The Miniatures Calendar

The Miniatures Calendar has been existence April 2011 and has featured one small miniature scene each day since then. The author, at least, makes some use of Preiser figures. I cannot vouch for the size of his miniatures, but I am guessing that they with HO or N-gauge.

More Inspirational Dioramas

I just found another page with some amazing miniature dioramas from Tokyo artist Satoshi Araki.

Over the Top Dioramas

Judging from his work Luke Towan has been creating "over the top" diorama's for some time. I have watched several tutorials of Luke's and I am simply amazed. The videos introduce one fabulous step after another. Just when you thought that there couldn't be another feature that could possible be added to the diorama, Luke introduces you to some new feature.

Working with Polystrene

Working with polystyrene never looked so easy.

Paper Napkins and Industrial Towels (Materials)

I am always on the look-out for scratch building supplies, especially for those that are free. Recently I came across this “natural” colored napkin. Looking closely at its pattern I noticed how it resembled roof shingles. I have used a paper-towel to represent a shingled roof once before.

Digging through one of my supply boxes I found a couple more examples of paper towel/napkins. I had wanted to create a shingled shack and I might try to use the napkin for this purpose. I will keep you informed…

Materials - Balsa Strips

I recently found this pack of 50 balsa slabs on Ebay. These miniature “slabs" measure ¾ wide by 2 inch long and are 1/16 inch thick. They measure 5 foot wide by 14.5 foot long in HO scale. They come neatly and tightly packaged and they cost me $4.43, including postage. Balsa is lite and it takes to distressing well. I will cut these to a scale 1 foot boards and build a few board on board sheds, shacks, or shanties.

Extras From Farmer’s Flesh

Farmer's "other" worlds novel's Flesh front cover.

“Farmer is no moralist and is not concerned with character arcs. He is a scientist and explorer mixing civilizations and ideas and observing the results.”

Some other topics covered in his short discussion on Farmer’s “Flesh” novel.

Dystopia

Millennium, John Varley; Dune, Frank Hubert; The Sheep Look Up, John Brunner

Dystopia-Depopulation

Seventy Years of Decpop, Farmer
I Am a Legend, Richard Matheson

Robert Heinlein

The Rise of Robert Heinlein

Highs and Lows of Robert Heinlein

Michael A. Boron, penned Flesh’s second afterward

Dr. Calthop

“Man, is his blindness, greed, and arrogance, has fouled the God given earth. His ant-heap cities have emptied their filth into the rivers and the sea and turned them into vast sewers. He has poised the air with deadly fumes. These fumes, I suppose, were not only products of industry but of radioactivity…”

Dr. Calthop

Flesh, Philip José Farmer

I have just completed the last in Farmers Grand Master series.