How I Build Dioramas (step-by-step)

[johnreid]

First post commin up! ;D
Cheers! John.

[johnreid]

Hi Guys! I build dioramas that are civilian and military.In fact the diorama that I am building now has both civilian and military aspects to it.I would like to suggest that maybe Admin. could consider just a section for dioramas instead of splitting it up.What do you guys think? Cheers! John.

[johnreid]

I have been running an online build for over a year now on how to build a diorama.This diorama is not strictly about airplanes, as I also have 2 cars and 2 motorcycles in it.It is neither strictly military or civilian in its storyline.If you guys would like to get caught up on where I am till now check out

www.theaerodrome.com

go to forum,Models,Then "How to build aircraft dioramas"

for pics go to

www.wwi-models.org

click on Galleries,then my name and that should take you there.

All other posts including todays will also be posted here but pics will be available only at wwi-models as they host my pics for me.
I presently contribute to 4 aircraft,2 auto,2 ship and 1 scratchbuilders site so I try to keep my pics in one spot.
My interest is to promote dioramas,as an artform,in anyway I can.I hope that you enjoy this ongoing build along with me.
Cheers! John.

[seanrgb]

Wow John
thats some impressive work there
Thanks for sharing

[johnreid]

Good morning guys! Well yesterday I went back to complete module 2s sheathing with boards.Today I will start painting it grey and do some weathering.I have decided to incorporate the garage doors into the module instead of hanging them on the main structure.This way I can avoid working hinges that dont seem to always work too well anyway.These doors will never be moved and they are not used as a dust shield like in the Abatros diorama.I can fake the hinges and when properly fit you wont be able to see any difference.I have built a small ramp out of hard maple that acts as a transition floor between the garage and the hangar floors.The model T will sit half on this transition floor and half on the garage module itself so that when I attach the module the car is half way into the hangar yet it is still basically a part of the module.
For some visual interest I think that I will make the doors from plywood sheet instead of individual boards and I will paint it green, the same color as the trim and hangar doors.The only thing that I may add is a handrail around the edge or maybe just a post for the door handle to be hitched to.Otherwise it will be quite plain looking in keeping with its purpose of drawing the viewer into the scene.I kind of like these half open doors as they act as a sort of "reveal" as in a shadow box.
Today I will take some pics if everything goes as planned.
Cheers! John.

"No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination."
Edward Hopper.
This

[Bluecorsair]

I thought I recognized your name, I joined your forum, when you were on FSM, so, this is cool , need to learn how to build dio's also, among a whole slew of other things!

[johnreid]

Hi blue! good to see you over here.Cheers! John.

[johnreid]

Until I learn how to post pics on a site without a browser my latest pics can be seen over on

www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

go to Discussion,Dioramas,"How to"

Cheers! John.

[animal]

I have had the honor of seeing your work before. Great inspiration for us Rock dio builders. Thanks for sharing

[johnreid]

Thanks Dave,I am glad you enjoyed it.Only your peers really understand what this is all about.Cheers! John.

[johnreid]

This is a lot of fun to do.As far as I know ,I am the first one to take what the doll house guys and gals(miniaturists) do, and the dioramists and shadow boxers do, and bring them both together to create something like a 5 sided shadow box in one self-contained unit.
I got the idea after attending a miniaturists show many years ago.The larger scale appealed to me and the fact that you could put many years work into just one piece working in all of the details.
It is almost like building the real thing.Years ago someone told me that the secret to all of this was, to concentrate on the single piece that you are doing each day as it was a sculpture in and of itself.Then when you put all these little scuptures together into one big piece, you will be happy with the results.Sure there are some parts that are really boring to do, but I have talked to other artists who do detail work, and they complain about the same thing.Wildlife artists paint each hair ,bird sculpturers carve,texture ,burn and paint each feather.(one of my former hobbies).For all the boring jobs however, there are those moments that we all live for when we have a new idea or a new way of doing things.The very act of creation is what ,in the end, keeps you going.In fact ,after awhile you cant live without having this creativity in your life.
I figure that I have about another year to go to complete this project.This is the fun time now when you start actually putting things together for the final time,knowing that anything you add now will be staying there.It is also a time when you really have to concentrate on composition.(That is why my figures will remain headless until I figure out their final position and how they will relate to one another.)Often I will just sit back and try to figure out where everything will go.Then I will try this or that and sometimes hours are spent just on re-arranging things.In the end, it is the little things that make all the difference.(For example the spilled nuts and bolts on the floor of my Neiuport diorama, which came about purely by accident.)These planned ideas or" Happy Accidents" are what gives a piece that magical quality.Guilding the lily so to speak.For me,this quiet time alone concentrating on composition is more productive than all of the actual building time.
Cheers! John.

[Bluecorsair]

A-men, brother!!!

