1:35 Diorama-Base: Broken Bridge

A diorama base with a broken bridge in 1:35

The item 1:35 Diorama-Base: Broken Bridge belongs to the range of diorama bases from RT-Diorama. It is not a model of a vehicle or an aircraft but the finished foundation of a view: a shaped scene with the subject of a damaged bridge, onto which vehicles and figures in 1:35 scale are then placed.

What the base solves in a scene

The hardest part of a diorama is usually the terrain. Dealing with a difference in height, retaining walls, a bank and the transition between the structure of the bridge and its surroundings normally takes more work than the vehicles themselves. The base brings that part of the scene in one piece, so instead of shaping terrain you can concentrate on the composition and on telling the story of the view. The subject of a broken bridge also has drama built into it: it contains an obstacle, a reason for a column to stop and a natural place for figures.

Tips for working with the base

• The break in the bridge is the point of the whole scene - keep it visible and do not hide it behind a vehicle.
• Place the vehicles in front of the obstacle rather than on it; the tension in the view comes from the fact that there is no way across.
• Lay out the direction of movement of the scene so that it is clear where the column came from.
• Treat the edges of the base so that the scene does not end abruptly; a frame or a dark plinth closes the view off more elegantly.
• Photograph a trial layout of the figures from road level rather than from above.

Who the base is for

It suits modelers of 1:35 military vehicles who want a scene with differences in height without the lengthy work of building terrain, and those who want to try dioramas out for the first time and need a reliable starting point. It comes into its own in views of the Second World War and in more recent subjects, where a damaged bridge forms a natural plot.