This is a diorama I have just finished building for a friend of mine who owns a company in Kiev, Ukraine. He’s going to put this in a case and display it at their offices as a morale booster for his staff there.
It showcases a captured Russian T-72 being repurposed by the Ukrainians, being serviced and sprayed in their colours. The title is also a nod towards the teddy bear the bald Sergeant is showing the film crew. His squad are stood by whilst the Oplot-M crew behind look on, animatedly. We can only imagine the terrible back story the bear has, or what happened to his young owner.
The has been about a year in the making though I’ve been doing other projects too, total hours likely north of 300. Both tanks are Trumpeter, the figures are Masterbox, Miniarts and some resin figures, the chimney is RT Diorama and the base is insulation foam I carved up to look like old, broken concrete.
It is too dark I think and could do with some better lit photos but you get the idea - its a factory compound behind the lines. The Oplot-M is (as those of you who saw my post on here about this build) done intentionally to stand out from the darker and more sinister looking captured T-72BM3, the colours are colder and there is more scraped bare metal on the latter tank, i wanted to make it really visually contrasting. The spraying on the fender is right at the heart of what the dio is trying to say.
Its not quite show-ready as I will put it in a nice clear display case but this is the first diorama I’ve built that I feel confident enough to exhibit, I think. Its nowhere near neat or good enough to place at all, but I’ll get there one day too. Important thing is that this has something to say, which i think is the essence of a good diorama.
This is a very ambitious piece and I think you have made it work. The fact there is pretty much something to see in every area alone is a hell of an achievement- everywhere I look there is something interesting which shows just how much you have considered the various elements. It tells a story too which is no small feat in such a large piece. Doing that many figures, never mind the buildings and tanks, shows real dedication and the fact they interact well together is awesome. I think you’ve created an authentically dirty and dingy look for the buildings and the base too- right down to the cracked concrete and the oil spills.
If I could critique my own work (to share what I learned really) I’d say I wish I’d fixed the building to the base and then painted the base. The gap is annoying me.
The teddy bear probably needs to be lighter and more cartoony yellow to attract the eye as it gets lost a little as it is.
The roof could do with some moss and damp effects.
The chimney could do with one more ink wash but I decided against it as I didn’t want to make it too dark. Same reason I decided against adding the ivy I had planned for it.
The concrete I will make the cracks less deep next time I try to simulate broken concrete as it looks a bit too thick for the scale.
The base could certainly be tidier, that’s just inexperience on my part. This is only the second diorama I’ve ever done so it’s all about learning and building the skill levels up at this stage.
You have really made a great achievement here Chris. This diorama works very well. It is of a high quality. All the space is filled with something to look at or grab the attention. There are several sub-plots unfolding which tell a bigger story and make a profound statement. Well done.
Chris this is a fantastic job. Everything from the vehicles , figures, buildings and accessories are done to a high standard as far as I’m concerned. The finish on the vehicles and buildings is excellent. The figures too- great job. For what it’s worth, this would definitely earn a medal or place at the shows I go to if that’s your thing of course.
Everything said so far, and it hits bullseyes on all my personal criteria for what makes a great diorama. Details, details, details, narrative, excellent idea & execution, and more detail. Any dio that takes more than 15 seconds to take in is (for me) a fair indicator it’s at least good - I lost track of time looking at this one.
So, don’t change a thing
Or, there are some elements that look too clean to my eye. The concrete in places, maybe some scuffing from the tank tracks? While they’re beautifully “rendered” I’m not sure about the arbitrary gaps in the render on the building’s walls – maybe better to (“badly”) patch them up, & add some uplifting graffiti?
All highly subjective of course, just one guy’s opinion. And if it ever becomes possible, it would be great to see it under daylight conditions.
That is a fantastic diorama, love all those little details everywhere… and the creator is always his own greatest critic, we can always find things that we might have done slightley different… but this is just great…
Chris this is a stunning piece of story telling. Its spectacular. To be fair, there are to many amazing little details that make it a 100% real to mention here. With each new look, you find a few more hidden little gems you had missed before.
There are stories within stories here, each adding to the whole picture and where you are taking it. The whole scene holds you , and draws you around, never letting up. The painting, weathering and finishing are without fault, when you consider just how big this is - So did you a few very very obscure areas ? maybe. Does it matter ? Not one iota … The layout and way the scene is set up talk volumes … Brilliant craftsmanship
I agree with the others. This is a wonderful and well thought out diorama with a lot going on. Last night, I spent about 30 minutes looking at your pictures and examining various details. Almost every square inch of the space has something interesting going on, yet it does not look busy for the sake of being busy. As a work of art with a worthy story to tell, it will make an excellent public display.
Beautiful. As mentioned, the layers are wonderful. Just some of my favs are the rusty dumpster, the ac unit fans, the ventilation duct, the gas bottles, and the life, and again as mentioned, there is something everywhere.
really nice of you to say
