How time & money-consuming is it to build a diorama/set?
 

Hey all,

I know that's a REALLY broad question depending on size, and what type of set it is (I read that city sets are a pain), but I'm curious. I've been thinking about doing a dio-story for a while now (still a LONG ways off, if it ever happens), and would like to know some of the particulars.

Also, some of the tricks of the trade would be helpful, if any of you happenin' dio-story folks would be kind enough to share any :)

Thanks for any help. I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year's Eve/Day and doesn't do anything TOO nuts :D

Have fun, gang!!!

well it's pretty time consuming cuz i build a camp site for my joes and my dio shots it took about 2 hours just to build it but didn't take any $$$. but you can also take a get sticky paper for your prenter and prent off brick walls, signs, wallpaper and stuff like that but the best thing to do is get like barrels and stuff from PTE and www.marauderinc.com but i don't really know how much it would cost but it would probably be pretty pricey but here's the pic of my camp site

That's a pretty sweet set, gung ho. Unfortunately for me, I live in an apartment complex in the city. And I'm in the midwest, so it's almost too cold to go huntin' for the good stuff.

Still, at least I know a pretty good set can be made on the extreme cheap :)

Thanks for the reply, sir!

yw sir! :D

It's hard to put into perspective of the cost. It's a labor of love. If you start worring about the cost, then you are already limiting yourself. I'm not trying to say don't go shop around, because you should. What I'm saying is don't count the money as you buy what you need. I have a 10 x 20 room that I use and I'm running out of room. On the left is a 4 x 8 on the right is a 4 x 8, with a four foot walk inbetween. The flagg is under the left table and supplies are under the right. My only work bench is a 4 x 3 area in the middle. With all that taken up in JOE spaces, it's thousands of dollars and months of time. Lastly, use your imagination, I use gillette razor blade holders for rifle racks, blister packs for windows.. etc. that's what cuts cost.. Hope that helps.

Holesnipe makes valid points.........

It's all about how much time/talent/expense you want to put into it

I use anything from my old Fisher-Price playsets to household items to whatever else.......

And it's still growing!!

Check out the 'How-To' section right here in the forum.......lots of cool stuff there

And as always.....post a thread or send a PM or find someone in IM and chat!!!

Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

Let me know if I can help!

I just get a cardboard box,
buy like 2 or 3 cans of spray paint,
and then get to making!!

Its simple and easy.

lol i think he's wants more then a cardboard box and some spray paint what he's talking about is like a outside diorama like you see with violentfix's dios and stuff you know like fake moss, grass, trees and stuff like that no cardboard boxs

a Lot of things effect cost and time. Can you use cheaper items and still get the same effect? Cardboard boxes with brick pattern (from the files section) makes great walls/ buildings. A tube from carpeting (look where they are building new apartments or ask at a flooring store!) can make tunnels and caves. Sonneilon makes some WILD dioramas and he does it rather cheaply! You want a easy City? Get the Spawn alley set, the Police Academy HQ, the Ghostbusters HQ, the PTE hq, and some doll houses....that save you building time, but not money! There is NO easy answer..but if there's something SPECIFIC you're looking to create, ask around! here's a BUNCH of great articles;


http://www.joedios.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1675

http://www.joedios.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1587

http://www.joedios.com/forums/showthread.php?t=880

http://www.joedios.com/forums/showthread.php?t=457

http://www.joedios.com/forums/showthread.php?t=590

http://www.joedios.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142

http://sonneilon.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html

http://www.joedios.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133

http://www.violentfix.com/cobra/dio...io-stories.html

I'm sort of in the middle...I invest a lot of $$ in my collection, but it takes up so much room, I have to limit the size of my dios! I WISH I had a HUGE area to make a dio like the Japanese do when they make Godzilla Movies!

I know that probably didn't help, but as you delve into dios, you'll find with some subjects, there are no simple answers!!

Frank...well, I TRY to be Frank!!

Frank, thanks for linking to my old blog. i've since given up on blogs so... To the original topic, it depends. WHen i did the last of my sets for Transformations, it took days. It was a very complicated set and i know Frank and Shane were like, "uh... that's kind of a lot..."

I learned a lot about set building when doing that 4'x4' beast. ie; how am I supposed to shoot the scenes???