I am sorry ,I forgot to explain what that post was really all about.I am working on an online book about storyboard dioramas which are relatively new to the world of modeling ,as we have known it.I just thought that I would give you guys a little preview of the rough draft for the online book.It will not be on any specific genre of modeling but more of a new type of modeling where the story is primary rather than what is being modeled.The early aviation dioramas,the HMS Victory diorama and my new railroad diorama will each have a chapter in this online book, not from a how to build.....perspective but from a how to tell a good story perspective.It is simply an out growth of what I have experienced in my own home over the past ten years that my Victory has been on display.I have found that the viewer is usually more interested in the storyline than the model ship, especially the kids.
It is my belief that the future of modeling is in the story being told not just the model itself.I have noticed that museums themselves have been slowly adapting to this new reality, this knew way of thinking.The modern viewer is no longer satisfied with just looking at objects but wants more than just visual interaction with the objects they are viewing.They are no longer satisfied with looking at just old artifacts without really understanding what they are looking at,very few even stop long enough to read the displays sign.
Natural history museums and their modelers have known this for a long time.Full scale models of animals going about even their daily routines can be very interesting if they tell a good story that the viewers imagination can get involved in.Just displaying a bunch of skins or bones are not enough in todays modern world where viewers are used to so much more visual stimulation.Let's face it objects in glass cases without some kind of story are boring in this modern world.This is where the visual storyboard diorama comes into the picture.It is easy to initially grab the viewers attention with the objects being displayed but to hold that attention for any length of time their must also be a visual storyline that they can relate to in their mind.
Storyboard dioramas are not easy to do and are a real challenge to any modeler .Trying to tell your story in a one frame movie with no dialogue,movement or music etc.. can be difficult but very rewarding if the modeler can pull it off well.It used to be thought that shadow boxes were the highest expression of our art form,that may be true but storyboard dioramas have to be right up there to.
Cheers! John.