Forest Diorama First Look

I pointed out in a few recent posts that I often draw the same natural objects. I should have mentioned that I model them, too! Here is a sneak peek at a project I’ve been engaged in for a little while. I intend for it to serve several purposes.

First, I’ll put together a tutorial covering the method for producing the mushrooms found here. There are 37 individual handmade mushrooms of 7 different species. All are based upon real varieties, though they wouldn’t all be found fruiting at the same time of year.

Second, I’m prepping a nice little mini that I think will tell a peaceful and sweet story in this setting. You might be able to see the pin hole drilled just left of center in the image above.

Last, I’m trying in my modeling to master many of the same things that engage me in my 2-dimensional art. It’s a learning process as well as a creative one. If you’ve been following my blog for a little while you know I’ve experimented before with little scenic vignettes, wrestling with the representation of moss, lichen, leaves, flowers, grass, and more. I’ve tried out some different approaches here and I’m happy with my efforts. The lichens, in particular, went well. This is just another experiment, though I’m also trying to create a fully realized piece of miniature art in the process.

I don’t have much more to do on the scene/base, so stay tuned for the final version and the mushroom tutorial in the days ahead, and for the vignette with a figure to follow after.

Let me know what you think in the Comments section below. Thanks for looking!