Setting the stage!
These pics give you a good idea just how much Ken's work has influenced the design of my latest diorama and will continue to do so in the future.The board and batten building ,the colors,the random junk etc...
My original idea was to have the main hangar bustling with activity and the outside fairly clean, in order not to draw attention away from the main subject the airplane,figures and the hangars contents.
I have decided that this would be a mistake and now I plan to have lots of junk and activity on 3 sides of the hanger.The fourth front or ramp side will remain uncluttered ,so that when viewed from the front, the main storyline should be what comes through to the viewer.The hangar doors and their structures will act as sort of a stage curtain that will block the view to the other 3 sides so as to not distract the viewer.

Hey! thanks Fred for the kind words.Cheers! John.

Wait there's more!
Ken is also a master at creating interior detail as well!It may all look like it was placed at random but the art is in making it look that way.Actually the placement of each item was given a lot of thought.The "this end up" box is a nice touch of humor.You could look at this a long time and always discover something new.Note the use of just the right color combinations.
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It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guide my hand in your work today.
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General layout.
each square=2inches
Diorama overall =48x78inches
Main Hangar floor=30x40inches
old cars=5 ,plus Camel trailer

I hope it all fits and doesn't look too crowded.I thought of putting the dio at an angle but there is no room to spare.I will now try to place everything and take pics to see how it looks
__________________
It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guide my hand in your work today.
My photobucket:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

New base.
The model T car is about the size of the van that will be pulling the 1/16th Camel trailer, as represented here by the 14" Mercedes Benz showcar.
The ruler and tape represent the outer edges of the new plywood base.It looks as though I will have lots of room for most of the stuff that I would like to put in the case.We are expecting the weather to warm up a little over the next few days so I am hopeful that I can get the base cut out and installed on the table.I should have lots of room for junk outside the hangar walls to keep things interesting.
__________________
It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guide my hand in your work today.
My photobucket:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

Model Expo Camel 1/16th scale
Well I had my first look inside the box today and I am quite impressed with the overall quality of this kit.The cast metal fittings are up to the same standard as the Jenny ,which saw a big improvement over the Albatros and Nieuport kits.The wood is of the usual high quality and very nicely laser cut for accuracy.I just hope that the spars etc.. slip into the pre-cut laser holes in the ribs as there is little room for error.
The instruction booklet and plans appear to be accurate enough to make for a nice smooth build.
The airplane seems a little chunky in appearance and not nicely shaped like the Nieuport or the Albatros designs.It has a 21"wingspan and the fuselage is 14"long.
I don't anticipate any problems building this one or attaching it to the Model T trailer (ready to hit the road for the local universities aeronautical study course.)Because it will be placed close to the back of the hangar ,where it can be studied in detail by the viewer, it should create a lot of interest.
__________________
It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guide my hand in your work today.
My photobucket:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

Contoured edges?
There should be lots of room for junk on this side of the hangar.If I were ever to build phase 2 of this diorama,it could be butted up against this side without too much difficulty.
I think that the challenge now will be to have a plexiglass case that doesn't look too much like an aquarium.I kind of like the contoured edge idea to give it the "slice of life "look although being an airfield the surrounding terrain would normally be quite flat .
This is going to be quite a challenge for me as I have never before attempted to build anything beyond the perimeter of the buildings.Working with sand and mud,flora and fauna is all new to me.Hope I don't screw it up!

And let there be light!
Now finally I have some light in the main building.8 bare bulbs seem to do the trick ,plus all the other lighting ,comes to about 24 lights overall.I was lucky no smoke or sparks!There will be one additional light outside over the Reid & Sons sign and that should be enough.This is a big step forward so now I can concentrate on the outside and the new base.

