Muppet Dioramas created with Chain Base Model Kits

[aritario]

For all of us is well known how difficult it is to get today's famous Muppet's Backstage playset. I on my own, I could get one from ebay because of my tenacity in the auction game and because it was included in a batch along with over 40 figures and accessories. After that, I have found then the task of selling all the figures that I have repeated and those that do not call me to care. This way I can meet again some of the money invested and also leave a little light the collection with only parts I love most.

Conclusions, this playset is very difficult to find, and now is at an exorbitant price of over $ 400.00 but ... thinking and looking for other ways: What if we do our own playsets?

Spice up your collection!

Just this morning while check the figures and photos of the second part of my collection, I began to think of other ways to prepare different playsets for the muppets and that was when I remembered the Mechanical Chain Bases Model Kit I own.

These bases are perfect to combine together to form different dioramas or scenarios. They have very good price and can get on sites like amazon.com

Each base can be easily assembled within minutes and measures 6 1/3-inch tall x 6-inches wide x 6-inches long upon completion.

Just look at these examples and you will realize what I say:

Janice & Kermit01
Janice & Kermit02

Miss P.01
Miss P.02

Beauregard01
Beauregard & Kermit

Floyd, Janice & Beaker
Floyd, Janice & Beaker02
Floyd, Janice & Beaker03
Floyd, Janice & Beaker04



Accessories, accessories and more accessories ... What to do?

Note that the options are many, especially when Rizzo is who is in charge of the warehouse:

Rizzo01 Riz..02 Riz..03 Riz..04 Riz..05 Riz..06
Riz..07 Riz..08 Riz..09 Riz..10 Riz..11 Riz..12
Riz..13 Riz..14 Riz..15 Riz..16 Riz..17 Riz..18 Riz..19



More details with ... POSTERS

Accessories, accessories and more accessories ... What to do?
Note that the options are many, especially when Rizzo is who is in charge of the stock: warehouse posters Now let's take another slight change by adding small images of posters inspired in our heroes and can be found through the internet. Just browse and select those that you like, print in different sizes and you have your own collection of posters of muppets.

Backstg posters01 Backstg posters02 Backstg posters03
Backstg posters04 Backstg posters05 Backstg posters06
Backstg posters07 Backstg posters08 Backstg posters09
Backstg posters10 Backstg posters11 Backstg posters12
Backstg posters13 Backstg posters14 Backstg posters15
Backstg posters16 Backstg posters17


What do you think?

Well folks, I await your opinions and let me know if you dare to make this simple project. See ya!

 

[Dearth]

Hi Aritario,

I've seen those chain bases before, and was very tempted to get some to make a Star Tours hangar for my small StarSpeeder 3000.

But in this case, I just don't think the scale works with the Muppets. The details are so small and so intricate, you can 'feel' that they're designed to be displayed behind small model kits of gigantic robots and such.

Plus, those bases are pretty 'sci-fi' with hard edges and sharp angles and tons of greeblies... and while that might have limited applicability for a Pigs in Space scenario, for the rest of the Muppet gang, it doesn't really work quite as well.

I've done several custom Muppet Show environments which are posted in my own 'dioramas' thread here. I've found that dollhouse construction supplies, like miniature hardwood floors, are on a great scale to the Muppets. And they have vinyl panels duplicating brick walls, various types of linoleum floors, even old-timey tin ceilings.

Another member here, j3H, did a giant Muppet stage diorama with tons of intricate brickwork, a working trapdoor, curtain, even Statler and Waldorf's box. In one of his threads, he posted the company where he ordered his sheets of vinyl brick, which were much larger than the ones I bought at Hobby Lobby, and were available in more colors, if memory serves.

But, don't take my opinions too much to heart. I'll probably plug in an episode of the Muppet Show tomorrow and see a set for a skit where the chain bases would be absolutely perfect. I'm always looking for new materials for show-specific environments.

Speaking of which, I am also always looking for loose figures at reasonable prices for custom fodder. If you've got any of those 40 figures left that you want to get rid of, let me know!

