Making my first diorama

Research, research, research. Find pictures of what you want to replicate and then ask how to do that. Learn typical engagement distances if you're going to depict combat and deployment spacing if you're depicting a column.

Sketch it out. If you have the models and figures, lay them out and take digital pictures to see what works.

Develop a story. You scene should not need more than a title to indicate a time/place. The action/story should be self evident even to someone who doesn't know the history of the even.

Be consistent. Make sure all your elements work together towards the story you're telling.

Think smaller rather than bigger. A smal, tight scene will tell a story better than trying depict a huge scene. You're also less likely to loose focus and interest.

Frankly, from your post, I'd say you may need more building experience before you tackle a diorama. Set a tank on a base and work on the groundwork for it. Paint a figure and set it in a natural setting. When you feel comfortable with a single piece in a natural setting, move onto a bigger story.

Be glad to help.. But first.. If you can swing it, pick up a copy of How to Build Dioramas, by Shepard Paine.  You can find it on Amazon.com and whether it's the first or second edition doesn't matter.. Both printings are chock-full of "everything you need to know but were afraid to ask".. I'm serious, Vector... If you only ever buy ONE modeling book, this one's the Bible and will cover much more than we can type in here...

Shep's book will start you at the beginning, from planning and sizing, and take you through groundwork, materials, topography, painting & weathering, figure painting and conversions, structures, foliage, shadow boxes, electrical wiring, and photographing...

I bought my copy back in the early 80's and still use it today... However, if you want to skip it and take the plunge, you can, although I highly reccomend that you don't...

That being said, the first thing you need to do is start planning.. You need to decide exactly who, what, where & when before you start anything else, what story you're trying to tell... Gather the kit(s) your going to use and a sheet of paper to use as your "base" to get an idea of the size you'll need.. Use crumple up tissues for any low foliage, some paper-tube "trees" (if your going urban, then forget that last part)ing draw in any roadways, intersections, sidewalks, build "foot-prints", and such...  Get all that stuff laid out and mocked up...

Here's a shot of a current one I'm doing that's in the planning stage. (The American truck is a "stand-in" for an Opel Blitz I have yet to start).. Note the drawings of the RR tracks and road..

For the mock-up, you're going to want to use your kit(s) and should have them fairly complete when you start the mock-up.. Use various-sized boxes for buildings and such...

That should be just information to get you started..  Feel free to ask anytime you need help, all of us are happy to oblige...

vector123 wrote:

Im making my first diorama.  I would like to make a Battle of the Bulge or somesort of city diorama but i need help with just about everything such as landscaping, model placement, paint, etc. If anyone can help please do.

Your need is quite broad. Anyway I found a thread in a local site that might be helpful. It was posted less than an hour ago by a fellow modeler and contains 10 pages of how a diorama is built, figures are modified, research is made, etc.:

http://www.thaimsot.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=7309 

Good call.. You'll use it the rest of your modeling life, or until you've at least figured out how to do the stuff you need to get going...

 Like I said, I've been using it for 30+ years, lol...  Shep does a lot of things that are out of the mainstream, and like me, he finds stuff a bit cheaper than buying ready-made stuff.. I take HIS ideas of cheap stuff, then I find an even CHEAPER way, lol...

Hans von Hammer wrote:

Good call.. You'll use it the rest of your modeling life, or until you've at least figured out how to do the stuff you need to get going...  Like I said, I've been using it for 30+ years, lol...  Shep does a lot of things that are out of the mainstream, and like me, he finds stuff a bit cheaper than buying ready-made stuff.. I take HIS ideas of cheap stuff, then I find an even CHEAPER way, lol...

Shep's cool, never saw him use PE.

You're so cheap, you'd "put lemonade" on sawdust, and call it sand. You're so cheap you'd save parsley from Denny's and call it Kudzu.

I'm so cheap, I made copper wire fightin' over a penny... If money really bought happiness, I'd shop for it at factory seconds stores...