Here are some images of my first ever miniature diorama.
Below are the various stages of its production.
Planning
I am unsure as to where my initial idea to create a lighthouse model came from but I have always had a fascination with their architecture, and Maritime related things as a whole. I think they are surrounded with an atmosphere so bathed in intrigue that one cant help but be drawn to its light, its mystery. I latched onto this idea and wanted to try and capture it within a diorama.
I began with basic doodles and sketches to get a rough idea of the look I wanted to achieve. However I felt I needed more inspiration and so I produced a mood board demonstrating some of the key elements I wanted to feature.
This helped me a gauge a stronger sense of the required textures and tones I would need to convey my intended atmosphere. Furthermore, it gave me an idea of what other elements would build the authentic world of this diorama such as the inclusion of a small rowboat. This was also the stage in which I began to experiment with the layout.
The next step was to create a complete design, in which I managed to demonstrate the key elements I wanted to feature. This included the three architectural features, the rock work and the presence of sea life.
The last thing left was to think about materials and thats when my Mum suggested clay, which I settled on as it seemed practical, I also wanted to experiment with water effects so I purchased some epoxy resin. Another important aspect was the base to build the diorama upon which eventually led to the choice of using a photo frame.
Construction and Decoration
Building the lighthouse was my foremost objective so with the combined parts of a toilet roll tube and a piece of copper pipe I built the frame work. I then surrounded it with clay and made small imprints to suggest paintwork chipping away to reveal the brick underneath. To create a rough surface I lightly stippled minimal wet clay around the tower.
Following this was the build of the walkway platform at the top of the tower. This took many attempts due to the fragility of the clay, but I eventually managed to create a piece strong enough which was then supported by a piece of card from some packaging to prevent drooping. I additionally pressed small bars made from aluminium wire into the clay while it was wet which acted as the props for the railing made of the same material.
I wanted to add a working light to my build so I dismantled a tea light and extended its range with some spare wire from a speaker kit I had. Also adding a doorway and windows to the lighthouse at this point. I then began work on the top of the lighthouse which was constructed from the cap of an Insulin needle, an earring and some more clay.
With the construction of the lighthouse complete I mounted it to a plastic container lid with a hole drilled through it to thread the wire, which in turn was mounted to a piece of clay to build the height. I took the opportunity while this was drying to build some of some separate smaller rocks. Then drilling a hole into the photo frame, I mounted this structure with hot glue to the base threading the wire through it.
The island was then built around this structure with... more clay. I stuck largely to my original design but improvised a large proportion of the shaping, deciding to add a rock arch that had been eroded away to give the piece more diversity in terrain. While this was drying I built a small row boat and cabin for the lighthouse keeper.
The clay was still slightly wet in the centre at this point so I painted the lighthouse itself. I painted too many layers on the brickwork and lost some of the detail but by removing it when it was still wet it left darker tones in the crevices which allowed the thinner and final layer to pop, giving the bricks more definition. The windows left a little to be desired but I put fixing those on hold as the island was now dry enough to paint base coats upon.
The electronics were next, in addition to sealing the base with hot glue for resin pouring later. Legs were also added to provide height for the switch.
The base was painted to provide a coloured surface beneath the resin. The small rocks were painted as well as black washed along with the island itself. Windows made from card were also added to the lighthouse, this technique is also seen on the cabin's window and door.
Rocks made from bulgar wheat, diorama grass, stones created with quinoa, and sand from my little sisters sand pit were added. I feel this is where the diorama really started to come to life.
The final major aspect was bringing the water to life and I achieved this through the use of epoxy resin. This was my first time using resin and, whilst daunting, was an enjoyable experience and extremely rewarding once it had dried. I added dyes of various shades of blue and green to colour the water authentically. Though as it was my first time pouring resin, I had accidentally poured it too far up the beach, but this was later fixed by reapplying some sand on top of it.
However resin alone wasn't convincing enough, so inspired by techniques I had seen on YouTube I used gloss Mod Podge to create ripples and waves on the surface of the water. I used several layers to finally achieve the look I wanted, yet the waves still needed a greater impact so cotton wool painted with Mod Podge was dried against shaped polystyrene to create large splashes of water. These were then blended into the water with a mixture of Mod Podge and white paint, which in turn added more depth to the smaller ripples.
The diorama was now complete.
Conclusion
For my first ever diorama I thoroughly enjoyed the creative process and I'm proud of what I have managed to create and accomplish. However, I do feel I jumped into the deep end slightly with the scale of the project I originally set out to produce. I had to abandon some of my original ideas such as the whale and dock due to time constraints, but potentially these could be featured in my future projects. I have definitely realised I need to develop my basic skills on smaller projects first rather than heading straight for the larger ones. Yet, I still desire to be ambitious with my designs and do want to push myself again like I did with this model. So while I believe the construction and decoration has reached a good standard there is still definitely a lot of room for improvement. This is why I'm eager to pursue the craft further, to see how my skills grow and develop, and to discover the endless possibilities model making has.
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