I wish I could paint.

[Virginia Dave]

Here are some images of a barn I've been slowly working on . It will be part of a 1940s farm vignette with a tractor , farmworkers , livestock , etc. Although it is from a much later period it gives you an idea how to weather buildings . Use a base color and then try slightly different shades to weather different areas.

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Is this scratch built?

 

[Kurt G]

No , it's a resin kit in 1/35th scale . The roof washed out in the light source but I used washes and drybrushing on that .

 

[Virginia Dave]

No , it's a resin kit in 1/35th scale . The roof washed out in the light source but I used washes and drybrushing on that .

Where did you find this? It looks like a wonderful piece. Great paint work.

 

[Kurt G]

It is by a company called Reality in Scale . It wasn't cheap , around $50 several years ago and I think it is discontinued . It wouldn't be too hard making a Civil War shed or small barn using pre-cut basswood strips .

 

[Booner]

Great tip. Thank you I can't wait to give it a go. I will post updates when the new touches are added.

Do you have links to some of your model work?

Make sure you watch some 'You Tube' video's regarding how to use washes and dry brushing before you try it on your figures/diorama.

No links of my work. I've posted a few pictures here of some of the things I've done, but I haven't kept many of my figures. I've been doing this hobby for 40 years and I've either given most of my work away as gifts, or sold or traded them to finance other hobbies. I am at the point in my life where I am slowly working on figures that I want to pass on to my family and friends after I'm gone. My son paints too and he is the real artist in the family.

I am toying with the idea of making two or three dioramas to donate to our local museum. One would be of a fort built in 1814 that was the beginning of our town. I have the figures (28mm) and have been modifying and painting them when the mood strikes me. The other two would be of the First and Second Battles of Boonville. These two dioramas would be on a much smaller scale (6mm figures), and would probably be easier to make as the details would be on a much smaller scale. I live very close to where the fort was located and the Second Battle of Boonville occurred so I have a sort of an emotional attachment to the sites and the need to do the dioramas, I'm just lacking the motivation. I've got other things I need to do first. Maybe they are a winter time project.

 

[rebel brit]

Every man-made feature of the diorama, the buildings, fences, etc. have to match the size of the figures.
And, with larger scale figures means that there also has to be more details in the diorama; the figures will require more detail in their painting, the buildings will require more detail in their construction, and the landscape will require more detail. And all of this means you have to be subtle in what you do. So just keep in mind that when you use larger figures, you'll need more detail in everything.

You've done a good job so far. You could leave it the way it is and it would be fine. Or, you could add some small details that would take it to a higher level. Look at the original picture of the farm house and get some ideas from that to add to your work.

How about a vine growing on the side of the house? Shouldn't the floorboards of the porch look look like they've been used? A little dry brushing of some light brown paint on the steps and the area of the porch in front of the door would give it that "used" look. A little wash of a light brown on the house will give it a more realistic look, like we've already discussed above with your roof. You've got a walkway from the gate to under the table, but then it stops. Continue it up to the porch, and add a few tiny touches of darker colored paint to the gravel. It' shouldn't be a uniform color. Do you see a uniform color in nature? Brush some lighter color of green to the outside layer of leaves to the tree in the corner of the yard, it will give it some depth. Look at a tree in your yard, the leaves are all a very subtle colors of green, with the outmost layer of leaves being a lighter color where the light hits them. How many different colors of brown do you see in the bark? And the ground under the tree should be a darker color as it's in the shade. There is a pile of logs outside the fence. Notice how they are not a uniform color, but have subtle shades of brown and gray on them? This is the look you want to emulate. I can't tell from the picture if the map laying on the table has some lines on it. Take a pencil and add some lines to show the roads and put a small rock or whittle a bottle or coffee cup to hold the map down so it doesn't blow away. All this stuff will add some realism and detail to your work and take it to another level.

Some excellent tips we can all use. I really like the idea of adding the cup to hold down the map, it's the small details that make all the difference.

Thank you I can't wait to give it a go. I will post updates when the new touches are added.

Great job , looking forward to following your updates.

 

[Virginia Dave]

Make sure you watch some 'You Tube' video's regarding how to use washes and dry brushing before you try it on your figures/diorama.

No links of my work. I've posted a few pictures here of some of the things I've done, but I haven't kept many of my figures. I've been doing this hobby for 40 years and I've either given most of my work away as gifts, or sold or traded them to finance other hobbies. I am at the point in my life where I am slowly working on figures that I want to pass on to my family and friends after I'm gone. My son paints too and he is the real artist in the family.

