Project 5 | WW2 Diorama

Development Project 5: Pacific Island Assualt

Constructing a diorama consist of phases while painting of the various models and figures can proceed in parallel. There is no single path to follow. Creativity, improvisation and ingenuity come along your journey of modelling with joy. Attend to an original image is just a direction, but don’t fear to diverge. Neither did I. I would rather say that the results became even better than was planned.

Sometimes a goal can't be achieved because of missing the resources or it just doesn’t work out the way you want it and for the sack of time... Everything is adjustable afterwards at later point in time. Although after placing the plastic soldiers for instance it would be harsh to accomplish.

Duration

Planned for just a few quick months, ended up in more than expected. How challanging can a beach and water be? Well, actually the other 50% kept me busy from all angles. The figures and vehicles were quickly collected, a must placed is the famous landign craft, however the scenery itself, includign the bunkers kept me unhappy constantly. Could not consent to the rigth shape or scale. Was grass or palms perhaps to tall? The bunker too small or to tiny... How to cover details with unavailable jungle material.

Phases

A bit underestimated the terrain build. Upfront the idea wwas fully clear. However the decoration wasn't easy. Puting palm trees and sort of tall grass is difficult as I'm not living in such area and hard to imagine. What the correct soil should be between took research and finding the right material. There is not much available other than createing perhaps myself. Ended with just a mix as usual to get closer to reality.

Process

Use differentt matrieal than the other 4 projects before plaster and a product never worked with before, soem kind of acryl gel material from "sceneryworkshop.nl". The other materials I used, besides paper mache, are styrofoam, clay, wood (fibreboards, etc) for foundation and metal mesh.

Phase 1

Placement of flat syrofoam connected to a board 60 x 40 cm. In the right upper corner a metal wire mesh construction as layered rock foundation. Important to have available enough land compared to the sea.

Phase 2

Used plaster material to create a rock formation whch should contain some sort of bunker construction. Below, caverns for Japanese soldiers. Realized the size of the board is too small to fit the creativity. Need extra 20cm to the left.

Phase 3

The board is extended to add an airfield strip containing a "Zero". Furthermode, covered all wth paper mache and finish the plaster parts inside and outside. Next is painting the rocks, soil and water to prepare for real material.

Phase 4

Bunker on top right needs rescaling. Another bunker was needed to fill the mid section and made of clay. Anotehr add amendment is the small scattered rock formations. Re-positioned the landing craft.

Phase 5

Improved the rocks and planted the palmtrees and partly the bamboo after I painted the surface. This picture is lost unfortunately. Ocean leveled up and expected re-paint topped with Pacific acryl.

Phase 6

Painted, forgot to create the waves, again painting. This part on the board drove me nuts.... and not ending...

Phase 8

Special beach sand material added as well all jungle style material for soil cover. Creative with twigs, moss, and other decoration part to increase variety.

Phase 7

Actually to find the right color for pacific ocean style required many trials. Therefore ended with different shades to create depth. Finished the sea with a gloss top.

Phase 9

Elaborated on detail the surrounding of the bunkers. The completion of the waves with sea foam is visible in the gallery.

Results

Frustrating was that level of detail to manage the sea look and feel. Eventually my daughter finished it off after my many attempts which included repaint, reshape etc. Another frustration remained the detail of jungle. The moss does the trick hopefully. Also after acquiring two more colors (blue and red). In the end, the results may be there. Please check the gallery for final result. A piece of art.

World War 2 Theme Diorama

Development Project 5: Pacific Island Assualt

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