WIP River side road diorama

Posted in Custom Workstation

Recived a few requests to share how to make outdoor dioramas. So here we go....



cut foam to form a base. Then glued it down to a wood board ( this was a puzzle so there is a raised lip on the edges)





Glued down a clear plastic sheet, from a toy box.



cover the plastic with painters tape.





using plaster cloth cut into various sized strips, cover foam base. It can be used to make different surfaces... smooth or wrinkled or balled up to make thicker parts. You can also use it to anchor down real stones.







Paint and gule down sand ...dirt and random plants. Then coat with spray glue to lock in paints.





twisty tie cut and glued



remove the painters tape





make sure you have very thing where you want it ( i unfortunately forgot a root that i wanted to be attached to the tree that will go in the hole ) Also do not use a can like you see in the picture......use something wide and flat to get even melting. the bottom of the can heated up enough the melt the water beads...but it cooled of towards the top and started to solidify. Used tin foil made in to a pan shape.







as it cooled down ...used a hair dryer ( on cold ) to make ripples in the surface.



cut away the plastic at the waters surface

Now for the tree.....



plastic cap ( that came on a table leg ) paper towel roll and toilet paper rolls and real tree branches. the little rolls go inside the bigger one to re-enforce it from the inside.the placed in the plastic cap ( for weight )





cover in plaster cloth









wads of toilet paper painted on to the surface. then given a dark wash.



used toilet paper to thicken the branches.

painted toilet paper and dried roots from a rose bush
then the foliage


bit by bit slowly glued on

Plaster rock face glued tp a cardboard piece. the painted and glued to back of dio.



( you can see the black spider in this picture on the log in back above the red flowers )

used hot glue to make ripples in the water surface


scratched away the green surface and glued dirt

there is
one rabbit, one snake, one young eagle, a fish and 3 doves





Large bee and a large spider ( a reference to The Hobbit )


Hope you found this helpful!!
Keep up the GREAT WORK, out there!!!!
Cheers!!!!!!