks, Ski! We did have a good Thanksgiving. I hope you had a good one, too.
Cheers,
James
Thanks, Ski! We did have a good Thanksgiving. I hope you had a good one, too.
Cheers,
James
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Other than posing a couple of figures, scraping off mould seams, and planning putty work I really haven't done much on this until today when I did some work on the divider wall. I painted it flat black a couple nights ago and added the colors today. First I painted the bricks various shades of red and grey. I then drybrushed the stucco wall sections light grey, then went over that with a light yellow color. As I drybrushed the light grey on the stucco, I also drybrushed the bricks to blend them in and make them less vivid in color. I then outlined the cracks and the stucco with flat black to give it some depth and contrast. I still need to weather the bottom where rain splattered dirt up against the wall over time. So this is what it looks like right now:
Tomorrow I will try to do some putty work on two figures.
Cheers,
James
Other than posing a couple of figures, scraping off mould seams, and planning putty work I really haven't done much on this until today when I did some work on the divider wall. I painted it flat black a couple nights ago and added the colors today. First I painted the bricks various shades of red and grey. I then drybrushed the stucco wall sections light grey, then went over that with a light yellow color. As I drybrushed the light grey on the stucco, I also drybrushed the bricks to blend them in and make them less vivid in color. I then outlined the cracks and the stucco with flat black to give it some depth and contrast. I still need to weather the bottom where rain splattered dirt up against the wall over time. So this is what it looks like right now:
Tomorrow I will try to do some putty work on two figures.
Cheers,
James
Skinny_Mike
Well-known member
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Really great work James. I love how you walk us through the thought process and the design ideas.
Thanks for sharing
Mike
Really great work James. I love how you walk us through the thought process and the design ideas.
Thanks for sharing
Mike
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Thanks, Mike.
Hopefully by posting my thought processes as I go through the design and planning phases, and the rest of the project, people who were once hesitant to tackle making a diorama will see that it is doable and that sometimes one's ideas change as the project is underway resulting in a better result.
Cheers,
James
Thanks, Mike.
Hopefully by posting my thought processes as I go through the design and planning phases, and the rest of the project, people who were once hesitant to tackle making a diorama will see that it is doable and that sometimes one's ideas change as the project is underway resulting in a better result.
Cheers,
James
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
I was originally planning on doing some putty work on the last two figures, but as I was looking at the structure for this vignette after having looked at photos of some entries at various figure shows, I realized that if I did not fill in the space where the windows are that it would look awkward and might bump me down a level in the eyes of the judges when I show this at various shows. The kit came with some resin shutters for the windows, so I used those. First, I put in some battle damage replicating some bullet and shrapnel holes by carving them into the resin with a knife. I then painted the shutters flat black and then started to color everything in. I thought the best way to accentuate the damage was by kind of outlining it with a light color, in this case Iraqi Sand from Vallejo. The shutters were put in kind of cockeyed to show that they sustained damage. I think I might need to do some touch up as I look at these pictures, but it should be quick and easy.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
James
I was originally planning on doing some putty work on the last two figures, but as I was looking at the structure for this vignette after having looked at photos of some entries at various figure shows, I realized that if I did not fill in the space where the windows are that it would look awkward and might bump me down a level in the eyes of the judges when I show this at various shows. The kit came with some resin shutters for the windows, so I used those. First, I put in some battle damage replicating some bullet and shrapnel holes by carving them into the resin with a knife. I then painted the shutters flat black and then started to color everything in. I thought the best way to accentuate the damage was by kind of outlining it with a light color, in this case Iraqi Sand from Vallejo. The shutters were put in kind of cockeyed to show that they sustained damage. I think I might need to do some touch up as I look at these pictures, but it should be quick and easy.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
James
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Looks great James.
Looks great James.
Skinny_Mike
Well-known member
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
:coolio
Looking good!
:coolio
Looking good!
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Thanks, guys.
I started working on the groundwork yesterday and today. I used Magic Sculpt to form the basis of the groundwork. The ground was textured using an old tooth brush. I made a divot along the edge of the building where the rain would have run off onto the ground causing it to erode away. I then took a set of resin jungle boots that I use to make boot tracks and placed them throughout the diorama. The figures were then set in place so their impressions would be left in the putty so they can be placed into the same spots once the groundwork is completed. The barrels were also placed, but they may or may not be in the final diorama depending on what rubble and debris I end up using. In these photos, the dead NVA is not flush with the groundwork because I do not have him placed all of the way in his spot. He does match up quite well when placed fully into his spot on the diorama.
Thanks, guys.
I started working on the groundwork yesterday and today. I used Magic Sculpt to form the basis of the groundwork. The ground was textured using an old tooth brush. I made a divot along the edge of the building where the rain would have run off onto the ground causing it to erode away. I then took a set of resin jungle boots that I use to make boot tracks and placed them throughout the diorama. The figures were then set in place so their impressions would be left in the putty so they can be placed into the same spots once the groundwork is completed. The barrels were also placed, but they may or may not be in the final diorama depending on what rubble and debris I end up using. In these photos, the dead NVA is not flush with the groundwork because I do not have him placed all of the way in his spot. He does match up quite well when placed fully into his spot on the diorama.
