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WIP Stalingrad Winter 1943, Street By Street

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Dr Force, Dec 29, 2010.

  1. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Steve

    Great stuff, thanks mate.

    I have a few photo's googled but they are limited by size so any other pics you could upload would be a great help.

    Always great to hear from you matey and thanks for your support.

    Dave
  2. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    made the scene a bit tighter by bringing in the pointing figure and adding a tad more wood above, I think it's starting to take a much better shape now.

    I like Jason's idea of adding the cable reel, so I will attempt it and report back with some pics:-

    Attached Files:

    dArtagnan and sarouman like this.
  3. JasonB Moderator

    Country:
    United-States
    Couple of things to throw out there. First and foremost its looking really good. Things I would consider making changes to. I would give the guy looking around the corner some gloves and a toque. The other 2 guys are in great coats and winter gear, he's got nothing on for extra warmth. I think that makes him look a little odd and out of place. Also, I would move the dead guys helmet to make it off kilter, either a bit down over his eyes, or thrown back a bit. Thats an old trick I think Shep Paine covered in one of his books. Makes them look more dead, and not just a figure that was meant to be upright lying on the ground. If he fell over backwards, his head is going to snap back and likely push the helmet down on his forehead a bit. I think the big open spot in the wall in the back would be a good place for a busted out window frame. Just little things, overall it coming together really well.
  4. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Jason

    I see exactly what you mean in respect of the guy chucking the grenade, I suppose a bit of craft around the face for the toque and a pair of gloves will not make any difference to the overall detail, so I will have look at sculpting this in later.

    I think I may go for the heavier type mittens they wore rather than the thinner finger gloves to help bring it together better with the other two figures?

    Busted out window will also help close it in and given the fact it will be battle damaged there is no need to make it perfect so should be straight forward to do ( any tips on broken glass, like a thin bit of cut plastic?)

    Also a good observation in respect of the helmet and a good idea to aid the illusion, this will take a bit of working out so I'll play about and see what looks better (bearing in mind the helmet forms part of the head so will need cutting off for any adjustments)

    Thanks
    Dave
  5. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Something like this with the additional curtain blown up and caught on splintered wood would like good?

    Attached Files:

    mil-mart likes this.
  6. JasonB Moderator

    Country:
    United-States
    Yep, thats good on the window. You can use pretty much any clear plastic for the glass. I frequently use discarded packaging from items I buy for clear plastic. I figure its free, can't beat the price!
    For the guys gloves, I would go with the wool gloves. To me, without a greatcoat or lots of other cold weather clothing, having simple gloves instead of warmer mittens reinforces the idea of how badly prepared the German were for the Russian winter. The mittens might make you wonder why, if he has nice warm mittens, he doesn't have a coat. A little retentive I know, but thats just my take on it. If moving the guys helmet is going to be a huge hassle, I might not bother. Its just an extra little detail to reinforce the fact that he is dead, dead, dead!
    A mangled downspout on the outside corner or in that inside corner would be a nice detail. Styrene tube, or maybe even a large drinking straw, would fit the bill.
    I look forward to seeing the next update, its inspiring me to get working on my Tarawa vignette/diorama
    Cheers
    Jason
    Dr Force likes this.
  7. 1969 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Dave your new changes have made a very nice change to the scene and I think the option of the blown out window on the rear wall will work well for the scene.

    Keep going mate you are doing well.

    I have uploaded the images of the Cable layer to the Reference library of this site for everyone's benefit.

    heres the link, just copy the images from here mate.

    http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/showthread.php?p=393331&posted=1#post393331


    Cheers

    Steve
    Dr Force likes this.
  8. billyturnip A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    A very good thread Dave, very interesting, informative and entertaining and that goes for Jasons input too. Good stuff fella's
    I really look forward to each installment now. :)

    Roger.
    Dr Force likes this.
  9. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom

    Hi Roger

    Thank you for your comments and I am glad you are actually getting something from it.

    Jason has been a massive help, it's great having someone else's view and critique because it helps you improve and also makes sure you are producing a bit of quality.

    I have made the window out of sculpey but it needs primeing and completing with bits of broken glass, but it certainly sits nicely in that hole so a great idea.

    I'll be able to post some pics of it tomorrow along with the other (torn ) curtain.

    @ Steve, thanks for your help with the pics mate, it looks difficult to make but I'll give it a shot.....................I just keep thinking about the many hours left to paint it all lol as this will be the time consuming bit.

    Thanks
    Dave
  10. billyturnip A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    Dave, if the cable reel proves too difficult to make you could always make a broken or parts of a broken one.