I am toying with the idea of making two or three dioramas to donate to our local museum. One would be of a fort built in 1814 that was the beginning of our town. I have the figures (28mm) and have been modifying and painting them when the mood strikes me. The other two would be of the First and Second Battles of Boonville. These two dioramas would be on a much smaller scale (6mm figures), and would probably be easier to make as the details would be on a much smaller scale. I live very close to where the fort was located and the Second Battle of Boonville occurred so I have a sort of an emotional attachment to the sites and the need to do the dioramas, I'm just lacking the motivation. I've got other things I need to do first. Maybe they are a winter time project.

Sounds like you are going to be busy. I wish I had your talent.

 

[Virginia Dave]

Some excellent tips we can all use. I really like the idea of adding the cup to hold down the map, it's the small details that make all the difference.



Great job , looking forward to following your updates.

@rebel brit great idea. I will start my search for something. I was told I also needed a plate to crack over Jubal's head. LOL Well back to ebay the search begins.

 

[Booner]

Sounds like you are going to be busy. I wish I had your talent.

Believe me, I have a ton more patience than I do talent.
I don't know if I have this right, but I heard somewhere that the mark of a true craftsman is someone who know how to hide their mistakes.

 

[Virginia Dave]

Some excellent tips we can all use. I really like the idea of adding the cup to hold down the map, it's the small details that make all the difference.



Great job , looking forward to following your updates.

These are the smallest cups I could find. Someone else said they had a small sword I might be able to use.

 

[donna]

I use to have lots of small furniture, pots and pans, dishware and silver ware. It was from my doll house. I think I still have a few pieces. Gave some to my Granddaughters.

 

[Booner]

Donna brings up a good idea, you might want to look for items used for decorating miniature doll houses. I don't know what scale they're in but it's worth a look.

Or--

Make the coffee cups yourself. Get some A & B plumbers epoxy and "roll your own." Seriously, mix the two parts together and make a "snake." Cut it to the appropriate size so it's in scale with your figure, then cut a smaller snake and put it on the side of the cup for a handle. Let it dry and harden then paint it silver. You now have a couple of tin cups, the kind that the soldiers would have had attached to their haversacks. You see how easy this is once you let your inner child out?

And I can't tell you how many rocks I've made with the putty. If your going to be messing around with figures you should have some on hand anyway. Get the kind that takes a hour or so to harden so you have some working time.

 

[Kurt G]

You could also try Evergreen styrene products . They make plastic tubes in many diameters . Just cut to length and use putty like Booner says to make handles and bottoms.

 

[Booner]

Or whittle the cup out of wood, then glue a narrow strip of paper for the handle. Speaking of plastic, perhaps a small plastic straw like you use for stirring coffee. There's tons of way to make the accessorie pieces for his diorama.

He was talking about a sword; use the a & b epoxy putty to make the scabbard, use a business card for the hilt and flatten some very thin copper wire for the fuller. (I don't know if I have my sword terms right).

 

[Virginia Dave]

Donna brings up a good idea, you might want to look for items used for decorating miniature doll houses. I don't know what scale they're in but it's worth a look.

Or--

Make the coffee cups yourself. Get some A & B plumbers epoxy and "roll your own." Seriously, mix the two parts together and make a "snake." Cut it to the appropriate size so it's in scale with your figure, then cut a smaller snake and put it on the side of the cup for a handle. Let it dry and harden then paint it silver. You now have a couple of tin cups, the kind that the soldiers would have had attached to their haversacks. You see how easy this is once you let your inner child out?

And I can't tell you how many rocks I've made with the putty. If your going to be messing around with figures you should have some on hand anyway. Get the kind that takes a hour or so to harden so you have some working time.

Great idea. Thanks

 

[Virginia Dave]

My friend at Mil Mart miniatures sent me four wonderful scale cups to use in my display. Thanks Ken
www.milmartminiatures.com My Casualty of War arrived yesterday also. Photos will be posted when I find a way to frame it.

 

[rebel brit]

Glad they arrived safe, looks good, glad I got the right scale. Made them using plastic pipe and a thin strip of tin for the handles, then painted silver.

 

[Virginia Dave]

Glad they arrived safe, looks good, glad I got the right scale. Made them using plastic pipe and a thin strip of tin for the handles, then painted silver.

My hands are to shaky to work with small things. I had a hard time placing them on the table. LOL Thanks again. I look forward to my next order as soon as I decide which one.