I started work on my building today...all cardboard, masking tape, cut-outs for the door and windows. I'm going tomorrow to buy paint and a base to set it on. It's going to have a barbed wire, perimeter fence going around it. I haven't decided yet if it'll be in the arctic, or maybe a more forest/jungle type setting. Hmm... Spring is coming... We'll see. Anyway, it's all thanks to you and your awesomely-well detailed "how-to's", so thank you!

I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing that little drawing you sent me come to life. So get crackin'!

Coolio!!!
 

Man, that sounds wicked sickola. You have to post some photos as you go!

A fence sounds great! I wanted to do one on the last dio, but felt that I didn't plan for it at the beginning, so there was no place for it to go. My suggestion, build the fence such that it can seperate from the main building dio/platform, that way you can remove it for close-up shots around the building and such.

What materials are you using for the building construction? Going brick? wood? or something else?

Cheers! ~ Paul.

I took a bunch of pics last night, showing where I'm at thus far. I didn't bother with in progress pics, really, as it's just not necessary after your excellent tutorial.

Yeah, my fence is going to be entirely removable/remoldable. It's made from gutter-mesh, and Ender did a great "How-To" on it in here, as well. I learn so much from JoeDios!

As far as building construction, I'm not quite sure what I want it made from. Since I haven't quite decided where I want it located (arctic, forest, etc), it's kind of up in the air still. I'm thinking more foresty, so perhaps I can attempt the brick set up, as you've done. It's pretty big, though. I'll post pics and maybe I can get some feedback. It's going to be a communications station for the dio I'm working on. Maybe that will help?

Now, as for you, it's a new day, so get back to YOUR project and keep me inspired and motivated!!

Let's Get DIRTY!
 

Time to add the dirt.

I used Woodland Scenics Ballast (Flocking, Ground Texture etc)... and mixed up 2 different grades (medium and coarse). My wife was the one that laid down the glue as I sprinkled on the texture ;-)



and here's a shot of the whole diorama as it sits right now.... drying...



Letting it dry, and then I'll pour the glue/water mixture on it to harden. Then we're ready to start adding in trees, and I have some wicked stuff for tall-grass that my son found at Michaels. The reddish-brown patch on the surface is just acrylic paint, that's where we're adding in the tall grass.

The rock face is starting to look not bad...

Cheers! ~ Paul.

Very nice Paul! The ground looks great, and I love that darker area where the tall grass is going to go. I was thinking about that, because as I put up my perimeter fence, I am thinking of having a small little area of forest nearby, so I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with. And then shamelessly copying it.

Yes, the rock face looks very good! Gosh, there are so many things I want to do now and you keep giving me all of these great ideas! That's why I love it here, and in the Joe community at large, as it's just such a great and diverse place to be. So much fun!

So, after the grass and trees, what next? Is there more to this particular one or is this a prelude to the next project (and by "the next project", I cheerfully mean to say "the project I'm REALLY jonesing for so what's the hold up, and don't give me that work/family crap!! ;) ")?

There is no shame is making cool sh$t. You or anyone is free to try anything we're doing on here, otherwise I wouldn't post it ;-)

Yeah, I like your comment about a forest behind/beside the structure. If haven't found any plant material that has the "thick look" without using soooo much of it (if that makes sense?). I found some tall plastic grass that looks horrible by itself, but have a heap of it and it looks deadly. I'll see if I have time tonight with my son to apply it.



That's the plan Stan. Glad that Tracker posted his 2-storey, his stairs are coolio. We've got 3 diorama how-to's going down right now on joedios.com! Woohoo! Show and Learn my friends, show and learn...



I have some ideas. I made a few more clay trees. Used a much cheaper air-dry clay and it was a beyotch to work with. My son got frustrated, so I took over ;-) I wanted to make a few more trees, that were skinny and not so thick. My son is painting them today. We might use them all for this dio, or maybe hold onto them for a future dio project.

I'll try to keep going at a good pace with this dio, thanks for your comments. Work is insane lately, I find doing this project at night is helping me de-stress...

Cheers! ~ Paul.

Adding Tall Grass
 

As I noted a few posts back, my son found this tall grass plastic stuff at Michaels. It works wonders when bunched together.

We used a hot-glue gun to adhere them to the surface... positioning each one carefully as we went. Here's an overview of the grass applied to the diorama. We like how it turned out.



Here's a close up shot, which makes the grass look much more bountiful than it is. This is gonna look crazy sick in photos ;-) You can actually stand figures right in the grass, which looks insanely scwheet!



There you have it! Onto the other foilage! Woot!

Cheers! ~ Paul.

Bring out the Foilage Baby!
 

This part was real fun.

Again, my son found these plastic leaves-vines thing at Michaels... it's wire, with the leaves that slot on the vines with a peg-hole setup.

Took the wire cutters out and clipped and started hot-gun glue'n the begibbes out of it all over the place. We held on each piece and stood back to see if it was were we wanted it, then applied the hot-glue action.

Here's a close-up, the leaves really fill in the diorama and make it seem much more life-like. The rock wall behind the figures is minimized as it should be IMO.



And here's a wide shot of the whole thing with the leaves in place. We wrapped the vines around the trees, looks slick we think ;-)

We also pulled off extra plastic leaves and glued them onto the vines to fill out certain areas. It helps when you do this to put your face down in the various possible photo-taking angles and look.... then fill in with extra leaves where necessary.



Also you may notice that we added some ferns. I think the ferns are out of scale with the joes, but we minimized them and they work.

Thoughts, comments anyone?

Cheers! ~ Paul.

That's It! Done!
 

I declare this diorama done. Stick a fork in it, it's cooked.

My camera's battery died (again, I'm using a 1999 Nikon 885 digital with only one battery and it doesn't charge much)... so I didn't have a chance to take some cool night-shots with my LED light setup.

I'll try that tomorrow and see how it turns out.

Thanks everyone for their comments/suggestions. Let's keep the joedios.com forum buzzin' with projects and how-to's... I find that in the past 2 weeks, knowledge is pouring out of folks here, and that's coolio by me.

Rock on people. Rock it on until it hurts, then just keep goin'!

Cheers! ~ Paul.

Out of this world, my friend. Come on, you're setting the bar way too high here!

I absolutely love it! The foliage looks amazing. I am picturing a sweet shot of Storm Shadow leaping down from the ledge, sword drawn, as Snake Eyes looks up at him, pushing his accompanying teammate out of the way, his own sword at the ready.

Well, at least I've a better idea of how I want to pursue my own outer perimeter. Thanks man!

I'll be staring at these all night...no work for me, haha. Well, I am at work, but I will be way too distracted to do any!