First big project

Posted on Mar 7, 2009 | 0 comments

Nannah is in the fifth grade and she has her first really big project. She has to write a report on the Southwest Indians and build a diorama. She has some ideas of what she wants to put in the diorama. Her plan is to focus around the different type of shelters used. The thing is, I have no idea how to make a diorama, I don’t think I have ever made one. Luckily the internet is at my fingertips. I think we all will be learning something with this assignment.

How to Make a Diorama

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A diorama is a small model of a real-life scene that has lifelike details and a realistic background. It can be anything you want it to be so get out the scissors, pencils, and pipe cleaners! Pick your habitat and let’s get started!

Steps

Choose a scene to re-create. It can be from a book, movie, tv show, etc. Or you can just make it up.
Make sketches of how you want your diorama to look. Plan the front, back, sides, and top. Make the inside of the diorama look as deep and 3 dimensional as you can. Make a list of the things you will need to make your diorama. Use a variety of materials.
Make a base for the model out of a shoe box or other box about the size of a shoebox. Make sure your box is sturdy.
Find small figures to go along with your scene or make them out of clay, printouts, pipe cleaners or other materials. Use your imagination.
Be creative. Anything you can find (cotton balls, leaves, twigs, etc.) will work. Make every detail count.
Hang flying objects with clear string such as monofilament used for fishing line, if you have it.

Tips

Put bigger items in the back, leaving the scene easy to see.
The most important object of your diorama should be centered or just a bit off center to draw the viewers attention to it first.
Green and brown pipe cleaners are great for plants. You can also buy miniature plants from a Supercenter or a crafts store.
You can use cotton balls for clouds or snow also.
Be sure to use color all over. You don’t want a blue sky with brown (cardboard box)spots showing in it, do you?
Don’t be too big too fast. Make the bare minimum of your diorama then build up.
Use everything! Natural resources can be a big help. Try using twigs if your diorama has trees.
Use the right tool for the job. It is not wise to color in a cardboard lid with blue- the bright colors will fade and brown will show. Ink can also cause the cardboard to sag or become flimsy. When it comes to sky or ground, colored construction paper is the way to go!
For more detail or workspace, use a box that is larger than a shoebox.

Warnings

Don’t become upset if you make a mistake when covering your box in colored paper. You can usually cover up mistakes with other paper.(This part is optional anyways. It just makes the box neater in appearance.)

Suggested Materials

Shoe box (or cardboard box about the same size)
Crayons, colored markers, colored pencils, acrylic or tempera paints
Construction paper, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, toothpicks, clay
Yarn, string, felt, foam, popsicle sticks, tongue depressors
Dirt, sand, leaves, twigs
Tape, glue, scissors
Small figures, Legos, clip art printouts found on free Internet websites

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Diorama. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.