| Whether you are making a diorama for | | | | diorama a three dimensional landscape. Refer to |
| wargaming, fantasy scenes, or model railroads | | | | your sketches so you know where the high and |
| having woods, forests, cliffs, and other terrain | | | | low points are. |
| that really looks good is the most important part | | | | Step 3: Cover the base with strips of paper towel |
| of the project. This article shows you the eight | | | | that have been soaked in papier-mache, Hydrocal, |
| steps to take for making great looking terrain. | | | | or Plaster of Paris. This forms a beautiful hard |
| The most important part of making really good | | | | shell that you can paint and add items to. |
| looking terrain is the materials and if you want | | | | Step 4: Paint the base shell different colors based |
| your diorama to look very real and authentic I | | | | on your sketches. These colors could range from |
| recommend you use store bought materials from | | | | green where the grass and trees will go, to blue |
| a company called Woodland Scenics. They have a | | | | where the water will go. You can be liberal with |
| wide range of products that are inexpensive and | | | | the color because terrain materials will cover it. |
| very realistic. But, if this is impractical for you and | | | | The color acts as filler between particles. |
| you want to keep the cost of your diorama | | | | Step 5: Add the ground cover materials. Sprinkle |
| down you can be creative and make much of | | | | on sawdust sized materials in the colors desired. |
| your own materials. This takes a little bit of | | | | Put green where the grass is and gray or brown |
| imagination but if you think about it you can come | | | | where bare ground will be. |
| up with some great materials. As an example you | | | | Step 6: Add mid level texture and items. At this |
| can use plain sand as a base in your diorama and | | | | point you are transforming your diorama from a |
| you can dye it different colors with water-soluble | | | | flat object to something three-dimensional. |
| paints to get different looks from grass to dirt. | | | | Sprinkle on thicker terrain materials. These could |
| You can also dye the bristles of a small paintbrush | | | | be small pebbles, or thick brush. |
| green, then after it dries cut off the bristles and | | | | Step 7: Add the taller items such as trees and |
| use them as stalks of grass. If you just look | | | | large bushes. |
| around your house and basement you can find | | | | Step 8 Add the finishing touches like animals, |
| lots of ways to make great diorama materials | | | | figures, creatures, or buildings. |
| without spending money. | | | | This eight-step outline is just a guide to help you |
| The Eight-Step Process to great diorama terrain | | | | understand the process of making realistic terrain |
| Step 1: Design your diorama on paper first. | | | | for a diorama and the important thing to |
| Sketch out the different areas and put marks | | | | remember is that you work from the bottom up. |
| where you want the main terrain to be and | | | | Each step adds another layer to the scene and |
| where the various objects will be. Show any | | | | each step is a bit taller than the previous step. |
| water, rocks, trees or figures. This sketching is | | | | You don’t have to be a professional artist to |
| important because it will help you as you build the | | | | make professional looking dioramas. With a little |
| actual diorama. | | | | practice, some good materials, and by following |
| Step 2: Create a base frame for your diorama. | | | | these steps you can make some really attractive |
| Use strips of cardboard and crumpled newspaper | | | | and realistic dioramas. |
| to form a base. This use of materials will give the | | | | |