Jabba The Hutt Diorama (The Viewing Frame WIP)

Playing with the thickness of the grate is exactly what I meant, but evidently you have experimented with that already.

GubernatorFan wrote:Playing with the thickness of the grate is exactly what I meant, but evidently you have experimented with that already.

Yep, too thin and the slats disappear, any thicker and there wouldn’t be much light coming thru. The light has to be placed at just the right height 5 1/2” above the ceiling and a certain distance back from the opening. Crazy how it has to be so specific.

What is your plan for the ceiling? I mean, is the whole diorama going to be at eye level and are you going to be putting something on top, or would you have space to fit a light fixture (or however many), perhaps concealed, to achieve the desired effect?

Here's a rough sketch of my plan:





The entire diorama is going to be enclosed inside a cabinet that will actually be part of the "table". The table/cabinet is going to be on industrial casters so it can be easily moved away from the wall in the event anything needs to be accessed from the back. The front of the cabinet will be glass, and the frame for the viewing window will be large enough at the top and bottom to hide the "floor" and the "ceiling" -- and of course above and below same -- so the frame will basically be around 7" wide outside of the viewing window -- meaning the cabinet will have dead space on the sides and top around the diorama; this might not make sense, but since the table has a skirt, the front opening window's frame is going to be masking the dead space on the sides and top, but will be overlapping the skirt -- I'm only doing that so that the frame has a more "balanced" aesthetic to it -- otherwise the bottom part of the frame wouldn't have to be all that wide, the sides only need about 3 1/2" on each side, and the top needs about 7" above to hide the edge of the ceiling and all the dead space required for the lights, etc., but the floor only needs enough space to hide the edge of the "floor" and to be able to hold the glass in place -- so about 1/2" -- that would look odd with all that space at the top of the frame, and nothing at the bottom.

The front of the cabinet will lift up to access any figures, or change things up. The cabinet itself will also have access panels -- much like the diorama itself -- to be able to access said dio panels, only much cleaner than the back of the dio (going to use flush cabinet key-locks to hide those panels as best as possible. The "table" that it's on will have a lower shelf for spare parts and any additional accessories for the figures inside the diorama. The surge protector will be hidden on the underside of the table-top, below the cabinet so all that's required is flipping one switch to turn the entire thing off and on. Unfortunately, due to overhead restrictions, the display cabinet will not be at eye level -- more like chest level -- as I was actually hoping to put other Star Wars related figures on top of the cabinet -- assuming I want to dust. But I have a feeling with the height of this monstrosity, I probably won't have the room to display anything on top.

I hope that made sense...

Oh it makes perfect sense, actually. And you're right, aesthetically, you wouldn't want to inflate the height to the top (from the inside bottom of the ceiling to the outside top of the roof) too much, hence the need for relatively flat and thin light options. I forget and perhaps underestimate the overall size of the thing (I imagine it like a large desk), but the way you sketched it, you have just one shelf underneath (so that the diorama would be at eye level when you're sitting down?). If so, unless there are clearing height limitations in the area where you are going to put it, there should be plenty of space for putting figures on top. Of course that does not resolve the lighting issue, unless of course you find a way of integrating that into a makeshift scene for what's on top.

How much space do you envision under the diorama floor?

just an idea from one of my Dads aquaria or one of the huge vertical train layouts but they both had drop down fronts under the main viewing area for storage so 'dead space' becomes useful even if its only used as a place to keep a spare set of clothes for poor Han once he gets out of his predicament

Delanie wrote:How much space do you envision under the diorama floor?

just an idea from one of my Dads aquaria or one of the huge vertical train layouts but they both had drop down fronts under the main viewing area for storage  so 'dead space' becomes useful even if its only used as a place to keep a spare set of clothes for poor Han once he gets out of his predicament

None, actually. No need, really. The floor will essentially be affixed to the surface of the cabinet/table, as everything else can be lifted out in sections and pieces. The ceiling isn’t an option for storage, as there will already be a slew of wires, lights, power supply’s, etc. that I don’t want to have in contact with anything else — plus I need to be able to lift the two large ceiling panels without too much difficulty if I need to take it apart. Now that I think of it, the dead space above the ceiling is going to have to be about 8 1/2” to be able to clear the pegs holding the ceiling in place.

