Wee Scapes architectural, diorama, and miniature supplies by Simi Creative Products are an affordable option for adding trees, grasses and colorful plant-life to any diorama or miniature model-making project.
Their blended turf grass and grass mats help create a lush base for any diorama or architectural model surface, while the collection of trees-including deciduous, pine, poplar and orangehelp fill the scene. Wee Scapes also has a nice collection of flowering shrubs to add a dash of color and interest to any miniature landscape.
Fans of the television series Mr. Robot, may have noticed the large scale diorama of New York City featured in Episode 9 when Angela looks for Elliot in their childhood haunt, the Queens Museum.
Conceived by the infamous Robert Moses for the 1964 World's Fair, the Panorama of The City of New York was built by architectural model makers, Lester & Associates, who employed over 100 workers to complete the 1:1200 scale model from 1961 to 1964. The total area of the finished diorama is 9,355 square feet.
View of Downtown Manhattan on the Panorama, c. 1985. Photo by Dan Cornish, Esto
So if you're looking for a new haunt, check out this awesome miniature model of the Big Apple.
Fun Fact: Two crew members left their names spelled in shrubbery. So if you visit, look for Bill and Ed somewhere in Jamaica Bay...
View of Queens Museum, New York State Pavilion, and the Unisphere on the Panorama of the City of New York
Grand Budapest Hotel Model on display@Arclight Cinema-Los Angeles
Wes Anderson, master of cinematic naivete, has again charmed movie-goers with his latest film, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" now nominated for 9 Academy Awards, including Best Achievement in Production Design and Best Picture.
The film features many large scale model miniatures constructed by a talented team and led by Berlin based model/prop maker Simon Weisse.
Japanese artist Tanaka Tatsuya has been keeping a miniature calendar since 2011 and posting daily photos of his tiny creations.
Incorporating food and everyday objects, his work runs the spectrum from whimsical and playful to darker and more contemplative of deeper social themes.
Liz Hickok, a San Francisco based artist, models urban landscapes in Jell-O. "I have always been interested in
architectural scale models of cities, and how photography can play with
the viewer’s sense of scale, blurring differences between the real city
and the constructed one."-Liz Hickok (from artists website)
Here are some quick videos introducing the benefits of using Heki grasses in your diorama or scale model creations.
You can purchase Heki products from Scenic Express or other hobby retailers.
Check out the other informative how-to's found on the Jim Elster/Scenic Express Youtube Channel.
Looking for a tube of Civil War Soldiers? Or a bag of jungle animals? Safari Ltd., has a wide range of miniatures and replicas for all your wild dioramas. From miniature Bulaga whales to models of the solar system , Safari Ltd.'s Catalog will be sure to meet your needs, even if they include a miniature Roman Colosseum or a lair of dragons. Their vast miniatures collection comes in a variety of scale sizes made with non-toxic materials. You can also find Safari Ltd. on Amazon.
The tradition of setting up magical Christmas Villages on tabletops and mantels across America, began as a tradition of the Moravian Church, a Protestant denomination, and has continued to evolve over the last 130 years. Originally set under the Christmas tree, 'Putz' houses, as they were called, were typically made from cardboard and mostly manufactured in Japan and Germany. For a thorough history of Christmas Villages, visit FamilyChristmas Online and for instructions on how to build your own glittered 'Putz' house visit Cardboard Christmas.
Department 56 Ceramics https://www.department56.com/home.do
Modern Makers of the the ceramic Christmas Villages, which have become staples for the American Christmas Collector, include Department 56, a Minnesota based company whose collections range from their original Snow Village, Dickens Village, Alpine Village, to more contemporary themed villages like Disney's Frozen and Downton Abbey.
Another growing Christmas collectibles maker Lemax, offers merry miniaturists a variety of villages, including a Victorian Christmas Village, Santa's Wonderland, Vail Village, Caddington Village, and numerous collectible enhancements and figurines sure to complete your Christmas Village wonderland.
And finally, the Bradford Exchange, is also a great source for limited edition collectibles, especially if your taste ranges a bit outside of Christmas. Their wide array of collectible collections include the Nightmare Before Christmas Village, Star Wars Galatic Village and Thomas Kinkade Christmas Village collectibles.
So, if you haven't started your miniature village collection, perhaps one of these collections will inspire future Holidays full of magical miniatures and diorama dreams. Happy Holidays!
The tradition of setting up magical Christmas Villages on tabletops and mantels across America, began as a tradition of the Moravian Church, a Protestant denomination, and has continued to evolve over the last 130 years.
