Diorama Questions

[GruntZone360]

I've been thinking of making a 75 length by 45 width diorama and this will be my first. I know what you're probably thinking. You're thinking that I shouldn't make my first diorama this large because it's foolish, but I'm always well prepared to do things correctly the first time if I have the right supply. Okay, the following will be a series of questions I would like for you all to answer in order the best you can from the knowledge you have. Also, please use the cheapest route! I'm poor!

Just to tell you what I know already from what my dad had learned from his years of modeling. I know that you can use stuff that is free from outside like sand and what not. You can use putty for sandbags and left over model parts for debris. You know the squarish thing that you cut the model parts out of? You can cut those up to use for fences and stuff.

One last thing! I'm looking for it to be 1:35th scale. Always 1:35th

Questions

1. What should I make the buildings out of?

1a. How can I make some of them look like it collapsed?

1b. What about making a tunnel?

2. What is the best way to make a tree?

2a. Big small any size trees?

3. How can I make the roads?

3a. Any type of roads?

4. Will I have to use spray paint to paint everything?

5. I hear everyone talking about weathering material. Will that come in handy for making the Diorama?

5a. What would you recommend in weathering material?

6. How can I make one part of it look like a part of a lake?

6a. Will it need waves? etc

7. Is there any type of wires I can use for stuff like close lines and what not? Instead of string?

8. Does it matter to decide where I want the model to be placed before making it?

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[Ian M]

1. Plastic card. Spanner on the forum uses the foam bases from frozen pizzas. Cardboard. Just about anything that is stiff enough to stand and easy to cut.

1a, make a building and then break it up

1b. card with stuff over the top

2. Wire, twisted up and pulled into shape, for fir tree type things dead flowers from a budlia make excellent ones.

3 a good cheap and quick ground material is either good old plaster of paris of wall tile adhesive. smooth it out for roads leave it bumpy for ground

4 no

5 yes

6. greenish paint then a couple of thick coats of clear varnish

6a. Will it be windy.

7. use stretched sprue. (that square frame around the kits parts.

8. Always. bit silly to build a great dio only to find there is no where to put it.

75x45 is that cm. inches or feet.

Have a look in the Diorama's under construction and you will see some great diorama and loads of good tips and tricks.

Ian M

 

[PaulTRose]

I've been thinking of making a 75 length by 45 width cm?....inches?.....feet?.....meteres?

Questions

1. What should I make the buildings out of?

1a. How can I make some of them look like it collapsed?

google or look on ebay for miniart.............im doing one now

4. Will I have to use spray paint to paint everything?

nope.....in fact the one i done was entirely with hairy stick...its up to you, its your dio



5. I hear everyone talking about weathering material. Will that come in handy for making the Diorama?

5a. What would you recommend in weathering material?

theres a gazillion products out there that cost money..........and a gazillion more thats free........ive used finely sifted road stone or sand mixed with diluted pva glue then painted to make texture,...........ive seen people use real mud, dried then mixed with pva.......ive used oil paints diluted for staining........all depends on what you mean by 'weathering' cos it is an all enveloping term

7. Is there any type of wires I can use for stuff like close lines and what not? Instead of string?

look in hobbycraft.....in the jewelry section....you can buy wire in various gauges and colours



8. Does it matter to decide where I want the model to be placed before making it?

possibly if its huge!!.....it could end up being quite a weight...........be good if you let us know what you are planning

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[Deleted member 4203]

Question 4: No you will not, you can brush paint a lot of it if you want super small details, which will make it look good. :D

For making things, go to the top of the page to the search bar and look up the Unconventional modelling materials list, it is by Yak Face, this will help you find many cheap and easy materials to help you make dioramas, I haven't made my first one yet either, although I have been intending to for quite a while So if you want some small extra tips try searching Tips For My First Diorama?, and then put TheRedBaron where it asks for the author, hopefully this should help answer a few of those questions :D

 

[GruntZone360]

1. Plastic card. Spanner on the forum uses the foam bases from frozen pizzas. Cardboard. Just about anything that is stiff enough to stand and easy to cut.1a, make a building and then break it up

1b. card with stuff over the top

2. Wire, twisted up and pulled into shape, for fir tree type things dead flowers from a budlia make excellent ones.

3 a good cheap and quick ground material is either good old plaster of paris of wall tile adhesive. smooth it out for roads leave it bumpy for ground

4 no

5 yes

6. greenish paint then a couple of thick coats of clear varnish

6a. Will it be windy.

7. use stretched sprue. (that square frame around the kits parts.

8. Always. bit silly to build a great dio only to find there is no where to put it.

75x45 is that cm. inches or feet.

Have a look in the Diorama's under construction and you will see some great diorama and loads of good tips and tricks.

