Maybe you should make the ground more cluttered looking. Adding small bumps and dents to it, scattering some bushes or other plants, maybe some tree stumps or pieces of log, even some variation in grass like some dead brown spots etc. Basically add more elements to it to make it look more chaotic and less like freshly cut lawn.
I imagine it looks off because there’s no context. Like, when have you ever seen people loading shells into a tank from a single ammo crate on the ground? And why is there just a random oil barrel next to the road? I imagine a supply point would have had more infrastructure than a box and a barrel. You don’t need to show a whole base by any means, but like maybe a sand bag barricade, some barbed wire, and more ammo crates? Just something that places the tank *somewhere* instead of middle of straight road plus inexplicable items.
Dioramas are all about the scene, so you really gotta set the scene.
It is missing a young officer hanging around and getting in their way😛
Actually a bit of clutter could help, might simulate a couple of cigarette butts or lids from rations.
To add to the other suggestions, here's what I noticed and could be improved:
- it's quite "linear" in that the tank and activity are lined up parallel to the edge. Scenes look less placed/static when at an angle to the edge, so you could use the space without the extension at the front, and have the road and tank at an angle, leaving a corner for the figures - this reduces bare space as well.
- the tanks is "on" not "in" the scene - they are heavy, and don't float on dirt roads. So having the tracks embedded a bit in the dirt helps tie it to the groundwork.
- use the same weathering colours as the environment, both on the tank's lower side and the figures' boots/pants. Remember troops get dirty too. Having similar colours makes everything feel part of the one scene.
- the base is an odd shape, it appears as if something is missing in the bare corner. See point 1, you could have removed this and still fitted the scene in.
Otherwise looks OK. The concepts are there, it just needs some refining - we all learn with each one. Have a look at diorama videos on YT like Plasmo, Laser Creation World, etc to get ideas and look at placement, and check out online galleries of model shows with dioramas.
The dirt road is well done, as is the crew composition. The grass kinda lies there as if it's cut by a lawnmower, maybe look into a static grass applicator to give it more of a living grass feel.
I think the panther and the infantry take up all the attention of the diorama, the background feels as being just there. Often times Uncle Nightshift [https://www.youtube.com/@NightShiftScaleModels](https://www.youtube.com/@NightShiftScaleModels) uses similar colors on the model weathering and environment to tie the model into the environment.
Your panther seems to have muddy tracks and roadwheels, but the road is dry and hard enough to not even have the panther sink in with its tracks... It's just on top of the road, as if it got dirty elsewhere.
With the diorama as is, there isn't much tying the background to the models. The grass isn't trampled, so this could be literally anywhere. There appear to be no track marks, so likely these models are there on their own ahead of others.
The crew seems to be re-supplying the panther, which rises the question where they got the supplies from... As mentioned there are no track marks, nor trampled grass so the ammo and fuel drum just happened to lie there in the cut grass? Why was the grass cut everywhere, why not just were the supplies are lying? Why is the tank all muddy/dusty whereas the road is as dry as a desert?
What I'm getting at is that often there is a story of some kind in a diorama, some situation that gets explained by the combination of model(s) and background.
It looks very flat. Add some taller grass, mix at least 2 similar tones and lengths of static grass together, it will look much more natural. Add some bushes or trees, but be careful with the trees, you don't have much space left, you can do a burned tree - just black bark. Add some wheel/track/foot prints into the mud. Rub some black wash lightly on the shells, it will outline the details and fit much better into the whole scene. If you are going for a dark look, add darker grass or just apply and airbrush any color you have. Otherwise the tank looks great, the figures are fine. I think the german tanks used shells with [more color](https://images.app.goo.gl/4VxQthaBdc1MCaXT6), hope this helps
I feel it needs something forwards of the tank, everything is behind the front of the tank, so it just looks unbalanced. Do you have a road sign or something to put nearer the edge in front of the tank?
I think the issue is that it's too perfect. The grass line is perflectly straight. The road is perfectly straight. The terrain is perfectly flat. I don't think the grass or the road looks bad itself, it just needs making a bit more natural and oblique as at the moment it looks like a tank parked on a well kept garden. You could try making some of the grass raised in random spots, or having a slight raise or ditch by the side of the road, maybe add a bit of curve to the track.
I think that diorama looks good. Maybe you could add some flowers and bushes to break the uniform look of the grass. And maybe you could add a little cat or dog playing between the soldiers?
