Evolution of a diorama: PAA Worldport

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 01:10 PM

Back in 2003 I started to build my first diorama. I had no idea how to do this, so I started by drawing up some plans using photos from books and Anet. Eyeballed it to approx 1/400 scale from photos. First lesson learned from from using photos, items closest to the camera are smaller than they appear. That resulted it the oval main terminal being closer to 1/300 scale than the 1/400. Way too much work to do over, so you live with it. Anyhow, this first photo depicts the initial build using cardboard, balsa wood and foam board. Decision point, is it worth the effort to continue? Pleased, I marched on......

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 01:13 PM

Finishing the roof with balse frame and cardboard. Not shown, I built a jig to hold each outer panel in place and worked my way around.This was the make or break point, if this didn't look right, the whole thing would have gone in the can.

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 01:17 PM

The worldport had a gravel roof, found some textured spray paint in Home Depot, tried several colors, settled on this one. Again, if it didn't look good thru the camera then some rework would be in order....I pressed on...

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 01:29 PM

At the time of its construction, Pan Ams finances were in the toilet, so when the "Butterfly" extension was added on, it was made out of brick to save money. So where do you find 1/400 scale brick? You go online and visit a brick and masonary web site. Copied the brick pattern the was closest to the worldport and stitched it together into one 11X8 sheet. The secret ingredient was having a daughter who is a Art Directer with access to some very sophisticated Photo Shop. She made several sheets on some nice stiff satin finished paper. But...OMG....the color and shading. My worldport was starting to look like a WW2 bombed out Berlin Terminal. Not that I cared at the time, you tend to develop tunnel vision at this point.......

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 01:34 PM

Side trip.....in 2007 I decided to build the worldport as if first appeared. This when I realized that this part of the terminal was out of scale. This section was built so I could incorporate the DW B377 and AC DC6 into the picture. This whole section resides inside the finished terminal and can be detached to convert the worldport back to "day one".

Moomins · 06-24-2009, 01:38 PM

Great dialogue & Photo's Mr. SteveJ. Thank you for taking the time to post this.

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 01:41 PM

After trying to work with the "purple monster" for a few months, I went back to the daughter and explained my problem. She very effortlessly got rid of the shadows and gave the brick a color a little closer to what I was searching for. Lesson learned.. communicate with your children more often, she could have done this on day one, but I never raised the question!!. Peeled off all the old brick and refaced the whole building with the new. Pretty much satisfied with it at this point but concerned that the Herpa jetways on backorder would never get here, thay were ordered several months earlier.

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 01:51 PM

OK, the reveal. Nice warm day, outside, good sun. I was very satisfied. I thought I did a good job on the ramp but I had no idea how to "dirty it up". Couple of months later Dylan gave me some great pointers and off I went. Black chalk, gray chalk, sandpaper, water and a cotton rag. JFK boasts some the worlds filthiest ramps, I wanted to do them proud. Some after thoughts, I was sorry I used white auto trim tape for lines instead of just painting them. Lazy, thats all. Not happy with the main terminal but you don't see that much of it in the photos. For my first attempt it was a learning experience. I can't tell you how many things were done over and over and over again to get the right look......march on....

Benzyk · 06-24-2009, 02:03 PM

Simply Amazing! Nice job.

STEVEJ · 06-24-2009, 02:08 PM

Today....over time the ramp got dirtier, I changed the brick face again after finding a better photo. Detailed the jetways several times over. The parking area, made from paper, has broken loose from the roof top in places a wrinkled. Painted the fence blue......just kept tweeking the damn thing over time. Sad to say that today it looks a little tired.

For you guys out there trying this for the first time, yeah there is a lot of rework, research, building things and finding a photo that changes it, breaking things, dropping things the list goes on, but this a hobby, enjoy it!

Adios guys.... its been fun.

Carlos Perea · 06-24-2009, 02:18 PM

Great photos and text! What type of cardboard did you use?

Rex · 06-24-2009, 02:19 PM

I'm completely speechless for your awesome work, Steve.
It's very beautiful, Love it all the way.

PHX69 · 06-24-2009, 03:51 PM

Very nice work SteveJ!
That whole circular rooftop looks extremely challenging! You executed it extremely well! I looked at some photos of the actual terminal and your replica looks very accurate. Any plans for another terminal in the future?

tex02 · 06-24-2009, 06:13 PM

Simply an amazing diorama, I worked at JFK and still remember when Pan Am occupied the Worldport, you brought back many great memories.
Thank you.

Tex

Retroguy · 06-24-2009, 06:30 PM

That is an awesome work of art.......you sure you're not an architect or something!?!?
Beautiful work, just beautiful work,............I wonder,...if all these art pieces shouldnt one day be part of a local and respective museum!?! one day!?!?....these are worth keeping for generations to come,....something that starts as a hobby, ends up in serious dioramas like this one,...I've seen some of your best work guys, and I feel ashamed mine is so poor...

and it even doesnt depict a real airport, so its worthless....but these works of yours, makes me/us keep going and trying our best....
congratulations !!!

rui

dylan · 06-25-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retroguy

That is an awesome work of art.......you sure you're not an architect or something!?!?
Beautiful work, just beautiful work,............I wonder,...if all these art pieces shouldnt one day be part of a local and respective museum!?! one day!?!?....these are worth keeping for generations to come,....something that starts as a hobby, ends up in serious dioramas like this one,...I've seen some of your best work guys, and I feel ashamed mine is so poor...

and it even doesnt depict a real airport, so its worthless....but these works of yours, makes me/us keep going and trying our best....
congratulations !!!

rui

I couldn't have said it better myself! Steve has given us many of the best dioramas we will ever see. He has, and will continue to be, a great inspiration to those of us into the model airport scene. Thanks again Steve!

Prestwick Pioneer · 06-25-2009, 04:11 PM

Steve, an awesome thread. Wel done, i am inspired again

Parminder27 · 06-25-2009, 06:33 PM

The circular terminal looks just perfect and so do the dirty ramps! I can really see all the effort you put into this has paid off.

peak airways · 07-01-2009, 12:08 PM

Just stumbled upon this thread, all I have to say is amazing. Thank you.

lufthansa340 · 07-05-2009, 01:05 PM

Steve, will this beauty be making the trip to the Newark show in September?

oliJFK · 07-05-2009, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dylan

I couldn't have said it better myself! Steve has given us many of the best dioramas we will ever see. He has, and will continue to be, a great inspiration to those of us into the model airport scene. Thanks again Steve!

Totally right! Thanks to Steve I've discovered the awesomeness of cardboard in the diorama making process. Not to mention his exceptional work has inspired me to continue this unique hobby (airport building that is) as I am sure he has inspired many others.

Thank you Steve for this very interesting thread. I hope to see more of your work in the near future!

Commuter · 07-07-2009, 04:15 PM

Excellent work. Very well detailed and inspiring work.

smoothjazz · 07-08-2009, 02:01 AM

Steve, any 1/200 diorama these days?

Junkcollector · 07-09-2009, 09:54 PM

I think somewhere, the passed JFK must be smiling. Very beautiful and inspiring craftsmanship!

Master Shake747 · 07-09-2009, 11:43 PM

Hands down the best!!!!

satyakir · 07-11-2009, 09:50 AM

Steve - great to see this again. This was one of my favourites when I first joined the forum. Great stuff!! You should take a course along with Oli and maybe we could all join.