|
|
 Miniature Worlds Diorama Catalog |
|
Visit Our Amazon Store Styrofoam Sheets Rock Molds Hydrocal Latex Rubber Model Trees Lichen Moss Build A Civil War Diorama Diorama Terms and Accessories Diorama Building Supply List Hot Wire Styrofoam Cutter Home Sitemap Clearance Items |
Model railroading also uses scenery to make the railroad appear more realistic. Mountains, lakes, roads, cities, and forests can all be modeled in a railroad layout. Think of a railroad as a series of dioramas. Model builders can also use scenery to enhance the display of their models. A model car can be displayed in a driveway, garage, or racetrack setting. Military models can be displayed in a battle scene. A scene can be created for any model you can build. Doll houses can also have their display improved by the use of scenery techniques. Lawn and patio additions can be made to dramatically increase the charm and realism of a doll house. Many school projects can be improved by simple scenery building techniques. Working volcanoes, history and social studies models, science projects can all benefit from scenery building materials. Slot car race tracks can also be enriched with scenery. You can build a model representation of your favorite racetrack, be it Indy, Daytona, or Talladega. Scenery building materials and techniques have been refined over the years and easy to use products have been developed to greatly simplify the process from the old chicken wire and paper mache days. The new materials are faster, cleaner, easier, and produce a much better end result than the old methods. Making a diorama is simple and the materials are easily procured. Styrofoam, duct tape, newspaper, hydrocal, plaster cloth, ground foam, and lichen moss are the basic ingredients. Acrylic paints and rock molds can also be used. Styrofoam or plywood can be used as a base for the scene. Newspaper is wadded up and used for hills. Duct or masking tape secure the newspaper to the base and help form the terrain. Plaster cloth is stretched and formed over the newspaper/foam base. Hydrocal - a specially formulated plaster made for modeling - can be poured into rock molds. When dry, the rocks are glued to the hills to form realistic strata and boulders. You can make your own molds using liquid latex rubber, or use ready made molds. Acrylic paints are used to color the rock and dirt. Ground foam in different colors and textures simulate grassy areas. Ready made trees or tree kits can make up forests in the scene. Add buildings, models, and figures and Voile! You have created a masterpiece. Scenery kits are also available. These contain everything needed for the scene. The Scenery Kit by Woodland Scenics is the perfect 'how to' kit. It's designed to help the beginner get started, or assist experts refine their skills. A diorama can be any size. A mini scene for display on a shelf can be no more than four inches in diameter and covered by an acrylic dome. A larger scene can be constructed on a table. Most dioramas are twelve inches by eighteen inches or so. Size depends on the hobbyists taste, space available, and subject matter of the diorama. The diorama can model anything the hobbyist desires. It can utilize military models for a battle scene. Animal figures could be displayed in a realistic setting. A treasured scene from childhood could be constructed to preserve a cherished memory. Car models could be shown on a racetrack or pit area. A model railroad could be thought of as a series of dioramas. The train rolls through a series of scenes ranging from city streets, industrial areas, and farmland. Enchanting scenes can be constructed utilizing model castles and fantasy figures. A slot car track could be constructed utilizing the Brickyard at Indy as a model. |
