Diorama in the making

[Alfadas]

Hello everyone,

I'm making a kinda large Diorama at the moment. It's going to be 4 48x48 baseplates big (for now, I might make it bigger when this is done). I don't have a lot of experience with making large MOCs, so any help is appreciated. For now I'm working on 2 of the baseplates to make a sort of mountain/cliff area, with either a watchtower or fortified barracks on top, not sure yet. But as of now, I don't have a lot. I'm going to post updates here, not regularly because it's probably going to take a few years to finish (I need to save up for a long time if I want to buy new bricks, so yeah).

Anyway, here is the start:

Here is some rockwork, I am happy with how it looks.

And here is how everything is supported. It is pretty sturdy. But if you guys have tips/ideas on how to make this better, I'd be more then happy to hear them!

And this is the 2 baseplates I was talking about. The black minifigbases are where the path is going, just as a reminder.

Anyway, hope you like it so far, and I hope it's interesting to watch an average MOCer build something this big

Edited July 8, 2016 by Alfadas

[BrickCurve]

Looking good so far, I look forward to see the finished product! Adding some smaller slopes to the rock work will really improve it, though I have a feeling that you know that already!

[Suproc]

One recommendation I would give is that it feels a little too similar. I see your entire bottom layer is all comprised of the same slopes. I would try mixing that up. Use some smaller ones, big ones, heck I would even use an actual brick every once in a while.

Another thing that might help you out is that currently all your slopes face the same way. You could try mixing them around and get some to face one way, some to face another. Then use slopes and cheeses to hide some of the flat part away. But even in real life, a lot of rocks and cliffs have plenty of flatness.

Maybe you know this already but if you're using the inside as supports then you can use whatever colors you want and that would save you money. I mean only you would ever know that there's red and yellow or what have you hidden inside.

[Alfadas]

Allright, thanks! I can make some changes to the existing part, to indeed turn some slopes around. And use some normal bricks.

As for the inside, yeah I know, but I'm not going to use those bricks anywhere else (as far as I know now). But further support is going to be other bricks.

Thanks again, some really useful tips there!

[Alfadas]

So, I decided to change a couple of things in the rockwork, and I think it looks better this way.

And a picture from the side, showing some slopes facing the other way.

That's the progress so far, once again I hope you like it!

Edited July 11, 2016 by Alfadas

[Gunman]

Rockwork profile looking good Alfadas... keep it up

[TitusV]

Your rockwork improved a lot! Looking forward to what this will lead!

[BrickCurve]

The rock work looks much better, a lot more natural looking.

[Alfadas]

Good to hear that you all like it!

[bricklover]

I love it! Have fun building!

[Alfadas]

Thanks! Well, if I didn't have fun building, I wouldn't do it

[Alfadas]

Just a small update this time, the cliff on the first baseplate is done. As you can see the cliff starts to drop in height. At the end of the 2nd baseplate the cliff is gone, so the minifigs can easily go to the top of the cliff.

Don't mind the 2x4 on the front row connecting the baseplates, it's not permanent, just there to hold them in place for now.

Stay tuned for more updates

Edited July 22, 2016 by Alfadas

[Mr Greeble]

This is looking good! I hate doing rockwork...

[BrickCurve]

One thing for the latest update, the 1 brick drop between the levels as it goes down is a bit much, using plates and / or slopes would improve it a lot.

[Alfadas]

This is looking good! I hate doing rockwork...

Yeah, I've gotten a lot more respect for builders who do stuff like this in every build, but a lot bigger/better. Man, it's a pain to get it right.

One thing for the latest update, the 1 brick drop between the levels as it goes down is a bit much, using plates and / or slopes would improve it a lot.

Good point, will be updated!

[Alfadas]

A rather big update, the cliff-wall thing is done. I also started working on the pathway to the top of the cliff, but here is where I need to start buying bricks (mostly plates). So it might be a while for the next update.

Please don't mind the giant mess that is my workspace... I listened to your advice and used some slopes to make it look smoother.

As you can see this is only the cliff on the first baseplate, the cliff on the second baseplate will be the next picture.

Again, please ignore the mess.

Here is the beginning off the path. I apologize for the dusty bricks (haven't used them in a while)

And a minifig point of view, looking at the cliff.

The 48x48 baseplates are going to be covered up by brown/blue plates (yes, I am planning to make a river)

Hope you like this update, as I said it might be a while for the next update. As always, constructive criticism is welcome.

