30 replies to this topic

[Adrift]

Here is a copy of my entry in the Halloween Diorama contest along with some photos of the 'early work' I put into the minis, etc. This was my first ever diorama, and the first time I'd ever made a tree (Hangman's Tree-chokes victims with willow-like branches), made a fence, sculpted scarecrow hair, a jack-o-lantern, fire, pumpkins, pumpkin vines, pumpkin leaves, or creepy surface tree roots. I figure future projects will give me lots of room for improvement.

In the first pictures, you can see the originals from the Reaper Store of the Grave Horror and Blackjack, both of whom I used and modified into a Pumpkin Patch Golem and a Scarecrow. Subsequent photos show my modifications to both, as well as the pictures of my diorama.

Dioramas aren't easy. Taking photos of dioramas, especially when your scene is trying to be a night time-moonlit scene is even more challenging. Just goes to show, there's always lots to learn.

C&C always welcome.

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[Adrift]

Oh and special thanks to Derek Schubert for crafting three different spellcaster options on the Hellborn Mage, seeing as how the staff became the scarecrow's pole.

The hat comes from one of the Reaper hat packs.

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[buglips*the*goblin]

Most excellent!

[recruittons]

... I'm doomed. It's too good! Stop with the skillful execution of fantastic concepts, ya joker.

But seriously, it's gorgeous.

[zoroaster100]

Awesome! I especially like the OSL effects, including the reflections on the pumpkins further away on the ground. The first picture especially looks like nighttime with eery firelight lighting from the flaming pumpkin.

[TheBucklandBrewer]

Fantastic use of figures! Love the conversions and how the colors turned out, especially the green flames and spots on the orange pumpkins!!
Very nice pumpkin-sculpting in the scenery aswell! Awesome!

[Caffiene]

Yeah, moonlight is tough... Hard shadows, directional lighting, and not much colour. Not easy to set up the lighting. The grainy background (carpet?) probably isnt helping, it would probably be better on something black.

It really calls out for some photoshopping. Pity about the rules :P

Great entry, though. My first thought isnt to look at the paint, but trying to search for clues to find out the "secret" of what is going on. Which is a great sign - the story of it sucked me in.

[ObsidianCrane]

Awesome work Adrift!

[Adrift]

Awesome! I especially like the OSL effects, including the reflections on the pumpkins further away on the ground. The first picture especially looks like nighttime with eery firelight lighting from the flaming pumpkin.

Ok cool, at least one shot came out as desired then.
I figure in like 2 years I'll have a better idea on the use of lighting and photography to make things work right. I swear it's like 90% of us struggle with proper photography.

Fantastic use of figures! Love the conversions and how the colors turned out, especially the green flames and spots on the orange pumpkins!!
Very nice pumpkin-sculpting in the scenery aswell! Awesome!

Thanks. OSL is something I've really wanted to get better at and I'm glad to know that I'm headed in the right direction. I'm quite proud of the OSL I have extending back along his fingers, which I'm sad to say none of my 4 shots really do justice. The limit was 4 shots on the diorama competition so I went with these 4 as the most inclusive.

Yeah, moonlight is tough... Hard shadows, directional lighting, and not much colour. Not easy to set up the lighting. The grainy background (carpet?) probably isnt helping, it would probably be better on something black.

It really calls out for some photoshopping. Pity about the rules :P

Great entry, though. My first thought isnt to look at the paint, but trying to search for clues to find out the "secret" of what is going on. Which is a great sign - the story of it sucked me in.

Glad to know the story helps the entry. What's cool about the Grave Horror (a surprisingly challenging mini to paint) is it has lots of bones littering it's 'hide'. I wanted the scene to make people wonder 'where' the druid was in death. Are his bones/spirit tied up in the Pumpkin Patch Golem? Is he the scarecrow? Did his body succumb to the Hangman's Tree?

One of those, assess the threat type of situations.

[MiniCannuck]

Wow. Great job. I really like the shadow work you did. I also like the practicality of how you based your models separately so that they can be used for other things later. The bases blend in very well.

[Adrift]

You'd better believe that I made these minis detachable! I'm a DM roughly 99% of the time for my group and you know my players are going to face a scenario like this in the future!

[Atramagus]

Awesome work... sooo jealous hehe. I do love the modular design as well... I'm going to have to do something similar for any dioramas I make.

[TaleSpinner]

Wonderful! I love the dynamic feel you put into this piece. What I especially like is that you made the pumpkin monster look sad, like he's being forced into servitude or something.

Andy

[Adrift]

Exactly!!!

I polled my friends when I was getting ready to sculpt the jack-o-lantern face and the consensus was to use a sad face! They felt like a sad face, much like a sad faced clown, is far spookier than an angry face.

[Mercius]

Awesome job man!