Reader’s Contributions August 2021 Rack Toys, we have several contributions from our readers. First, Greg Liska is up with how he saved a scrap MPC German and changed it into a new pose. Next, Jay Booth is back with an interesting conversion of Timmee figures. third, Gary Dibello shares a link to a diorama he has been working on for 20 years. I have a link to an update of the Rack Toys book.
Reader’s Contributions August 2021 Greg Liska
Jay Booth’s Conversion
Gary Dibello’s Dioarama
Gary contacted me recently telling me about several dioramas he has been working on. I think you will like them. You can see them here.
Rack Toys Book
Brian Heiler has updated his 2012 book on Rack Toys. The book looks at the various toys that were at the supermarket counters. This book looks at different toys superhero to television-related. Here is the article.
I love dioramas, so Gary Dibello’s extensive photos made a great start to the day. They are like the film stills from an epic western, and for me the real stars are the wooden buildings in an advanced state of disrepair that is not easy to depict. Also I see that the eternal problem of getting a realistic-looking water surface has been solved, and very effectively.
Thank you Stewart. And thanks to Paul and Laurie for their dedication (and 29 years of marriage = dedication, indeed, as many adults know).
These diorama photos are not meant to depict any particular battle or phase of the ACW. It is just the realization of a childhood dream.
When I was about 8 years old, I saw 1/32 diorama of the final hours of the Alamo.
In my mind I declared, “One day I shall build my own diorama!”
So… from age 36 to 56, that’s exactly what I did. Only I favored the ACW. Hollywood and TV depictions in the mind of of a kiddo.
Thanks so much to Stad’s Stuff… and Erwin , Greg, Boris, Stewart, and Detlief, etc! Their contributions are amazing and inspiring.
I eschew facebook ( Buttbook) and rely on dedicated sites like Stad’s Stuff.
I’ll sign off now. I’m hearing the faint strands of “El Deguello” in the distance…
Peace and Power from Texas….
Whoa, that’s a lot of diorama! Do you have any overhead pics to get a complete view? Is such a thing possible? Great stuff. I like the little things that make it come alive, like the turning of a head just a few degrees, making the figure look completely different. Great, great work!
Wow, Greg thanks so much! I know you do a lot of figure and vehicle conversions, so I was hoping you’d like the photos. There are actually 3 different dioramas featured. But the largest one took up my entire spare bedroom. Despite this old house having 9 foot ceilings, I could not get a complete overhead shot of it.
I agree about the turning of heads and repositioning arms, etc. When I first started converting figures, I naively thought that I was the only one doing it. Then I found Joe Carvalho’s website, and I was stunned to see many of the same ideas/paint jobs that I thought were “mine” haha!
BTW, I saw on an old post her on Stad’s Stuff where you were creating some Roman/Greek buildings for one of your set-ups. Did you ever complete that? I thought it was really cool. Thanks, again!
I agree; a great display. The more I looked the more I saw.
So many great posts and new products lately! Incredible new sculpts from unexpected sources. I like that many of the posters like Erwin Sell have so many European connections for new items…but also so knowledgeable about 50’s -60’s 70’s plastic.
Anyhow, in case Stewart wants to know… most of the buildings on the diorama are made of everyday cardboard. Although the shanty/cabin is actually made out of weathered plywood that was outside for 30 years. I just pealed off the strips and glued them to a frame. I used markers and paint washes to make the cardboard look like wood.
The “water” was easy. I got a plastic drop cloth from a store that is ‘generally a dollar”. I put the plastic over a blue towel and set my model ships on top to photograph them. The natural wrinkles give the illusion of waves.
Please continue, everyone, to post to Stad’s Stuff. It’s the one-and-only!