Desert Double Diorama

07Dec
by patmcf

Well hello folks, it’s been a long time since I posted anything but that doesn’t mean I’ve been idle.   As for everyone, this year hasn’t been our best and I feel we are not out of the woods yet, but I feel everyone is soldiering on as best they can and getting a lot of modelling done.  I wasn’t affected much as I worked for a business that was deemed essential so it was work as normal, apart from a few adjustments applied by our government.

Well the big change, as some of you already know, is that I have retired from work and am selling up and moving to the countryside.  It has been very hectic, with my wife and I driving up to the country to buy the house we liked and then returning back to the city, and then last week we drove to the South Australian border to pick up the Tech adviser who has been stuck over there all year after the border was closed.  It’s good to have her back so she can take me through the new word press stuff, thus this post…ha-ha!

The news is that after this post it may be difficult to do any more as we have to pack up 25 years’ worth of accumulated junk (no not my dioramas), then get down to renovating the house so we can sell it next year.  It’s going to be a big job so modelling will be severely impacted, but maybe I can leave one little workbench to paint at, fingers crossed.

As I said I’m painting up a heap of figures for the upcoming double diorama time (it has been thought out beforehand, not halfway through as I normally do!)  If all goes to plan it will include two ships and the temple I purchased at the Warhammer shop in Ringwood some time ago and balked at painting.  However, after I used the two part resin on the Caribbean show I feel confident now to use it on this one and use the same method for the placement of the ships.   As you can see by the plans above I won’t be building the diorama in Melbourne, it will have to wait until I have set myself up in the new shed  … oh yes there had to be a big shed for me as the new house is smaller and so I won’t get that big room I have enjoyed here!!

As you can see I will be a busy boy for the next two to three months so forgive me if I don’t get to check out all of your great work and give my humble opinions, but I will try!

I will leave you with a few photos of the figures I have been painting so you will get some idea of the theme of things to come.  Until then keep well and for those who celebrate Christmas have a merry one.  Oh, and I haven’t forgotten the eggnog Marvin!!

31 thoughts on “Desert Double Diorama”

  1. theimperfectmodeller

    Some great looking figures there Pat and as always I will look forward to seeing how your diorama progresses. Enjoy your retirement and hope the house sale and countryside move all go well for you and yours. Exciting times. Glad you got the Tech Advisor back safe and sound too. All the best.

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  3. Dave Stone

    Good luck with the renovating Pat, it always seems to take so long. Hope you have a safe move, and you all stay safe and well during this.
    Great expanse of figures already done for your latest project, I look forward to the time when you are able to show it to us all

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    1. patmcf

      Thanks Dave , packing up twenty five years of diff the hard part , being a hoarder, but buy s smaller place has forced the issue 😉, our maintenance man has been struck with health issues so the family and I will take on some of the tasks in the meantime . Hope to move into the new place in Feb so the new show won’t be March , all going to plan , so until then I have set aside a small desk for painting up the last hundred or so figures !with all that’s happened mate it will be no time before I posting , hopefully a half decent Dio 🤔

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  4. ericritter65

    Good luck with all that is going on in your life. I’m really jealous that you have been able to retire, and make the move to the countryside, and get all those figures painted! Looking forward to the finished diorama!

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    1. patmcf

      Thanks Eric , I can’t believe I’ve worked for 48 years 🤔, but yep I have been very fortunate and can retire earlier than most, and with good health I can really braver away at the modelling 🤔🤣🤣

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    1. patmcf

      Ha ha ! Thanks mate and you are so right , I don’t know if I’m Arthur or Martha 🤣🤣, I hadn’t had to pack up the computer yet but the modelling station has been greatly reduced , probably down to what and organised person would require!🤔🤓

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    1. patmcf

      Thanks Steve, retiring and moving immediately was the original plan ! So things are moving very quickly as I have get rid of 35 years of stuff that I have accumulated over the last 25 years in this abode, good for the soul though as I one of those cursed with the hoarding affliction!🤔. It’s handy to have Tech back to help out but she has admitted that she has lost the Mari Condo way she had two years ago , bugger it !

