Sherman Alamein - (READY!!!!!!)

Fantastic work and set-up, weathering of tank is exceptional.

J

Well done Noel! Great modelling

Tancred

Since you like constructive criticism...

I would have avoided painting the uniforms in EXACTLY the same tone. I think uniforms especially in harsh desert conditions would have faded and weathered differently. Remember they dont have Dixan or Coccolino over there

The uniforms look a bit shiny (all the figure does but i like the effect on the skin looks like sweat...)

Love the bullet holes in the sacks...very realistic!

Great piece (though as a fan of your work I would like to see a change in your style of vignettes. I think they are all very similar to each other in layout. Maybe you could think of something different for your next piece...)

Dottore

Very nice job Noel

Since you like constructive criticism...

I would have avoided painting the uniforms in EXACTLY the same tone. I think uniforms especially in harsh desert conditions would have faded and weathered differently. Remember they dont have Dixan or Coccolino over there

The uniforms look a bit shiny (all the figure does but i like the effect on the skin looks like sweat...)

Love the bullet holes in the sacks...very realistic!

Great piece (though as a fan of your work I would like to see a change in your style of vignettes. I think they are all very similar to each other in layout. Maybe you could think of something different for your next piece...)

Dottore

EXACTLY the same tone: You are right.......... I took no steps to avoid it.

The uniforms look a bit shiny: The lights brought out the shine. I noticed it too. I'll try to give a matt varnish to reduce the reflection

I think they are all very similar to each other in layout. Maybe you could think of something different for your next piece.: Yeh! I know! It's my style and it's showing!!! At the moment I wish to build a collection so I have to keep things simple. I prefer to keep simple and build more that dramatic and takes longer.

Strong messages dont require complex scenes....

Theres a ?French modeller who builds scratch ships (mostly sinking) ...(name Ivan help?)who achieves really strong scenes with a portion of a sinking ship and a single figure....

For example I once saw u vignette...where a tanker was bat in hand peeping under the tank looking for a cat...while the cat was on the hull looking at himn...u humouristic and effective vignette which is clearly much simpler than your piece to execute...its the idea that counts!

Just my 2c on the subject as I dont even do terrain ahahah

Dottore

Great work and excellent set up. I agree that the uniforms look a bit shiny but it could be the lights.

Dottore wrote:Since you like constructive criticism...

I would have avoided painting the uniforms in EXACTLY the same tone. I think uniforms especially in harsh desert conditions would have faded and weathered differently. Remember they dont have Dixan or Coccolino over there

The uniforms look a bit shiny (all the figure does but i like the effect on the skin looks like sweat...)

Love the bullet holes in the sacks...very realistic!

Great piece (though as a fan of your work I would like to see a change in your style of vignettes. I think they are all very similar to each other in layout. Maybe you could think of something different for your next piece...)

Dottore

I'm SERIOUS Doc.......I'm impressed by your constructive scrutiny and you know that I don't chew much up before I spit it out, so you know that I'm really serious!!! Brilliant points and valid 101%

@ Noel.....I'm SERIOUS as well.......GREAT work as always, only marred a bit by Doc's BRILLIANT & VALID POINTERS

If you're using Vallejo's......you're going to end up with that unwanted SHEEN!! Andrea's is a much SAFER bet without having to worry about a MATT varnish afterwards

Noel if I may add my 2c worth please . Being the AFV IGNORANT that I am, why is the Sherman coming from behind the MG nest, why are the British Soldiers so relaxed? I mean was the MG nest taken before the Sherman arrived, or it happened at the same time ?

Keep up the great work no matter what

Ray

Maybe the sherman was part of a pincer movement or a flanking manouver

i like it Noel, the execution is really great except for the slight sheen on the uniforms. they are more obvious because they are next to the really matt tank. I think that although Doc's points are valid, so are yours.

Dejjattuli ic cirimella!!

This morning I gave a Matt varnish to the uniform. Close up photos sometimes revel imperfections.......... is close up photography a grace or a curse?

