How I build large scale dioramas! (3 Viewers)

Modules 1,2&3.
This is the first three modules of six that will eventually have to be made.The total area of these three modules is about 56" long by 31" wide.They will be screwed or bolted together from underneath the floor.Each floor will be glued down at a later date.Module four will be the back lane way and five and 6 the buildings facades.The eventual overall all size will be 62" X 43" plus the case.The wood is hand picked #1 grade pine with old,well aged birch plywood.I used carpenters glue and 2" nails to hold it together,screws will be added later.
The next step will be a couple of coats of lacquer,the first coat 2/3rds lacquer and 1/3rd lacquer thinner and the 2nd straight lacquer.Make sure that all the end grain soaks up lots of lacquer in order to seal it well for future water based materials and for protection against warping.
I designed this in modules for ease of tear down and build up on site and for ease of transport without being too heavy .All glue lines follow fences or the buildings outer edges so not to be visible when it is finally put together.
So now the fun can begin ! Oh,by the way my neighbor built it for me.
 
Backyardflyer2082.jpg
 
Shep Paine on gizmology in dioramas.
I have often mentioned stand alone models ,scale distance,gizmology etc...
here is what Shep Paine has to say about it.
Gizmology ,a term I think that he invented, is a technique of suggesting details that are not fully modeled.It is an artistic impression rather than an actual photographic representation.It is a way of getting ninety percent of the results in ten percent of the time, that what he calls "point- for- point" modeling would require.It allows you to concentrate on the fun stuff like design and the storytelling part of the diorama.
He does believe and I agree that gizmology is a good technique for dioramas ,it is not the same for stand alone models though.A diorama is an artistic representation and the aircraft is only one of several elements in the scene.A stand alone model is a scale miniature and point -for-point modeling is the only way to do it justice.The best way to describe the difference is a painting of an aircraft in flight as opposed to a scale drawing.With that distinction being made it is not a license to conjure up fictitious details out of thin air.Shep says "a conscientious gizmologist scrupulously follows his references,and I was always careful to do that.Within that framework,I had a lot of fun playing with gizmology in my dioramas.It's fun to see how much you can achieve through suggestion."
 
The above is a good example of gizmology based upon fact.This type of pump-barrel arrangement did exist in the WW1 era but I used car parts,old ship modeling parts ,plastic and wood to represent metal and old 1/16th aircraft parts for the pump.
It works for a diorama but as a stand alone model it is just gizmology but I love the artistic freedom that it represents.Stand it beside an aircraft and the average viewer gets your message without you having to show every little piece in perfect scale,or perfect color or whatever....
 
I know that WW1 airplanes have always been a niche genre even with modelers of aircraft but I think that things may be changing,thanks to Peter Jackson the New Zealand film director of Lord Of The Rings movie fame.A modeler himself with a life long love of WW1 aircraft,he has started a company known as Wingnut Wings that specializes in only 1/32 scale WW1 kits.Not only airplanes but figures for the diorama and vignette builders and super kits complete with all the aftermarket stuff that you could ever possibly want.
As a builder and collector himself he knows what we want, highly detailed, accurate ,large scale WW1 aircraft.Kits that are simple enough to be assembled by almost anyone at a reasonable price.
Don't even bother to ask if they will be producing kits in smaller scales anytime soon,as his belief is that 1/32 is the ideal scale for WW1 as they are already small in comparison to WW2 aircraft.While I have always admired the little jewels you can hold in the palm of your hand, they are somewhat of a niche market for the super patient. I believe that they do tend to turn off a lot of potential WW1 modelers who just can't handlel the small parts,especially the rigging.(which includes me)
What I especially like about this company is that it is a result of one mans passion for his lifelong hobby and not totally market driven.They produce only what a modeler himself would know about, and that is what does a modeler really want to see in a kit?For the builder of dioramas like myself they have actually supplied figures with their kits as an added incentive to help all the potential diorama builders out there.I believe that one day aircraft dioramas will evolve to a point much like the armor guys have,when figures will almost be a requirement for a static model.It is nice that they are the first to really recognize this coming trend and not just as a marketing afterthought.
We WW1 guys are truly blessed to finally having a passionate WW1 guy running the store!
 
My mock-up comes to the rescue once again! I wouldn't now even attempted a model of the complexity without one.I just poured a little sand and all the landscaping problems just disappeared.I don't even have to change the fences along the property lines.Now all I have to do is build it in 1/16th scale.
 
This is module # 2 screwed together but not glued .I don't plan to finally glue anything until I am absolutely certain it won't have to be taken apart again.The individual modules will remain as separate entities and will be bolted or screwed together.
I plan to add more screws to the flat plywood, they will be sticking up at various levels to act as anchors in order that the sand/glue mix will be securely fastened to the plywood.
 
