The Finished Product
Dioramas Are Works of Art
When we look at the diorama we have just spent weeks or months on, remember that all of that effort should be displayed as if it were a painting of sorts, which in reality it is a 3-D painting. With that in mind here are several ideas about to improve the look of an already great diorama, no matter the subject or scale.
1.) Selecting the base and frame: Basswood of various thickness up to 1" for the base and what ever size of the base will work fine. Also pinewood works as well. Remember that a small,i.e. ( 4"x 8") diorama works as well if not better than those exceding 12"x12". Smaller dioramas give illusion to a subject, making the viewer imagine the "rest of the story". Framing can be accomplished with picture frames and in the case of wood plaques the beveled edges are very good to add to the finished look. Remember to sand the wood base and framework prior to staining. Use a fine-grit sandpaper as this will make the stain smoother in appearence.
2.) The finish: I make my own wood stain, it is inexpensive, non-toxic and ages with time. Use a metal or plastic coffee can to place about 6-8 cups of white vinegar. Place thin spun steel wool into the vinegar and wait about 2-3 days and the results will surprise you, upon applying to various samples of wood, the color of the stain will vary, but a batch of the satin can be used for each application.
3.) Additional stains are made with a simple technique and using acrylic paints, the paint is applied as a stain by wiping it off as soon as it is applied to the wood, for those who have never used stain in the past, this is a very easy procedure. Remove the excess paint with a rag or paper towel. Let the paint stain dry and the stain in step one dry completely overnight.
4.) The stain can then be coated with an acrylic polycoating or simply stated a gloss finish. In the event that you have made an error in the initial staining, sand paper can be used to remove any spots and the stain can be re-applied.
I have found many key elements that are involved in finishing a diorama and over the past twenty or so years this is one of the best I have used. Any type of diorama is great but hopefully this will work for you to really improve it.
johncpo