@ Noel if I may add my 2c worth please . Being the AFV IGNORANT that I am, why is the Sherman coming from behind the MG nest, why are the British Soldiers so relaxed? I mean was the MG nest taken before the Sherman arrived, or it happened at the same time ? : Ray.....I hope you can understand that the battle is over!! Sometimes battles lasted for a hour or less or more! I think it looks obvious that the infantry are casually walking and exhausted after a battle.
I think it's obvious that the other guy is not walking but guarding or having a break next to the MG nest.
Ray, are there orders in a battle field that everyone has to face the enemy at all times?
Ray, I don't know at what precise moment the MG nest was taken. It was probably overrun by the advancing elements.

The scene portrays a moment after a battle. Not much to tell. A tank happened to park next to an MG nest and infantry are walking by....... what's so difficult! I still love you!

@ Thanks Brian
@ THanks J. Fenech
@ Thanks Tiny
@ Thanks Doc
@ Thanks Tancred
@ Thanks Luke
@ Joseph

Strong messages dont require complex scenes....

Theres a ?French modeller who builds scratch ships (mostly sinking) ...(name Ivan help?)who achieves really strong scenes with a portion of a sinking ship and a single figure....

For example I once saw u vignette...where a tanker was bat in hand peeping under the tank looking for a cat...while the cat was on the hull looking at himn...u humouristic and effective vignette which is clearly much simpler than your piece to execute...its the idea that counts!

Just my 2c on the subject as I dont even do terrain ahahah

Dottore

I don't necessarily try to create such scenes however interesting they may be. One may call my work boring but I enjoy what I do. Because I want to build more than try to create animated scenes, I try to use stock figures and try to stay away from conversions to save time. I mainily build for magazines and this type of settings are ok for mags!

Regards
Noel

Morn Noel.....I gotch it now

Ray

Way to go Noel, This is a hobby, you have to make sure that you are enjoying what you do. That is why i will NEVER again build for competition. I learned the lesson the hard way. I build for myself and not for the judges. Keep on producing your great stuff and show it to us. I like it!!

bcauchi wrote:Way to go Noel, This is a hobby, you have to make sure that you are enjoying what you do. That is why i will NEVER again build for competition. I learned the lesson the hard way. I build for myself and not for the judges. Keep on producing your great stuff and show it to us. I like it!!

brian you are right about one thing, you build for your own gratification and not for the judges BUT i beg to differ as regards to entering competitions, i for one feel hard done as most other members who entered the afv classes at euro last year BUT that will not keep me from trying again and again on the contrary it will only strengthen my resolve. are we forgetting the two best of show by louis, the best of classes by joseph, philip, ray not to mention myself and others which i seem to have forgotten at ipms uk. are we forgetting the inumerable awards at euro this year and other years including golds and silvers in abbundance, are we forgetting the diverse american and expo awards and the most recent success at csms catania. its true judges can be biased but so are we. as i said it hurts but like a good boxer you get up after a knockdown and fight again

OR MAYBE IS IT THAT IM A STUBBORN OLD MULE

alex wrote:

bcauchi wrote:Way to go Noel, This is a hobby, you have to make sure that you are enjoying what you do. That is why i will NEVER again build for competition. I learned the lesson the hard way. I build for myself and not for the judges. Keep on producing your great stuff and show it to us. I like it!!

brian you are right about one thing, you build for your own gratification and not for the judges BUT i beg to differ as regards to entering competitions, i for one feel hard done as most other members who entered the afv classes at euro last year BUT that will not keep me from trying again and again on the contrary it will only strengthen my resolve. are we forgetting the two best of show by louis, the best of classes by joseph, philip, ray not to mention myself and others which i seem to have forgotten at ipms uk. are we forgetting the inumerable awards at euro this year and other years including golds and silvers in abbundance, are we forgetting the diverse american and expo awards and the most recent success at csms catania. its true judges can be biased but so are we. as i said it hurts but like a good boxer you get up after a knockdown and fight again

