Dioramas – What, How, Why?

I’m going to start writing blogs periodically about the types of art I produce. I guess there are 3 main areas to my art: Photography, Sculpture, and Dioramas. Making a sweeping statement here, but I’m pretty sure the majority of people have a good idea what photography and sculpture are, so I think I will revisit them later this year. Dioramas, on the other hand, may not resonate with everyone, so I feel that this is an ideal place to explain what they are, and the magic behind them.

First up, let us see what the definition of a diorama is:

a model representing a scene with three-dimensional figures, in either miniature or large scale museum exhibit

The origin of the word is French 19th Century: ‘dia’ meaning through, on the pattern of ‘panorama’

You may have seen in a museum large-scale battlefields or castles modelling a snapshot of life from that period of time. Dioramas reproduce a scene of fact, fiction or fantasy, through the eyes of the storyteller. Large or small, dioramas communicate with greater detail: the life-like 3D models take less effort to digest mentally and require less creative thought than a painting or photograph to process, therefore making it the most informative still-life caption art there is. The level of detail in each piece is the decision of the story-teller; what level of detail to include, or how much should be left up to the consumer’s interpretation? I think it is these questions that determine the difference between a museum diorama model and diorama art. Let’s look a bit closer at the two alternatives:

The factual nature of a museum artefact would require exceptional levels of detail and accuracy in the construction of the piece. For instance, a battlefield that demonstrates warfare from years gone by can be recreated with exceptional precision. Even a soundtrack of battle can be played to help enhance the story. Depicting a specific moment like this returns facts to the consumer, leaving little to interpretation. You could also put trainsets into this factual category of the diorama. Many enthusiasts create amazingly detailed scenes of rail travel, from all ages, bringing to life the miniature transport system. A beautifully crafted station, with people on the platforms, will no doubt increase the realism and therefore enjoyment of anyone who ‘plays’ with a model railway.

Moving on to the abstract, creative story-telling version of dioramas, the place where I find my love for the miniature world. Through this medium of art, I can produce a single scene of anything I wish; and this can actually be a draw-back. Without a focus, the message can be lost, and the story of the diorama will unravel. I have taken up the idea of recreating well-known sayings in a frozen moment, which is where I can build scenes within the scene; sub-plots and other micro-stories. All creating fascination and intrigue; exactly what I used to feel when I was growing up as a young girl in my own little worlds.

I will blog throughout the weeks to come about my process of creating a new diorama, so you can really understand my approach to these wonderful frozen stories!

Linda
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