Racing Dioramics figures: So lifelike it’s scary

Sculpture meets scale modeling

If you have been around small scale modeling long enough, you’ve seen lots of race car driver figures produced. Most of them aren’t even close to recognizable. On the other hand there’s so many wonderfully created pieces offered by Racing Dioramics. I am highly impressed by the variety, accuracy and quantity of the pieces produced. What impresses me the most is that they are created not in a computer but by hand sculpting each one. Think of how exactingly hard that is in 1/18th and even more so in 1/43rd scale. That’s Lewis Hamilton on the left in 1/43rd and that’s Michael Schumacher on the right. Incredible.

Even more impressive is the detail within these figures, from facial expressions and detail in the bodily forms to the fine accuracy of the sponsor logos. All I can say is Wow!

That Racing Dioramics also combines these figures into dioramas including the car and many more little details takes this to another level altogether.

A little background from “the man”

I’ll let Crittenden from Racing Dioramics tell it:

“The individual standing figures are numbered productions of 25; sometimes more, sometimes less. One-offs are made here and there as commissioned by individual collectors. The figures are made by myself.

The racing scenes are a combination of 1/43 scale F1 kits from Europe combined with our driver figures. The figures are custom sculpted for each little diorama.

“The RD Special race cars are from Nestor Spinelli’s original production. Nestor started making models of F1 cars that had not been made yet by other kit makers and some seemed unlikely to ever be offered. Collectors began joining the fun and began making their own suggestions and lists for Mr. Spinelli.”

The masters for the figures are hand-carved in the finished size from stone-like hardened fine grade automotive Bondo material rather than clay or wax. No computer is utilized for the masters whatsoever.

Combining car and driver

Crittenden is also very talented when building 1/43rd cars and placing the drivers in the cockpits in context. That’s Jim Clark hitching a ride on the Ferrari of John Surtees at the 1965 French GP on the left.

At the top of the page is a piece called “2004 Ferrari Dream Team”. Ross Brawn, Michael Schumacher and Jean Todt are all very recognizable and the car modeling is very, very good. There’s even great attention to the little details. Check out the bodywork stands.

On the right, Fernando Alonso is depicted atop his Renault after clinching the 2006 World Championship at Suzuka, Japan. THAT, folks, is some fine modeling right there.

I could go on and on…..

Seriously, I could wax poetic about so much of what appears on the Racing Dioramics website. With 1/43rd collecting in a mature state with literally hundreds of models to choose from, collectors are starting to accessorize their collections with transporters, small dioramas and figures. I am a major proponent of telling stories within a collection. Not just showing a bunch of models, but instead telling a chronological, driver or livery “story” within a particular team such as Ferrari or Lotus, or as shown here, individual cars and the drivers that made them great.

Below is a gallery of choice Racing Dioramics cars and drivers. You can go to their website and see the whole shebang. You are going to spend some time there, I guarantee it.

For more model car fun, click here.