discussion Neil's 1-35 Liberty Ship Diorama

[Stefee]

This now officially a figure sculpting masterclass set in a superb diorama. Looking forward to it's completion.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

They're looking great. Really good to see them before painting. Helps to understand how the figures are put together.

Thanks Jim, that's the idea

 

[Neil Merryweather]

The additions make a massive difference Neil. These are looking lovely.

Thanks so much

 

[Neil Merryweather]

This now officially a figure sculpting masterclass set in a superb diorama. Looking forward to it's completion.

Thanks Stefee, although I would describe this as more like figure converting. I have a huge selection of appropriate bits and pieces that I can select from, and only sculpt when there's nothing I can use. Otherwise I would never get it done!

 

[rtfoe]

I would have gone bald doing what you did.

Cheers,
Wabble

 

[Neil Merryweather]

I would have gone bald doing what you did.

Cheers,
Wabble

what about all those trees and monkeys?

 

[flyjoe180]

Superb work Neil

 

[Neil Merryweather]

One item of kit that I have neglected up until now is the cloth bandolier of ammunition that almost everyone seems to be carrying in photos of D-Day


There are only two examples included in all of the kits I bought for this project so I was planning to mould them and cast them for myself. But it didn't go well so I left them.
Until I made the gas brassards for these four guys, using the heating engineer’s self-adhesive foil tape, when I had a ‘light bulb moment’.
It was a simple job to cut a load of 0.75mm x 2mm Microstrip rectangles at 2.5mm with my trusty Chopper. They should really be slightly tapered each side, like the clips of ammo they represent -it’s do-able, but life’s a bit too short.
I laid the tape glue side up and replaced the backing half way so I could hold the work , then I laid out two bandoliers’ worth against the straight edge.


Using a metal rule I bent the cartridges at 90 degrees


Then I removed the backing and finished wrapping the two sets of 6



I indented the spaces with my fingernail and trimmed the ends



These will be painted separately and attached to straps at the assembly stage. The first two sets will need to be hanging in space off the falling guys.

Having prototyped the technique I set about another production line, and I have enough bits from one piece of Microstrip for about twenty bandoliers, which I shall assemble, a few at a time, in the gaps in my motivation to paint...
Another production line I decided to do is the waterproof covers for the rifles, since I know I will need quite a few of them. I’m not really happy with the tissue paper ones I have done already, so I experimented with cling film again, and I think I have a method figured out. So I assembled a bunch of Garand rifles with their slings, but not bothering with buckles and stuff because the detail will be obscured. I painted them in a batch,and that was tedious, but I won’t have to do it again (unless my theory all goes horribly wrong).
I taped some clingfilm to a piece of cardboard , sprayed half of it with spraymount and placed the rifles along the edge of the sprayed area

I folded the clingfilm over the rifles

And trimmed them close

They were generally slung with a piece of cord



I think that’s a lot more realistic than my earlier tissue paper efforts, so I'm happy to go with this method.

 

[rtfoe]

Many lightbulbs being turned on Neil, well done. Now you've done all the hard work I can make some myself in future although the bandoliers will still be made from sculptured putty. Great ideas.

Cheers,
Wabble

 

[Jim R]

Another example of your attention to detail, your inventive scratching skills and your patience to get this dio accurate. Superb work.