Building The Winter Diorama (1 Viewer)

[Harrytheheid]

A wonderful "show and tell" to inspire all us TF dio builders. Thank you for sharing your process. It's like the behind the scenes extras/director's commentary on DVDs.
Randy

It's like the behind the scenes extras/director's commentary on DVDs.

Hmmmm.....Now isn't that an idea Randy. Hmmmm......
One of the reasons I agreed to an extended assignment here in Thailand on this occasion is that I was home in Aberdeen Scotland recently for a "career development" chat with my boss. While I was at it, I sold him my Canon Ixus 960i point'n'shoot (for a good price on my part I might add) cos I've been wanting to replace it with a Canon EOS 30D SLR that I've had my eye on for a while now. So, the the cunning plan has been the extended assignment plus the loot from the sale of my previous camera would allow me to buy the SLR camera when I'm in Hong Kong at the end of January. But a Camcorder? Hmmmm......Naaa, I really want that SLR.

However, a wee bit of life history coming up, but please bear with me cos an alternative plan might be forming inside my heid;
In 2001, I was sent up to the shipyard in Dalian to coordinate installation of some instrumentation on an oilfield FPSO ship that was almost ready to be launched. Dalian is a relatively small Chinese city, only a 5 million population, but it has several of its own TV stations. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they turned up at the shipyard and it was suggested they have an interview with this curious, wee, fat, hairy, Scottish guy who was one of the very, very few foreigners working alongside 1000's of Chinese workers. So the interview went ahead through an interpreter and was shown on the news that evening. No biggie, it was only a 30 second clip, however I so happened to be in a restaurant when it was shown and a group of ladies at the next table started getting agitated and whispering to each other, as they do.
The upshot was that I ended up marrying one of them.
Anyway, I wonder if I could interest one of the TV stations into filming a short series of clips concerning how one of their foreign residents spends his time off in their city? When he's not gorging in their restaurants or lurking around shopping malls that is. Could come under the subject of Cultural Exchange, I suppose.

Hmmm.....let me have a think about this one. I'll mention it to my "Other Half" once I've got my phone working again. Might be the beginning of an alternative career. A Scottish Danny De Vito if you like.
All joking aside though, they're always curious about what strange customs the foreigners in their midst have. And you don't get stranger than some guy building dioramas.....not in China anyway.
Leave this one with me and we'll see what transpires.

Cheers
H

 

[Harrytheheid]

Very, very nice, Heid! I am inspired! One of these days, if I can find the time and the space, I have to try to make a winter diorama myself.

Louis,
Have a go. It's easy enough and it only took around 4 days to get it 99% finished. That includes paint/plaster/glue drying out time. And it's such a satisfying and rewarding offshoot of our hobby, knowing that you've created something unique.
Cheers
H

 

[Currahee Chris]

HARRY!!!! No offense, just didn't strike me as one with the talent- very very happily surprised- what a MAGNIFICENT piece of work!!

 

[Harrytheheid]

HARRY!!!! No offense, just didn't strike me as one with the talent- very very happily surprised- what a MAGNIFICENT piece of work!!

No offence meant and none taken, thanks Chris.
Guess if I can keep passing off the creative talents of the three twenty-year old Chinese ladies whom I employ to churn these dios out for me as being all my very own work, then I'll continue to receive all these plaudits....
Only kiddin', it is all my very own.
Its not quite finished yet. Need to inprove the icicles and come up with a suitable border for the edges of the base, but I have a cunning plan up my sleeve for that one.
Cheers
H

 

[Harrytheheid]

It's like the behind the scenes extras/director's commentary on DVDs.

Hmmmm.....Now isn't that an idea Randy. Hmmmm......
One of the reasons I agreed to an extended assignment here in Thailand on this occasion is that I was home in Aberdeen Scotland recently for a "career development" chat with my boss. While I was at it, I sold him my Canon Ixus 960i point'n'shoot (for a good price on my part I might add) cos I've been wanting to replace it with a Canon EOS 30D SLR that I've had my eye on for a while now. So, the the cunning plan has been the extended assignment plus the loot from the sale of my previous camera would allow me to buy the SLR camera when I'm in Hong Kong at the end of January. But a Camcorder? Hmmmm......Naaa, I really want that SLR.

