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Scale Modelworld 2018 – Best Diorama Winner

November 11, 2018 · in Show Reports · · 11 · 7.8K
This article is part of a series:
  1. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Best in Show
  2. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Best Diorama Winner
  3. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Other category winners
  4. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Aircraft, 1/72 scale
  5. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Aircraft, 1/32 scale
  6. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Aircraft, 1/48 scale
  7. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Automotive
  8. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Diorama, Sci-fi, What-if
  9. Scale Modelworld 2018 – Ships

The overall Gold medalist in the diorama catogory at the SMW 2018 was this creation entitled "Ballon d'observation"

There's nothing wrong with the color of the head picture - this shadowbox diorama is produced in black and white as an exact copy of an evocative 1917 photograph from and airfield near Bordeaux (France) that shows a ground crew preparing a launch of a Caquot observation dirigible.

The balloon and the car in the centre of the scene were completely scratchbuilt.

All the 51 figurines have been modified to respect the position, pose. uniform of the corresponding person at the original picture, and they were then painted in varying shades of grey as per the black-and-white photo.

Reader reactions:
28  Awesome

7 additional images. Click to enlarge.


11 responses

  1. Some people are in serious need of one of those nice jackets with the extra-long sleeves and a nice padded room. 🙂

    • That may be :), but then it takes an extraordinary mind to create something as original as this. For me, it is one of these models that I'd remember for a long time.

  2. "Original" ...that is the key word. Using black and white to reflect the technology of the time and given that where remembering those fallen soldiers(Never Forget) of WWI and the 1st modern war with technologies used to great effect in places like Verdun...black and white seem apropos.

    It reminds me of the Wizard of OZ . The movie was filmed during the great depression and in black in white and then they introduced color to the screen, the before seen shots came to represent the oppression of the times. The Shadow box does a good job of using black and white to represent the oppressive reality of the conflict.

    I like your photos Martin, the photo with the color back round and the framed black and white photo shot along with the Shadow box helps explain the BDW.

  3. WoW! That balloon is fantastic. Stephen pretty much said it all, but WoW! That one is a Two-WoWer!

  4. Stunning, absolutely stunning in concept and execution.

  5. Some incredible creativity for that project. Really stunning.

  6. That is one of THE BEST things I have ever seen in scale modelling.

  7. I will add my "wow" comments as well. spectaular and interesting work. I like the display that shows the photo this is based on next to the dio, and both of them with frames around them. very cleverly done and superbly executed. this is one of those ideas (at least in my head) that sounds good in theory, but in reality is quite difficult to successfully pull off. Definitely succeeded in doing so here! would love to see that one in person

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