 |
TSSD
|
____________________________
CUSTER'S LAST STAND
A TSSD DIORAMA IN 54mm
__________________________________________
THESE AMAZING PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY JOE BAKER AT THE WEST COASTER TOY SOLDIER SHOW SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THEY HAVE BEEN TAKEN WITH A DIGITAL CAMERA, LIGHTING EFFECTS, AND ENHANCED USING A PHOTO PROGRAM.
THE DIORAMA DOES NOT CONTAIN "SKY" OR "MOUNTAINS".
EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE PHOTOS IS AS THE DIORAMA LOOKS.
THANKS JOE!!
____________________________
THIS - TO US AT TSSD - IS WHAT THE HOBBY IS ALL ABOUT - PAINTED GUYS, ACTION, CONVERSIONS, DIORAMAS, PHOTOGRAPHY, HISTORY IN MINIATURE!!
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
THE MAKING OF THE CUSTER DIORAMA
STEP BY STEP
2001 - 2002
THIS IS THE "DIORAMA" BOARD
WE WILL FOLLOW THE PROGRESS OF THE DIORAMA AS IT DEVELOPS
THIS DIORAMA WILL BE ON A 22" x 4 1/2' PLYWOOD BOARD GIVING US 8 PLUS SQUARE FEET OF "PLAYSPACE! CARRYING HANDLES ARE ATTACHED BELOW, AND TRIM IS INSTALLED AROUND THE EDGES. THE BOARD WILL FIT THROUGH DOOR OPENINGS AND ONTO ELEVATORS FOR SHOWS, ETC.
 |
WE CURRENTLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 100 MOUNTED AND 300 FOOT FIGURES BEING PREPARED AND PAINTED FOR THIS PIECE. MANY OF THE FIGURES ARE CONVERSIONS.
IN ADDITION WE HAVE DEAD HORSES, PONIES, BATTLEFIELD DEBRIS, AND ASSORTED GEAR FOR THE DIORAMA - PLUS COMPLETE LANDSCAPING.
____________________________
AS WE CONTINUE WITH THE DIORAMA BOARD PREP, WE HAVE PLACED A "DROP CLOTH" UNDER THE WORK AREA SO MRS. TSSD DOES NOT KILL ME WHEN I SPILL ON THE CARPET!
WE ARE ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING THIS UPSTAIRS, IN THE OFFICE, SO YOU CAN SEE YOU DO NOT NEED ANY SPECIAL PLACE TO MAKE THIS. YOU CAN SEE PART OF THE ALAMO DIORAMA IN THE BACKGROUND.
BELOW - WE HAVE MASKED OFF THE TRIM AROUND THE EDGE OF THE BOARD USING MY FAVORITE "TOOL" - DUCT TAPE!! WE WILL WANT TO PAINT THIS TRIM LATER - PROBABLY SILVER/PEWTER - SO WE DON'T WANT TO GET PLASTER ON IT.
 |
BELOW ON THE LEFT WE HAVE STARTED TO BUILD UP THE BATTLEFIELD SURFACE. THIS TIME AROUND WE HAVE USED LEFTOVER CARDBOARD AND CUT VARIOUS PIECES TO FIT OUR NEEDS. IN THE PAST WE HAVE USED STYROFOAM, BUT IT IS EXPENSIVE.
ON THE RIGHT WE HAVE "BUILT UP" ONE CORNER, TO GIVE SOME ELEVATION TO THE BATTLEFIELD. A HOT GLUE GUN IS USED TO GLUE THE CARDBOARD TO THE PLYWOOD.
 |
 |
BELOW LEFT IS SHOWN A ROLL OF "PLASTER CLOTH" MADE BY WOODLAND SCENICS AND AVAILABLE AT MOST HOBBY SHOPS. THIS IS A CLOTH MATERIAL THAT HAS BEEN IMPREGNATED WITH PLASTER-OF-PARIS. YOU CAN CUT IT INTO STRIPS TO FIT YOUR NEEDS. THEN IT IS DIPPED IN WATER AND PLACED ON THE BOARD. WHILE IT IS STILL WET YOU CAN SMOOTH THE PLASTER TO A NICE FINISH USING YOUR FINGERS.
ON THE RIGHT IS THE COMPLETED PLASTER PROCESS. ONCE IT HAS DRIED OVERNIGHT WE WILL PAINT IT WITH OUR BASE COLOR.
 |
 |
BELOW WE HAVE PAINTED A BASE COAT OF SCENIC PAINT - A MEDIUM TAN COLOR - OVER ALL OF THE PLASTER AREAS.