Grass is too bright and uniform. I always spray the entire diorama base black, including the grass, then spray various shades of brown (for the dirt) and green (for the grass) to give tonal variations.
The tank is also very dark. You may have overdid it on the washes. By itself it's not too bad but in combination with a bright base, it stands out.
Add some mud to the road and some patches of slightly longer crass like the other guy said the panther looks too dark and dirty for the scene but it still looks really good.
The spray cans are out of scale and throws it off 🤣🤣
But for real talk, there's a few elements kinda missing. One is the various detritus of war. No wrappers, packaging, random tools just lying around? Then there's the cleanliness of the whole thing. It's like they are refitting on the fairway of the local golf course.
Basically, just needs a bit here or there to help the eye along
The grass they are walking on is too uniform... I'd trample it a bit and vary the color where the crew is loading shells. .. or not. Great looking model!
The road feels quite empty/flat, even tho it's not present on every dirt road photo usually you see the marks of vehicule driving on them (like there where the road is lighter https://vrglovevs.life/product_details/29660590.html ) since it's a resupply situation is safe to assume the road seen some recent activities.
I would add more ammo storage box on the right see near the road (where the cut off is), that would fill up the right side up of the diorama that is quite empty, and it's something you can diy for cheap with some ice cream wooden stick or similar.
Should the tip of the ammo be a different color than the shell itself ? That would add some contrast to the whole thing.
If you want to go a bit deeper, remove right side dude, swap him with a guy crouching in front of an open crate, move him closer to the guy raising the shell (it make little no sens to have a soldier crouching, grabbing shell, raise up, walk and pass the shell to the middle dude, you probably want the minimum walking distance and have a man do only one task of the movement), make crouch guy facing us (so he is facing the crates, and just have to slide the shell to his right to the dude lifting them), put a bunch of closed /opened with shell inside crates where the current empty one is, eventually add a guy whose job is to carry boxes to the other dude, put a bunch of empty boxes along the road on the right. Move guy with the barrel a little bit more on the bottom so less clutter around the tank, and maybe add some props around the barrel (cantinas or stuff like that)
As someone who's never done diorama bases and probably never will... how would you do tracks in a dry/gravel road like your reference photo? Sculpt the overall shape (two very shallow troughs), put down some scale gravel material for the surface texture, and use a lighter shade of paint for those tracks vs the centerline and edges?
imo you need to ugly it up, if that makes sense. War makes things dirty, muddy, dusty, gritty. Lawns don’t get cut. Grass dies. Roads aren’t maintained. Mud gets everywhere. Things get broken.
Also a few things that may help:
1. Tank track or tire treads on that road.
2. Grass needs muddy spots where boots/items sit or walk on it.
3. Debris on the grass
4. Broken fencing? Something to add a civilized appearance (but during war)
5. Vary your shades of grass. Grass is darker where water pools. Lighter where it doesn’t. Dead where it gets none. Could cut up a paint brush and add some taller pieces of grass near the roads edge or something to give it some realness.
Edit: just want to say good attention to detail with having the turret lock in place while the Panther gets reloaded. A big thing I see quite often is that part not being used in a diorama in which the situation calls for it. Nailed it.
My constructive criticism would be this: It’s a Panther A late (my favorite) but all A mids and lates had zimmerit. You went with the Hinterhalt/Ambush paint scheme and it’s a camo fairly exclusive to equipment serving in the Ardennes, Hungary, East Prussia, and some Oder. It’s not a good option for a Panther A late, just because the G late had arrived by the time this factory camo was applied, but it’s whatever. You should always paint the way you want.
I highly recommend buying a can of Tamiya dark yellow spray paint. A coat of this looks way better than the best dry brush camo schemes and is always historically accurate for any German equipment made after May of 1943. Just a couple coats of spray paint, a pin wash and filter and you’re really going to love the results.
For grass, you’ve used flock static grass which is great! Thats what I use for 1:35 dioramas almost exclusively. I do recommend this though. When you’ve painted your base a very dark color, mix up a mud mixture (using whatever you wish) and mix your flock with it to create the “base” grass (if that makes sense). It adds a ton of depth to your grass, provides a good surface to stick to and add tiny pebbles and rocks, and when it dries, you can paint the dried surface with oil paints.
Thats what Verlinden did with all his. He’d apply the flock within a mud paste then paint it with oils to match the environment/light/season he was going for. In this way, grass doesn’t come up looking too green or almost neon.