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
The groundwork was then painted a base coat of flat black. This is what it looks like before the second coat as once the first coat dried I saw all of these spots where the paint did not quite make it's way into the texture. The piece of wood is just holding up the running Soldier until he is glued permanently to the base.
The groundwork was then painted a base coat of flat black. This is what it looks like before the second coat as once the first coat dried I saw all of these spots where the paint did not quite make it's way into the texture. The piece of wood is just holding up the running Soldier until he is glued permanently to the base.
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Here it is with the base earth color. The base color is Vallejo Earth Brown highlighted with Vallejo Tan Earth. You can see the impressions of the boot prints a bit better now than when it was primed with black.
And here it is with the figures and barrels:
That's all for now. Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
James
Here it is with the base earth color. The base color is Vallejo Earth Brown highlighted with Vallejo Tan Earth. You can see the impressions of the boot prints a bit better now than when it was primed with black.
And here it is with the figures and barrels:
That's all for now. Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
James
Duke Maddog
Well-known member
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Brilliant idea with the shutters; they turned out perfectly. I also love the ground work. Most effective appearance of mud/soft dirt. Way to go!
Brilliant idea with the shutters; they turned out perfectly. I also love the ground work. Most effective appearance of mud/soft dirt. Way to go!
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Excellent.
Excellent.
JamesOLeary
Master at Arms
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
It has been about a week or so since I last posted any progress. I did start painting the M79 grenadier, but took a break from that when my rubble and debris products from DioDump arrived so I could get the groundwork completed. Here is the progress I made on the figure to this point. I still need to paint outline and do the dark shadows of the uniform and flak jacket, paint the canteen along with the 40mm bandoleer and claymore bag, paint the left hand with M79, add the helmet, and add an M79 round into the right hand. I think he is coming along nicely and did not want to finish the figure prior to the finalization of the rubble and debris so I wouldn't ruin the paintjob on the figure.
I started adding the rubble and debris from a product by DioDump out of the Netherlands. It contains all kinds of good stuff that can be dropped onto a diorama as is. However, the battle damage depicted in this vignette was minor, so it had to be placed sparingly and much of what came in the container was not used for this project (but will be helpful in future project). I kind of wish I had this stuff before I used the putty for the groundwork as this would have been better installed when the putty was still wet, but I think it worked out OK. I had to paint the two barrels at the end of the divider wall so I could set them in place so the debris would meet up to it. When I initially placed most of the debris, there was a gap between where the debris ended and the barrel started. This needed to be filled in as did some areas along the wall. I used a MIG product for attaching gravel and pebbles and it seemed to work OK. The only downside I found was that some of the sand was getting into the holes where the pins of the figures are going to be placed. Other than that, I am pretty pleased with the debris.
Then I added some grass made from jute twine.
And here it is with a few of the figures in place to show some of the area that still needs some attention. I left off the grenadier and the rifleman since the debris product was still setting and I did not want to disturb it. Later I will be adding some Vietnamese language newspapers, shell casings, empty magazines and bandoleers, an expended M72 LAW, the VC's AK47, perhaps the crushed drum or another item to fill that space, and some other random stuff scattered across the vignette.
Now, back to work on this.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
James
It has been about a week or so since I last posted any progress. I did start painting the M79 grenadier, but took a break from that when my rubble and debris products from DioDump arrived so I could get the groundwork completed. Here is the progress I made on the figure to this point. I still need to paint outline and do the dark shadows of the uniform and flak jacket, paint the canteen along with the 40mm bandoleer and claymore bag, paint the left hand with M79, add the helmet, and add an M79 round into the right hand. I think he is coming along nicely and did not want to finish the figure prior to the finalization of the rubble and debris so I wouldn't ruin the paintjob on the figure.
I started adding the rubble and debris from a product by DioDump out of the Netherlands. It contains all kinds of good stuff that can be dropped onto a diorama as is. However, the battle damage depicted in this vignette was minor, so it had to be placed sparingly and much of what came in the container was not used for this project (but will be helpful in future project). I kind of wish I had this stuff before I used the putty for the groundwork as this would have been better installed when the putty was still wet, but I think it worked out OK. I had to paint the two barrels at the end of the divider wall so I could set them in place so the debris would meet up to it. When I initially placed most of the debris, there was a gap between where the debris ended and the barrel started. This needed to be filled in as did some areas along the wall. I used a MIG product for attaching gravel and pebbles and it seemed to work OK. The only downside I found was that some of the sand was getting into the holes where the pins of the figures are going to be placed. Other than that, I am pretty pleased with the debris.
Then I added some grass made from jute twine.
And here it is with a few of the figures in place to show some of the area that still needs some attention. I left off the grenadier and the rifleman since the debris product was still setting and I did not want to disturb it. Later I will be adding some Vietnamese language newspapers, shell casings, empty magazines and bandoleers, an expended M72 LAW, the VC's AK47, perhaps the crushed drum or another item to fill that space, and some other random stuff scattered across the vignette.
Now, back to work on this.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
James
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Lots of action there.
Lots of action there.
Duke Maddog
Well-known member
"Contact!" Tet Offensive Vignette
Wow, that is looking fantastic! The added debris really enhances this scene. Will you also add bullet holes to the outside of the barrels to show the results of incoming fire?
Wow, that is looking fantastic! The added debris really enhances this scene. Will you also add bullet holes to the outside of the barrels to show the results of incoming fire?