I have been kicking this around for awhile thinking about whether or not to share this story with you guys.At the risk of sounding like a loud mouth,I decided that because it is a positive story and is based on fact that you guys would take it in the right spirit.
Thirty years ago I picked up a book at the local hobby store "How to Build Dioramas" by Shep Paine.Immediately I was struck by the images in the book.I had never seen something that so appealed to my creativity.It was my lucky day!I was building HMS Victory in 1/72 scale at the time and decided that somehow I would make the ship into a diorama.
For the next twenty years I would leaf through that book until it became dog-eared over time.Something kept calling me but I didn't act on it until about ten years ago when I finally gave in,I would concentrate all my efforts on storyboard dioramas.From that day on things just seemed to fall into place for me like with no other art form that I had ever attempted.I knew that this was the niche that I felt most comfortable in and my creativity had finally found its true home.
I had always dreamed of doing the same quality of work that I had seen in Shep's book.I studied his work and read and re-read the text,learning something new all the time.I wanted the same creativity and quality in my own work but I wanted it to be different too.It was a fluke of luck that my hobby store happened to have 1/16th aircraft models and doll house stuff together in the same store.Why not take the dollhouse idea and make a slight change in subject matter and create something different?
Well I went with that idea and ten years later after working(playing) at it almost every day I have three almost finished dioramas and a fourth one underway.I have found a home for them at the Canada Aviation Museum of which I am very proud.They contacted me many years ago and I am still not sure how this came about.
Well now for the good part,remember Shep Paine ,I thought why not contact him and see if he would be interested in appraising my work for the museum.I did,he agreed and I couldn't believe it.Shep Paine appraising my work! So I waited for what seemed like an eternity while he looked at my stuff.Well this week I heard from him and I am still on a high that I have yet to come down from.Can you believe that he valued the Jenny diorama alone at $25,000 dollars.I was totally shocked as I had read in his latest book that he himself got $28,000 dollars(including inflation) for his largest dioramas back in the 70's.That he would even consider my stuff on a par with his own is beyond anything that I could ever have fantasized about .
Yes,artistic dreams do come true!
 
Beginnings
I would like to share the following with you.I found it shortly before starting my Nieuport 28 diorama many years ago.

Until one is committed,there is hesitancy,the chance to draw back,always ineffectiveness,concerning all acts of initiative(and creation).There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:that the moment one definitely commits oneself,then providence moves too.All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occured.A whole stream of events issues from the decision,raising in ones favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.Whatever you can do or dream you can,begin it.Boldness has genius,power,and magic in it.Begin it now.

Johann Wolfgang Von Gorthe

Cheers! John
 
John

Thanks for sharing your photos, experiences and stories with us. I enjoy reading every time you post. How exciting to have your dioramas appraised and I think you are very humble in your response. I feel that from what we have seen they are worth every penny they have been appraised at.

Looking forward to the continuation of the latest dio. I am enjoying it very much.

Regards

Scott
 
JohnReid said:
I have been kicking this around for awhile thinking about whether or not to share this story with you guys.At the risk of sounding like a loud mouth,I decided that because it is a positive story and is based on fact that you guys would take it in the right spirit.
Thirty years ago I picked up a book at the local hobby store "How to Build Dioramas" by Shep Paine.Immediately I was struck by the images in the book.I had never seen something that so appealed to my creativity.It was my lucky day!I was building HMS Victory in 1/72 scale at the time and decided that somehow I would make the ship into a diorama.
For the next twenty years I would leaf through that book until it became dog-eared over time.Something kept calling me but I didn't act on it until about ten years ago when I finally gave in,I would concentrate all my efforts on storyboard dioramas.From that day on things just seemed to fall into place for me like with no other art form that I had ever attempted.I knew that this was the niche that I felt most comfortable in and my creativity had finally found its true home.
I had always dreamed of doing the same quality of work that I had seen in Shep's book.I studied his work and read and re-read the text,learning something new all the time.I wanted the same creativity and quality in my own work but I wanted it to be different too.It was a fluke of luck that my hobby store happened to have 1/16th aircraft models and doll house stuff together in the same store.Why not take the dollhouse idea and make a slight change in subject matter and create something different?
Well I went with that idea and ten years later after working(playing) at it almost every day I have three almost finished dioramas and a fourth one underway.I have found a home for them at the Canada Aviation Museum of which I am very proud.They contacted me many years ago and I am still not sure how this came about.
Well now for the good part,remember Shep Paine ,I thought why not contact him and see if he would be interested in appraising my work for the museum.I did,he agreed and I couldn't believe it.Shep Paine appraising my work! So I waited for what seemed like an eternity while he looked at my stuff.Well this week I heard from him and I am still on a high that I have yet to come down from.Can you believe that he valued the Jenny diorama alone at $25,000 dollars.I was totally shocked as I had read in his latest book that he himself got $28,000 dollars(including inflation) for his largest dioramas back in the 70's.That he would even consider my stuff on a par with his own is beyond anything that I could ever have fantasized about .
Yes,artistic dreams do come true!
Click to expand...

Great story, John. And frankly, having seen the work that goes into your dioramas and the amazing results, I think the appraisal was well deserved.:)
 
Now that the lane way structure is finished ,I can move onto the final basic structure ,the building and their facades.


I want the back to be flat so I had to move the backboard back 6" to accommodate the set back between the buildings.
That leaves the possibility in the future of lighting the rooms and maybe even creating some shadowbox type portholes in the back to look into the rooms and out through the windows of the backyard.Wouldn't it be cool to look out the kitchen window from within and see the airplane and backyard scene from another perspective?Maybe 6" won't be enough Hmmmm.........This could be worth looking into !
This rear shadowbox idea just came to me as I was writing the above,funny how this creative stuff happens.
 
I heard from Ottawa today,(oh! by the way they call themselves the Canada Aviation and Space Museum now)and they are ready to take the first three dioramas.If I sat down and worked on them exclusively I could finished them in about two weeks.But it is summer here in Canada for only such a short time that nice days will be spent outside with the fourth diorama and cruddy days in the workshop finishing off the other three.
It may be a little confusing on this thread for awhile telling which diorama is which.With the first three gone it will free up a lot of space to work on the fourth one this fall and winter and my patient wife will get a lot of our house back again.Not all but a lot!
 
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