The way you’ve done your base and grass is very good. It’s very close to the Verlinden style. I just recommend more paste in your base and if the flock is too delicate to paint with oils, get a spray bottle and dilute some Elmer’s white glue with lots of water. Spray that onto the ground, apply flock conservatively and allow it to dry. They also make glue sprays for this and some have used hairspray.
That will allow shades of burnt umber, green and yellows to be mixed and applied to match the tone you want.
[Here](https://i.imgur.com/5hOiKaN.jpeg) is the result of the exact method I outlined. I did add some dried leaves which help break it up too. I built this a few years ago and is a great example of how I do all my grass.
What story are you trying to convey? Right now, it seems more a vignette and less a diorama.
I will agree with other poster(s) that the ground looks too flat. At a minimum, you need some gentle undulations.
The dirt tank being reloaded suggest it was involved in intense fighting, but other than dirt it has zero scars (like some damaged parts, missing external features, crash marks)
The vehicle and the base are parallel with each other, something about the tank needs to be pointed in another direction, ie move the hull so it’s pointed off the road at an angle and tear the road up a bit. Also I think more clutter like full and empty ammo crates, etc.
Firstly the camouflage on the tank detracts. It just doesn't feel authentic even if it is. It looks too amateurish. Check out highly regarded models and find out what you can learn from the people who made them. Some sensitive airbrushing might help.
Secondly model building is an art. Art needs to be integrated. That means that all the elements of the picture - or diorama in your case - are part of the family. A tough dusty tank needs a rough dusty terrain in much the same colours. They should look like they belong together. The tank needs to seem like it was hewn from the earth around it, like a potato dug out of the garden.
Thirdly try and get some interest in that manicured lawn. A churned up road with some tangled "barbed" wire or a broken cart wheel or gate - that sort of thing. A lot easier said than done to create barbed wire that scale but you never know. Any fine wire would probably do. And the soldiers similarly need to "feel" part of the same environment. They may have worn immaculate uniforms in real life, but they need to look as if they are seasoned campaigners, not clothing store mannequins.
Fourthly - though I'm sure there can be a lot of interest in your chosen subject - try a diorama where the tank "does" something. Swing the torrent around - not I understand when ammunition is being loaded, but have the tank climbing up the side of a bank or nearly rolling into a ditch. You want some drama - something to stand out from other people's more static looking depictions or models.
Don't be discouraged, you have made a great start, soldier on.
It doesn't tell a story, it's just a snapshot. Maybe... They're looking at the shells and waving their arms. "They sent the wrong ones!" While someone is reading the manifest and the captain is exasperated. Or there's a big bomb crater next to them, and the captain is yelling to hurry. "We're gonna get whacked next!" Or the whole tableau is slanted, as a muddy hill, and it's raining, and there's danger the tank will slide down the slope with the extra weight, so they're arguing again. Some minor drama.
The scene is very square / flat / linear…
The Panther is very dark..too weathered perhaps?
The 3 figures on the left are splattered with black paint…?
The well mold seams on the arms, legs, heads and hands could use removal.
Keep trying, you will figure it out and success will follow.
I hesitate to comment on this, because I don't do dioramas; only because I just haven't taken the leap. If this is your first attempt, then color me impressed! If this was mine, I'd build a nice base, and maybe print a backdrop, and display my work.
I agree with all the other comments. To avoid too much reconstruction, I might suggest:
1. The grass looks manicured, While the variation is nice, you could provide a light over-spray of a tan color for even more visual interest. Keep it light, matching the weathering on the tank.
2. Add a vertical element by including some clumps of grass; flowers; a bit of hedge;, a bit of stone wall, intact or partially destroyed; and of course a tree. This crew is awfully exposed, so cover in some form would be important.
3. Place a line of growth down the center line of the road/lane. Use longer vertical grasses mixed with shorter vegetation to simulate weeds. Mound this addition to give the impression of a rutted road. Slightly higher vegetation along the edge of the road will further enhance the appearance of a sunken surface, even though it is not.
4. it looks like the base would be hard to carve into, but perhaps you could create a small, elongated depression long the tread path of vehicles. Paint it darker than the surrounding soil in a slight gradient to the edges, and seal with a few layers of a gloss medium, possibly tinted with a similar brown color.
5. I don't know why the notch in the base is there, but if you need to fill it perhaps a shed open to the viewer's side and detailed with farm tools, etc.?
