More Close Encounters of the Best Kind (1 Viewer)

panda1gen said:
And I thought I was just bonkers..........one of my all time favourites (I have a touch of the shamrock........somewhere):D:D:D
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10/10 for making the connection. I'm not sure if the F&C van had tracks so I guess I'll just have to watch the movie yet again.

Vive La Belle France
Henri-La-Tete
 
Here's a revisit of some favourite old photos of mine. Its Empress Tsui Tse's Escape from the Fordidden City and Farewell to Flashy courtesy of George MacDonald Frasers "Flashman and the Dragon".
Now I've got some experience of building dios this one is screaming out to my to turn the general layout into a proper diorama.
Cheers
H

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Got home last night at last and unpacked all the new goodies.
Was messing around this morning trying a few layouts for the new Charge of the Light Brigade diorama that I have in mind. This will be a very simple one with just some groundwork to add to the wooden base. Think the general layout will be something similar to what's here. Maybe position the figures more diagonally across the base. The finished dio ought to be ready for some good photos taken in more natural light by the end of the week - and I need to track down a suitable backdrop. If I can find a good one, then I'm considering getting it printed out at a local photo shop in A3 or even A2 size and Landscape format.
As can be seen I've now got a few multiples of the 11th Lancers and Russian Gunners. Thinking about some work with a hacksaw to vary the poses just a little and also have to remember and leave some room to add the Captain Morris figure which is being released in June.
I need to check on this, but I think the charge towards the guns was up a very slight incline - if so, then that'll be pretty easy to reproduce.
I want to get the groundwork as correct as possible, so its a good excuse to watch the movie again. :D:D;).
Cheers
H

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H,
That looks a pretty impressive array just on the shelf alone. Look forward to what you have planned for these guys.
Simon
 
Harry I could do with those 17th lancers to help my poor bloody Rebs in my dio as they are currently taking a hell of a punishment from artillery

Reb.
 
UKReb said:
Harry I could do with those 17th lancers to help my poor bloody Rebs in my dio as they are currently taking a hell of a punishment from artillery

Reb.
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Yeah Bob, once they eventually made it as far as the guns they made a right old mess of those artillerymen.
Looking forward to going through your thread from the beginning now that I have the time to do so.

Cheers
H
 
This one is going to be called "Western Desert 1941".
It needs a fair bit of work done to it though.

a) The FOB tank commander needs a repaint job, and I'm not sure yet how to disguise the gas mask case. Maybe I don't need to. Could be they were still being used in 1941 (?). The EA Vickers badly needs some dry-brushed weathering effects cos its far too clean IMO.

b) The FOB Vickers needs a repaint job. I don't have any EA decals so the original formation markings will just have to stay as is for the time being. If I foul up the paint job, then I can always add some camo netting to hide my ham-handed efforts.

c) The sandbags need to be raised a bit. Not much cover there at the moment.

d) The figure bases to be blended into the groundwork and some scrubby-looking bushes added.

e) Print out either of the backgound pictures rotated by 180 degrees. This'll make them blend in better for wide-angle photos. The backdrop needs to be on ordinary photo-copy paper to avoid reflections.

f) Still getting to grips with the settings on my new camera. Also need to load up the recently obtained copy of "Photoshop Elements" onto my laptop and start playing with it.

Overall though, I think this is a good layout - apart from the fact that we Brits hadn't learned the advantages of having our tanks in hull-down positions yet. :D:D
Reckon this one can be worked on along with the "Charge of the Light Brigade" dio. While one's drying out the other one can get some attention. It'll be towards the end of the week before they're finished. Going out tomorrow to (probably) buy a new full-sized Chinese table for the new SOHK display.

Cheers
H

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Jeff,
I've been messing with one of the Lancer Corporal figures so that his horse is rearing a bit more. Its much more obvious in the second photo. Not much I can do to change the pose of the other charging Lancer though, not without major surgery.
I think I'll get time to make a start on the groundwork tonight when I return from tramping around furniture shops. Watched the 1970's movie again yesterday and reckon I know what's needed for the terrian.

Cheers
H

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Harrytheheid said:
This one is going to be called "Western Desert 1941".
It needs a fair bit of work done to it though.

a) The FOB tank commander needs a repaint job, and I'm not sure yet how to disguise the gas mask case. Maybe I don't need to. Could be they were still being used in 1941 (?). The EA Vickers badly needs some dry-brushed weathering effects cos its far too clean IMO.

b) The FOB Vickers needs a repaint job. I don't have any EA decals so the original formation markings will just have to stay as is for the time being. If I foul up the paint job, then I can always add some camo netting to hide my ham-handed efforts.

c) The sandbags need to be raised a bit. Not much cover there at the moment.

d) The figure bases to be blended into the groundwork and some scrubby-looking bushes added.

e) Print out either of the backgound pictures rotated by 180 degrees. This'll make them blend in better for wide-angle photos. The backdrop needs to be on ordinary photo-copy paper to avoid reflections.

f) Still getting to grips with the settings on my new camera. Also need to load up the recently obtained copy of "Photoshop Elements" onto my laptop and start playing with it.

