Yet another diorama project (2 Viewers)

I checked the view within the frame and could see unfinished edges. So I added more cardboard to the scene and trimmed the base to bring the whole scene right up to the frame.

I've started to paint the background with an undercoat of acrylics. Also using the colours to achieve a forced perspective transition from the foreground to the background. I also checked the scene within the frame.

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I started to paint the background in oils, using a limited palette to achieve some harmonious colour effect.
Starting to look decent, I think, but still I've got to be careful to add and subtract here and there.

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After a lot of jiggling, pasting bits of rock and cut grass and sprinkling foliage to this, I inserted the flourescent tube and adjusted the background to fit it. Switched on the light and not bad, eh? Still got to paint it and add more detail.

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Hi Louis,

Thanks for your generous comments, as usual probably undeserved. I was lucky with this piece. I only think that it "works" from the last posting as I was not sure whether the forced perspective would have worked.

Now painted up most of the groundwork and foliage. I sanded the sky to get a smoother finish and have attached cowboy 1 with the cow in place. In this painting, I am using a loose impasto style, scumbling the semi dry paint (dry brushing) all over. I am trying to achieve a gritty look.
I used a large flat bristle brush. When this is dry, I will add more details such as the reins and ropes and will switch to smaller brushes.

Rgds

Victor

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There appears to be two versions of this painting reproduced on the web. I prefer the warmer scene as the colours are more intense making the scene more dramatic. This warmer scene appears to be the correct one as more details can be made out. I think the lighter scene has been overly exposed or highlighted with photoshop, thus losing detail.

I removed cowboy one and repainted the whole scene, saturating it with more hue. Took three pics early in the morning -
no photoshop touch up, without light hence the slightly blue tint;
with light but the camera compensates for the glare thus blurring out and slightly darkening the scene;
with the frame in place so that I move the camera closer in. This last scene captures what I see in the piece, more intense actual colours of the scene.

Now waiting for it to dry before I can add on some grassy knoll details here and there.

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Great scenes Victor. I like both the bright and darker presentations. My brother has a print of a related Western scene by the famous American artist Frederic Remington, titled A Dash for the Timber. It's not as large as the original painting but still has some impressive detail and realistic look.

 
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Hello Matt,

Thanks for your kind comments and inputs.

Yes, "A Dash for the Timber" is one of Remington's most iconic painting. I had considered it as a project as it has a lot of excitement and details about it. However, there are 7-8 horsemen and I was looking for a lesser number of horsemen to work on as a respite from my other ambitious project "The Battle of Rivoli".

Russell's The Broken Rope" offers three mounted cowboys and a steer and I already had a spare resin cow in my stash. Another consideration for me was that I preferred Russell's to Remington's painting style as the former seems more raw and the colours more vivid. His brushstrokes are also looser. I was looking to see if I could translate this sort of painterly technique into a diorama.

Rgds

Victor
 
Hi Victor

Hard for me to choose between Russell and Remington, the early work of the later reminds of a famous Australian painter, Tom Roberts. One of his paintings 'A Break away' used to hang on the dining room wall of my childhood home. The detail and bright sunlight in that painting reminded me of A Dash for the Timber I guess. A more famous work by Roberts titled Bailed Up depicts a Cobb and Co stagecoach being robbed by Captain Thunderbolt who was a famous Aussie Bushranger. There are many similarities between Australian and American Western History.

Matt
 
Hi Matt,

I'll bet it's rich history. I was only aware of the bushwhacker Ned Kelly because of his armour. An interesting scenario to ponder...

For this scene, I've just resized the test frame on the side panel edges to create a wider panorama. I'll be raising the lower panel edge slightly as well to mask off the raised groundwork.

rgds Victor

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I like the added frame.

Ned Kelly is certainly the best known bushranger. There were dozens of others, most were after Gold from the Australian Goldfields in several Aussie states. I have visited some of their hideouts etc, also seen some battle grounds where the Australian Aboriginals fought Australian settlers and troops. Not as many combatants as the US against American Indians, and not as well known but interesting none the less.
 
Hi Matt,

I agree that the Australian pioneering days in the outback were quite interesting. I remember those camels that trekked across the desert. I've also seen some evocative photos of the early days and there are definitely interesting scenarios for modelling.

Rgds Victor
 
Hi All,

I've finished this piece. Added in bits, reins and ropes. Some touchups here and there and I also added dust thrown up by the dramatic action.

The daylight photos show the final piece,

1 without light
2 with light where the camera compensates for the light by darkening the scene
3 with the frame in-place and hence the whole scene is brighter
4 mounted on the wall with the glass cover in place without light
5 mounted on the wall with the glass cover in place with light

I hope you all like it. I certainly enjoyed building this piece and am very delighted with the end result. Maybe more of the same to come..hahaha.

Rgds Victor

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Victor,

I have enjoyed watching this piece come together and I am so impressed with the result!😎😎👍👍
 
Hi Louis,

Thank you for your very kind comments. I am truly glad that you liked the end result.

Although I have to admit that it hardly made a dent in my GA spares, what was gratifying for me was the chance to use as much scavenged bits including the shadow box to recraft this piece.

I certainly learned a lot from doing this piece. How to craft a wide expanse in a shadow box. The most enjoyable part was actually painting the scene in artist oils which was very therapeutic.

Here's a picture of the scene taken at night with the room lights switched off. Probably the best way to see this piece. Enjoy!

Rgds

Victor

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Matt,

Thank you for your generous comment. Fully appreciated.

Rgds

Victor
 
Hi All,

I decided to widen the frame size a little, extending the sides and lowering the bottom to try to capture more of the wide expanse of the West.
Watching a lot of Westerns in the meantime such as Hang Em Hiigh, Two Mules for Sister Sara etc for inspiration and immersion...

Rgds Victor

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blaster said:
Hi All,

I decided to widen the frame size a little, extending the sides and lowering the bottom to try to capture more of the wide expanse of the West.
Watching a lot of Westerns in the meantime such as Hang Em Hiigh, Two Mules for Sister Sara etc for inspiration and immersion...

Rgds Victor
Click to expand...

Looks like a wide screen TV now :)

Well done,

JOhn
 
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