Ian M

Question 4: No you will not, you can brush paint a lot of it if you want super small details, which will make it look good. :D For making things, go to the top of the page to the search bar and look up the Unconventional modelling materials list, it is by Yak Face, this will help you find many cheap and easy materials to help you make dioramas, I haven't made my first one yet either, although I have been intending to for quite a while So if you want some small extra tips try searching Tips For My First Diorama?, and then put TheRedBaron where it asks for the author, hopefully this should help answer a few of those questions :D

Thanks! 75x45 in Inches. Thank you for the extra information! I will be checking those out soon.

 

[noble]

1 I find 25mm thick insulating foam board is ideal, it can be cut and shaped to any size or shape very easily using a serrated knife.

1a simply cut foam to shape required.

2 I've never done it myself but wire sections wrapped together to get the appropriate height and diameter.

3 Depending on the type of road needed, I usually use silt which is very fine dirt that has tiny stones in it this can be collected from sweeping your garden or driveway, for cobblestone roads I use celluclay once mixed apply it to the area needed the with a sharp pointy object scribe in the cobble stone shapes then paint when dry.

4 Depends I will usually prime and paint everything except grass and dirt roads, all I do with these is dry brush highlights in.

5 Weathering material cover washes, pastel chalks, weathering powders and yes they will come in handy.

5a oil paints in black, white, burnt umber, grey and yellow ochre, pastel and weathering powders.

6 paint the base in blues and greens then you can add multiple coats of clear gloss varnish, or if you want actual depth then use a product called scenic water.

7 Very fine lead wire or fine fishing line is what I have used.

8 Of course knowing how much space you have in your home is paramount and is nessecary so your dio can be stored without damage. Also always design the diorama to fit the board and not the other way around as what tends to happen is that your original concept or idea can get lost because you are then adding things to fill up space on the board.

scott

 

[spanner570]

All nicely covered, well done boys.....

75" X 45".....That's going to be one mother of a diorama, for sure. I would think it will have to be built in at least three sections, otherwise it will be impossible to lift without destroying the base.....Not to mention the weight! Making the joints so they are invisible is very difficult. Just take your time and don't be afraid to alter your initial idea / build as the work progresses.

 

[rickoshea52]

75 x 45 inches? That's roughly the size of a typical oval of HO/OO model railway track and twice the size of my own model railway at 6' x 18" (excluding fiddle yards)!

 

[GruntZone360]

All nicely covered, well done boys.....75" X 45".....That's going to be one mother of a diorama, for sure. I would think it will have to be built in at least three sections, otherwise it will be impossible to lift without destroying the base.....Not to mention the weight! Making the joints so they are invisible is very difficult. Just take your time and don't be afraid to alter your initial idea / build as the work progresses.

Yeah, I was planning to cut it into four different pieces .

75 x 45 inches? That's roughly the size of a typical oval of HO/OO model railway track and twice the size of my own model railway at 6' x 18" (excluding fiddle yards)!

You do know that there is a 1:35 scale model trains right? I was going to order and make some from Trumpeter. I still haven't fully planned anything yet. This is going to be a really long project. Seeing that I don't mess with my models as much as everyone else. xD

 

[GruntZone360]

1 I find 25mm thick insulating foam board is ideal, it can be cut and shaped to any size or shape very easily using a serrated knife.1a simply cut foam to shape required.

2 I've never done it myself but wire sections wrapped together to get the appropriate height and diameter.

3 Depending on the type of road needed, I usually use silt which is very fine dirt that has tiny stones in it this can be collected from sweeping your garden or driveway, for cobblestone roads I use celluclay once mixed apply it to the area needed the with a sharp pointy object scribe in the cobble stone shapes then paint when dry.

4 Depends I will usually prime and paint everything except grass and dirt roads, all I do with these is dry brush highlights in.

5 Weathering material cover washes, pastel chalks, weathering powders and yes they will come in handy.

5a oil paints in black, white, burnt umber, grey and yellow ochre, pastel and weathering powders.

6 paint the base in blues and greens then you can add multiple coats of clear gloss varnish, or if you want actual depth then use a product called scenic water.

7 Very fine lead wire or fine fishing line is what I have used.

8 Of course, knowing how much space you have in your home is paramount and is nessecary so your dio can be stored without damage. Also always design the diorama to fit the board and not the other way around as what tends to happen is that your original concept or idea can get lost because you are then adding things to fill up space on the board.

scott

I didn't get to say thanks in the post above, so THANKS! :D I'm going to plan everything in detail. Even with stuff I haven't done yet.

 

[grumpa]

I would suggest baby steps first, dios do not need to be large to be impressive, you WILL be able to work your way up once you have your dio legs a bit under you. Just don't want you to overwhelm yourself and get discouraged. All advice sent with LOVE as always.

 

[tanktrack]

1b depending on the scale -large roll centre's

2 I use guage masters seafoam trees and stick flock to it

6/6a woodland scenic do water products also acrylic resin from any of the mainstream paint producers ie Winston

7 wire trace can be bought from fishing tackle shops

 

[dave]

A lot of good advice above, there are also a lot of websites and blogs out their with advice. Terragenesis has some interesting stuff. A few people have also alluded to model railways, those sites often have a lot of relevant material on building terrain.