Sergio Leone Movie Set Diorama
Re: Sergio Leone Movie Set Diorama
I hope that you guys don't mind me just posting pictures of my recent progress on this diorama.I am doing this in the spirit of "a picture is worth a thousand words".Most of this is plain old woodworking and there isn't really much to add.All of the building techniques I use I have covered before and will add again in my upcoming online book.If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.Your input is very important to me.
Recently I was given a great idea for the old west diorama that I am working on now, that will add a whole new dimension to the piece.Old west = ghost town right ? Old movie sets have much the same feeling about them,and this diorama will be no exception,it will have its resident ghost too. Everything is there except the actors.Imagine the feeling of being alone on a set such as this after everyone has gone home !
The figure will be set in the shadows painted an iridescent white .The figure is already in a nice pose just quietly standing there and fits right in with the fantasy nature of this piece.This is where the art of storytelling really comes into the picture.
Recently I was given a great idea for the old west diorama that I am working on now, that will add a whole new dimension to the piece.Old west = ghost town right ? Old movie sets have much the same feeling about them,and this diorama will be no exception,it will have its resident ghost too. Everything is there except the actors.Imagine the feeling of being alone on a set such as this after everyone has gone home !
The figure will be set in the shadows painted an iridescent white .The figure is already in a nice pose just quietly standing there and fits right in with the fantasy nature of this piece.This is where the art of storytelling really comes into the picture.
Re: Sergio Leone Movie Set Diorama
Here is a better pic of the rail car/passenger station with the shack built over the top.This is the station from "Cattle Corner" depicted in the opening gunfight scene in the movie.I presume that it was built as a temporary station, as the railway was being pushed through the area, or it was just a cattle station that happened to sell tickets and pickup and drop off passengers until a real station could be built.The railway tie platform was obviously built for cattle and not human traffic.
The" Sweetwater Station" is just newly built and would handle the regular passenger traffic for the area although cattle were also loaded and unloaded there as well.
The whole Cattle Corner thing is special and very unique to this film ,I believe that it was built to symbolize the new ways taking over the old.A station in transition and soon to be replaced by something completely new.
The" Sweetwater Station" is just newly built and would handle the regular passenger traffic for the area although cattle were also loaded and unloaded there as well.
The whole Cattle Corner thing is special and very unique to this film ,I believe that it was built to symbolize the new ways taking over the old.A station in transition and soon to be replaced by something completely new.
Re: Sergio Leone Movie Set Diorama
And it is simple to use,just brush or sponge it on the surface to be painted and the cracks just appear.The thicker the application of paint the smaller the cracks.For the barnsiding look use Silverwood stain as an undercoat.Individual flakes can be picked off using an xacto knife,tape or gentle knife scrapping .The jury is still out in regard to using this technique on plastic but I will keep you guys informed after further experimentation.
Re: Sergio Leone Movie Set Diorama
The look that I am trying to achieve here is a bleached, sun baked surface that may have seen some rain sometime in the past.The nail or screw holes were made with a sharp needle in a pattern that indicates some kind of framing structure beneath.I deliberately did not line them up in rows like rivets.I want it to look like it was done by a human hand not machines.
After punching in the holes I came back with a sharp HB graphite pencil and twisted a little graphite into each hole to create a nail or screw head.The graphite works well as it has a slight shine to it like it was metal.
I then took some very watery raw umber and with a bristle toothbrush I flicked on a spray of paint to look like crud ,mud or fly sh.t etc...Then with a small round brush and some very watery burnt sienna I touched every nail head and the wood swelled back to level again and soaked up a little rust staining.Try to be subtle when using this technique.Now I will do a little shading with chalk pastels in all the nooks and crannys.I do all my old barnsiding the same way using birch coffee sticks or tongue depressors.Do not seal the wood prior to painting.
This is a long tedious process but I think that it is worth the effort in the end.
After punching in the holes I came back with a sharp HB graphite pencil and twisted a little graphite into each hole to create a nail or screw head.The graphite works well as it has a slight shine to it like it was metal.
I then took some very watery raw umber and with a bristle toothbrush I flicked on a spray of paint to look like crud ,mud or fly sh.t etc...Then with a small round brush and some very watery burnt sienna I touched every nail head and the wood swelled back to level again and soaked up a little rust staining.Try to be subtle when using this technique.Now I will do a little shading with chalk pastels in all the nooks and crannys.I do all my old barnsiding the same way using birch coffee sticks or tongue depressors.Do not seal the wood prior to painting.
This is a long tedious process but I think that it is worth the effort in the end.