    Roger.
  11. 1969 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Good point Dave about having to paint all this once complete, its easy to get carried away and then leave yourself a mountain of a paint job to complete.

    Steve
  12. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Exactly Steve

    The figures will take a long time let alone the walls, wood, groundwork etc, so got to be careful of letting it run away in to the biggest project the site has ever seen lol.

    I have primed the window and torn curtain, currently making a wooden chair to help with the residential feel.

    Can I have some help please with the following:-

    -A good base at relatively low cost
    -Good snow effects

    Thanks for your support

    Dave
  13. 1969 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    what size base do you require ? Dominoes on the High street in town sell some wooden bases in the art and craft department but they only go up to about 6" or so.

    As for snow I have used baking soda for 1/35 but not for 1/16, just apply white glue then sprinkle powder over and let dry. this works well if you are creating a dusting of snow but not for the deep looking snow, better of using maybe pollyfilla mixed a bit watery and poured on.

    others might have some better ideas though mate.

    Steve
  14. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom

    Thanks Steve

    Baking soda tends to yellow over time?? so not sure, I may do a bit more research on this. As for the base well 6" too small I need about another 6" so looks like a picture frame is the best option?

    Dominoes is pretty good for the paints etc eh mate.

    I have a bit of green stuff and also 1kg pots of Magic sculp from Elgreco ready for future sculpting.

    Will post up progress pics tonight

    Thanks
    Dave
  15. JasonB Moderator

    Country:
    United-States
    I would go with the baking soda for the snow, I think it will be OK. I have had a box of it under the sink for years and its still white. For deeper snow, you could use Magic Sculp to build up the shape/depth you want, then sprinkle on a coating of snow. Celluclay can also be used for this as well. Just gotta keep in mind at all times how snow lays and acts when blown by the wind or how it settles in corners, etc...
    My 2 cents on the length of time it may take to paint. I look at it this way. I would rather have it just the way I want it before I got everything painted, as opposed to finishing it up, then thinking that it was lacking something or could have been just that much better. After I get done painting, I hate backtracking to repeating steps that I thought I was done with. I hate going over a figure for mold seams, thinking I got them all, then finding that glaring one running right down the front of a pant leg just as I am admiring how well the painting turned out! Most times I will either just live with it ("its a seam in the clothing, not a mold seam") or gently set the figure in the "to be done later" box and move on.
  16. BarrieHynd Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Scotland
    Dave sent you a pm.

    Barrie.
  17. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi guys

    Quck progress pic.

    Lots of tdying up to do and try to imagine the ground work with rubble sloping up the corners etc.

    Rifle is only in a temporary position at the moment, the position needs to be spot on to carry that sense of weight and movement.

    Window and torn curtain in position with the plastic glass to add once painted, this will be in the opener and to the left which is fixed.

    @ Jason, I'm constantly looking for area's to fill , amend etc so I'm confident by the time I hit the paint there will be no need to go back.

    @Barrie

    Thanks for the PM, I'll respond so have a check when you have some time.

    Attached Files:

    billyturnip likes this.
  18. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Thought I might share this with you.

    As you know, bricks are not smooth and frost damaged bricks are particularly rough so I took a bit of very fine kiln sand gave another light coat of primer and then carefully sprinkled on while it was still wet and then primed again to give a rough surface:-

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    gordy likes this.
  19. BarrieHynd Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Scotland
    Great work Dave, wish i had thought of that, keeep up the good work.

    Barrie.
  20. Dr Force A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Thanks Barry

    Simplistic but quite effective, which is often the case in this hooby!!

    Thanks for your help with the snow mate it's appreciated, I am going for a scattering of snow rather than loads of the stuff because I do not want to lose the detail.

    I have been busy completing the basic groundwork, I'll add more bricks and other items once its primed and painted, otherwise it becomes too fiddly reaching some area's to paint and there is also a drain pipe to be added.

    I decided on a good photo frame filled with wood and shaped using good quality polyfilla. I then added cat litter, some stones and cork, along with the bricks, pressed in to the surface.

    It needs to be left overnight to dry before adding 2-3 coats of primer and this is where I will start painting.

    The reasons I start painting with the ground work is that it needs as much attention to detail as the figures to create an illusion of a living scene. I tend to be far keener in doing the figures, but I do not want to complete the figures and then lose enthusiasm for the laborious bit.

    It also helps set the scene and of course its far more difficult to paint with other things in position.

    :-

    Attached Files:

    gordy likes this.

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