OR MAYBE IS IT THAT IM A STUBBORN OLD MULE

ALEX.......SPOKEN like the true SSM BROTHER you are
Adding Marco Portelli (God Bless his soul RIP), Marco Borg, Ivan, Mario Mizzi, Mario Brincat......all Past IPMS Class and Category Winners......sorry if I forgot anyone like Alex

Brian......you can still ENJOY (Alex's word...gratification) your MODELLING and enter competitions alike as long as, and I repeat, as long as entering competitions and trying to win awards DOES NOT TAKE THE FUN OUT OF YOUR MODELLING. You're right in telling Noel what you told him, but you should have added "Noel, if you're building for your own fun, then don't cry over spilled milk after Euro "

But again, that is what I think is right to do , like Alex thinks is right to do ["as i said it hurts but like a good boxer you get up after a knockdown and fight again"], and it may not be what you or Noel thinks is right so Vive Le Difference

Brian, by the way......the plural of LEARN is LEARNT not LEARNED
Xi pjacir kemm inhobbkhom Huti fl-Armi tal-SSM

Ray

That's why i love this forum, you even get to learn your English and you are right Ray. It is learnt. As for entering competition, everyone is entitled to his own opinion. So build on guys and have fun, that is what its all about. I did not know that Noel participates in Euro and then disappoints himself if he does not do well. In that case, you are right once again.

bcauchi wrote:That's why i love this forum, you even get to learn your English and you are right Ray. It is learnt. As for entering competition, everyone is entitled to his own opinion. So build on guys and have fun, that is what its all about. I did not know that Noel participates in Euro and then disappoints himself if he does not do well. In that case, you are right once again.

Brian my DEAR SSM BROTHER you really are a great SPORT.....I LOVE you mate like I do to ALL, that is why I dare to pull your legs from time to time

Re Noel, you should look on the thread he started re awards at Euro, and it is further down in the "past competions" something like that titled "MY VIEW of JUDGING at EURO " now that is a great chance to increase your tally of posts mate........go, go, go

Brian, I had a peep at that thread and you already answered him there

Ray

I will check out that thread again. By the way I just realised (better late than never!) that the only best in show i can ever achieve in on this forum and even that is a hell of a long way off. Cheers mate!

Sorry guys but I think you misunderstood the whole concept, building a diorama with a story is not a concept evolved for Euro judging or any other competition. Dioramas as they are nowadays have evolved by the master mind of Shep Paine, and dioramas he was the guy who created the concept of story telling and interactive to the viewer with a message and if you study the great works of Bill Horan, Numitone and Cartacci, Mig, Marijn van Gils, Doug Cohen, Douglas Lee [some of the best diorama builders after Shep] etc etc still cerish this concept and ideas.

It is true anyone likes to built as he likes and feel happy with, but this is like a football match there is a system ... going back to building for judges, please tell me if any of you have any idea to create a diorama that you are surely going to please all the world judges with it's message ...

Ivan

Ray wrote:

alex wrote:

bcauchi wrote:Way to go Noel, This is a hobby, you have to make sure that you are enjoying what you do. That is why i will NEVER again build for competition. I learned the lesson the hard way. I build for myself and not for the judges. Keep on producing your great stuff and show it to us. I like it!!

brian you are right about one thing, you build for your own gratification and not for the judges BUT i beg to differ as regards to entering competitions, i for one feel hard done as most other members who entered the afv classes at euro last year BUT that will not keep me from trying again and again on the contrary it will only strengthen my resolve. are we forgetting the two best of show by louis, the best of classes by joseph, philip, ray not to mention myself and others which i seem to have forgotten at ipms uk. are we forgetting the inumerable awards at euro this year and other years including golds and silvers in abbundance, are we forgetting the diverse american and expo awards and the most recent success at csms catania. its true judges can be biased but so are we. as i said it hurts but like a good boxer you get up after a knockdown and fight again

