BAMComix's Dio building

I am sure there are many ways to build a diorama, and I doubt there is a "proper" way. However, as I had some spare time today I figured I would try and put a rough guide together as to how I do them .
Rather than do it in comic form, I figured I would try and do a step by step guide that might be easier to follow, hope you guys enjoy it and find my method helpful .

So here we go . I use my workmate (not my missus ) and a board to set up my scenes on. In this guide I am setting up in my kitchen as there is a lovely double window that allows lots of natural light onto a scene. This can be both a blessing and a pain!



Using a second board stood upright I add my black sheet and pin it into place to keep it nice and tight.



The next stage is to cut down some barbecue sticks, I use these to hold my foam walls together. Cocktail sticks work just as well  



Having cut down the sticks I place my painting as a background, I doubt in the final scene you will see much of it if any.



Using the BBQ sticks I cut down earlier I put some foam walls in place.



Then I add a couple of the 3D fish tank walls I have,



Then another two 3D walls,



Here I add a couple of fence panels and my statue (a garden light).



Next, it's time to start dressing the scene, I use plastic aquarium plants, but I am sure real plants would work just as well?



The last stage is to add the rest of my plants and then my vines, this I find really brings the whole scene together.



Okay, so we have set the scene, no we add the figures into the scene. In the following pics I have edited them to the size I want for the finished result, hope you like them. Today I am using my two other enhanced agents, Annabelle and Tami    











Well that's it guys, I hope you found it useful. I use this method all the time, a method shown to me by MiskatonicNick, he was extremely helpful and patient while explaining this to me!     . All my Dinosaur Valley scenes are built this way, and the best thing is I can rearrange it as many times as I need to create new scenes.

Thanks for looking        

Great guide for your dio pics Dal

I'm hoping to get some dio pics done when I move and have more space so I'll be using your tips in this guide

Beatlefan wrote:

Great guide for your dio pics Dal

I'm hoping to get some dio pics done when I move and have more space so I'll be using your tips in this guide  

Cheers Rich! Be great too see what you come up with!

This is extremely interesting and helpful!

Three questions:

1) Do you use anything to support the background board? In this case, is it secured to the workmate bench, or does it simply lean against the kitchen wall?

2) What kind of boards are the baseboard and background board? At first it looked like cardboard, but I'm thinking it must be some kind of hardboard, a thin MDF or plywood, 1/8 or 1/4 inch maybe?

3) For this tutorial and then for the final pics with the figs, did you use any supplementary lights, or is this quick scene done entirely with natural light from the window and the kitchen overhead lights?

It seems like you have this technique down to a science, and that you can put together moderately sized dioramas like this in a fairly short time while achieving results that look quite impressive.

You must keep your supplies organized in tubs or boxes for easy access. It looks like you can take everything down in reverse order - vines in the vine box, plants in the plant box, aquarium panels, fencing, foam walls – all neatly returned to their places and put away until next time.

I'm intrigued by the idea of "pinning" the wall sections together using skewers. The holes do not really show afterward; or rather, they enhance the "aged" effect of the walls.

Using the folding Workmate bench is a practical idea. It is large and sturdy enough to support a good-sized dio, and you can set it up quickly anywhere, but it folds away compactly for storage. I may need to look in to the Workmate options further.

But first... I need to carve a couple of those archways! That's a great piece, picturesque and versatile.

Good to see that MiskatonicNick's techniques are being preserved and passed down by the "second generation."

SCU_HQ wrote:

This is extremely interesting and helpful!

Three questions:

1) Do you use anything to support the background board? In this case, is it secured to the workmate bench, or does it simply lean against the kitchen wall?

2) What kind of boards are the baseboard and background board? At first it looked like cardboard, but I'm thinking it must be some kind of hardboard, a thin MDF or plywood, 1/8 or 1/4 inch maybe?

3) For this tutorial and then for the final pics with the figs, did you use any supplementary lights, or is this quick scene done entirely with natural light from the window and the kitchen overhead lights?

