Play small Dream BIG
Here is one of the last tests of the diorama I am making on the Battle of Staffarda.
Every single soldier present is a real reenactor who was present at the last battle in 2023.
Given the complexity of the diorama due in the first instance to the weather conditions, i.e. waiting to be able to take the photos on a clear day with little wind, and in the second instance to the number of paper soldiers present, I decided to take four different shots with one of the regiments in the foreground in turn.
This is because it is impossible to get a single shot with the whole line in focus. In this first shot, in fact, you can see in the foreground the Piedmontese infantrymen (grey uniform) and then the Spanish michelettes (blue uniforms) and the Piedmontese navy infantrymen of whom only the standard can be glimpsed. I could also take the photo by putting the soldiers in a sort of diagonal but even here I would not be able to frame them all.
One of the things I enjoy most about customizing Playmobil medieval knights is experimenting with heraldry. A different shield or banner can give a familiar figure an entirely new identity.
For this outdoor medieval scene, I brought together three different heraldic traditions: the classic purple and yellow wyvern of Playmobil Castle, the yellow crown on a pink background inspired by vintage LEGO Castle, and the three black dogs of House Clegane from A Song of Ice and Fire.
The purple banners with their yellow wyvern are inspired by classic Playmobil medieval sets, while the pink banners featuring a yellow crown pay tribute to the early LEGO Castle knights.
Combining these different emblems creates a colourful medieval force, with each group of knights carrying its own distinctive colours and symbols.
I photographed the figures outdoors, using natural ground, distant autumn hills and a little smoke to give the scene the atmosphere of a medieval army gathering for battle.
Among the knights is a mounted warrior carrying the coat of arms of House Clegane, one of the noble houses featured in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.
The Clegane sigil features three black dogs on a yellow field. I adapted the design to fit the oval shape of a Playmobil shield, creating a small crossover between fantasy literature and classic medieval toys.
The heraldic images were sourced online and resized and adapted for the Playmobil shields, rather than painted by hand.
The shields and banners were customized using two different techniques.
For the shields, I selected heraldic images from the internet, adjusted their proportions and adapted them to the oval Playmobil shield shape. This allowed me to reproduce emblems from different fictional worlds on the same type of miniature figure.
For the banners, I used my usual fabric flag technique: printing the heraldic designs onto special transfer paper and then applying them to fabric.
Fabric banners give the miniature army a different appearance from ordinary paper flags and work particularly well in outdoor photography.
I always enjoy photographing my Playmobil figures in natural landscapes. By placing the camera close to the knights' eye level, the real hills and sky become part of their miniature world.
This scene is a small tribute to the medieval toy soldiers and fantasy heraldry that have inspired me over the years: Playmobil, vintage LEGO Castle and A Song of Ice and Fire, all brought together on the same battlefield.
This is an independent, non-commercial fan customization project. Playmobil, LEGO and A Song of Ice and Fire are the property of their respective rights holders.
Among the thousands of projects running through my head, I thought of turning historical reenactors into paper soldiers.
The opportunity presented itself at the re-enactment of the Battle of Staffarda in the Piedmont region.
All the reenactors I met were very kind and lent themselves to the photo session.
At the moment I have managed to make paper soldiers of these different regiments all belonging to the same line or brigade if you like.
Piedmontese Dragoons
Micheletti of Catalonia
Piedmontese Marines
Piedmont Regiment
While for the opposing line I am working on the Red Dragoons.
What did I learn from this experiment?
1 Make sure that all reenactors are posed at the same distance from the lens.
2 One line must pose facing left while the other line must pose facing right.
3 A backdrop that is as neutral as possible helps enormously in the graphic editing work
I have made every effort to give them all the same size so that once cut there are no obvious different sizes
The print format is A4, I recommend sticking the soldiers on a black cardboard not too thick.
The scale is slightly larger than 1:24
These working miniature cannons are the centrepiece of an 18th-century-inspired siege artillery diorama featuring Playmobil redcoat soldiers. Rather than simply displaying the models, I wanted to capture the atmosphere of a battery in action: artillery crews at their posts, guns behind field defences, and a photographic sequence showing smoke and flashes during firing.
The two model cannons have very different origins. Both were adapted for my miniature scenes, combining older decorative models, traditional model-making and a little family workshop craftsmanship.
For the setting, I arranged the guns and Playmobil artillerymen among field defences and military supplies. The figures wear red uniforms and tricorn hats, evoking the armies of the 18th century. The outdoor landscape behind the miniature battery helps the scene feel larger than its actual scale.
