Painting Composition influencing Diorama Composition

On some of the forums I frequent the composition of miniature dioramas can be a hot topic. It crossed my mind, again, when I was reading another blog regarding the composition of a painting. I realized that we actually share many of the same issues with those that work on canvas. When these discussions arise I have some main points that I always try to make when working on a diorama piece especially in regards to composition. Two figures stuck on a large base do not a diorama make. Here are the points I try to emphasize:

1) Know your story.

First thought here is if you don't have a title for your story do you really know what the story even is? I have run into this a number of times at competitions a person comes in and doesn't have or didn't even think about a title for the piece. If there isn't a title there isn't likely to be a good story either. Remember the miniatures and the scene, together, have to tell the story. If you have to explain it to everyone that looks at it then you have failed.

"Steady Lads!", while there are other titles that would work I choose this title because  concept was born from watching Zulu. A good story, everyone knew what was happening when they looked at it in the contest room.
Gold Medal winner at ReaperCon 2015

"Shopping II", perhaps not the best title but the scene was derived from my first version simply known as "Shopping".  Another good story, all the elements add to the story and help establish the setting. It does suffer a bit from being to large I think.
Best Hasslefree Entry at ReaperCon 2015.

2) Keep it small

Developing a diorama around the neat base that you found at the local craft store can be an exercise in frustration. Odds are good that it will be to big and you will be filled with the desire to fill every inch of it with something. That eats up resources and time and usually does not help tell the story. Keep it small so you aren't tempted to add a lot of extra "stuff", but everything you do add should enhance the story.

 

I allowed a commercial piece (the back wall) to set the size of the scene. Its actually to large. Adding the dumpster helped tighten up the scene by occupying a good chunk of what would have been dead space with an element that further established the location.

3) Set the Scene

I should be able to tell at a glance where the action is taking place. This is the foundation for your story without it the story may not be clear or even cause confustion. Setting the scene is usually not hard to do. In a modern setting it can be done with street signs and newspapers and the like. If it is supposed to convey a desert or an ice cave include the appropriate elements. Remember setting the scene can also may mean establishing a time of day or night as well. Is it morning, is it evening, did it just stop raining, is it cold, is it hot?

I think this does a good job of setting the scene. The light is glowing, the shadows are long (although the shadows were just being started at this point) that gives the feeling of darkness. The posters and the street sign (missing from this picture) set the place and the date. Unfortunately I managed to hide the key Jack the Ripper poster behind the soldiers. 

4) Select the Miniatures

I have seen a lot of dioramas were the creator has included way to many miniatures and end up with a crowded and chaotic scene. Now there are certainly times when you want to have a crowded scene but it needs to be a deliberate choice, not “I love these minis and want to use them together” choice. My suggestion usually is to include every miniature you want and then start removing miniatures until you remove one that ruins the story. Put that one back. Its back to the same concept of the setting the scene, if an element or mini doesn’t help the story then don’t include it.

This was my initial selection for "Shopping II". In this case I used the same female miniatures from "Shopping" and simply added the two black marketeers.

The initial figure selection for a diorama that didn't get done. I had considered adding another mini to this one but couldn't find another miniature that enhanced the story and the story is pretty solid.

5) Make a Mockup

It doesn't have to be anything more than unpainted scrap cardboard, but it will help you with the composition of the piece including what is enough, what is to much and what is not enough.

The original mockup for "Steady Lads". I wanted to be sure to include plenty of different heights to the scene to increase the dramatic tension I was looking for.

In this early version the interior of the building was going to be completely hollow with one soldier inside. In the next iteration my friend Michael (Clever Crow Minis) recommended that the building just be solid. In the final version I went with a hollow building and placed an "easter egg" in one of the windows. In this case a woman with a rolling pin looking outside at the commotion. She is there to be a point of interest if someone is looking closely and skirts that line of adding to the story. If a viewer notices her then she adds to the story, if they don't see her then it takes nothing away from the story, but it filled a space that I thought was particularly empty. Likewise there is a rat in the alley that very few people noticed. He adds to the setting if you see him but he's not required to set the scene either. In other words you should be prepared to break the rules.

Not bad but definitely needed some improvement, This may be the first time that I went to small on the first try.

Now in the 2D world composition is every bit as important and maybe even more so. I was reading James Gurney's blog and he refers back to one artist's evolution of a scene today which I found quite fascinating. I think is very useful to someone contemplating a diorama of any kind and helps establish that there is nothing wrong with changing things up.

So check this out and see how a 2D artist "mocks" things up and goes through different iterations before settling on the final version.

Gurney Journey

Another Kickstarter - Reaper Miniatures BONES III - In Search of Mr Bones

The official announcement that Reaper would have a third BONES Kickstarter was made back in April/May at ReaperCon. 