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    1. patmcf

      Thanks Pete , I am trying to keep a tiny painting table ( normal to most) going , and have kept a small selection of colours and figures aside to see me through mate , as you say a modeller does need to relax after a hard day clearing out and packing 🤔🤓

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  8. Kuribo

    That is an impressive amount of miniatures you’ve been working on and I like the blues and reds you’ve chosen. They should look very striking when you get them all together among some scenery 🙂 Congrats on retirement and good luck on your housing projects. I can believe that it will keep you quite busy!

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    1. patmcf

      Thank matey ! I do try to stick with the colours I feel fit with the Ancient world and what I feel are Desert colours, very much like I used on the Mummies one ( this is going to be a bit like it colour wise , but with the blue sea it will be a bit different 🤔.

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  9. patmcf

    Oh I meant to say I’m yet to reply to TIM post ( got distracted) whet you questioned his music🤔, it was great to see the sparring going on between you two , love it the young and the old , great stuff and no animosity, that’s how it should be ! Any way I’m older than TIM and I’ll have you know that the music on my I pod ranges from Buddy Holly to right up to today , Not much of Dave’s music , only a few but heaps of today’s stuff , I’m probably lucky having the young girls exposing me to it 😉🤓

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  10. Mark A. Morin

    Pat – wonderful figure painting and I can only look forward to your diorama with baited breath! And I’m excited for you and your next chapter in life. I’m enjoying retirement and you should too. Do what you love and your days will be rewarding. Good luck with the move, and I hope you get a good sized hobby shed eventually!

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    1. patmcf

      Ha ha ! Thanks mate the shed was an essential to the house we have purchased , no shed no deal! I’m busy getting everything packed and renovating so the new project won’t be finished until I settle into the new abode but I hope you and the other folk won’t be disappointed with the long wait 🤔🤓

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  11. Ann

    Congratulations on your upcoming move. I’m sure all of the hard work will be worth it once you move and are settled in. That is quite a lot of painted figures; I’m looking forward to seeing the completed diorama.

    Liked by 2 people

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  12. Marvin

    Sorry it’s taken me so long to get to this, Pat. Main reason is that I’m in the same process as you more or less with a house move out to the country, though it doesn’t sound as big a deal as yours. I’ve got first dibs on my painting room already. Between that and work, I’m run ragged with so much to sort out! Any check-ins or figure painting shared will of course be well appreciated.

    As for the mass of figures (is there any better sight for a figure painter than a horde like this) they’re looking very nice. I really do like these figures (RedBox?) and it’s enough to tempt a move to a different topic. The final dio will look fab when it’s done!

    And I haven’t forgotten the eggnog either! 🙂

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    1. patmcf

      Thanks mate ! The problem with having a big house is that you fill it up 😳I wouldn’t be able to pack up if I was still working like yourself so I can’t complain. I have claimed the big shed on the new property for modelling so I forgo a painting room indoors 🤣🤣. As I’ve said before big hordes hide my average painting skills. Good luck with the move and we will be knocking down our eggnogs before we know it 😉🤓

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      1. Marvin

        I’m giving up my existing two sheds and the girls are already claiming the obvious garden shed space for other purposes. Outdoor painting spaces are more possible in Oz than here!

        Skills look alright to me, mate. In singles or in hordes. 🙂

        Note to self: got to order those eggs in before Brexit hits us… 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      2. patmcf

        Two sheds😳and I thought I was extravagant with one ! And you are right out door painting is ok for about eight months here. Having a break from packing the house today and trying make more transportation crates for those bloody big dioramas I made never thinking I would have to move them 🥵!👍🏻

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      3. Marvin

        Ha ha, I know!

        I’m like the old Monty Python sketch featuring Arthur “2 Sheds” Jackson.

        I didn’t buy the two sheds, they came with the property. I’m going to become Arthur ‘No Sheds’ Jackson when I move.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. deturnation

    Most impressive Pat! Really loved that mummy. Your output is stunning for me. Also great to see how you placed them already all. Ships and a temple?! You’re a goddamn madlad! I’m looking extremely forward to it.

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    1. patmcf

      Thanks matey! I’m a bit frustrated what with the move as summer like most folk and animals is the time for activity and it when I get to put all those little folk up on stage, but alas we are on the move and so this new one will delayed some what, but as there is so much going on I’m really going to restrain myself and get all the figures and ships right so as not to dis appoint you all!!

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