# HO Diorama for my Office



## jcanfield (Feb 28, 2011)

Well currently I don't have room for a layout, so I have started messing with making dioramas to learn about detailing. This is my 2nd one and the first time that I've used plaster cloth and made mountains. I'm decently pleased but I've got a ways to go before I'll really be happy with it. Couple of really rough areas. I made this one for my office at work. Let me know what you think and feel free to give me some pointers!


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Not too bad at all!:thumbsup:
OK my critique,
Trees need to be at different levels not in a line.
Trees should be different heights Cut some of them down.
Not all the trees should be perfect with all the branches in tacked.
Some dead trees adds life, couple of stumps maybe too.
Need more ground cover in the form of brush and small plants.
Small rocks and debris.
Tunnel top should be darker, your doing the steam era and they were dirty! Same goes for your ballast dirty it up with some fine dark ballast, especially down the middle.
I'm not knocking it at all, it does look great and I know it takes a lot of work to do scenery.
I have 2 how to's on here mountain building and tunnel building that uses different materials for the mountain base to get more character out of the ground and mountain side.
Keep up the great work!


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Looks great.....I agree with NIMT's comments as well.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Another ditto to the above. Excellent diorama. I love the tunnel scene / vantage ... a great tie-in to the cab-forward steamer. Nice topography. Go with some darker weathering on the portal and the ballast, though, per comments above.

If this is your 2nd model, and the first with plaster hills, then you have a bunch of talent / potential ... hope you can push this towards bigger things!

TJ


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## jcanfield (Feb 28, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback! The trees were a variety of 4", 5", and 6" heights. Going to try to cut some of them down. Any thoughts on how to make the trees look dead? As far as color is what I'm assuming, and cutting some branches. I tried to find some trees that would match the setting but haven't gotten any yet. Good point on the portal, I'll dirty it up a bit as well.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Please post some pictures when you change it!
To make dead trees easy you can either make a tree frame out of wire or strip a premade tree. Cover with modeling clay or dip it in drywall mud to give it bark and then paint it in tones of brown to get a dryed and bleached look out of it!


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