Who are the diorama builders here?

**Tycho** · 02-11-2008

What are your criteria?

I first (and only) started buying SW figures again in 1995 so I could recreate all the scenes that were possible with the new realistic figures. So I spend a lot on SW, I'm just not a "collector." I don't have to have everything, like I turned down Darth Revan and Darth Malek recently (don't own them at all, but did find them at retail on several occasions).

I eventually purchased extra figures to hold on to just in case Hasbro made figures I really wanted that they never made before - like Uncle Owen. Thus I had extra Jawas and Droids for a whole Purchase of the Droids scene and now even have the sandcrawler to go with it. I want extra ("non-agressive") Evolutions AOTC Anakins to display with each of the possible Padme figures they might come out with over the years (about 7 more of these - it's a really good figure of him, too).

Do you customize figures to go into your scenes? I started to a while back, but Hasbro is finally catching up so I don't do it any more. I made Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax way back when. I also made the HTTE Luke with his flightsuit top tied around his waist. We have these as official finished figures now. So I'm holding off on doing customs for a while. I'd rather have Hasbro sell me 1 figure, than buy 2 or more to kitbash.

Do you army build? I tend to feel "less is more," and it saves money and space, but I still need to show a larger force outnumbering a smaller one and fill out my ranks. I have a lot of droids and troops for sure.

Do you fleet build? I have the most TIE fighters of any ship, but I do have multiples of many designs.

Anyway, do you make permanent or temporary displays? Do you want permanent ones? How far do you go? Do you just set up the figures, or build them landscapes or even film sets (like the observation tower on the Invisible Hand for the ROTS duel with Count Dooku)?

Discuss.

**Kidhuman** · 02-11-2008

I set up scenes sometimes with my figures.

I have done a Vinatge Jabbas thorne room scene(all vintage stuff).

http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=30608

I have done the Cantina scene after getting the curved pieces:

http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=36069

I recently did an Endor scene also:

http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=37226

I have only customized one figure. I bought an extra Obi-Wan/Alpha comic pack and made Jango into a Jedi:

http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=35410

I dont leave them set up, because I dont have room for them. I build them, take em down and pack them away.

**JEDIpartner** · 02-11-2008

I'm just making scene boxes so I can add levels to my shelves. There was a lot of wasted space between the shelves, so I thought that two-tiered units might be cool. Over the weekend, I did a little Tantive IV box and the Jedi Council sits atop that one. I have a desert scene on the bottom level of one and the Droid sale/Lars homestead on the top. The last one I did yesterday was the cantina on the bottom and the Rebel base and ceremony room on top. I made up and printed some backgrounds and used some things I'd found on the 'net.

I think I'm moving on to ROTS next. Those shelves are jammed full.

**jedi master sal** · 02-11-2008

I've already replied to your PM Tycho.

I'm concentrating mostly on OT then PT. EU is a bit down the road. I don't see much use for making permanent EU dios as they are not in the mainstream so only diehard fans might recognize the characters. But the casual fan would most certainly know the major scenes/battles from the OT and PT.

Of course you know I massive army build, but I've since "retired" from that with exception to the new Kashyyyk trooper which is my last big army builder.

My dioramas however are no small venture. So while a person may be able to get away with 5-10 of a certain troop to flesh out their scene, the shear size of the dios I've planned for (avg of 8' long X 5' high X 4' deep) really require that I have a lot of figures in them. But I'm a bit eccentric I guess when it comes to these.

I have customized some figs, but tend to buy extras of figs and wait to custom them should the actual figure be made later. Typically that means I'm stuck with the older figure, but eventually I plan on doing a clearing house of sorts for my unwanted stuff. While I'm not looking to make a fortune on these, I hope to recoup a reasonable amount for what I paid for them, so most likely those things will end up on eBay.

let's face it most collectors will look for deals when it comes to older modern era stuff. The "good" stuff that is to say the rare or exclusive stuff would garner money, but those aren't the type of things I'd be selling off. So my best chance to recoup funds is to make them available to the largest base of consumers as possible.

Anyway, back to dioramas.

Do I fleet build? To a minor degree. While I'd love to have a fleet of the large winged TIE fighters, I can't see paying $40 a pop, so I have 3 of them instead of 20 like I'd really want.

Instead of buying a lot of the full sized vehicles I bought Action Fleet, Titaniums and minis. Much less expensive that way and because they are different sizes, it helps create the illusion of depth in my dios.

That's key for my dios. I'm not the traditional diorama builder in that everything is the same scale. Mine are what I've dubbed "forced perspective" dioramas. But having the different scales my dioaramas will apeear toe be bigger than they are. At the size I mentioned above they will already be huge, but they will appear to be that much bigger when view from certain angles, which is all very deliberate.

So I've answered your last question as well in that they are permanent displays, though the elements inside (the toys and some pieces I built) are able to be moved around if desired.

-Sal

**Tycho** · 02-11-2008

Sal, your stuff is going to be really impressive! The forced-perspective angle sounds interesting.

Kidhuman, I love that vintage Ewok Village Playset! I have it too. It was wonderful when Kenner did stuff like that, huh?

**JEDIpartner** · 02-11-2008

Originally Posted by Tycho

Kidhuman, I love that vintage Ewok Village Playset! I have it too. It was wonderful when Kenner did stuff like that, huh?

I got that a couple years ago on eBay ($20!!!). Was just missing the net. I cleaned it up and did paint washes and things on it.

EWOK VILLAGE LINKS

**Tycho** · 02-11-2008

Nice job with the leaves, JP! That looks really good.

Those are fake plant leaves, I presume?

**JEDIpartner** · 02-11-2008

Originally Posted by Tycho

Nice job with the leaves, JP! That looks really good.

Those are fake plant leaves, I presume?

Yeah. I was at a craft store, buying the paint, and I saw those sitting on a display near the cash wrap. I picked one of those up and saw they were designed to be used to craft centrepieces for tables. I knew that if I cut the ring, I could make the ring smaller to fit the inner sections of the trees without even having to glue them in. They worked perfectly, as did the paint wipes and stuff. It brought out a lot of the amazing detail the Kenner designers put into this piece.