Gros Napoleon at Jaffa (3 Viewers)

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Just putting down my thoughts on planning this diorama at this stage. I hope that the below explains my approach clearer. I may make further changes along the way.

As mentioned earlier, I found the architecture a little unsettling. Hence I’ve decided to shift the viewpoint by slanting the backwall and arches of the foreground area, allowing it to slant from back to front to disappear offstage on the right side. I think that this foreground area extends further on the right side. Thus, this will allow me to create a sense of space continuity towards the right side. I will have to disguise the right side with either painting or a small mirror.

The left side is most likely contained by the left wall. Slanting it inwards towards the background heightens the sense of perspective (I think). This arrangement will perhaps result in part of the keyhole opening being obscured by the backwall. This shifted backwall should in turn create some real space to insert in a couple of manservant figures carrying a litter behind the two arabs distributing bread loaves.

I will add a ceiling which, going by the height of the walls in the courtyard, is just above the arches. Thus the ceiling will be visible to the viewer in my proposal.
The courtyard space is slanted and contained by cutout templates for the walls. I think that the round tower should be modelled as well.

 

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Here is a top down pic of the stage and the cut out left wall, the ceiling (both made from two ply thick cardboard) and the pillars. The keyhole arch shape has been cut from foamboard.

Simple markings on the stage indicate the proposed positioning of the left wall.Notice that I have created another slope for the courtyard area. This is to exaggerate the perspectives receding into the background.

 

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I started to paint the backdrop. The wall and ceiling panels are being finalised. I placed all the elements in the box to test out the scene.

 

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I placed a test frame to further encompass the scene and look for blind spots. The other pics show close ups of the figure groups.

 

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Here's the keyhole arch being knocked up from foam board and cardboard.

 

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I corrected the details for these two figures. I made the cloaked figure more muscular. The head of the dying intendant was repositioned and the hair was redone too.

 

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For the left wall, there were several open windows in the background with a keyhole shape. Notice the shape of the panel.

I drilled and cut out these openings. The double layer cardboard created some depth to the wall. As these windows were receding into the background, I drilled gradually smaller holes to enhance this effect.

 

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The naked sick man was further resculpted. The right hand was lengthened and the torso was improved.

 

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Careful scrutiny of the painting revealed that the cloaked figure, the dead soldier are placed on a wooden structure, a box or bench with the other frightened cloaked figure leaning against it.

These three figures were brought together as a figure group. Notice that the cloaked figure has his feet above the ground. The bench was fabricated to face upright when placed on the sloping stage.

 

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The dying intendant has had lacing details being added to his tunic. More muscles were sculpted on the dead soldier on his lap.

 

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The cloak was repositioned for one of the writhing prone figures. I shortened the legs of the other figure. I removed about 5 mm (quite a bit!) from the upper legs and reattached the. The joint is hidden by the cloth.

More muscles were then added. Especially obvious are the shoulder blades and back calf muscles. I used the concept of foreshortening of these frontal figures.

 

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Repainted the trousers of Napoleon.

 

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Further sculpting on the three figure grouping of the cloaked figures. I'll be painting this to test it out visually.

 

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I completed the lacing on the tunic for the dying intendant.

 

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The sick soldiers being examined by Napoleon. Painting the skin tones.

 

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I built up the keyhole arch.

 

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I painted the following.

Black undercoat to this grouping.


The colour of the robe was changed. The lacings were painted.


The robe was repainted.

 

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Here's the main background scene setting being made from cardboard. I probably will have to adjust further here and there.

 

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Added more musculature and reshaped the robe for these two figures.

 

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Minor corrections to the musculature.