It seems like you have this technique down to a science, and that you can put together moderately sized dioramas like this in a fairly short time while achieving results that look quite impressive.

You must keep your supplies organized in tubs or boxes for easy access. It looks like you can take everything down in reverse order - vines in the vine box, plants in the plant box, aquarium panels, fencing, foam walls – all neatly returned to their places and put away until next time.

I'm intrigued by the idea of "pinning" the wall sections together using skewers. The holes do not really show afterward; or rather, they enhance the "aged" effect of the walls.

Using the folding Workmate bench is a practical idea. It is large and sturdy enough to support a good-sized dio, and you can set it up quickly anywhere, but it folds away compactly for storage. I may need to look in to the Workmate options further.

But first... I need to carve a couple of those archways! That's a great piece, picturesque and versatile.

Good to see that MiskatonicNick's techniques are being preserved and passed down by the "second generation."

I am so pleased you found it useful Dave . In answer to the questions, the board leans against the wall, the items I place in front keep it sturdy enough, I guess you could attach it to the work mate if needed, but I never do. I only use th board so I can use drawing pns to keep my black sheet tight, and the missus would ring my neck if I pushed them straight into the wall!
The board I use on top of the workmate is placed on top, I use hardboard but maybe thin mdf would be sturdier? I will look into that.
All of these pics where done with natural lighting, no additional lights at this time, I will do an additional lighting guide next when I need to use to use them.

Yeah, all my odds and ends are kept in plastic tubs, for easy transport, plus it keeps the dust away. You have summed up my putting away technique too, everything comes down in reverse and stored away until next time .
the pinning of the foamboards does leave small holes, probably why cocktails are easier to use as they leave smaller holes? but yeah, the larger holes just add to the aging look.

yes, Nick was a huge influence and mentor, I learned from the master! and I am happy to pass on any tips I learned from Nick, anytime.
I hope my answes help, more to come soon!

You've shattered the illusion now! I always though Dino valley was huge!

A great tutorial Dal and as I've often said it's amazing how you can achieve such great results in such a small area with a few bits of scenery.



..I say 'few bits of scenery' but you probably cleared out the aquarium section of your local 'Pets at Home' store!

somekindajoe wrote:

 You've shattered the illusion now! I always though Dino valley was huge!

A great tutorial Dal and as I've often said it's amazing how you can achieve such great results in such a small area with a few bits of scenery.



..I say 'few bits of scenery' but you probably cleared out the aquarium section of your local 'Pets at Home' store!

I will be kicked out of the Diorama guild now then! . I did it in the hope of inspiring others to have a go! about pets at home

somekindajoe wrote:

: ... you probably cleared out the aquarium section of your local 'Pets at Home' store!

I know, right? His "jungle" seems to keep growing! Based on the prices I have seen in local pet stores, there is a small fortune invested there in plastic foliage! The end result is certainly worth the cost, though!

Thanks for all the pics and information, Dal, this will be very helpful.

I have a couple of those workmates and they are great for all kinds of projects and when I bought mine a few years ago not costly at all. I'm sure I paid less than $20 and I'm thinking closer to $15.

Love seeing the set-up pics, saved you at lease a thousand words of explanation...

Some long time ago a hobby store was having a sale on matte board sheets. I stocked up on a few for school projects and for mounting pictures and have ended up using them for backdrops -- work a treat. Use the model railroad backdrop pictures and the aquarium backdrop too. All seem to help with different stories.

Love the aquarium plants, the colors are great and very exotic.

Thanks!

gibri wrote:

Thanks for all the pics and information, Dal, this will be very helpful.

I have a couple of those workmates and they are great for all kinds of projects and when I bought mine a few years ago not costly at all. I'm sure I paid less than $20 and I'm thinking closer to $15.

Love seeing the set-up pics, saved you at lease a thousand words of explanation...

Some long time ago a hobby store was having a sale on matte board sheets. I stocked up on a few for school projects and for  mounting pictures and have ended up using them for backdrops -- work a treat. Use the model railroad backdrop pictures and the aquarium backdrop too. All seem to help with different stories.

