PINEWOOD FARMS Reveals TOP TIPS for Farm Model Collectors
PINEWOOD FARMS - Bringing Farm Models and Farm Dioramas to Life
Realism is key when it comes to farm models. Pinewood Farms is certainly one of the best at creating real to life farm dioramas. But how does Pinewood Farms create such realistic farm models and dioramas? This blog will give some top tips for farm model collectors and farm diorama creators, to bring your model tractors to life!
Making an Idea a Reality - Where to Start...
All great things start with an idea. But the real skill comes from making that initial thought a reality. A recent project for Pinewood Farms is the creation of a series of new beef cattle sheds. Pinewood Farms said "there is no right or wrong way to design a farm, as farms add on and branch out over time". As we know, Pinewood Farms is famed for arable dioramas, but like in a real life farming business, Pinewood Farms has expanded into a beef unit. Pinewood Farms' inspiration for this came from always having a soft spot for beef cattle.
The exterior of the buildings are supplied by Woody's Farm Buldings. But the customisation and detail added is what brings these sheds to life. Pinewood Farms has added:
- Realistic Yorkshire boarding
- Guttering
- Textured concrete panels
- Vegetation along the bottom of the walls
- Pallets of feed and a broken bale ready for putting out for the cows
- Straw spread inside the building ready for the addition of livestock.
Firstly, Pinewood Farms' top top for getting inspiration for a farm diorama is to go and see some real life farms. "The key thing is to measure the room you have and cut out a base board with a frame underneath so it stays solid, then decide what sort of farming enterprise you wish to replicate, or have a little bit of everything" explained Pinewood Farms.
Furthermore, Pinewood Farms said the most "important things is to remember how a real farm is... they have messy areas, they have clean areas, just do your own thing and remember every farm is different".
Customisation of Farm Models - Making Farm Dioramas More Realistic!
Pinewood Farms' Facebook and Instagram followers will be familiar with the photos of the various model customisations. Of course, taking a screwdriver and knife to your beloved farm models is not for the fainthearted, but Pinewood Farms explains that "to make farm models look realisitic, don't be shy to blow dust on them or use real mud from the garden". Furthermore, "real mud gets into the places where it gets in real life and if you want to clean the model to show in a display cabinet or to sell the model, you can just wash it off". Finally, this method doesn't cost you anything!
One recent example of a farm model being spruced up in the "Pinewood Farms Workshop" is a ROS Samson PGII 25 Pumptower SD700 Tanker. This model arrived damaged, but underwent repair and alterations including:
- Fitting of a new ram on the top loading arm
- Refit front marker board
- Refit rear left hand mudguard
- New spot lights all round
- New beacon on rear
- Side rail refitted.
But one of the hallmarks of Pinewood Farms are the beautifully modified Fendt tractors. These are often photographed undertaking a range of activities in the Pinewood Farms' yard. The 2 examples below could literally be taken from a real life arable farm.
Firstly, the Wiking Fendt 942 has been modified to include a CB aerial, UK number plates, side mounted tool box, Fendt window sticker and a custom created front weight featuring tool boxes, marker cane and chain. Pinewood Farms told Agri Scale Models that "the addition of ariels, lights, flashing beacons and stickers add personal little details" to farm models.
Secondly, a 1:32 Wiking Fendt 939, shown here complete with a bale trailer which is being loaded with square bales, by a 1:32 Wiking Claas Scorpion 7044. This tractor has received numerous customisations, the most notable being the weathering of the machine with the addition of mud to its tyres.
Photography - The Key to an Immersive Farm Diorama?
Capturing these dioramas is what really brings the immersive feel to what Pinewood Farms creates. And of course it allows for this fantastic work to be shared with Pinewood Farms' followers on social media.
However, photography and capturing these scenes is a skill in itself. Pinewood Farms revealed that "to get the most out of your diorama photos, you need to take the photo from low down, as if you are there in person". It's also important to "get the lighting right and for it to not be too dark".
Conclusion
Pinewood Farms produces high quality and very realistic farm model conversions and dioramas. However, Pinewood Farms' top tips give many of us some ideas to start personalising our farm model collections.
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