WIP: Halloween-themed Ork diorama

[defiantworkshop]

I'm a blind man forging a trail here.

So I have no clue what to do when it comes to scenics. I've read a little bit about them, OK, recently, A LOT about them, but I've still never done anything with them, and for every informative technique I find, I find something that debunks what I just read. So, I figure let's just dive head first.

While waiting on the spackle to dry, I started mixing up different colors of turf:





And after what felt like and excruciatingly long time, the spackle was dry enough to base coat with some cheapo craft brown paint:



While I wait on that to dry, I'll be working on the trees. But for now, I'm starving and have tickets to the local drive in theater, so its a good time for things to be drying.

[Darren Richardson]

I'm a blind man forging a trail here.

So I have no clue what to do when it comes to scenics. I've read a little bit about them, OK, recently, A LOT about them, but I've still never done anything with them, and for every informative technique I find, I find something that debunks what I just read. So, I figure let's just dive head first.

what "Scenics" articules did you read up on, wargaming ones arn't really suited for Diorama's like your doing, I would recommend looking for specific Diorama articules (espc WWII lots of subject material there) or Model Railways ones which also tends to go the more realistic apporach which you are aiming for.

[defiantworkshop]

Darren, that's precisley where I habitated for a bit. Mostly model railway forums. Most of the debate was which substances glue insulation foam the best, and what to cover everything with. Lots of debate, so I just went with what I thought worked best...used some Liquid Nails "Projects and Foam" glue for the foamboard, and spackle for the covering. Most railway guys use plaster, but that's for much larger areas, and FAR messier. I think over large areas, the cost is better, but I was worried about the fragility of plaster if I were to move this any, like to various shows or to sell. Spackle, while heavier and a good bit more pricey, was also more durable.

[defiantworkshop]

OK, back again. Sick of me yet?

I woke up and put another coat of brown on it, as there were some spots that didn't get very good coverage after it dried. While I waited on the second coat to dry, I started on the next vignette...the TPing!

After learning a good bit on a previous kit about heating and shaping styrene, I started randomly taking strips of styrene and heating them up at different angles, letting them warp into various shapes, then covered them with a thing off white paint to get some of the sheen off of the styrene:



Then a quick test shot on the tree:



After that, it was time to start bringing things together, so I got my trusty Aves Apoxie (seriously, this stuff is magic) and mixed up a good batch. see, the GW trees have these weird airborne roots. Even when placed on the base they come with, they just look...off, with places they look like they grew over things, with the things they grew over just...not there. So I sculpted some turf up to the tree roots with the Aves, and then textured it a bit with an old stippling brush. The Aves serves two functions...it acts as a putty to blend the tree into the turf I made, and also acts as a serious adhesive as well.





Finally, airbrushed where the grass flocking will go with a mottled pattern, and placed the chapel down just to see what it looked like:

[defiantworkshop]

Next up, some odds and ends from the weekend.

Split the Runtherd arm and the squig (dog) up to better suit the diorama, sculpted up some lost detail after the fact:





Also got my TP thrower completed, he's sure to be one of the focal points if early reaction around the household is any indication. I just cut a tube of styrene to the same width as my TP strips, glued together and heat warped the streamer and glued to the thrower's hand:

[40kGamer]

I absolutely love the TP'er. Freaking hilarious!

[defiantworkshop]

Got some turf laid down. I had, and still have, no clue what I'm doing with turf, lol. I should have started with the dirt, but hindsight and all that. Started with the grass, and its a good sight better than the brown and green paint.



Added a small signpost and a buzzard, some extra bits that I had laying around that fit the theme:



Also, sculpted up some dirt for the Carnifex to come bursting out of. Putty was still wet, I'm gonna paint it up later:



And I inexplicably forgot to take a picture with the dirt, but did take a quick mock-up shot for posterity that shows the state of the base right now, looking at this I realized I didn't take close ups of the trees in progress either, need to get some of those. Now that the sloppy stuff is done, the wife is happy to get her kitchen table back while I finish things up on the floor in the hobby room:

[40kGamer]

Everything is coming together nicely! Looks like you are well on track to meet your deadline too!

[defiantworkshop]

Thanks. I hedged when making the display as to whether to use this for my Armies on Parade entry, as I've never done one before. Originally I wasn't going to, but the theme and deadline worked really well together, hence I got a larger board to put it all on. The goal at this point is get as much on as I can, then use the subsequent time to get a few other ideas on it as well, whatever I can fit as time allows. So while I might get what I have placed on moderately soon, I won't be done until 10/25.

[defiantworkshop]

So after sitting and staring at the task at hand almost all night, I finally broke out of my stupor and started laying paint to things. I got the vulture on the sign post painted up, and the dog that I mentioned last post is now fully painted with a chain leash. I plan to super glue the leash to stiffen the links up, and wash it to dull the look down, but until I know exactly where he goes on the board, its gonna stay cheap link jewelry.







Also finished with the dirt from the emerging tyranid, and got some promised pictures of the TPed trees a little more up close.





Next, I'm trying to come up with a way to do realistic leaves. I'd read about just getting real leaves and crushing/blending them, but I'm left with either WAY too large chunks from crushing, or basically spices when blending. This week will be trying to pin everything to the board and adding subtle variations to the turf like that. Unless I get distracted, which there's a 101% chance of that.

Thanks for looking!