OR MAYBE IS IT THAT IM A STUBBORN OLD MULE

ALEX.......SPOKEN like the true SSM BROTHER you are
Adding Marco Portelli (God Bless his soul RIP), Marco Borg, Ivan, Mario Mizzi, Mario Brincat......all Past IPMS Class and Category Winners......sorry if I forgot anyone like Alex

Brian......you can still ENJOY (Alex's word...gratification) your MODELLING and enter competitions alike as long as, and I repeat, as long as entering competitions and trying to win awards DOES NOT TAKE THE FUN OUT OF YOUR MODELLING. You're right in telling Noel what you told him, but you should have added "Noel, if you're building for your own fun, then don't cry over spilled milk after Euro "

But again, that is what I think is right to do , like Alex thinks is right to do ["as i said it hurts but like a good boxer you get up after a knockdown and fight again"], and it may not be what you or Noel thinks is right so Vive Le Difference

Brian, by the way......the plural of LEARN is LEARNT not LEARNED
Xi pjacir kemm inhobbkhom Huti fl-Armi tal-SSM

Ray

Is it not BETTER that you keep painting instead of correcting the English language because you're not going to finish him in time or the same situation like always......PANIC in the last minute

Noel you're RIGHT, he should revise his timetable like a schoolboy

Wil

Is it not BETTER that you keep painting instead of correcting the English language because you're not going to finish him in time or the same situation like always......PANIC in the last minute

Noel you're RIGHT, he should revise his timetable like a schoolboy

Wil [/quote]

EJJA CAQLAQ RAY RAJTU X QALLEK IN NEPUTI, HAFFEF U FITTEX LESTI



P.S. I APOLOGISE FOR THOSE WHOM I FAILED TO MENTION IN MY EARLIER POSTS

You're right in telling Noel what you told him, but you should have added "Noel, if you're building for your own fun, then don't cry over spilled milk after Euro "

I have to answer this! What you just said above is totally wrong!!!!!

What do you mean by "Noel, if you're building for your own fun, then don't cry over spilled milk after Euro "

You show that you didn't even understand me!! Just because someone complains at a judging system does not mean that he is crying!!!!! Please correct!

In short this is what I think:

a) I build for myself because I really enjoy building models. Building for yourself does not mean you are compromising quality. Building for yourself does not mean you are not building award winning work. Building for yourself or entering competitions is an opinion.

b) My dioramas entered at Euro had potential to win. When I see works that are obvious of a much less standard than mine I discussed it. YOU INTERPRETED IT AS CRYING!

c) If I have the money to go to Euro every year I'm sure that I'll get a high award sooner or later. What pisses me off is that you have to keep going to Euro untill you find a judge that loves your work!!!! SORRY THAT IS NOT GOOD JUDGING!! THAT IS TIME AND MONEY WASTING!!!!!!

d) Go to my topic again and see and study the other diorama that got a COMMENDED! See for yourself that it defies all that is said about winning an award!!
You need to have a story! I saw no stories in the many awards given.

e) My attention to detail in the dioramas entered was of a high standard but it went unnoticed!

RAY IF YOU THINK I CRIED BECAUSE I DID NOT GET AN AWARD YOU ARE HUGULY MISTAKEN.

Noel,

Are you bringing your dio to the club tomorrow? Would love to look at it in person!


PS.
I would like to see you take the discussion about judging and Euro face to face to avoid the biggest issue on the internet. Misinterpretation!


/Tiny

Noel MY HUMBLE APOLOGIES but I just wanted to set you on fire and I managed it

If you see how I answered you on that thread you know that I (and everyone else) gave you reason to sell about the way you felt as I together with ALL who competed in past Euros and other big expos have been there in your shoes and will be there again in your shoes in the future for sure

As I told you, HONESTLY I just wanted to set you on fire, the way we interact in real life, but if you find my posts insultive or abusive just say so and I'll DELETE them no problem at all without any LOVE lost between us

Ray