Well today is the day and for those of you interested in cheap plastic minis and even bigger plastic monsters and dragons this is a Kickstarter that you should be checking out. There have been pre-view pictures of some of the minis taken at ReaperCon and the biggest single debut mini, that we know of, is the Not-Tiamat a Five Headed Dragon. Who can resist a five headed dragon?

The Kickstarter went live at 9am this morning and I'm curious to see where its funding level is at the end of Day 1. Reaper is also trying something different this time around and is working with a much shorter time frame 18 days instead of 30 so don't hesitate or you might miss this one.

If you want a BONES III avatar or sig banner you can find those in the second post of this thread in the Reaper forum: Reaper Bones III Avatar

Of course there is a lot of curiosity in how quickly this little project will move along. Hit the initial funding level in about 2 minutes. In the first seven minutes the first two stretch goals were blown away as pledges rocketed up and over the $100,000 mark. It was really moving to fast for me to keep track of. At the end of the first 35 minutes (because I forgot to look at the clock) they were at $253,000 and approx 2500 backers. And at the rapid rate of pledging and the crush on the servers Reaper couldn't get any of its own updates in.

Here's a look at what the project started out with. Its only going to get bigger from here.

The Core Set, which will continue to grow through out the process.

Tre Manor Orcs the first addition to the core set

The first add-on, this was available to purchase at about the 7 minute mark (probably a bit earlier than that)

As for me, my pledge was #30.

A Cool Kickstarter Project - Pre-Painted Flat Packable Sci-Fi Buildings by Hexagon Mill

I don't push to many Kickstarters but I think this one is worthy of pushing. They have long since reached their funding goal but they are pushing for another stretch goal that will add another design option to your choices.

As evidenced from the title they are pushing the pre-painted and flat packable aspect of the project but looking at the pictures its obvious that the components are modular and durable as well. The ability to flat pack for both storage and transport is a big key to this effort and the two designs that are currently available are wicked, they reach out and say Sci-Fi to me more than anything that 40K has done and your Space Marines will still look at home with these buildings in the background.

While this is a new company the backers have been involved putting together successful kickstarters before so they have the experience to pull this off.

If you are looking to be able to put together that table of building terrain for Infinity or 40K or any other Sci-Fi game I think this is a worthy investment. Here is your handy URL so you can go and do just that!: Hexagon Mill Kickstarter

Seriously, wouldn't you like to do this with your buildings?

July 4th On The Rocks

My Father's Day gift from my sons was tickets to the Blues Traveler concert at Red Rocks on the 4th of July. Blues Traveler has played this date for 21 years now and this was my first time to see them there. It also helped me forget that I have misplaced the decals for the TD company I was working on!

A little bit about the venue because in some ways it doesn't matter who you are seeing there, every band is better on the Rocks. If you have live here and haven't seen a show there, what are you waiting for? Red Rocks is the world's only naturally-occurring and acoustically perfect amphitheater and bands that have played there continue to rave about the experience for years afterwards. Flanked by 300 foot sandstone rocks of the Morrison formation Red Rocks seats about 10,000 and that's why sometimes the famous bands only get to play there once they have to hit that sweet spot of rising popularity that will let them play in a small venue. As part of the Front Range the amphitheater sits at 6450 feet above sea level and the view out across the Colorado plains towards Denver is fantastic. Especially fun on the Fourth of July as you can see the fireworks shows from all over the area going off.

And the music? Fabulous! It was an awesome show by one of my favorite bands.

These are rain or shine shows and its looking like I might get a little wet. The view is looking south down the Front Range. It did rain a little bit but not enough for me to pull out my jacket.

Looking north towards Red Rocks from the Upper South Parking lot. The walk up to the venue starts near the trees on the right side. And you are walking up in no uncertain terms.

Its mostly general admission and I'm sitting about 2/3rds for the way up. You can just pick out the Denver skyline near the left center of the photo.

The stage. Guster was getting ready to go on when I took this shot.

Obligatory selfie to prove that I was there!

Dusk is falling and they are turning on the lights

This is the North side

And to the South

Shutting down the camera, Blues Traveler is hitting the stage!

Model Shipways Cannons

One of the gentleman that I work with had asked if I liked to put together model kits (yes) and if I would be interested in some Model Shipways cannon kits. I have wanted to put a couple of these together for a long time so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally get my hands on a couple of these kits. He brought them in today, so now I have a few more things to distract me!

This thing is huge!

These may actually be the most complicated of the three kits

Looking forward to doing the woodwork on this one.

Bag of tools, the drill bits are likely to come in handy, I don't have any in those larger sizes.

I shook the paints and they sound like they are still good