How to Make a Diorama Chapter 1 Continued: The Materials Needed

You have a lot of different options when it comes to making your diorama. You can purchase a variety of raw materials or you can improvise materials. Throughout this tutorial I will show you these various options.

Materials needed for the landscape details:

For the terrain details I have purchased a variety of ready made materials from a hobby shop. You can creatively replace these materials.:

• artificial grass strands - you can easily make your own by using the strands of a discarded paint brush and painting them green.
• rough landscape brown materials - various lichen, moss and scraped styrofoam painted works well for this
• bag of small pebbles
• landscape green grass, you can dye sawdust green to make a suitable material
• the large bag is a kit to make trees - with some creativity you can use wire or actual twigs to make realistic looking trees.

Replacement ir improvised materials:

This photo shows the bristles being cut off a paintbrush. You can wash these bristles in a thin green paint and they make wonderful grass.

Rocks, Stones and Cliffs

There are several techniques you can use to get great looking stone effects.

You can find small stones that will look great and granite is a good stone for this. You should avoid predominantly round and smooth stones. Small jagged stones look the best. They lend realism to the small scale of the model .

You can also purchase liquid latex rubber. You paint the latex onto an interesting stone and when it dries you carefully remove it. It is now a mold that you can pour your hydrocal or plaster of paris into.

You can also purchase ready made rock molds from a hobby store.(the black items in photo) you simply sprinkle baby powder into the mold then pour in your liquid hydrocal or plaster of paris and remove when dried.

Let's continue on to advanced materials

RESOURCES

How to Build Dioramas - Learn everything you need to know about making your dioramas look real! This fantastic revised edition will show you how with new projects, new photos, and expert tips. Includes painting, weathering, and detailing tips for figures, aircraft, vehicles, and more! 290+ photos with color throughout; 41 illus.; softcover.

Some wonderful new Diorama buildings. I have discovered a company named Conflix that makes some terrific 1/72 scale stuff for dioramas and wargaming. Here are six different items for Medieval And Renaissance dioramas: Conflix Diorama Buildings I really like these buildings.

Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire Mk.Vb - w/R.A.F. Crew (Limited Ed.) -

This is the 1/48 scale Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb / with 7 Royal Air Force Crew Figures from Tamiya. / Suitable for Modelers Age 10 and Older.

FEATURES: Includes 7 highly detailed ICM figures in various poses. Various accessories including work table and gas cylinder lines. / Detailed landing gear / Multi-part canopy may be posed open or closed / Highly detailed cockpit with accurate instrument panel, seat, control / stick, rudder pedals and sculpted pilot figure / Detailed instructions.

MiniArt Diorama Bases on Amazon - A company called MiniArt makes a lot of great looking diorama scenes and bases. And they are available on Amazon.com

Tamiya Models and Kits - Amazon.com has lots of Tamiya kits ranging from tanks, figures, accessories, troops and buildings.

Custom Search

This is a Storm The Castle Website

Table of Contents for this tutorial

1. Materials you need
2. Beginning with the concept, design and layout of your diorama
3. Rough shaping the landscape
4. Landscape Details
5. Creating and adding stones and rocks
6. Creating -adding the flora and fauna
7. Making - adding trees
8. Adding the miniatures
9. Wiring the scene for some special effects
10. Moving on to bigger things
11. The battle between good and evil
12. seven foot diorama
13. Recommended Books

More Diorama Stuff

• Index - Diorama Home
• What is a diorama?
• How to Make a diorama - step-by step tutorial
• A short history of Dioramas
• Diorama Books
• Painting Miniatures
• Diorama Ideas
• Diorama Examples
• Diorama Making for the artist
• Diorama Making supplies & Tools
• Dioramas by Web Visitors
• Printable diorama box

Types of Dioramas to Make

• How to make a Paper Mache Diorama
• Diorama inside a lightbulb
• Insect Maker Diorama
• Mississippi River with Indians
• Really creative shoebox diorama
• Dinosaur Diorama
• Make a secret diorama
• Firefly Diorama with real blinking lights
• Rainforest Diorama
• Ocean Diorama
• Shadowbox diorama
• Make a shoebox diorama
• Massive Castle Diorama
• Diorama Examples
• Polymer Clay
• The Battle of Thermopylae Spartan Warrior Diorama - A tutorial
• HALO Diorama
• Wizards Tower Foam Diorama
• Cemetary Diorama
• Trench Warfare
• Simple Nature Diorama
• Water Woman Diorama

STORES

• Diorama Making Books
• Sideshow Collectible Lord of the Rings Dioramas
• Plastic Scale Dinosaur Diorama Kits
• Harry Potter Dioramas
• Diorama Foam

Check out the Diorama and Miniature store

Short Diorama Tutorials

• How to Make realistic tufts of grass
• How to make trenches
• Creative terrain shell making
• How to make Miniature Trees
• How to Make rubber rock and wall molds
• Motorize a drawbridge on your diorama
• Using foam to make a diorama
• How to make good looking rubble using cork
• Creative Shoebox Diorama Ideas for School
• A foam based diorama with water from start to finish

OTHER PROJECTS

Build A Trebuchet!

Build A Catapult

Make a Paper Castle

How to make a video game

Make a cardboard Samurai Sword

Make a Cardboard Medieval Shield

Make Model Rockets

How to Make a diorama

How to Make a Shoebox Diorama

How to make a fantasy shadowbox

How to Play Classical guitar

Fantasy Art Lessons

Make the ultimate terrarium

Make a Dragon Pinata

How to make a volcano