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Building a Diorama from Scratch

I drew up a few sketch concepts, and presented them to him a few days later. The one he settled on was one of my favorites – a waterfront street scene of a small French township, with several shops and a small canal pier tucked under a fixed bridge. Now we had a destination. Having written articles before I thought there might be interest in the “how-did-you do-that” angle. I decided to document the project from start to finish in a step-by-step format. The images included in these five chapters are a portion of the 200+ photos taken during the process.

In reviewing the project steps, many readers will no doubt find some techniques different, strange, or downright odd. That’s fine— just remember that in scale modeling there is never any single “right way” to do something… instead, there are several ways that allow you to accomplish a desired effect, while at the same time, providing enjoyment to the process of creation. It is my hope that you will glean a few ideas, concepts, or new tricks that you can add to your own repertoire, or adapt to your own needs.

My special thanks to my family, Jennifer, Ryan, and Eric, for giving me the time to complete this (and so many more) modeling projects. Another thanks goes out to my friends, coworkers, and customers who have encouraged and provided inspiration for my work. And finally, I want to express an appreciation to Bob Letterman and Francois Verlinden, truly the greatest pair of dioramist in the industry, by my reckoning. Bob has an uncanny knack for recreating absolute realism, with his keen eye in detail and grand production value. His huge diorama “Legacy” featured in “Super Dioramas” is still the most awe-inspiring effort I’ve ever seen… a massive view of Patton’s temporary headquarters during the occupation of a French village.

As for Francois, I admire his creative genius, innovative techniques, and his willingness to share his recipes with the world. He has done more to bring military modeling into my life than any other person… and for that fun, joy, and sense of creativity, I will be eternally grateful.