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 I've been wanting to build a diorama for my sword and sorcery themed action figures for some time , but was not sure what type of environment to do . It's important to create a set piece that will lend itself to a variety of situations and figures , one that is open to interpretation simply by altering the furnishings . Photography considerations are also vital , which is why I like to keep my dioramas open with a minimum of exterior walls , so that the set may be photographed from a variety of angles . Placing the set upon a round disk base means that the flow of movement is continuous , and that backdrops can be integrated with a minimum of fuss , no worries about matching up angles . The 3D architectural design program SketchUp is used to create the virtual 3D model in real time , and is so easy to use that you can generate a working concept model in a relatively short amount of time , and then put the time saved into playing around with different ideas . You can get a free copy of Google SketchUp by following this link : Get SketchUp!  Once you've built your model , the real benefit of SketchUp starts to show , as you can then place your virtual camera anywhere to view the model from any conceivable angle . This function really lets you get a grasp on the construction of the model , how big it will need to be and what needs to be done to actually build it in reality . Having a " real " finished model prior to commencent on the " live " model can cut your construction time in half , and results in far fewer mistakes .  I like to incorporate as much depth as possible within my dioramas so I tend to design pieces with several levels , that way I am able to take full advantage of the picture plane : foreground , midground and background . As I was swinging the camera through my model , I got the idea that I could increase the dynamics of this simple set piece by incorporating a secret room within the base of my main wall and upper level . Since my model only exists within the computer at this stage , I can now go back into it and make modifications that might not have been possible without a great deal of effort had I gotten this idea during the actual construction ,  The exterior wall is removed to allow access to the secret room . I'm really thrilled with this little aspect of the model design since it adds so many possibilities to the diorama . It can become a treasure vault , or a magician's chamber or anything else you might want to conjure up , it's a feature that adds innumerable possibilities to what otherwise might have been merely a straightforward castle interior .  A little bit of forced perspective , peering into the hidden room so that we can see it in its entirety . Now I need to come up with the wall section that makes up the door and how it will function . At this point I'm considering a center pivot post that will make a revolving wall section .  The amount of preproduction work when creating a diorama is often determined by the scene and its level of complexity . For my Leopard Girl Dio , I really didn't need to go into a software program like SketchUp in order to create it , being that it was a rather organic terrain diorama . I find that when creating an exterior scene , it's actually much easier to just assemble the elements and start playing around . I had a huge chunk of styrofoam that was perfect for the base and so I just began cutting and chopping away at it to create the contours of the landmass .  The primary feature of this base is the large writhing tree root , carved from a block of styrofoam . I am also creating a separate standing tree trunk that I am keeping as a separate piece in order to move it around where I might want it at any particular moment . This entire piece is in the process of getting its plaster hardshell . I really enjoy creating terrain dioramas , kind of an amusing fact since I absolutely abhorred doing landscapes as an illustrator , most of this is due to the amount of fun I get from playing around with textures , and within this base I'll have plenty to play with , grass , leaves , rocks , wood , bark , moss etc . etc . | Diorama Accessories | The Dark Mausoleum | New Dioramas | darkmausoleum_part2 | diorama_technique | LeopardGirl_Diorama | shoji diorama | Shoji Groundwork | Mayan Triarama | Diorama Technique2 | | Mail-O-Rama | Geeb's How To | Head Sculpts Using Polymer Clay | Customizing The Batcycle | 1/6 scale diorama | terrain diorama | 1/6 Scale Boots | Re-Rooting Hair | BimBott | Read_A_Book | WorksInProgress | Aki Ross Repaint | Gun-Bashing | painting heads | | Return Home | Updates | The Archive | Gorby Site Map | Geeb-O-Rama's Model Workshop | Geeb's Toy Box | Geeb-O-Rama Goodies | Movie Madness | World Of The Bizarre | Cool Beans | |
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