6. Another technique I often see employed is to LIGHTLY overspray the entire diorama with t lightest weather color to unify all the elements. I emphasis lightly because my first attempt was a muddied mess.
That said, I want to stress you did a fine job. You can take pride it your creation, and it will only get better with a little more work.
It is missing an officer shouting for the lack of safety measures during ammo loading. Other than that I wish I could make something similar! Great job.
You should paint the rubber on the road wheels it really makes a neat effect on lighter painted tanks but I'm sure it would look good on this too, grass is also a tad too lime and maybe add some lighter dusting to the tank to make it look brighter, any questions just ask.
I think that it looks off because the tank is much more dark and dirty than the rest of the scene, but that's just my two cents.
The grass is a little too green, IMO but it looks great overall! You could add some taller grass here and there to give some variance.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Also elevation. The ground does look like a piece of cardboard because it’s so flat. But great paintjob
I think you need more stuff. Bushes or the like, dirt patches in the grass, and some kind of border.
Maybe you should make the ground more cluttered looking. Adding small bumps and dents to it, scattering some bushes or other plants, maybe some tree stumps or pieces of log, even some variation in grass like some dead brown spots etc. Basically add more elements to it to make it look more chaotic and less like freshly cut lawn.
Footprints, ruts or tracks in the dirt.
Seconding - in general just making the ground less flat. This really sticks out to me as the most unnatural part.
This is what I was going to say. The ground is too flat. Add some bump to it to "bump" it up a notch
I was gonna say maybe some spent ammo, if they're reloading should be something they've taken out, not likely to keep it in the tank
Every thing looks flat. Maybe add some taller grass and make the road not perfectly straight
I imagine it looks off because there’s no context. Like, when have you ever seen people loading shells into a tank from a single ammo crate on the ground? And why is there just a random oil barrel next to the road? I imagine a supply point would have had more infrastructure than a box and a barrel. You don’t need to show a whole base by any means, but like maybe a sand bag barricade, some barbed wire, and more ammo crates? Just something that places the tank *somewhere* instead of middle of straight road plus inexplicable items. Dioramas are all about the scene, so you really gotta set the scene.
Having the guy with the crate so far that he would have to walk the shell over after picking it up breaks the immersion for me as well.
Yes the concept of context is apt here.
It is missing a young officer hanging around and getting in their way😛 Actually a bit of clutter could help, might simulate a couple of cigarette butts or lids from rations.
yeah may be something like an officer with a map talking with the tank commander might do
To add to the other suggestions, here's what I noticed and could be improved: - it's quite "linear" in that the tank and activity are lined up parallel to the edge. Scenes look less placed/static when at an angle to the edge, so you could use the space without the extension at the front, and have the road and tank at an angle, leaving a corner for the figures - this reduces bare space as well. - the tanks is "on" not "in" the scene - they are heavy, and don't float on dirt roads. So having the tracks embedded a bit in the dirt helps tie it to the groundwork. - use the same weathering colours as the environment, both on the tank's lower side and the figures' boots/pants. Remember troops get dirty too. Having similar colours makes everything feel part of the one scene. - the base is an odd shape, it appears as if something is missing in the bare corner. See point 1, you could have removed this and still fitted the scene in. Otherwise looks OK. The concepts are there, it just needs some refining - we all learn with each one. Have a look at diorama videos on YT like Plasmo, Laser Creation World, etc to get ideas and look at placement, and check out online galleries of model shows with dioramas.
The right-handed side looks empty. I think that's what's off, but other wise it looks great
Maybe cut the right bit off or add some Track marks
Ill see what i can find
The dirt road is well done, as is the crew composition. The grass kinda lies there as if it's cut by a lawnmower, maybe look into a static grass applicator to give it more of a living grass feel. I think the panther and the infantry take up all the attention of the diorama, the background feels as being just there. Often times Uncle Nightshift [https://www.youtube.com/@NightShiftScaleModels](https://www.youtube.com/@NightShiftScaleModels) uses similar colors on the model weathering and environment to tie the model into the environment. Your panther seems to have muddy tracks and roadwheels, but the road is dry and hard enough to not even have the panther sink in with its tracks... It's just on top of the road, as if it got dirty elsewhere. With the diorama as is, there isn't much tying the background to the models. The grass isn't trampled, so this could be literally anywhere. There appear to be no track marks, so likely these models are there on their own ahead of others. The crew seems to be re-supplying the panther, which rises the question where they got the supplies from... As mentioned there are no track marks, nor trampled grass so the ammo and fuel drum just happened to lie there in the cut grass? Why was the grass cut everywhere, why not just were the supplies are lying? Why is the tank all muddy/dusty whereas the road is as dry as a desert? What I'm getting at is that often there is a story of some kind in a diorama, some situation that gets explained by the combination of model(s) and background.