The photographs explore the same battery from several angles, including two separate firing sequences and a final night-time view.
The first gun comes from a Mantua Model kit inspired by a late-18th-century American coastal cannon. I kept its original gun carriage and coloured the carriage red using an acrylic paint marker.
The second gun is a personal combination of parts: I bought its wheeled gun carriage on eBay and mounted the barrel of a decorative desk cannon onto it. This gave an old display piece a new role in my historical miniature collection.
Both barrels were machined by my uncle on a lathe in his workshop. His help was essential in adapting the models for the photographic firing experiments shown below. These are personal model-making projects, not commercially manufactured Playmobil cannons.
The first sequence follows the battery through three consecutive moments. The static artillery position gives way to the dramatic effects of firing, with smoke and light briefly changing the appearance of the miniature battlefield.
The accompanying video offers another look at this miniature artillery experiment.
I also photographed a second sequence from the artillery position. Comparing the frames is part of the fun: even when the models and soldiers stay in place, a brief flash or cloud of smoke can make the same diorama look completely different.
Beyond the firing effects, I wanted to document the miniature guns themselves. The close-up photographs show their proportions, wheels, barrels and carriages, as well as how naturally they can be combined with Playmobil figures in a historical diorama.
One of my favourite aspects of this hobby is finding new uses for objects collected over the years. A model kit, an eBay carriage and an old decorative cannon can all become part of a miniature battlefield.
The night-time photograph gives the artillery position a different atmosphere. Against the dark blue sky, the soldiers and miniature guns become silhouettes, while the lighting brings a new sense of drama to the scene.
This miniature artillery battery features two cannons adapted for my Playmobil dioramas. One is a Mantua Model reproduction inspired by a late-18th-century American coastal cannon, with its original carriage coloured red. The other combines a gun carriage purchased on eBay with the barrel of a decorative desk cannon. My uncle machined both barrels on a lathe in his workshop, making these miniature artillery pieces a particularly personal project.
These experiments with miniature cannons are part of my wider interest in 18th-century military history and Playmobil battlefield photography. For a larger scene featuring artillery in action, see my French and Indian War siege diorama.
Safety note: These photographs document past experiments with modified miniature artillery. Firing devices and pyrotechnic effects can cause serious injury or fire, and should not be reproduced around toys, people or flammable scenery.
Another weekend, another round of miniature artillery experiments! This time, I have been working on a polymer clay cannon, experimenting with different desk cannon components and improving my woodworking skills to create more convincing miniature artillery carriages.
One of my latest projects is a miniature cannon made with polymer clay around a metal core. I also experimented with the shape and appearance of the trunnions, trying to give the finished model the look of a traditional artillery piece.
The project is still experimental, but I am pleased with the appearance of the finished cannon. There are several details I would like to improve in future versions.
Alongside the cannon itself, I have also been practicing woodworking to create a more realistic artillery carriage.
My goal is to move beyond a simple display stand and produce something that looks closer to a historical miniature reproduction. The proportions, wheels and overall construction are all details I would like to refine.
My collection of miniature desk cannons continues to grow, and I recently discovered that components from two different models were compatible.
By combining the cannon from one model with the carriage from another, I managed to create an interesting new miniature artillery piece.
The carriage was not made by me, but the combination works surprisingly well. Sometimes experimenting with existing models can produce unexpected results!
These experiments also reminded me how important workshop safety can be.
During one drilling operation, the drill became stuck and the workpiece suddenly moved violently. I was fortunate to escape without more serious injuries, although I hurt my little finger.
It was a frightening experience and a reminder that even small workshop projects require appropriate equipment, secure workholding and proper safety precautions. Pyrotechnic experiments introduce additional risks and should not be attempted casually.
I still have plenty of ideas for improving the appearance of my miniature cannons and artillery carriages. I would particularly like to explore more accurate historical details and better woodworking techniques.
More experiments coming soon on Little Carpet Wars!
Sometimes the best way to bring a miniature world to life is to take it into the real world.
For these photographs, I took my Playmobil sailing ship out onto real seawater and used a waterproof camera to photograph it from almost the same level as the waves. The sea, the sky and the reflections are real—not a miniature backdrop.
I love how much the perspective changes the scene. In some pictures, the ship seems to tower over the waves; in others, it looks like a small vessel lost on a vast ocean. The natural light on the sails and the movement of the water make each photograph feel different.
All it took was a Playmobil ship, a waterproof camera, the open sea and a little imagination.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