On changing directions!
I may have to re-think this whole project!Things may be getting too big and out of hand and I just don't feel comfortable venturing into these uncharted waters.Funny how these things dawn on you in the middle of the night.
The overall size of this diorama is now approaching 78"X48" ,add to this an oval base and your really talking big.In fact ,I may be losing sight of the forest for the trees,literately!The viewer of this diorama may not be able to get close enough to it to appreciate everything inside.I think that it is time to face the painful truth and start a process of elimination.I think that I will go back to my original idea of having most of the elements contained within the box or hangar itself.This will mean that the Camel idea will have to go along with a few of the old cars.I am still not sure of how to handle the transition between the diorama and the base,in other words that point where the viewer separates fantasy from reality.It is so much easier to just deal with the lighting and set a mood when the whole thing is a closed stage but venturing outside is a whole different ballgame.Think dollhouse! Almost everything is in the box and that seems to be enough.
__________________
It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guide my hand in your work today.
My photobucket:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

Well guys now that I have re-confined myself to the basic box design some things will have to go.I like the idea of a tight, orderly hangar floor with all the other assorted junk confined to the modules.I think that it makes for a nice contrast.While the red Model T van fits in ok,I wonder about the MB showcar?It takes up a lot of space and doesn't add that much to the storyline.Darn,I really like that car though! Do I feel a compromise coming on?Decisions,decisions........

You could save them for another diorama. I have a feeling this is not your last effort. Its always hard to "trim the fat" but often times its what must be done. I do think that it would be just as valid to expand the borders of your diorama but you have to be the one to say whoa! One of my early dioramas of an abandoned factory that was used for an advanced airfield. Everything was inside with a half inch border all around the outside of the building.

Happy St. Paddys Day!

You know,in looking at the dollhouse miniaturists work,I notice that they seldom add anything to the outside of their work.Everything is pretty much confined to the basic box like structure.You may on occasion see a sidewalk or surrounding porch but little else.I think that there is a couple of reasons for this.One is the basic nature of the structure and the fact that it is meant to be taken apart and two,by keeping outside distractions to a minimum one is more encouraged to look inside.The very act of looking through the windows creates sort of a natural barrier between reality and fantasy and the suspension of your disbelief.
__________________
It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guide my hand in your work today.
My photobucket:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

Jenny rad.

Quote:
I am still not sure of how to handle the transition between the diorama and the base,in other words that point where the viewer separates fantasy from reality.It is so much easier to just deal with the lighting and set a mood when the whole thing is a closed stage but venturing outside is a whole different ballgame.Think dollhouse! Almost everything is in the box and that seems to be enough.
Aw dang John, I was looking forward to seeing the outside come to life too! It's funny how static objects leaning against the wall and parked cars convey life and action. Those black & white diorama pics you showed earlier caught this perfectly; looked like the people were just around the corner busy with something. I thought your broken paving slabs were a great start; more cracks, some gravel, weeds and scraggly grass would have completed it. No matter what you do at this point, it's going to turn out great -- but I really liked the idea of an active outside story too. It's a diorama, not a dollhouse!!!

Hi Patrick!I think that I will have to wait to make the final decision on this until after I get the whole thing set up on its oval base.If at that time it looks like something is missing I may have to revise my plans once more.A large rectangular base is too square looking and a round base is just too big.The oval works well in that it allows the viewer a closer look to the inside.
Another problem and it is a biggy,the diorama was designed to be taken apart with the removal of just a few screws.Anything that I put inside I can usually attach to the walls with no problem but the outside is a different story.Things leaning up against the walls or butting up against the foundation can create a lot of design problems.
If this was a strictly night a scene ,there would be no need to finish anything beyond the walls ,as all the action is taking place inside the hangar.(I may even put a few figures looking inwards through the windows to emphasize this)I think that this sheer size and the colorful exterior of this diorama entices the viewer to look inside and not spend a lot of time on what maybe happening on the exterior.
In the end,I think that it will come down to "how it looks overall when finished" that will be the deciding factor.
I mentioned dollhouse because in the beginning the work of the dollhouse miniaturists is what inspired me to do this type of diorama.I always loved the idea of looking from the outside into a warm setting much like you see in Christmas cards or those horse drawn sliegh commercials.Campfires and scenes of glowing interiors has always been a mood that I like to recreate in my art.I love to look through the windows(peeping Tom?) into one room and then on to the next using the lighting to create an atmosphere.This is sort of a compromise between diorama and 5 sided shadow box.This is something relatively new that I am trying here so nothing is really writtin in stone!
__________________
It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)
Guide my hand in your work today.
My photobucket: