Dioramas,what are they?

[JohnReid]

I have written on this subject before in other forums.I hope that you enjoy it!

Traditionally a diorama was a shadow box or three-dimensional picture, however in our modern era it has come to encompass just about anything where objects are positioned in such a way as to interrelate with each other and usually tell or suggest a story.The key is that it must be three-dimensional.The setting can be very realistic or fanciful depending upon your own imagination.The magic of the diorama is that it takes a somewhat static object or group of objects and makes them come alive.In my mind it takes the craft of modeling and elevates it into the realm of art.I think that it is the highest expression of what we do as modelers.The whole craft vs art controversy just slips away and becomes irrelevant and even the kit vs scratch dilemma really doesn't matter because now the focus is on your creative ability to raise an emotional response in your viewer.Let your imagination run wild,contact that 10 year old kid that exists in all of us and you cant help but be a successful dioramist.

[JohnReid]

Well,first let me explain about ideas and where they come from.Personally ,whatever artform I am involved in, I strive to add something new.I think that my contribution as a dioramist was to see the possibility of taking what the dollhouse miniaturist does and wed that to the aircraft modelers world.Basically what I do is a miniature dollhouse with a big subject matter change.Instead of viewing a shadow box from just from one side,I opened things up so that it was viewable from 4 sides and the top.Sort of like 5 shadow boxes in one.I took the dollhouse idea and adapted it to airplanes.The added bonus is that the hangar makes its own dustproof box.Another example of where ideas come from was when I was looking for a storyline for the Nieuport diorama.I was just leafing thru some catalogs(filling the well,I call it)when I happened upon a 1/16th Dragon figure of a WW2 German officier pointing with one hand and a map in his other , obviously giving directions.As soon as I saw that figure my whole idea fell into place .The interaction between that pointing officier and the airplane would become the focal point of my diorama.Forever more, the viewer of my diorama will wonder , what is he pointing to and what is he instructing his men?The fact that he is pointing to the airplane draws the viewers eyes and imagination into the scene but the airplane still remains a focal point of the diorama.

[JohnReid]