I see you have some pretty good texture going on the walls already! Sorry to hear you get migraines just looking at things, that's gotta suck especially in a scaled hobby! I'm still a bit confused about everyone's infatuation with lighting lol, it's not something I particularly remember from either versions of ROTJ but I'm not studying this scene or researching it for a build so I'm probably just being a troglodyte! Well I am a hermit....just with the internet and a modern delivery system!LOL.

shovelchop81 wrote:I see you have some pretty good texture going on the walls already! Sorry to hear you get migraines just looking at things, that's gotta suck especially in a scaled hobby! I'm still a bit confused about everyone's infatuation with lighting lol, it's not something I particularly remember from either versions of ROTJ but I'm not studying this scene or researching it for a build so I'm probably just being a troglodyte! Well I am a hermit....just with the internet and a modern delivery system!LOL.

Yeah, migraines suck. I’ve had a headache every day of my life since I was 4 years old (almost fifty years), damn things never go away... but I’ve learned to live with them to a degree. But if I have to wear magnifying lenses over my bI-focal glasses too long, the headaches amp up to unbearable levels, so I try to limit that as much as possible.

As far as the lighting, I’m just trying to match as closely as possible to the subdued look of the film. Not an easy task, but it’s coming along. The more I fiddle with it, the more I think I bit off more than I can chew. I’m just glad I’ve been off work for the last six months so I could devote as much time as possible to physical therapy and working on this damn thing, or I wouldn’t be even half this far along. Hoping to be back to work at the end of the month, so I’m trying to get as much done now as I can, cause it’ll be slow going after that.

Well You're doing an amazing job! I get that the ambience lighting has to be right to give that cool (temperature wise) indoor stone building feel as an escape from the scorching suns outside.

Thanks, Alex. Coming from the Master of All Builds, that’s a major compliment.

Lol, hardly a master of all builds, I haven't even attempted a dio near the size of this!

I completely missed the part about the migraines... sorry to hear. I hope that at this point you don't have to wear magnifying-lenses -- the slight weathering you want to apply to the walls need not (in fact cannot) be such detailed work (except maybe for the patterning on the frame of the arch, but even that would not be the most minuscule type of detail). Like we've discussed before, make yourself an equivalent surface, grab a large brush or cotton balls, and experiment with some staining. Unless the scene is going to be literally flooded with bright light, I don't think you would need to do very much paint-wise. The movie set's walls were fairly light and just a little weathered -- the rest was the effect of a dark environment. While looking for photos of the actual movie set, I came across this, which might give you some idea(s).



More photos and full review here:
https://www.banthaskull.com/photo_galleries/gallery/ph-vc-jabbas-palace-adventure-set

That's a cool pic, Guv. That arch design, oddly, was along the lines of the MacQuarre painting, but wasn't what ended up on the actual arches -- I guess by the time they got around to doing them they felt it wasn't necessary to have them be so detailed. I'm debating whether or not I want to go with screen accurate and simplistic, or cool MQ more complex design (knowing me, by the time it comes to do the arch designs, I'll probably go easy rather than difficult).

But I agree with you about the weathering. Looking at the new Jabba throne, and the Carbonite display, they really didn't go crazy with the weathering. Pretty much a solid color underneath what appears to be a darker "wash" over the top to get into some of the crevices and pock-marks. Something like that probably wouldn't be too difficult.

Exactly, no need to strain yourself and your eyes. I would say go with screen accurate as best as you can.

Been looking at more things to help you or inspire you on this epic journey. Came across this from a diorama for 3.75" figures. If you are still fretting over your lights and happy with these, maybe you can contact the guy (JediJJep, if you can find contact info somehow) and ask him how he achieved the desired effect. It does look very close to what we see in the movie...

His diorama:


Movie:


His posting can be found here:
https://forum.rebelscum.com/showthread.php?t=1096982&page=2&s=f16eb606ed24a565ddbdd3e0846ee755

I saw that diorama before. Very cool. Sadly, nothing has been posted about it (or from him/her) since 2013. That Rebelscum forum was a huge help when I first started planning this project, but sadly it seems most of the stuff is from several years ago, and there hasn't been much contributing lately.

Here's what I've done. It's not entirely screen accurate for the carbonite display, but honestly I'm getting tired of messing with it. Here's 3 of the 5 lights mounted and the final result of the pattern they create (plus a shot of the "behind the scenes", or should I say "above the scenes"...):




The wedges help direct the light better thru the holes instead of the rays bouncing off the ceiling and dissipating. Those two lights are 6 1/4" above the ceiling.

Yep, I noticed he hasn't posted since 2013 in that thread -- and hasn't answered the posts that popped up in response to those particular photos. Thought maybe there was a way to contact directly, but probably a long shot.

The new photos you just posted are very encouraging (and informative!) and I think the light works very well. Here are a couple of thoughts:

1. Would a transparent piece of blue plastic/foil help create the bluish light effect from the movie -- or maybe that was just for the night-time scenes and you don't want that.