[johnreid]

The figures in my latest diorama are all by The Model Cellar.They are great 120mm figures ,very clean and with super detail.They specialize in WW1 fiqures and offer other scales too.They come in pieces and are not painted. They can be adapted to different poses using epoxy putty.I used them as is, except for the barons figure, which I converted to a 20s barnstormer by modifying the uniform and using the helmeted head.
I painted mine using Jo Sonja acrylics over thinned down Liquitex gesso.
Their email:
www.modelcellar.com
Cheers! John

[Bluecorsair]

Great!!! Thankyou so much for the info!!! ;D

Bill

[johnreid]

In the belief that a little cross-fertilization is good for us all,I have joined the Railroad Line Forums.This is a super resource for anyone doing dioramas,scratchbuilding or modeling in general.These guys are masters of the scenic diorama and have been doing it for a long time.There is much to be learned from the RR guys.
In regards to my present project,the hangar doors are finished and I have begun to paint them green ,the same color as the trim and main doors(Pine Green).
I changed my mind and decided to add more visual interest ,by sheathing the doors both inside and out with popsicle stik boards.The exterior was divided horizontally into two sections and the boards placed at 45 deg running in opposite directions, as you often see on barn doors.The interior boards are laid horizortally so that they direct the eye towards the interior of the hangar.
The next step will be to permanently fasten down these garage doors to the module and fake the hinges.I will also have to decide the final position of the model T and provide for it to be fastened down to the module.
Cheers! John.

"The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery."
Francis Bacon.


My Stuff:

www.wwi-models.org/Images/Reid/index.html

[johnreid]

Maybe I am carrying this cross-fertilization thing too far but if you guys would like to see a diorama that took me 15 years (about 6000 hrs shoptime) to build go to :

www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/misc/sail/victory-72-mr/victory-index.html


Cheers! John.

[johnreid]

Hi guys! I thought that it was a good time to post the Victory pictures in that it is now 200 years the other day ,since that epic battle took place.It was probably the most decisive battle in naval history and ended Napoleons plans to conquer the world.

Indirectly it was this battle that got me into modeling.When my dad was off to war for 5 years ,I was raised by my grandmother who was a late Victorian and always spoke of the sea,Nelson and the sun never setting on the British Empire.She would take me for walks along Lake Ontario's shores ,in a city that is filled with naval history ,Kingston ,and that is how I fell in love with the sea.

Thirty years later,I passed a hobby store window and although I was ,at the time ,almost totally immersed in aviation,I just had to build the HMS Victory that I saw there.At the time I knew nothing about old ships but I was soon to learn.

I think that I will post a new thread on what are your earliest memories that may have sparked your future interest in modeling?I am sure that there must be some interesting stories out there.What or who sparked that interest that made you the modeler that you are today?
Cheers! John.

My Stuff:
www.wwi-models.org/Images/Reid/index.html

www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/misc/sail/victory-72-mr/victory-index.html
This post has been edited by John

[cdntanker25]

hmm shoulda let the little midget do it!! curse that ship! Nah looks good John!

[johnreid]

I am presently finishing off the garage door/Model T module.Everything in wood has been weathered using my standard method of acrylics followed by pastels .
I made up some wheel chocks and will drill some holes in them that will provide for a black wire that will run down through the floor to secure the Model T to the module.
The garage doors are finished and awaiting final positioning, these will be secured to the module floor with small dowels.The only other thing that I will add to the module will be a couple of posts to hitch the swinging doors to.The door hinges will be fake as they are not operational nor are they even attached to the hangar.
I am undecided about if I should weather the car now or leave it until final installation.The cars left front tire has been left hanging over the sloping ramp so that no jack is required to change the tire.I may leave a wrench or two in this area if it is not too distracting. There is lots of room around the car for sight lines into the hangar, and the doors sort of act as a shadow box reveal, inviting the viewer to look inside.
Cheers! John.

"And let's get one thing straight.There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator.One is a technician;the other is an artist in love with flight."
E.B. Jeppesen.

[johnreid]

page 1&2 of the Travel Air story are now up.

I have now finally finished the Garage module and have begun working on the rear entrance door/WC/Coal storage area.Unfortunately, I am back to sheathing the walls, inside and out, with those good old popsicle stiks and tongue depressors.Not my favorite job, but I hope that this is the last of it on this project.After designing the area and cutting out the foamboard pieces,I think that it will make an interesting addition to the diorama.This rear hangar area needed some life as it is mainly just a large barn wall.I plan to hang some interesting signs but in keeping with my KISS plan for the outside,that will be about it.The sight lines through the doors and windows are somewhat limited but I think that there is enough there to keep the viewer interested.
I dont know if I will furnish the WC or not.Maybe i can find a dollhouse fixture that may work.This is not meant to be an outhouse but a septic system so I dont have to worry about it being too close to the lunchroom area. Maybe I will add a small grated area for heat. Cheers! John.

This is the area;

www.arcforums.com/forums/ind...showtopic=70057
(last picture on page)
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