Hello, you are not signed on.
[ Blogs.starwars.com ]

DJ Maul's Dancin' Cantina Party
date posted: May 01, 2006 7:05 AM  |  updated: May 18, 2006 8:31 AM
My First Star Wars Diorama!
I've always wanted to build my own Star Wars diorama for my toy room, but I'm really not all that creative and hence never tried.

But recently I decided to give it a shot and I think for my first attempt it came out pretty good.

What started me off was, I found this wood box that my daughter had actually made as a project a long time ago. We were cleaning out her room and she was going to throw it out but, looking at it, I realized it had potential to be a neat display piece.

So I took the box, painted it blue and proceeded to hunt around on the internet for printable backround scenes.

after searching several sites, I found the one's I wanted at theRebelscum.com Ultarama downloads section, they have some great Death Star backrounds.

Using my color photo printer I printed out several backrounds, cut them to size, and proceeded to glue on the:

backround scene

the walls and floor

and as a finishing touch some strips up the front sides

I was debating on what, if anything, to do with the ceiling part, as looking straight on it wouldnt really be seen, but I wanted to do something to bring it in....then it hit me:

To blend it with the backround scene, I used strips of black foam weather stripping across the top to look like "beams" on the ceiling.

This is what the finished box looks like...

..and here is the finished diorama with figures.

its not PERFECT, I realize, and I wasnt going for total screen shot acurracy, but something that was close and looked cool, and this was all made with just stuff I had lying around the house. Imagine what I could do if I went SHOPPING for some items, lol...

Anyway, since this one came out half decent I may try another in the future; if so as usual I'll share.

I MIGHT still tinker around with this one a bit...Im open for suggestions on improvements...

Edit: Since this one has drawn some attention (thanks for all the positive feedback folks!) I figured Id add two updated pics:

After looking at the box hung up, I decided it needed a bit more, so I added a few more graphics on the sides

Now that it's finished, I found a proper spot and its now hung up on my wall.

Now I need to decide what my next project will be....stay tuned...


PS: I will be updating my Toy Room Photo blog again in the very near future. For those of you who have never seen it, the older version is still up in a previous blog, for those who have seen it before check back soon, as again I've made several changes and of course added in more stuff. I'll get to work on that asap, seeing as how Im "Featured Blog Of The Day" today...I figure I'd better put SOMETHING worth while checking out up here, ...

:D

  mcfalcons15
Darth Districter
date Posted: May 01, 2006 7:13 AM
Hey thats cool! I may look into setting up something like that in my new apartment.
hansgirl3
Invoking the Squee
date Posted: May 01, 2006 8:25 AM
Well done!! Bravo! :)
ryanlb
A Clone's Paradise
date Posted: May 01, 2006 8:50 AM
That does look good.
  rhett0
date Posted: May 01, 2006 8:56 AM
Very cool
  jedivnsnator
The Trash Compactor
date Posted: May 01, 2006 9:14 AM
Supremely impressed, dude. You've inspired me to try my hand at one! :)
bonniegrrl
Droids Just Wanna Have Fun
date Posted: May 01, 2006 9:49 AM
This is AWESOME! I love crafts like this!!!
I'm making this the site of the day! ;)
DJ Maul: Got Feet?
DJ Maul's Dancin' Cantina Party
date Posted: May 01, 2006 10:55 AM
wow, thanks bonnie!

This was actually a very easy project...if I can do it, anyone can, :)
  Darth Rex0
So be it....
date Posted: May 01, 2006 1:36 PM
This is AWESOME! I love crafts like this!!!
I'm making this the site of the day!


Couldn't agree more. Nice work and I look foward to any future projects like this you have. This one even seemed like one I could do. Thanks for the play by play!
DJ Maul: Got Feet?
DJ Maul's Dancin' Cantina Party
date Posted: May 01, 2006 5:00 PM
Thanks Darth Rex.

Frankly my printer did most of the REAL work for me. With the advances in home photo printing, getting backround scenes for these kind of things is easy.

I suppose if one had to start from scratch and build the BOX itself it would be far harder, but I have seen boxes like these for sale in craft shops etc. made to use for dioramas.
  Rive Caedo
Rive's Uncharted Settlements
date Posted: May 01, 2006 5:07 PM
Neat! Love the (blast it! Rex took "play by play")... moment to moment progress charting.
RojoTrooper
Star Wars Recycled Art Project
date Posted: May 01, 2006 8:23 PM
Very cool.. I did a section of the Death Star at C3.. Very fun!
  Darth_ Skywalker
Darth_Skywalker's Diary
date Posted: Jun 06, 2006 7:20 PM
Wow, DJ Maul, that came out very nice! I thought you said you weren't creative. ;)

One question; how did you get that glossy look? Was it the paper you used, or is that just how the downloaded picture looks? Great job, man!
DJ Maul: Got Feet?
DJ Maul's Dancin' Cantina Party
date Posted: Jun 06, 2006 7:28 PM
One question; how did you get that glossy look?

I used standard 8 by 10 photo paper to print out the backrounds. I tested one first on regular paper and it didnt look nearly as cool.


The backrounds at the link I posted in the blog are meant to be printed as photographs so they come out very clean and look awesome, obviously.

the only thing I needed to improvise was the FLOOR, I wanted that shiny black look but paint simply wouldnt cut it. SO...I printed out an all black page on photo paper and cut it down to size and it was perfect.
  Darth Lord of the Bith
date Posted: Nov 25, 2006 8:35 AM
This one is really cool you should try and do more of these for your big collection room.
  Darth Lord of the Bith
date Posted: Nov 25, 2006 8:35 AM
This one is really cool you should try and do more of these for your big collection room.
  • Please log in to post comments