Overall though, I think this is a good layout - apart from the fact that we Brits hadn't learned the advantages of having our tanks in hull-down positions yet. :D:D
Reckon this one can be worked on along with the "Charge of the Light Brigade" dio. While one's drying out the other one can get some attention. It'll be towards the end of the week before they're finished. Going out tomorrow to (probably) buy a new full-sized Chinese table for the new SOHK display.

Cheers
H

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Very nice diorama base there H. It really makes the scene.

Carlos
 
Been messing around with the layout of figures and vehicles on the new Western Desert 1941 dio - yet again.
For the forthcoming repaint job on the FOB Vickers, the saving grace is the fact that I've got the EA item to use as a guide for mixing my colours (only have a limited range of acrylics available).
I've used a photo of some sand dunes in Oman for the backdrop this time. Printed off one of the photos flipped 180 degrees horizontaly then stuck them together. The join between the prints was obvious, so I used Photoshop elements for the first time to try and hide the join. Turned out not too bad for a first try - but will do better next time. That bright orange colour is the actual colour of the dunes. For the finished diorama shots, I'll try and match the colour of the dunes more closely to that of the dio base.
Love the tattoo on the Desert Rat's right arm in the 3rd photo.
Better scoot for a while. Missus Heid's bending my ear - Something about lack of attention....:confused::confused: = :eek: = :cool:
Cheers
H

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Harry it's great seeing you playing again and nicely done photos. One thing though you need to do something about the sand bags they're not providing that much protection for your machine gunner and his spotter and ammo carrier as well as your desert rats hoping to hide behind them. The height of the sandbags would be fine if the were above a slightly dug fox hole or trench. Great work on the dio.........The Lt.
 
The Lt. said:
Harry it's great seeing you playing again and nicely done photos. One thing though you need to do something about the sand bags they're not providing that much protection for your machine gunner and his spotter and ammo carrier as well as your desert rats hoping to hide behind them. The height of the sandbags would be fine if the were above a slightly dug fox hole or trench. Great work on the dio.........The Lt.
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Thanks Joe - It's good to be back creating dioramas and taking photos of them.
I'm aware of the inadequate sandbags. Maybe you missed my mention of it further back in the thread, but there's a few things I need to do to the Western Desert 1941 diorama before I begin taking finished photo's, including;

"c) The sandbags need to be raised a bit. Not much cover there at the moment.

d) The figure bases to be blended into the groundwork and some scrubby-looking bushes added."

I'm really just experimenting with layouts for my two new dios at the moment and I'll be making some more sandbags as per the guidelines you posted last week. I've also been practising with the new camera. Very impressed with Photoshop Elements. I've only just started playing with it, but it seems to be the graphics application I've been looking for. It certainly does a good job of blending two A4 size prints together.
I'm being dragged off to some furniture shop this afternoon, but I'll get back to both the new dioramas sometime this evening.

Cheers
H
 
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Harrytheheid said:
Thanks Joe - It's good to be back creating dioramas and taking photos of them.
I'm aware of the inadequate sandbags. Maybe you missed my mention of it further back in the thread, but there's a few things I need to do to the Western Desert 1941 diorama before I begin taking finished photo's, including;

"c) The sandbags need to be raised a bit. Not much cover there at the moment.

d) The figure bases to be blended into the groundwork and some scrubby-looking bushes added."

I'm really just experimenting with layouts for my two new dios at the moment and I'll be making some more sandbags as per the guidelines you posted last week. I've also been practising with the new camera. Very impressed with Photoshop Elements. I've only just started playing with it, but it seems to be the graphics application I've been looking for. It certainly does a good job of blending two A4 size prints together.
I'm being dragged off to some furniture shop this afternoon, but I'll get back to both the new dioramas sometime this evening.

Cheers
H
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Your experoments are working out vey well Harry and sorry I missed your comments on the sanbags I wouldn't have brought them up. Looking forward to the end results....The Lt.
 
Harrytheheid said:
Jeff,
I've been messing with one of the Lancer Corporal figures so that his horse is rearing a bit more. Its much more obvious in the second photo. Not much I can do to change the pose of the other charging Lancer though, not without major surgery.
I think I'll get time to make a start on the groundwork tonight when I return from tramping around furniture shops. Watched the 1970's movie again yesterday and reckon I know what's needed for the terrian.

Cheers
H

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Harry,

I can tell you this is going to be quite impressive when you have finished it. The Crimean War has certainly seen an upturn in interest lately what with K&CUK and others new releases........looking forward to what you do next with this one.

Regards

Jeff
 
That certainly is a very impressive collection you have there. SOme very nice pieces indeed.
 
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