The late, great Shep Paine's book How to Build Dioramas is the single best source I've ever run across. It's concise, well-written (and well-illustrated)...and covers the gamut from groundwork to figures to all sorts of visual tricks that will up the visual interest of your project. It also has probably been the inspiration for something like 75% of diorama builders (at least of a certain age) in the hobby.

What that man didn't know about dios wasn't worth knowing.

Cheers

Unless you want to dive totally in,I started out with a generic resin base instead of trying to make my own,they vary in price and they paint and weather nicely.I got mine on ebay,just search 1/35 diorama base to see if it appeals to you.

Ya - start with some resin help.  I did this vignette starting with this torn up corner.  

gregbale

The late, great Shep Paine's book How to Build Dioramas is the single best source I've ever run across. It's concise, well-written (and well-illustrated)...and covers the gamut from groundwork to figures to all sorts of visual tricks that will up the visual interest of your project. It also has probably been the inspiration for something like 75% of diorama builders (at least of a certain age) in the hobby...

Second that!  There's a whole library of books written since, but none of it renders anything Shep wrote obsolete or invalid. His is still the best, and a great book for beginners.

The first tip is to plan out your diorama.  Sketch it out on paper, and don't worry about your drawing skills. The point is to start giving form to the picture in your head, and working from that.  Show where you want vehicles, building, figures, vegetation, etc, to go.

And don't align your diorama with the sides of your base.  If you're showing an airplane on the tarmac or ramp, for example, don't make any sides or edges of the concrete parallel to the edge of the base.  If it's a vehicle on a road or path, or even in open country, don't line its sides up with the sides of the base.  It will add visual interest.

And if you can't find a copy of Shep's book, you can still see the dioramas he built in the 70s for Monogram armor and airplane kits, here:  http://sheperdpaine.atspace.com/

Shep wrote a tips brochure that was included in several kits.  He expanded the basic content of the brochure into his book.  And each brochure included specific tips, descriptions, explanations related to the kit and diorama in which it was packed. He also talked about problems specific to this or that diorama and how he solved them (like the Arnhem diorama).  Many of us got our start when we were kids or teens in the 70s, from reading those "Tips on Building Dioramas".

Shep's goal was to show that any modeler with basic to moderate skills could do it.

And another site where you can see some of Shep's work is at BoxDioramas.com.  Shep was a big proponent of box dioramas, dioramas installed in a case, with lighting, designed to present the story from a specific viewpoint.  Here is Shep's gallery there:

https://www.boxdioramas.com/sheperd-paine

Don't be intimidated by his work there, but just look and enjoy it.

Good luck with your build!

Best regards,

Brad

Wow thanks for all the information, it's so very helpful and exciting!

Yeah the Shep Paine book is invaluble. My copy is old and worn from overuse. 

I think the guys pretty much covered everything but I'll add check YouTube. There's a wealth of useful information there. I watched a series of videos on doing groundwork and trees a few years ago. I wish I could remember the name of the guy's channel to recommend him. Just do a search for whatever you want and it should come up though. 

And for stuff like groundwork and trees the model railroad guys are experts, watching one of their videos is worth it for the information you'll pick up. And the wargaming guys are just as useful. 

All in all it's mostly a matter of just fiddling around till you get something that works for you. And that's the right way- the way that YOU find easier and provides better results. 

Your welcome

dazzjazz

I'd appreciate some advice or links to good tutorials. Excited to get started but realise that like other aspects of modelling, there are probably a lot of pitfalls!

YouTube can be a good source for tips.

Check out Luke Towan or Kathy Mallett, who tend to build things up from scratch and explain the steps along the way.

Thomas at LaserCreationWorld has something of a fine arts painting method, but, shows building things through all the steps.

I build a scale model out of scap foam, wood and paper.

Move stuff around, check your sight lines.

I stay away from active battle scenes. Something engaged in an active battle that is otherwise not a part of the diorama is one thing, but showing "both sides" doesn't usually work beyond a simple ambush scene. Two tanks facing off at 100 yards is still 3 yards in 1/35 scale.

There needs to be a story, almost like a built-in joke. 

Bill

After the planning, I cut out the base (I use MDF for the base).  This allows me to see how good my planning was.  I certainl don't do any more work on base, but I can set vehicles and people on the base to see if they look too cramped.