Jabba The Hutt Diorama (The Viewing Frame WIP)

Edge clean up complete. Working on the curtains for the back arch next to the Han display.

Stryker2011 wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:The surface of the stairs all over the place had a dot-pattern texture on them -- they generally blended in, due to lighting, and much of them had sand scattered all over them as well. I'm assuming the original intent was probably a safety feature for the masked performers to prevent them from falling and getting hurt.

Thanks for the explanation, which makes sense. I was actually wondering if you were trying to keep your action figures from slipping.

 That too, I guess. I think once it's painted the traction factor is probably going to disappear, though.

If I had really planned ahead, I would have made everything out of magnetic metal and then put magnets in the bottoms of everyone's feet. As it is it's going to be difficult to keep some of these figures standing. Boushh is a typically bad Sideshow body and wants to fall over no matter what. Bossk has fallen once already, and I'm more than a little worried about IG-88 (he's just so damn brittle).

An unexpected bonus of a dio like this is that you'll probably have less breakage issues with figures displayed in it. Since it's a deep environment, you won't feel the need to display as close to the front, so you'll have less worry about tumbling off to the floor (the real figure killer). And the hollow structures, as well as the thickness of a textured wallpaper, I think would actually make a hell of a lot softer landing that a solid wood table or shelf.

dang, I never noticed all these details in the movies (OK, it's been YEARS since I've watched the first movies, need to re-watch!) But your textures are amazing! Will you be putting sand everywhere? If so, what will you use to get the texture down to scale?

ReverendSpooky wrote:An unexpected bonus of a dio like this is that you'll probably have less breakage issues with figures displayed in it.  Since it's a deep environment, you won't feel the need to display as close to the front, so you'll have less worry about tumbling off to the floor (the real figure killer).  And the hollow structures, as well as the thickness of a textured wallpaper, I think would actually make a hell of a lot softer landing that a solid wood table or shelf.  

Yeah, I'm hoping once I build the surrounding cabinet and have the glass front, I won't have to mess with them too much -- it's going to be a challenge to open the thing to put them back up if they topple over.

Peaches wrote:dang, I never noticed all these details in the movies (OK, it's been YEARS since I've watched the first movies, need to re-watch!) But your textures are amazing!  Will you be putting sand everywhere?  If so, what will you use to get the texture down to scale?

Well, my structures are sort of my own set up. The Main Arch over Jabba's throne isn't exactly the same as the one from the movie. The "texture" details are as close to film accurate as I could make them, however. I was planning on using "Craft Sand" to spread out on the "ground" level and on some of the other surfaces -- but now I don't know; shazzdan suggested another technique that sounds kind of cool -- but I haven't had a chance to look into it yet. The key is I don't want loose sand everywhere -- I pretty much want it glued down so it doesn't move, but has a natural look to it. I've even been contemplating using Vallejo Sandy Paste -- a gritty paint. Once it's on, it's not going anywhere.

By the way, the site was down for a bit it seems (or was that just me), so I wasn't able to get on for a couple hours this afternoon. Now, I'm not able to load any photos. WTF?! Guess I need to check what's going on...

Uploading pictures has been wonky today for some reason, but this is what I've worked on today; finished the curtains for the arch next to the Han display, and made the initial mask mockup for the Rancor Pit grating.

Ah, yes, I was wondering what you meant by curtains, but this makes perfect sense.
Forumotion's servers were down and are slowly getting better.

Just looked into the tiling grout that shazzdan suggested (I'm assuming the "sanded" stuff), and I think that'll work great. Now I'm trying to decide on the color (I think "Almond" might work the best as it's a sort of brownish-yellow -- not quite mustard color; though "Antique White" looks like a good option, as well).

I dunno for certain, but seems antique white might be too light?

Peaches wrote:I dunno for certain, but seems antique white might be too light?

Yeah, that’s kind of what I thought when I was looking at all the colors in the hardware store, so I went with Sandstone Biege.

Great Work again ! Another option for a ceiling i found here, made with arrases. Looks nice to.There are so many Great Pictures i found in the Net. But they are gone now. The turkish government found some resemblances with Jabba´s Palace and the Hagia Sohia in Istanbul.