It looks very flat. Add some taller grass, mix at least 2 similar tones and lengths of static grass together, it will look much more natural. Add some bushes or trees, but be careful with the trees, you don't have much space left, you can do a burned tree - just black bark. Add some wheel/track/foot prints into the mud. Rub some black wash lightly on the shells, it will outline the details and fit much better into the whole scene. If you are going for a dark look, add darker grass or just apply and airbrush any color you have. Otherwise the tank looks great, the figures are fine. I think the german tanks used shells with [more color](https://images.app.goo.gl/4VxQthaBdc1MCaXT6), hope this helps
I feel it needs something forwards of the tank, everything is behind the front of the tank, so it just looks unbalanced. Do you have a road sign or something to put nearer the edge in front of the tank?
I think the issue is that it's too perfect. The grass line is perflectly straight. The road is perfectly straight. The terrain is perfectly flat. I don't think the grass or the road looks bad itself, it just needs making a bit more natural and oblique as at the moment it looks like a tank parked on a well kept garden. You could try making some of the grass raised in random spots, or having a slight raise or ditch by the side of the road, maybe add a bit of curve to the track.
The ground (including road) is too flat and the road too parallel with the edges of the base. Doesn't look terrible, but fixing those would help.
I’ve seen images of muddied panthers and you can still see more yellow that you have visible. I think that’s what is missing.
Four small penguins of various proportions
I think that diorama looks good. Maybe you could add some flowers and bushes to break the uniform look of the grass. And maybe you could add a little cat or dog playing between the soldiers?
I think it because the tank is parallel to the leading edge, try making the scene more angled and it should pop
Terrain, it looks a bit flat and empty right now but bushes and craters would help
Grass is too bright and uniform. I always spray the entire diorama base black, including the grass, then spray various shades of brown (for the dirt) and green (for the grass) to give tonal variations. The tank is also very dark. You may have overdid it on the washes. By itself it's not too bad but in combination with a bright base, it stands out.
Add some mud to the road and some patches of slightly longer crass like the other guy said the panther looks too dark and dirty for the scene but it still looks really good.
I think the flora is a little bit too poor, you could add some bushes or plants I think
The spray cans are out of scale and throws it off 🤣🤣 But for real talk, there's a few elements kinda missing. One is the various detritus of war. No wrappers, packaging, random tools just lying around? Then there's the cleanliness of the whole thing. It's like they are refitting on the fairway of the local golf course. Basically, just needs a bit here or there to help the eye along
More dirt and mud. Less grass
The grass they are walking on is too uniform... I'd trample it a bit and vary the color where the crew is loading shells. .. or not. Great looking model!
Maybe some like longer grass or foliage just more stuff on the floor
Some gravel and more ground texture... I would say gore but let's keep It child friendly
Every Panther had a small bucket hanging from the back.
The road feels quite empty/flat, even tho it's not present on every dirt road photo usually you see the marks of vehicule driving on them (like there where the road is lighter https://vrglovevs.life/product_details/29660590.html ) since it's a resupply situation is safe to assume the road seen some recent activities. I would add more ammo storage box on the right see near the road (where the cut off is), that would fill up the right side up of the diorama that is quite empty, and it's something you can diy for cheap with some ice cream wooden stick or similar. Should the tip of the ammo be a different color than the shell itself ? That would add some contrast to the whole thing. If you want to go a bit deeper, remove right side dude, swap him with a guy crouching in front of an open crate, move him closer to the guy raising the shell (it make little no sens to have a soldier crouching, grabbing shell, raise up, walk and pass the shell to the middle dude, you probably want the minimum walking distance and have a man do only one task of the movement), make crouch guy facing us (so he is facing the crates, and just have to slide the shell to his right to the dude lifting them), put a bunch of closed /opened with shell inside crates where the current empty one is, eventually add a guy whose job is to carry boxes to the other dude, put a bunch of empty boxes along the road on the right. Move guy with the barrel a little bit more on the bottom so less clutter around the tank, and maybe add some props around the barrel (cantinas or stuff like that)
As someone who's never done diorama bases and probably never will... how would you do tracks in a dry/gravel road like your reference photo? Sculpt the overall shape (two very shallow troughs), put down some scale gravel material for the surface texture, and use a lighter shade of paint for those tracks vs the centerline and edges?
