Does anyone know how to make a museum diorama?

Question

Like the ones on Night At The Museum, where the people are all mini, I was wondering how to make those and the people.

Answer 1

The largest book of its kind in the world that I am aware of is the Habitat & Exhibit Manual printed by Breakthrough Publications. I was fortunate to be a co-author and co-illustrator, as well as associate editor of this fine book. It is unlike any other I have ever seen. And yet, it will not answer all your questions because, quite simply, there are just too many questions involved. One thing you failed to mention is at what scale you intend to work. I have created museum figures all the way from lifesized humans down to miniscule hairy mammoths that measured less than 8 inches high, and also a civil war battle scene with almost a hundred figures measuring less than three inches tall. For a foundation, the manual described above will be the best place for you to start. Decide what scale you wish to work with and then pursue the models or mannikins which will best suit the size of your diorama. When necessary, it may be required of you to build your own wire stick figures and then sculpt their bodies with a number of epoxy putty sculpting materials to make realistic shapes and figures. A number of these materials are also described in the manual, and an even greater list of materials including glass eyes, habitat plants, artificial stones, etc. are availabe from the many taxidermy supply companies found across the continent. Much of this information can be found online by going to Taxidermy.net .

Good luck and remember to have fun with your project. If you can imagine it, you can create it. Go for it!

Dan

Answer 2

I didn't see the movie so don't know what kinds of things they included in their dioramas, but there's lots of info on making dioramas in general as well as things to go in them like people, objects, furnishings, which can be made from polymer clay or other materials, on these pages that you might want to check out:

http://glassattic.com/polymer/kids_beginners.htm
(... click on Scenes & Dioramas, near the bottom of the list...)

http://glassattic.com/polymer/miniatures.htm
http://glassattic.com/polymer/houses_structures_gingerbread.htm

And even these perhaps:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/Halloween_etc.htm
http://glassattic.com/polymer/Christmas.htm

For people and animals in particular, look on the Kids-Beginners page above, and some of the others, but also look here:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/sculpture.htm
(... click on "Whimsical" under Websites at bottom of list)


HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 3

Some of the old museum ones are whittled from wood. A few are molded wax or tin. Nowadays, you could use polymer clay.

Answer 4

i dont really know.