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Help appreciated! Which final layout should I go with?



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My friend like's samurai, so he's getting a dio of a samurai fighting ninja! The samurai in question is Mushashi, a mercenary in the Infinity universe who was created to be like the Mushashi of the past. Stuff happened and he was slotted to be gotten rid of, but he escaped and started up merc work. For my diorama, we will assume the ninja have been hired to get rid of him. Which arrangement is the best in your opinion? Feel free to suggest another as well! I love the sniper ninja but kind of wish I had gotten one with a closer range weapon, she looks almost silly being so close. She will be painted as though her active camouflage is dropping though so that's part of why she's so close.

Thanks for your consideration

I really like #2

#1 gets my vote. Some others aren't bad (#4 would likely be my second choice), but the first is a strong leader, IMO.

It has the strongest narrative - Musashi is cornered, his back literally to the wall (not a fence, not some barrels - the solid, heavy object that dominates the scenery). His two foes facing backward helps establish that he is alone, while they are working together against him. That clarity is muddied or outright lost in some of the more "dynamic" scenes which, without some sort of specific explanation, could be just any old skirmish.

It also scans easily - keeping him centered at the back gives the eye an immediate focal point from which it can then drift. I also like the general symmetry the positioning provides, without actually being mirrored (flanked by two different models, bounded by two different not-quite-solid walls).

I could see considering #2 (which is the same setup rotated 90 degrees) out of a desire for a more complete view of all the minis, but I think that would be misguided. First, positioning the two ninja directly in line still restricts the view. Second, neither of the side walls are really all that obstructive. With the fence having more empty space than sight-blocking wire and the barrel stacks being so low, the entirety of the scene can still be viewed.

#1 uses the "default view" (head on) to set the scene, then invites you to explore all of the details. #2 and #4 establish a similar scene, but with less clarity. #3 and #5 are too disjointed, in my mind, to have the same impact, even though they draw on more of the crazy future-ninja skills that define those figures.

TLDR: #1 or I will be disappoint.

[edit:] Botched tags. Apparently, I use italics a lot....

In art there are 2 composition methods - the rule of thirds & vortex:
Rule of thirds - split up the scene into thirds (visualise a tic-tac-toe grid). Place the most important element on one of the intersections. Due to your design, you could also do this in the vertical plane as well - try putting your main protagonist on a crate or similar to raise him/her up above the enemy.
Vortex - think of a spiral & position elements along the path but not too obviously! For example, in your option 1, push up the left-hand model by about an inch. Again you could also play around with their vertical positioning - left-hand bloke on the ground as is, the middle dude raised up on a crate or box & the right-hand dude on one of those stacked caps. Option 3 is closest to this so that's my choice.
I would also recommend that if all of your colours are muted, add one splash of red, either graffiti or a sash.

Oh i voted on 2 but I skipped the first for some reason... I would go for the first. Like Oadie explains very well it really fits the theme of cornering the hero... How will he get out?

Good start! Can't wait to see the development of this diorama!

Thanks guys, you have given me a lot of good advice and some stuff to ponder. I've still got a lot of painting to do and the only one who may change based on location is the sniper, but having the positions set helps keep me moving forward.

I regret not taking any art classes going through school and college, I think there are a lot of fundamentals and concepts that would help me be a better painter/modeler, but ehh we all get by don't we

I'll let you know what I end up doing for sure.

If anyone would like to follow along I update whenever I make progress here:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/596240.page

The last couple of pages, the first few were another finished thing.

I definitely agree with everything Oadie has said. I couldn't have put it better myself. Go for number 1. It may seem like the most obvious but it's the best.