WHILE THE PAINT IS STILL WET WE SPRINKLED 2 DIFFERENT COLORS OF "TURF" ONTO THE BOARD - A "BURNT GRASS" COLOR AND ALSO MEDIUM GREEN TURF.
 |
 |
____________________________
THE DIORAMA BOARD HAS NOW BEEN MOVED TO ROOMIER QUARTERS IN THE GARAGE
IN THE FOREFRONT IS THE DIORAMA BOARD
IN THE BACKGROUND IS THE "FIGURE" BOARD
 |
THE PAINTED AND CONVERTED FIGURES HAVE ARRIVED
( ooops!! maybe we had to many painted!!?? )
 |
 |
____________________________
WE HAVE STARTED TO PLACE THE FIGURES ON THE DIORAMA BOARD - THIS TAKES A LITTLE TIME - TO SET THEM INTO A "GOOD" POSITION.
 |
 |
SINCE A DIORAMA IS A "STATIC" DISPLAY - YOU WANT TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH "ACTION" INTO THE DISPLAY TO MAKE IT AS INTERESTING AS POSSIBLE.
THIS CAN BE DONE BY MAKING SMALL "VIGNETTES" WITHIN THE DIORAMA - SMALL SCENES THAT "TELL A STORY" ABOUT THE BATTLE.
 |
WE ARE TRYING TO SHOW OUR INTERPRETATION OF THIS BATTLE - THE CONFUSION, DESPERATION, AND TOTAL TERROR - OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE.
WE WEREN'T THERE.
____________________________
HERE WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PLACE LANDSCAPE, FIGURES, AND ACCESSORIES.
 |
 |
IN ADDITION, MANY OF THE FIGURES HAVE TO BE "FITTED" WITH ARROWS OR A WAR LANCE.
 |
 |
WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE LAST REMAINING PAINTED "P & P" FIGURES TO ARRIVE FROM OVERSEAS - SO WE CAN FINISH THE DIORAMA.
____________________________
THE REMAINING 38 "P & P" PAINTED FIGURES HAVE NOT ARRIVED, SO WE HAVE COMPLETED THE DIORAMA WITHOUT THEM - BUT WE RAN OUT OF ROOM ANYWAY!!
 |
 |
CENTER OF DIORAMA ON THE LEFT LONG VIEW ON THE RIGHT
BELOW ARE SOME SCENES FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE DIORAMA
 |
 |
"LAST STAND HILL"
CUSTER ( in the center with red shirt ) FIGHTS TO THE END - ON THE LEFT
ON THE RIGHT - TROOPERS FORM SKIRMISH LINE - DOESN'T HELP
 |
 |
ON THE LEFT - INDIANS HAVE PENETRATED THE REAR POSITION
ON THE RIGHT - ALL THAT'S LEFT OF "C" TROOP
BELOW - CAPTURED GUIDON - WAR TROPHY!!
 |
"SMOKE" FOR GUNSHOTS IS MADE FROM A SMALL CLIPPING FROM A COTTON BALL - AND GLUED TO THE FRONT OF THE WEAPON BARREL.
BATTLEFIELD "SMOKE" IS BEST DONE WITH "SPIDER-WEB" COTTON - LEFTOVER FROM HALLOWEEN!!
200 ARROWS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE BATTLEFIELD, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PIECES OF BATTLEFIELD DEBRIS.
____________________________
IT CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 450 to 500 HAND PAINTED FOOT AND MOUNTED FIGURES. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE 400 ARROWS, WAR LANCES, RIFLES, KNIVES, TOMAHAWKS, PISTOLS, CANTEENS, HATS, FLAGS AND MORE.
THE FIGURES HAVE BEEN GLUED DOWN - USING A SMALL GLUE GUN - AND ALL FIGURES MAY BE EASILY REMOVED AND REPOSITIONED IF DESIRED.
THE DIORAMA DOES NOT CONTAIN "SKY" OR "MOUNTAINS".
THIS DIORAMA IS NOT FOR SALE.
____________________________
TSSD's
"THE ALAMO" DIORAMA REVISITED
 |
CLICK BELOW
_____________________________________________________________________
click here to use order form
THANK YOU FOR VISITING THIS PAGE