WIP Motel Sign

[Garethm]

Along with box dioramas I want to focus on building very simple scenes on compact bases. I think focusing on building a tight composition on a limited amount of space is in general a good practice.

I've been taking apart old trophies with the intent of using the wooden bases for my dioramas.

I want to go for a film noir vibe, and I think building the scene around an old motel sign could be a fun idea. I found this name plate on an old sewing machine and it gave me an idea.

After seeing that the name plate was simply a piece of stamped sheet metal, I realized that I could use that as a mould to make my own sign.

After a couple failed attempts I settled on using green stuff pressed onto a piece of styrene that I'd cut into shape.

I'm gonna have a go at stenciling in my own lettering. We'll see how that turns out.

I'm plan to use these two figures.

 

[Nap]

Hi Gareth

Good to see what your working on , interesting idea as well

Like the recycling here as well

Intrigued ref the figures , scale etc ...how are you making them , looks like a corpse wrapped up and the other has a spade ......suspicion here ..lol

What's your story here ?

Following with interest

Looking forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Garethm]

The figures are 1:32 scale. I aim for 1:35, but always wind up making them a little bigger. I sculpt the body from milliput, and the heads from miliput fine white. The clothes are mostly a blend of milliput fine and green stuff that I spread over the body in layers. Maybe I'll start a thread when I start an upcoming project to show what I've been doing. The cadaver is really just a wire skeleton filled out with milliput and rolled in a green stuff carpet. All my shoes are frome 1:35 figures that I've demilitarized.

I'm going for a film noir kind of scene. It's gonna look a little run down. A movable letter sign will say it's closed for the season. I feel like a motel on a lonely highway is a good setting. It works for the Postman Always Rings Twice, The Killers, Detour and countless other classic crime movies. The figure will be facing away from the body, about to dig a hole. I'm not sure what pattern to paint his suit in. I'm considering doing another plaid pattern, or maybe some kind of stripes. I copied the suit from an ad I saw in a 1956 issue of the Saturday Morning Post. I might look through some old magazines and catalogues for some ideas. I also have a book of Scottish tartans that might help. Some of those look like they could be just as likely worn by a button man or a couch.

 

[Larsen E. Whipsnade]

A very ambitious and fascinating undertaking (no pun intended... well maybe). Looking forward to seeing more.
Rick

 

[Nap]

Hi Gareth

Thanks for the detailed response , well done on the figures ....tartan !! ....enjoy ...lol

Look forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[NigelR]

Very imaginative as always