2. I can see your diorama ends fairly close to Han's right (viewer's left), for obvious reasons; but on his left (viewer's right) there appears to be more space. Should the overhead holes, grates, and wedges on that side not be broadened to cast wider light and shadows there -- unless of course this dissipates the light and produces a different effect than what we see on the other side.

Good questions.

1. I didn't want the night-time effect, since all the other characters are going to be awake and present around the dio, so I opted for the daylight effect. The rest of the lights would be even more subdued if I had gone for the night-time look, making things (I feel) a little too dark.

2. The wider the light pattern -- the further back those lights need to be. And I made the decision since I was abbreviating the light on the left (Han's right) I might as well make the patterns equal to each other, since they were equal in the film. Oddly, for as much as the Jabba throne area is supposed to be the main focus of this entire project -- so far, when it comes to lights, I've been messing around with this area the most.

I see, and it makes sense. Forget about the night light situation then. It is also understandable that the light effects in the trophy chamber would take priority, in a way, since they are so much more striking and apparent there. And I agree that you want the intensity/quality/resolution of the light effect to be the same on both sides. If that means it can't be cast over a wider field on Han's left (viewer's right), so be it. Arghhh... I am so resisting adding ", Jedi" to the end of that sentence. Such a geek!

Aha! Now I see the importance of the slatted light effects you've been painstakingly perfecting! I remembered I did make a large dio, my Iron Man basement/workshop which is 120x60x40cm and I only walk past it about 20 times a day! DOH!

So sorry to hear of your lifelong migraines, Stryker...that's a horrible thing to have to deal with. 

The lighting/shadows on the carbonite display are looking great to my eyes. But then, I'm not really a stickler for 100% 'screen accuracy'... sometimes that's not entirely possible, especially in your case when you're making a composite of several scenes all in one. Artistic license and interpretations are often necessary, and so far this is shaping up to be a beautifully-detailed diorama that perfectly sets the scene, or rather scenes, while still flowing well together visually.

shovelchop81 wrote:Aha! Now I see the importance of the slatted light effects you've been painstakingly perfecting! I remembered I did make a large dio, my Iron Man basement/workshop which is 120x60x40cm and I only walk past it about 20 times a day! DOH!

See! I knew you were the Master of All Builds!

skywalkersaga wrote:So sorry to hear of your lifelong migraines, Stryker...that's a horrible thing to have to deal with. 

The lighting/shadows on the carbonite display are looking great to my eyes. But then, I'm not really a stickler for 100% 'screen accuracy'... sometimes that's not entirely possible, especially in your case when you're making a composite of several scenes all in one. Artistic license and interpretations are often necessary, and so far this is shaping up to be a beautifully-detailed diorama that perfectly sets the scene, or rather scenes, while still flowing well together visually.

Thanks, sky. Appreciate that.

Accurate or not, I know you don't mean this as a competition against others, but I think it is safe to say you might end up with one of the most attractive (possibly the most attractive) environments for your Jabba and Co on this planet.

GubernatorFan wrote:Accurate or not, I know you don't mean this as a competition against others, but I think it is safe to say you might end up with one of the most attractive (possibly the most attractive) environments for your Jabba and Co on this planet.

Wow. That’s high praise. Thank you... I hope I don’t disappoint with the final product.

Love the lighting set up. You should make a sound chip that would play Lapti Nek faintly in the background, but the remix

GubernatorFan wrote:Accurate or not, I know you don't mean this as a competition against others, but I think it is safe to say you might end up with one of the most attractive (possibly the most attractive) environments for your Jabba and Co on this planet.

I agree vehemently!

MerylAkiba wrote:Love the lighting set up. You should make a sound chip that would play Lapti Nek faintly in the background, but the remix

That would actually be really cool. I’m not all that electronic-oriented, but if it’s easy enough — I might have to look into that.

shovelchop81 wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:Accurate or not, I know you don't mean this as a competition against others, but I think it is safe to say you might end up with one of the most attractive (possibly the most attractive) environments for your Jabba and Co on this planet.

I agree vehemently!

Thanks, Alex. Again, I hope the final outcome lives up to everyone’s expectations (even mine).

Been quietly sneaking peeks at this whenever I get the chance, and still so blown away by this project. Coming together amazingly, and the lighting is looking awesome. The build itself is awe inspiring enough, but the dedication with the lighting to really capture the atmosphere of the original scenes really takes things to a whole other level. Genuinely excited seeing each update.