However, a wee bit of life history coming up, but please bear with me cos an alternative plan might be forming inside my heid;
In 2001, I was sent up to the shipyard in Dalian to coordinate installation of some instrumentation on an oilfield FPSO ship that was almost ready to be launched. Dalian is a relatively small Chinese city, only a 5 million population, but it has several of its own TV stations. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they turned up at the shipyard and it was suggested they have an interview with this curious, wee, fat, hairy, Scottish guy who was one of the very, very few foreigners working alongside 1000's of Chinese workers. So the interview went ahead through an interpreter and was shown on the news that evening. No biggie, it was only a 30 second clip, however I so happened to be in a restaurant when it was shown and a group of ladies at the next table started getting agitated and whispering to each other, as they do.
The upshot was that I ended up marrying one of them.
Anyway, I wonder if I could interest one of the TV stations into filming a short series of clips concerning how one of their foreign residents spends his time off in their city? When he's not gorging in their restaurants or lurking around shopping malls that is. Could come under the subject of Cultural Exchange, I suppose.

Hmmm.....let me have a think about this one. I'll mention it to my "Other Half" once I've got my phone working again. Might be the beginning of an alternative career. A Scottish Danny De Vito if you like.
All joking aside though, they're always curious about what strange customs the foreigners in their midst have. And you don't get stranger than some guy building dioramas.....not in China anyway.
Leave this one with me and we'll see what transpires.

Cheers
H

Randy,
Forget all this drivel above.
I'm travelling to Singapore tomorrow for a couple of days and have come up with the ideal replacement camera for the one I sold my boss. It's the Canon Powershot G9 which I'll probably buy while perusing Duty Free in Bangkok Airport. It has all the options I could possibly want - as well as a VIDEO OPTION.
All I need to do is train Missus Heid how to take video's with the camera. Then she can film the various building stages of the new dioramas I have in mind...
Watch out K&CUK TV......There's gonna be a new kid in Dodge...

Cheers
H

 

[panda1gen]

Harry, terrific and entertaining thread, it is great to have you on the forum......brings a big smile to my face

 

[PolarBear]

Harry:

Film at 11?

My new Sony Cybershot shoots photos in 16:9 HD widescreen. It also has a video feature I have not tried yet. Can we post videos on the forum? Just think a Toysoldier-YouTube. Imagine a video tour of Louis's museum online

Randy

 

[Harrytheheid]

Harry, terrific and entertaining thread, it is great to have you on the forum......brings a big smile to my face

Cheers Kevin.
That's the true story about how Me'n'Missus Heid met up BTW. I tried to tell her I was a Russian Spy (cos Dalian also has an enormous Naval Base attached), but she's not daft and wasn't having any of my nonsense.... Once she believed that I'm British/Scottish though, I got the same old tired story about how bad we were;

a) invading China in 18?? (she wasn't quite sure of the dates)
b) burning down the Summer Palace
c) stealing all China's wealth
d) stealing Hong Kong from China
e) various other drivel about how we treated her great-great-granny......

My reply to all that was that MY great-great-grandfather told ME that HER great-great-granny never complained, not once, to HIM about how HE was treating HER.
Our relationship has been on the same take-the-pi$$ footing ever since...
Should hear the banshee screeching if I start slagging off Chairman Moa.....I've been catagorically instructed NEVER to do it in front of her friends....!!!!

Best Regards
H

 

[Harrytheheid]

Harry:

Film at 11?

