I am new. I love to build dioramas. i've built 2 very small ones. I want to know how to build Stuctures.
Thanks.

Various companies (like Verlinden or Custom Dioramics) make plaster or resin structures or their facades. These look great and require little work, but can be expensive and are obviously limiting. You can scratchbuild your own structures as well. I am no expert on the subject (everything I know about it comes from guys on this site), but I did create my own North African ruins for a diorama I am working on. They were a simple way to practice. I cut out two pieces of foamcore to make the two remaining sides of the building and glued them together to make a corner. I then covered the buildings with drywall spackle and sanded it down so it was smooth (little holes and nicks remained in the wall which was perfect for my purposes). Basically that was it. Obviously this was a very simple building, but more complex ones can be made with the addition of scrap plastic and balsa wood. I also made a round well by covering a piece of toilet-paper roll with spackle. I made a wooden cover for the well out of balsa wood. I will, of course, post pictures of this dio when I'm done. I still have to paint all the groundwork and buildings, though.

Nic

Thanks

Hi,

Howitzer, a warm welcome to ArmoramA

Here in ArmoramA at Features you have Building a Diorama from Scratch by Keith Magee, that can give you good tips about making buildings for dios.

HTH

Ola Howitzer

I have made my own building for the winter dio campaign out of styrofoam
the how`s and what`s of this dio can be found in this article
winter diorama campaign "DISTRACTION"
there is also a description on how I did the ruin

Hope it is of some help

Here is another method that uses inexpensive materials.
The basic two materials are balsa wood and construction paper (heavier craft paper).

I built a wooden frame house using these two material.
Kinda like this only a stand alone house

I built it almost identically to a real framed house.
I made a brick foundation out of etched wall spackle (dry wall putty), this may be optional if you don't want a brick foundation. I spread 1mm on a piece of styrene and let it dry. I took a dental tool and etched brick seems into it based on scale drawing I made from my own house measurements. I did that for each wall I built.
I glued those together and then glued down a balsa sheet as a floor. On it I again, etched floor boards using a dental tool.
I then took the construction paper and cut a piece of it to form the outside of the wall. I cut the window openings and door opening as necessary. I then cut long lengths of balsa (1mmX1mm) and framed the inside just like a house. Base piece, virtical pieces at the edge and side of the windows and doors, top piece. I used white glue.
I replicated this for each wall I built.
Then on the outside I used a darker color paper and cut 2mm strips for the trim on the outside. I matched a pattern I liked and glued it on.
I use construction paper for window and door trim.
For the roof I cut rafters out of balsa. I applied a base sheet of construction paper. Then I measured and cut out individual shingles and glued them on.

Hope this helps, ask more questions if you want.

Thank you.

i have now moved on almost exclusively to building masters for my models in BALSA FOAM... this stuff is FANTASTIC! It is stiff and rigid like stryofoam, but cuts like butter and shaves and sands like chalk! i will show you several finished pieces soon.

The 12lb stuff is what i use, and is picks up AMAZING detail.... expensive? Yes... about $8.00 per sheet (8 x 10 x 3/8 in) ) but if anyone is interested, we could go in together to buy in bulk...

I will try these. THANKS

Here's another step-by-step feature you may find helpful.

http://www.ipmsmk.org.uk/archive/building.htm

Thank you. I really apprieciate it.