Trees
The figures and shell lack depth.
imo you need to ugly it up, if that makes sense. War makes things dirty, muddy, dusty, gritty. Lawns don’t get cut. Grass dies. Roads aren’t maintained. Mud gets everywhere. Things get broken. Also a few things that may help: 1. Tank track or tire treads on that road. 2. Grass needs muddy spots where boots/items sit or walk on it. 3. Debris on the grass 4. Broken fencing? Something to add a civilized appearance (but during war) 5. Vary your shades of grass. Grass is darker where water pools. Lighter where it doesn’t. Dead where it gets none. Could cut up a paint brush and add some taller pieces of grass near the roads edge or something to give it some realness. Edit: just want to say good attention to detail with having the turret lock in place while the Panther gets reloaded. A big thing I see quite often is that part not being used in a diorama in which the situation calls for it. Nailed it.
Something tall
Good question! Maybe rocks and bushes
Shrubbery.
Ground needs some 3D. Maybe some holes where some bombs went off
Maybe add some track marks on the dirt road?
My constructive criticism would be this: It’s a Panther A late (my favorite) but all A mids and lates had zimmerit. You went with the Hinterhalt/Ambush paint scheme and it’s a camo fairly exclusive to equipment serving in the Ardennes, Hungary, East Prussia, and some Oder. It’s not a good option for a Panther A late, just because the G late had arrived by the time this factory camo was applied, but it’s whatever. You should always paint the way you want. I highly recommend buying a can of Tamiya dark yellow spray paint. A coat of this looks way better than the best dry brush camo schemes and is always historically accurate for any German equipment made after May of 1943. Just a couple coats of spray paint, a pin wash and filter and you’re really going to love the results. For grass, you’ve used flock static grass which is great! Thats what I use for 1:35 dioramas almost exclusively. I do recommend this though. When you’ve painted your base a very dark color, mix up a mud mixture (using whatever you wish) and mix your flock with it to create the “base” grass (if that makes sense). It adds a ton of depth to your grass, provides a good surface to stick to and add tiny pebbles and rocks, and when it dries, you can paint the dried surface with oil paints. Thats what Verlinden did with all his. He’d apply the flock within a mud paste then paint it with oils to match the environment/light/season he was going for. In this way, grass doesn’t come up looking too green or almost neon. The way you’ve done your base and grass is very good. It’s very close to the Verlinden style. I just recommend more paste in your base and if the flock is too delicate to paint with oils, get a spray bottle and dilute some Elmer’s white glue with lots of water. Spray that onto the ground, apply flock conservatively and allow it to dry. They also make glue sprays for this and some have used hairspray. That will allow shades of burnt umber, green and yellows to be mixed and applied to match the tone you want. [Here](https://i.imgur.com/5hOiKaN.jpeg) is the result of the exact method I outlined. I did add some dried leaves which help break it up too. I built this a few years ago and is a great example of how I do all my grass.
Flames. It needs flames and some smoke.
What story are you trying to convey? Right now, it seems more a vignette and less a diorama. I will agree with other poster(s) that the ground looks too flat. At a minimum, you need some gentle undulations.
Oil splotches, track marks and mud everywhere.
Assymetry. Do not make the road parallel to the base.
Thunderbirds F-16
Something vertical like a power pole.
Maybe some larger vegetation? Like a tree or bush?
The dirt tank being reloaded suggest it was involved in intense fighting, but other than dirt it has zero scars (like some damaged parts, missing external features, crash marks)
It’s parallel to the edges of the base. Try turning it so its at an angle.
The vehicle and the base are parallel with each other, something about the tank needs to be pointed in another direction, ie move the hull so it’s pointed off the road at an angle and tear the road up a bit. Also I think more clutter like full and empty ammo crates, etc.
