Diorama Development

Introduction

This blog will be discussing and showing progress of a diorama development. I am going to be making a low-poly final diorama and am looking for inspiration from other dioramas that exist.

Week 1

Examples

Example 1:

This diorama is pretty simple, there isn't too much going on in it. However I like the shapes of the edge of the image around the bottom left, the smooth but frantic rock formations look nice and distinct. Same with the collection of rocks in the background. I enjoy the lighting here as well, the simple shadows casting across it. The desolate and lonely gas station is interesting being the only building. It gives a sense of isolation in a huge, vast area like a desert.

Example 2:

This diorama is a lot more detailed, and while it's not something we are aiming to make, it's a very interesting and gorgeous little set piece depicting a war. The various people on the path fighting and the ominous and exceedingly rough rock textures surrounding them give a very dreaded and threatening vibe. I like the idea of the scale here, because it's like we're only seeing a small chunk of a full on war that's going on across a battlefield, that we have no idea how big it is.

Example 3:

This diorama is very basic compared to the others, it has some nice simple colours and a relaxing look to it given the environment. The lighting is unique, especially on the floor of it. Compared to the other dioramas there's some nice shadows thanks to the shape of the trees, the small bits of grass and vegetation. I like the shading because of the many tones that you can see thanks to the faces being present. For example the trees aren't just two tones of green, one light, and one dark. You have gradual shifts into darkness where the shade lies.

Example 4:

This diorama is a small but finely detailed one, similar to the previous example in terms of setting and environment. I like the very prominent lines and engravings on the log, rocks and the ground underneath. The trees on the left are really nice too, they have very defined spikes that trail off and look like they're being influenced by the wind. The tiny stream that trickles off of the island is nice as it looks gentle and not too heavy, it's got a soothing weight to it.

Example 5:

This diorama is a very nice one for textures and setting. It's pretty basic for a layout but it has a lot of charm and character to it. The sawmill idea is really interesting, given that it's surrounded by perfectly well trees.

Week 2

Idea Planning

This week I have decided on my idea and want to try and get more ideas and inspiration from other similar concepts.

For my idea I was thinking of doing a diorama based off of a winter area, things like snow, small wooden houses, rocks, trees, natural materials, snowmen and snow peppered onto the objects gently.

I feel the vibe is a warm welcoming one, but will also have a brisk feel to it. I'd want to have a go at seeing if I could add some warm lighting to it especially inside something like a small house residing by the area.

Example

While not a computer model, this clay diorama is the kind of thing I was thinking of as a design. I won't be doing the exact same thing as it, but I'd like to take slight inspiration for the house, I would like to do something slightly similar. The round base is a good idea that I wouldn't mind replicating, as well as trying to maybe have snow sloping off the round edge of the base.

Example 2

This tiny model is a similar idea. The way that the snow doesn't blanket the objects but rather is sporadically place on things and looks like it was sprinkled, is something I want to see if I can replicate. I also admire the wooden textures overlapping the walls and having a very dated but cozy feel in a brisk environment.

Week 3

Chart Schedule

This is an example of a Gannt chart, a bar chart that shows progress of development and helps to manage time in a project. You can assign tasks each week and see if you meet those deadlines.

Week 4

Further Idea Planning

With my idea coming closer to becoming real. I am thinking of certain winter elements I'd like to include in it. A few things that may seem generic, but really add to the scene.

Did some more research into the tutorials, trying out different techniques of modelling. I haven't been able to turn up much as opposed to the last few weeks. I have done some ideas for my wooden house design below, as a working piece for my final submission.

It's not much, but I managed to get a nice low poly design of the planks, which will look even better when I texture it. And the tree has a nice simple design, which I will spread around the left side when I develop it more.

Ideas

House

Here are some inspirations for the wooden house I want to do in my final piece. I was instantly drawn to these for their charm and rustic appearance. It feels ominous but welcoming, like there's something it's hiding from us. That feeling is one I want to portray in my low poly final piece.

An old wooden doorway, the subtle details like the carvings in the wood and the nails rooted into the planks give it so much more character. The idea of how long it took to make adds a layer of intrigue 

A very interestingly designed house, residing in a very organic and natural town. I really enjoy the structure of this, the way it broadens out near the base is a nice touch to make it feel distinct and genuine.

A nice looking, impacting saw of sorts, a detail I can appreciate is the little bits of resin from the trees, gently spread across the roof of this small construct.

All of these have simple designs that can be adapted into low poly if I wanted to replicate. But these are purely for inspiration. I want to copy the shapes and the way they all stick out apart, it gives a very nice distinct style and feel you wouldn't find in a more industrial setting.

These designs have inspired me to give these styles a try, there's so much character and history behind such a simple, exaggerated design. I really want to practice more on designing my house in my diorama to be like this. A similar flexed shape, but having this interesting sturdy feel to it.

Trees

Some ideas I have about the trees I wish to use as a feature in my final model are these ones. 

This model is a perfect example of something I'd like to add. The shape, height, and the simplicity is perfect for my work as it won't take precedence over the other objects in the scene. I want to use a similar colour scheme, granted there will be snow planted on top of it.

In my current work that I started, I hadn't made as many layers for the tree, in fact I had resorted to just a cone for the leaves as a starting idea. However I would like to make them in this style, just low poly.

This tree model is a good example of a relatively low poly tree, it shares similarities with the previous example, but yet still feels unique and a fine idea of what I could do for my idea, trees-wise.

Week 5

I have been progressing slowly with my development, trying to grasp the software and see if I can make a dent. So far it has been very difficult and I plan to try harder despite my setbacks. 

I have learned that I am able to model relatively well given the tools, but sadly the progress rate isn't so great, which is my issue currently. I need to manage my time more efficiently.

Week 6

This week I focussed on trying to get modelling my snow down, by using spheres and morphing them into certain spread shapes. I am aiming to replicated a blanket effect on the ground before I get to adding a snowy effect to the objects in the environment. However my priority for now, will be to make my model and place everything down where it needs to be. There are effects you can make to simulate snow falling onto the scene, which isn't a bad idea. But it's not what I'm looking for unfortunately.

As you can see, my trees are varied and are placed in very varied and different ways. The way this is done is by making one shape representing a tree, and then using scaling to deform and morph it. That way the forest-like area looks unique and not just copied, but rather manipulated to cover a section and not waste too much time.

Week 7

On this week I have chosen to tackle another section of my model, being the rocks. It wasn't too difficult to make them, I just make a few small shapes with multiple faces and extruded them so to make them all different. Once I made one of my rocks shaped and finalised, I duplicated them many times to cover the right side and parts behind the house. By rotated and scaling them in different ways, I was able to do a similar technique used for my forest. So my rocks look more natural and not just artificially slapped haphazardly.

Week 8

This week I chose to finish off the house I was planning to make by finalising the wooden attributes, and the chimney. I placed it around the centre so it is clear it's the focus so you can feel the vibes and emotions.