Dioramas

History

Dioramas are three-dimensional landscape models used to portray historic events, architectural representations, and natural history displays. Diorama-building was once a specialized activity, but today dioramas are made by thousands of professionals and hobbyists for education and enjoyment.

The term "diorama" is derived from the Greek words "dia," meaning "through," and "horama," meaning "as is seen." The word was coined by Louis Daguerre who invented the medium for use in his artwork. In the early 1820s, Daguerre opened the Paris Diorama, a theater that featured paintings and special lighting techniques on a rotating stage. Some of Daguerre's displays portrayed landscapes that shifted from day to night or displayed shifting weather patterns. In 1822, Daguerre obtained the first patent for the diorama.

Daguerre eventually abandoned his theater and focused on photography. However, similar diorama theaters soon appeared across Europe, aided by the introduction of textured painting and advances in lighting technology.

In the late 1800s, museum workers developed the first natural history dioramas, using three-dimensional displays to recreate natural habitats. Frank Chapman of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City pioneered this practice using the museum's collection of preserved animals. Set against a painted backdrop with strategic lighting, AMNH dioramas created the illusion of a vast landscape, and helped to educate viewers about natural history and animal species.

Following the example of the AMNH, museums around the world began to use dioramas to display preserved specimens. Today, the diorama is one of the most popular features of most museums of natural history.

During that same period, artists began constructing dioramas in miniature. Miniature architecture was already popular throughout Europe in the form of dollhouses. Combining painting and model building, miniature dioramas soon became a popular alternative to sculpture for museums and public buildings. Dioramas depicting famous buildings and landscapes were displayed at most large exhibitions and World's Fairs.

Diorama techniques have also been used in the construction of model railroads, first popularized in Europe. The first model railroads were hand-built and set against realistically-painted landscapes. Modern miniature railroads are constructed in factories, and the industry has grown to include thousands of dedicated hobbyists around the world.

By the late 1800s, architects began combining models of proposed building developments with three-dimensional representations of the environment. This helped decision makers to visualize the intended construction, and paved the way for the use of dioramas as an engineering tool.

During World War II, military engineers began using injection molding to create plastic models of aircraft, ships, and heavy weaponry. Plastic models were used to perfect a design before it was constructed. After the war, engineering firms used this technology to produce the plastic model kits. The first models, produced in the 1930s, were model cars and represented military aircraft. As interest in model building grew, companies began to produce many more designs, including model boats, spacecraft, and miniature in-scale figurines.

As the modeling industry grew, largely fueled by the growth of model railroads, companies began to sell supplies for landscaping, allowing hobbyists to create natural-looking foliage, water and topographic features. Advances in the technology of plastic molding further contributed to the detail and accuracy of dioramas.

Today, there is a thriving community of artists who create military dioramas using miniature figures and vehicles in conjunction with detailed landscapes. Military modeling had led to the proliferation of clubs, international organizations, and companies specializing in producing realistic miniatures.

In the twentieth century, diorama making became a popular activity among primary school students, a practice that continues in the twenty-first century. Students are given a topic, such as a book or an historical event, to research. They then create a representation of their topic using clay, paper, or other craft materials, often displayed in a box.

Materials for a making a basic landscape

Oil or acrylic paint: Paint is used in creating the backdrop for a diorama, and is also used to color items within the diorama. Paint may also be needed to paint miniatures or figurines.

Clay: Many diorama artists use clay as the basic material for the base of the diorama, and also to sculpt rocks and other features of the terrain.

Modeling tools: Tools such as tweezers and knives can be obtained from art stores and hobby shops. Diorama builders use these tools to add texture to the terrain and to carve detail into objects.

Magnifying glass: For those working with miniature dioramas it can be helpful to have a table-mounted magnifying glass. Magnifying glasses available at some hobby shops and art stores, and are useful when sculpting, painting detailed sections of the diorama, or examining details in the landscape.

Materials for making an advanced landscape

Groundcover: Some hobby stores and specialty shops offer pre-packaged materials for decorating the base of a diorama. These materials can be made to simulate sand, leaves, grass, asphalt, brick and concrete. Advanced hobbyists sometimes prefer to add found details, such as dirt or pebbles.

Foliage: Hobby shops also offer many varieties of simulated foliage made from synthetic materials or from dyed lichens. Simulated foliage may be painted to resemble trees and bushes of different species and at different stages of growth or decay.

Figures/Animals: Advanced hobbyists sometimes add figures or animals to their dioramas. These items can be purchased through online vendors, hobby shops or specialty boutiques, or can be sculpted from clay and painted. Preserved animal specimens can be purchased through some taxidermists and specialty vendors, and are often used in natural history dioramas.

Once a landscape has been created, military diorama builders usually purchase plastic or metal soldiers and military equipment for their dioramas. Skilled sculptors can also create their own soldiers and vehicles using clay or other modeling materials. Hobby retailers offer a variety of pre-made military figurines in a variety of scales.

There are a variety of hobby shops and specialty stores dedicated to model railroads. Some shops sell railcars, buildings, and other materials and models in various scales for diorama builders.

Techniques

Different dioramas will require very different techniques, including specialized sculpting methods. Some diorama types, such as those depicting water, will require specialized equipment.

How to create a basic landscape

Choose a relative scale and create a basic pattern or plan for the diorama.

Select a base for the diorama. The base can be cardboard, wood, stone, or metal.

Apply a basic layer of clay or other modeling material as a base for the terrain

Use hands or a sculpting tool to create differences in elevation.

Apply paint or other materials to add texture to the base layer.

Begin adding genre-specific elements to the base.

Trends

Realistic dioramas have been used in educational presentations since the early 1800s. With advances in research and exploration, modern diorama artists have begun to create exotic scenes, such as the Martian or lunar landscapes, with increasing accuracy.

Military themes are some of the most popular subjects for modern diorama hobbyists. Modeling companies offer detailed miniature representations of tanks, aircraft, and other vehicles and equipment from World War I, World War II, and more contemporary conflicts. Some hobby shops also offer equipment and figurines from more esoteric military periods, such as the Boxer Rebellion or the Battle of the Alamo.

Dioramas for Fun vs. Profit

Most dioramas are made by hobbyists as a leisure activity, but there are a small number of artisans who design and create dioramas professionally.

Museums sometimes employ professionals to design and create detailed dioramas of historical events or locations. These professionals conduct a great deal of research to create accurate representations. Teams of modelers, painters and engineers are sometimes employed to work on a single diorama project, which may take more than a year to construct.

Architects often create dioramas of buildings they have designed. Some architectural firms will hire specialist diorama builders to help design and create a representation of a proposed building project.

Professional diorama experts may benefit from training in engineering and mathematics, which can be useful in measuring and estimating scale for different elements in the diorama. For professional purposes, diorama artists are often required to accurately represent scale on several levels.

Learning More

Organizations

Armorama: Military Diorama Organization <www.armorama.com>

National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) <www.nmra.org>

Books

Paine, Sheperd. How To Build Dioramas. Kalmbach Publishing, 1999.

Kessler, Lynn. How to Build Armor Dioramas. Kalmbach Publishing, 2004.

Windrow, Richard. Terrain Modeling. Osprey Publishing, 2001.

Quinn, Stephen Christopher. Windows on Nature: The Great Natural History Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History. Harry N. Abrams Publishers, 2006.

Kamps, Toby. Small World: Dioramas in Contemporary Art. La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, 2000.