[Rotundus]

Just an engineering thought... If the back wall isn't going to serve a scenic purpose you could use brick columns to support just a few rows of (longer) bricks at the top. LEGO bricks are quite strong and can support much more weight than might appear to be the case. Make sure you have a stout corner structure, then with only a couple of reasonably spaced columns you can remove as much as, maybe, 70% of the bricks from that big gray slab. Not only would you save some cash, but you would also save a lot of weight. It would also allow for excellent interior access to any "play" features inside the mountain, if any. The same can go for any purely interior walls.

Switching gears... I like how your rock cliff is evolving. It reminds me of the Bookshelf mountains in southern Utah state.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Rotundus

[Alfadas]

Just an engineering thought... If the back wall isn't going to serve a scenic purpose you could use brick columns to support just a few rows of (longer) bricks at the top. LEGO bricks are quite strong and can support much more weight than might appear to be the case. Make sure you have a stout corner structure, then with only a couple of reasonably spaced columns you can remove as much as, maybe, 70% of the bricks from that big gray slab. Not only would you save some cash, but you would also save a lot of weight. It would also allow for excellent interior access to any "play" features inside the mountain, if any. The same can go for any purely interior walls.

Switching gears... I like how your rock cliff is evolving. It reminds me of the Bookshelf mountains in southern Utah state.

Not sure if I understand it correctly, but if I do that would mean to take everything I have apart and rebuild it. And the front part of the big grey slab supports the cliff. But I might do it, because I am not too happy with how sturdy the highest parts of the cliffs are... And an area under the cliff might be cool, for dwarves to mine or something like that. But I'm not sure how to make everything sturdy enough and still look good from the inside...

Anyway, thanks for the feedback, you just gave me a lot more to think about

Edit: Can a mod please add "Pic heavy" or something like that in the title? A lot more pictures will be added in this thread.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Alfadas

[Alfadas]

So, I did some work in LDD, to try to understand what Rotundus meant, and I think I have something decent.

Is this what you meant? I didn't take the graduate downslope in consideration, but IRL that would be something I edit, this is just the basic idea. The big grey wall is there to hide the supports under the rockwork, and I might add some slopes to the other side of the wall as well. The pillars are kinda basic now, but also that can change.

Is this what you had in mind, Rotundus? If so, I think I could make it work, if not then what do you mean?

[BrickCurve]

The cliff is looking excellent! Perhaps, adding some cutouts in the grey wall at the back would allow for some storytelling elements to be added there as well, perhaps even a micro scale version of the entire diorama could be added inside a cut out! Perhaps a little ambitious though...

[Alfadas]

The cliff is looking excellent! Perhaps, adding some cutouts in the grey wall at the back would allow for some storytelling elements to be added there as well, perhaps even a micro scale version of the entire diorama could be added inside a cut out! Perhaps a little ambitious though...

Well, if you check the picture above your post, I already tried to improve the back. And micro MOCs are not something I'm good at

Anyway, I've designed a house, but it's not finished yet. I just need you guys opinion about something, do I do it with brown or tan window?

Brown window

Tan window

What should I go for? And should I make the windows a bit lower?

[BrickCurve]

Well, if you check the picture above your post, I already tried to improve the back. And micro MOCs are not something I'm good at

Anyway, I've designed a house, but it's not finished yet. I just need you guys opinion about something, do I do it with brown or tan window?

What should I go for? And should I make the windows a bit lower?

The brown window I think. Actually, as well as the brown window, if you lowered the windows by one plate and then made the window frames black, that would allow you to have the strip uninterrupted by the wind frame.

[Alfadas]

The brown window I think. Actually, as well as the brown window, if you lowered the windows by one plate and then made the window frames black, that would allow you to have the strip uninterrupted by the wind frame.

You mean something like this?

[BrickCurve]

You mean something like this?

Yes, that more or less what I meant. I think the 1 x 4 plate above the brown arch would also look better in brown. Some 1 x 1 round plates built into the walls for extra detailing and texture rather than having the entire thing rather flat, would look great as well. Edited July 31, 2016 by BrickCurve

[Alfadas]

Yes, that more or less what I meant. I think the 1 x 4 plate above the brown arch would also look better in brown. Some 1 x 1 round plates built into the walls for extra detailing and texture rather than having the entire thing rather flat, would look great as well.

I can work with that, thanks for the help/tips!