Dearth Nadir

 

[Frogster]

Dude, nice work! I like how you have it set up, and those posters rock. So... just to make sure, that'd be the area between the backstage and the actual stage, correct?

 

[aritario]

Remember, 6pm (ET, Miami)

Hello guys, I already saw your Message but I can not answer right now with the list of figures for lack of time. I can tell you that I have received various messages as well but equally I ask everyone to please give me until this Friday at 6pm (ET, Miami) and then will let you know the complete list, which among other things includes two playsets, Floyd, Gonzo , Fozzie, Animal, B. Honeydew, Teeth, Piggy, Kermit ... Just give me time to that hour and you will have the photos and prices of everything.

Remember, 6pm (ET, Miami)

 

[aritario]

Ok guys, just let me take a few seconds to answer the Messages here and carry on with my things, then in the afternoon I return with photos and list of parts I plan to sell.

First of all, thanks for the attention to the issue and thanks for the change in the title of the Message but I really like to know who and how did the change of title, because I had wanted to do well within my means and my idea was to conduct a joint thread with no fixed topic.

I mean, use my thread to present several ideas of how to display our figures, not only with Chain Model Kit Bases. Of course this is not a big problem because we can start a new one with other examples but I already had an idea how to do it and I spent several hours searching the option to edit my thread without any luck.

I'm glad this change was for good, I really do. But I would like to do it at any time to avoid having to start another topic and thus maintain the original idea. Also I would like to know how to make corrections or add information on future threads without having to write new messages.

I repeat, I am happy with the name change and I thank you for that, the disappointment is that I can not do it by myself later, here or in another post.

====================

Now, on to you!

Dearth, thanks for your message and I think referring to the original Message of this topic, I think I should have been more explicit in my idea of being able to demonstrate that with a bit of resources and ideas, we can achieve new results when put to display our figures.

I'm super happy to have won the mega backstage within a batch of figures sold on ebay and for that I prepared several days ago with the money. But the reality is that there are many people who could not buy it and others that will perhaps never be able to do it. For that reason I think we're about customizers, we owe in part to help the rest of the community to show our work, giving ideas on how to create solutions to our needs and share some of our achievements.

I congratulate you for your talent and grace that you have in this hobby but also congratulate you as honest in showing everyone how you do it. Thx!

Now, my idea is to go beyond the Palisades playsets. I do not think we have to limit ourselves only to the playsets designed based on The Muppet Show, the Muppet movies or other series of the Muppets. The fact that Palisades or any other company or entity decided to make figures and playsets based on their decicion, that does not mean that we must be content with what they give us. I think that decisions are also in our hands, consumers. If you do not like a certain product, change it or improve it.

But also, why not create our own universe of muppets. We have all the tools and the main one is our imagination. Do something new with your own resources. Go beyond what is scheduled and run the extra mile.


If you've ever thought about buying the Chain Model Kits, do it and you will not regret it. For me it was enough to see examples of other people on how to display their collections with these bases and I immediately bought 4.

The original photos are in the message with two of these bases linked together. In these days I would find the other two I have and put them next to these to show you the difference. Remember that they are 6 inches tall and you can raise them to 12 inches as I did with mine, placing one above the other.

I know that these bases were originally made for military figures and Sci Fi, but again I return to the issue of non-stop and make changes by adding accessories and / or changing the paint too. For my part I just never see these bases only for robots or mini figures to the contrary, I wanted them for a wider visual range.

Well, I almost go but I promise you I will return in the evening after 6pm to continue our conversation. Thx, thx very much for your attention and see you.

 

[aritario]

Dude, nice work! I like how you have it set up, and those posters rock. So... just to make sure, that'd be the area between the backstage and the actual stage, correct?

Hey Frogster, thx for your message.

What you say is exactly what I wish, this could be any area within the theater and not exactly any of those shown in the Palisades playsets.

Of course, any of us could take the challenge to make a diorama as close to that seen in the TV series and that's very good to mention and take into consideration. For that reason, Congrats to everyone who uses his genius in that purpose. For example: j3H and Dearth.

See ya!