My new Sony Cybershot shoots photos in 16:9 HD widescreen. It also has a video feature I have not tried yet. Can we post videos on the forum? Just think a Toysoldier-YouTube. Imagine a video tour of Louis's museum online

Randy

Hi Randy,

Well I've gone and done it. I'm now the proud owner of a Canon Powershot G9. While I was at it, I went and bought an extra close MACRO Lens, Wideview Lens, and a UV Filter. Aaaaaaiiiiieeeee.....The Lenses cost more than the camera.....!!!! At least the salesman threw in a genuine Canon camera bag for ziltch.
Don't think we can post video clips direct on TF, but maybe a link to Photobucket might work...???

Cheers
H

 

[PolarBear]

Hi Randy,

Well I've gone and done it. I'm now the proud owner of a Canon Powershot G9. While I was at it, I went and bought an extra close MACRO Lens, Wideview Lens, and a UV Filter. Aaaaaaiiiiieeeee.....The Lenses cost more than the camera.....!!!! At least the salesman threw in a genuine Canon camera bag for ziltch.
Don't think we can post video clips direct on TF, but maybe a link to Photobucket might work...???

Cheers
H

Sounds like you're in business--heck isn't this more fun than oil rig instrumentation

Randy

 

[panda1gen]

Sounds like you're in business--heck isn't this more fun than oil rig instrumentation

Randy

we certainly hope so - we look forward to more of your and the heid's offerings.....

I keep finding odd threads started by you with great shots, the latest snow scene in the HB thread for example......

 

[Harrytheheid]

Sounds like you're in business--heck isn't this more fun than oil rig instrumentation

Randy

Naaah....just a different kind of fun.
Cheers
H

 

[Harrytheheid]

Wow Lt. thanks for posting. These look awesome. It's presently 21:10PM where I am and I'm planning on sampling the local scene later tonight, but I'll be at a loose end tomorrow and shall google those sites you mention.
Thanks Again
H

 

[Harrytheheid]

Harry,
That diorama is superb, you captured the look of a winter diorama to perfection. Could you give us an overall finished shot in color?

Sorry its taken so long George. here's some overall shots I took of the Winter Diorama today sitting on its shelf in my cave.
BTW, I'm going to go through the same exercise in a different thread explaining how I built the Western Desert 1941 Diorama that I'm going to finish off over the next few days.

Cheers
H

 

[panda1gen]

Sorry its taken so long George. here's some overall shots I took of the Winter Diorama today sitting on its shelf in my cave.
BTW, I'm going to go through the same exercise in a different thread explaining how I built the Western Desert 1941 Diorama that I'm going to finish off over the next few days.

Cheers
H

I like the commitments....but boney M!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

 

[Wraith]

I like the commitments....but boney M!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Hey Daddy....be cool

H,

That is a really impressive mate. Great dio!

Simon

 

[Alexdakar]

Looks like its really cold. Is the snow loose or glued?

 

[Harrytheheid]

I like the commitments....but boney M!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Watch it mate, better be careful or it'll be;
"Freeze, I'm Ma Baker - Put Your Hands in the Air an' Give Me All Your Money".
I love all that kitche stuff. OMG, even my Dad likes Boney M.
I bought one of their music video's in Kuwait once for a laugh. Missus H almost had an accident when she watched it. She thought the guy in the group was demented when she saw his "interesting" dance techniques.
Think I'll dig it out and watch it again later today.
"Brown Girl in the Ring, Tra-La-La-La-La"
"She Looks Like a Sugar in a Plum - Plum - Plum"

Cheers
H

 

[Harrytheheid]

Looks like its really cold. Is the snow loose or glued?

The snow did get a light spray of watered down PVA glue to keep it in place.
I'd like to do another Winter diorama but this time with an American theme. I'm only home until 10th February on this occasion so I might not have time. We'll see how it goes.

Cheers
H

 

[Harrytheheid]

Hey Daddy....be cool

H,

That is a really impressive mate. Great dio!

Simon

Thanks Simon. I appreciate the comment.
Please bear in mind this was only my second attempt at building a diorama. I made some mistakes during the construction - but that's the only way to learn.

Cheers
H