Yes, I’ve seen that picture. It’s from the Battlefront video game. It is very cool — but even more removed from the actual set than mine is. Still inspirational.

Ephiane wrote:There are so many Great Pictures i found in the Net. But they are gone now. The turkish government found some resemblances with Jabba´s Palace and the Hagia Sohia in Istanbul.

Oh, THAT... I had forgotten. People do find the most specious excuses for being offended and making a fuss these days. Of course Lucasfilm was trying to make Jabba's desert environment look a little oriental (in the Near Eastern sort of sense)... and his films are replete with stereotypes (even more so in the Prequel Trilogy), but still. And it's not as if the Turks built Hagia Sophia; they usurped it, covered up the original art, and then imitated it with their new mosques.

dangit that's nice...and big..and nice  
Wish I had the space to build something THAT ginormous !

Allotropos wrote:dangit that's nice...and big..and nice  
Wish I had the space to build something THAT ginormous !

Yes, indeed. Sadly once this is done, it’s pretty much the last of my free space...

Well, not much to report. (No pics, anyway). Started working on the "floor" and "ceiling" for this -- and it's been an absolute nightmare. Trying to use 2x4 foot Oak panels (about 3/16" thick) -- and since the mills that cut this stuff don't seem to really give a rat's behind if they're square or not -- trying to square them up to each other has been a PITA to say the least. Plus, I need some sections to have cut outs (like floor the Rancor Pit grating, the trap door -- at least the impression of it, as it won't actually work -- and a removable ceiling panel that can be lifted up and out of the way to get at the double arch with the lights in it (next to the band) -- in case I need to change either of the light bulbs at some point. Total floor and ceiling length and width at this point is 91.75" x 33 3/8" -- and since I'm working with roughly (but not really) 24" x 48" panels -- you can imagine the jigsaw puzzle I've been trying to manufacture, and glue together -- I don't have clamps big enough to put an 8' piece together so the floor will essentially be two pieces, and the ceiling three (counting the removable piece - which is only 4.25" wide).

Half of the Rancor pit grating is cut out. Took 2 days, and it's all done by hand -- looks sloppy, but that's as good as it's going to get. Hopefully once it's painted up, it won't be as noticeable. It's propped under the "floor" at the moment to hold it in place, so it looks a little uneven, as well.

The Rancor panels look quite good -- must have been quite a pain to carve them out. I recommend keeping any figures wearing stiletto heels away from that area...

Yeah, that would make for a funny pose. One of the palace girls with her shoe caught.

Finished the Rancor Pit grate today... finally.

It looks great, and like I said before, can't have been easy.

GubernatorFan wrote:It looks great, and like I said before, can't have been easy.

It wasn’t, but at least it’s over for now. Been working on the side walls of the diorama itself — nothing too fancy to show just yet.

Finished up the overhead "lights" (the shell anyway) over the band area -- still have to wire up the lights. And I've been working on the left and right outer walls of the diorama. The one to the right of the Jabba throne (our right, his left) is going to be black -- as it's not meant to represent anything. The hole near the outer top is for a light to shine down (and hopefully cast a semblance of a shadow to imply the upper part of the stairs that gain entry into the throne room. If it doesn't work out the way I want, I'll probably just fill that hole in and call it good. Some of you may have been wondering what I meant by "cut-out" removable panels, and here is the the first one complete. It's behind the interior wall so it doesn't have to be anything fancy; I'm using latch hook hasps (like the ones you'd see on a jewelry box) to hold the piece in place. I can remove it so I can get to the wiring of the light (which will be behind that screen/crevice) easily, without having to try to take the diorama apart from the front.










The outer diorama wall (behind the Han/Carbonite display) is nearly complete -- just finished up cutting out the crevices on the wall and the hole mount for the TaunTaun head -- still need to glue down brackets to keep it flat and for structural support.

That's such a great solution for accessing the lights!

I like what I see.

skywalkersaga wrote:That's such a great solution for accessing the lights!

GubernatorFan wrote:I like what I see.

Thanks, folks.

Oh yeah this is all so good. Keep it coming mate.

Paul

Appreciate it, Paul.

Wanted to comment earlier, looked at all the pictures from page 1-8 again, and Stryker, I must say:

Yes.

Thank you kindly, Sir. Hope it wasn’t too boring.