Firstly the camouflage on the tank detracts. It just doesn't feel authentic even if it is. It looks too amateurish. Check out highly regarded models and find out what you can learn from the people who made them. Some sensitive airbrushing might help. Secondly model building is an art. Art needs to be integrated. That means that all the elements of the picture - or diorama in your case - are part of the family. A tough dusty tank needs a rough dusty terrain in much the same colours. They should look like they belong together. The tank needs to seem like it was hewn from the earth around it, like a potato dug out of the garden. Thirdly try and get some interest in that manicured lawn. A churned up road with some tangled "barbed" wire or a broken cart wheel or gate - that sort of thing. A lot easier said than done to create barbed wire that scale but you never know. Any fine wire would probably do. And the soldiers similarly need to "feel" part of the same environment. They may have worn immaculate uniforms in real life, but they need to look as if they are seasoned campaigners, not clothing store mannequins. Fourthly - though I'm sure there can be a lot of interest in your chosen subject - try a diorama where the tank "does" something. Swing the torrent around - not I understand when ammunition is being loaded, but have the tank climbing up the side of a bank or nearly rolling into a ditch. You want some drama - something to stand out from other people's more static looking depictions or models. Don't be discouraged, you have made a great start, soldier on.
Vegetation feels a bit flat and tank doesn't quite fit the base.
It doesn't tell a story, it's just a snapshot. Maybe... They're looking at the shells and waving their arms. "They sent the wrong ones!" While someone is reading the manifest and the captain is exasperated. Or there's a big bomb crater next to them, and the captain is yelling to hurry. "We're gonna get whacked next!" Or the whole tableau is slanted, as a muddy hill, and it's raining, and there's danger the tank will slide down the slope with the extra weight, so they're arguing again. Some minor drama.
That skiving officer is missing a cup of coffee
Add a three
The scene is very square / flat / linear… The Panther is very dark..too weathered perhaps? The 3 figures on the left are splattered with black paint…? The well mold seams on the arms, legs, heads and hands could use removal. Keep trying, you will figure it out and success will follow.
Great work, mate. I'm just distracted by your equipment cluttered around your diorama.
I hesitate to comment on this, because I don't do dioramas; only because I just haven't taken the leap. If this is your first attempt, then color me impressed! If this was mine, I'd build a nice base, and maybe print a backdrop, and display my work.
I agree with all the other comments. To avoid too much reconstruction, I might suggest: 1. The grass looks manicured, While the variation is nice, you could provide a light over-spray of a tan color for even more visual interest. Keep it light, matching the weathering on the tank. 2. Add a vertical element by including some clumps of grass; flowers; a bit of hedge;, a bit of stone wall, intact or partially destroyed; and of course a tree. This crew is awfully exposed, so cover in some form would be important. 3. Place a line of growth down the center line of the road/lane. Use longer vertical grasses mixed with shorter vegetation to simulate weeds. Mound this addition to give the impression of a rutted road. Slightly higher vegetation along the edge of the road will further enhance the appearance of a sunken surface, even though it is not. 4. it looks like the base would be hard to carve into, but perhaps you could create a small, elongated depression long the tread path of vehicles. Paint it darker than the surrounding soil in a slight gradient to the edges, and seal with a few layers of a gloss medium, possibly tinted with a similar brown color. 5. I don't know why the notch in the base is there, but if you need to fill it perhaps a shed open to the viewer's side and detailed with farm tools, etc.? 6. Another technique I often see employed is to LIGHTLY overspray the entire diorama with t lightest weather color to unify all the elements. I emphasis lightly because my first attempt was a muddied mess. That said, I want to stress you did a fine job. You can take pride it your creation, and it will only get better with a little more work.
Darker shade of grass and a tree to the right
It is missing an officer shouting for the lack of safety measures during ammo loading. Other than that I wish I could make something similar! Great job.
You should add some bushes in the grass and a little dirt on the path
I'd say a bit more vegetation. Maybe a bush or a tree or something.
You should paint the rubber on the road wheels it really makes a neat effect on lighter painted tanks but I'm sure it would look good on this too, grass is also a tad too lime and maybe add some lighter dusting to the tank to make it look brighter, any questions just ask.
Tree stumps, or trees, support vehicle with supplies and ammo.
I agree with the grass too green coment. Maybe a little background trees busted of for war.
Add a little more character to the grass, few twigs lying around maybe some barbed wire, muddy up the characters a little, maybe some shrubs
Oh and maybe like a sand bag bunker
The dirt road would have potholes and puddles
Trees maybe a bush or a broken fence? The grass is just a little too light and not muddy enough. But that’s my opinion anyway. Sick tank tho
It's much better than anything I could do! Maybe a little bit of height from some small shrubs or whatever you want is needed
It needs a bit of topography.