Love the aquarium plants, the colors are great and very exotic.

Thanks!

Cheers Bri! really pleased it helped! The best thing about it, is you can put it all away and of course change the scene constantly

Loved this Post Dal,
thanks so much ...I'm inspired .. especially as the weather is stopping me getting out into the Garden for some shoots

Gunner Munro wrote:

Loved this Post Dal,
thanks so much ...I'm inspired .. especially as the weather is stopping me getting out into the Garden for some shoots

That's fantastic Steve! I am so happy you found it useful

Clever , yet very simple.

Kimono Troop Command wrote:

Clever , yet very simple.

i agree! it can spoil the effect to over think these things

Blondeactionman wrote:

Kimono Troop Command wrote:

Clever , yet very simple.

i agree! it can spoil the effect to over think these things

I can attest to the validity of this statement. I always over-think, and as a result, I never even get started.

SCU_HQ wrote:

Blondeactionman wrote:

Kimono Troop Command wrote:

Clever , yet very simple.

i agree! it can spoil the effect to over think these things

I can attest to the validity of this statement. I always over-think, and as a result, I never even get started.

Been there, done that and bought the T-shirt.

Oh man! Dal, I didn't realise your Dino Valley was this ummm 'small'.

It seems we do something similar. I keep my dio interchangeable, in that I have different walls that I can pull in or out of a dio at will. Some with windows some without. I suppose when I can post pics direct from flickr in a week or so, I'll start uploading some of my processes for dios.

I assume BAM HQ isn't so flexible? I am guessing that the bar is more of a permanent feature. How does the missus react to all this?

londonroadhog wrote:

Oh man! Dal, I didn't realise your Dino Valley was this ummm 'small'.

It seems we do something similar. I keep my dio interchangeable, in that I have different walls that I can pull in or out of a dio at will. Some with windows some without. I suppose when I can post pics direct from flickr in a week or so, I'll start uploading some of my processes for dios.

I assume BAM HQ isn't so flexible? I am guessing that the bar is more of a permanent feature. How does the missus react to all this?

Yeah, the whole valley set is inter changeable as I need it, to leave it standing would need some serious space, which I don't have.
Yeah, once your waiting period is up it will be great too see your dio process too, I am sure lots of guys here would be interested in how you set yours up.
Yeah, the bar, jakes study and the bedroom I built are freestancding dioramas. I have them set up in our spare room, Louise is really cool with me having the spare room, I guess it helps that she collects Barbies so she understands the hobby

That's what I gotta find....a girlfriend who collects Barbies...or even Teddy Bears.

Very nice walk through of how you do it Dal.

You achieve great effects with this set up !!

Dreadnought wrote:

Very nice walk through of how you do it Dal.

You achieve great effects with this set up !!

cheers Kev! It's surprising what you can do with a few bits and bobs

Blondeactionman wrote:

Dreadnought wrote:

Very nice walk through of how you do it Dal.

You achieve great effects with this set up !!

cheers Kev! It's surprising what you can do with a few bits and bobs

That’s true.

Blondeactionman wrote:

Yeah, the whole valley set is inter changeable as I need it, to leave it standing would need some serious space, which I don't have.
Yeah, once your waiting period is up it will be great too see your dio process too, I am sure lots of guys here would be interested in how you set yours up.
Yeah, the bar, jakes study and the bedroom I built are freestancding dioramas. I have them set up in our spare room, Louise is really cool with me having the spare room, I guess it helps that she collects Barbies so she understands the hobby

Sounds great. Everything I have has to be limited to the attic. My wife only collects dead people (genealogy), so that doesn’t take up a lot of room, just on her laptop. We’ve had a son move out this last weekend, but of course, I won’t be able to use that room for dios. Wish I could.

Great stuff!

One question, what did you use for the fence?

Daryl

You have some awesome talent Dal! I see lots of talent on this forum..