Build & Animate an ULTRA-REALISTIC Diorama – Realistic Scenery Vol.16

If you’ve ever wanted to build a realistic diorama and actually have vehicles and bicycle riders moving along the road then this video is a must see!

You can download the 3D printer files to recreate these scenes from my website:

In this video I’ll show you every step I took to create this fantastic diorama, including the building, working road with vehicles and bike riders and all the tiny details that fill the scene. It’s all there.

The Magnorail is the main feature of this diorama and this particular starter kit was sent to me from Clyde at Magnorail Oz.

Using the Faller car system is not always the easiest way to get era specific cars running as the size of the car is limited to what battery and motor will fit, the magnorail can work with any vehicle from O scale down to N and possibly Z scale.

The main limitation is vehicles that are too big as weight can be an issue if there are any inclines for big vehicles larger than O scale.

Some of the details I use have their own dedicated tutorials and I only briefly describe the process in this video, for a more detailed description you can find the additional YouTube tutorials here:

Chain Link Fence:

Photo Etching:

3D printing using the Anycubic Photon:

DIY Static Grass Applicator:

DIY paint shaker:

Hot Wire Foam Cutter:

3D printer files, for those of you interested in printing the files I use in this project you’ll find them on my website, just be aware that I used an Anycubic Photon to print these files which is a very high detail resin printer, trying to print these files with an FDM 3D printer and not a resin 3D printer will very likely give a less than desirable result.

A little story for people who actually read the description… thank you 

On the day I was taking photos it was pouring down with rain, I was waiting all morning for a break in the weather and when it did come I had about 45 minutes to get the shots, in the final shot 2 shots of the video you can see the rain coming over the hills, about 2 minutes after those shots it started pouring down again.

I would have liked to get better photos before finishing this video but due to the tropical cyclone nearby it was making it very difficult. When the weather eventually passes and we get some decent weather I’ll take some extra footage and post it onto the website.

The music used was downloaded from Epidemic sound.

Time Stamps:

Building the Corner Store – 00:30

Corrugated Iron Roof – 03:46

Store Interior Details – 06:50

Large Tissue Paper Sign – 09:00

Detailing the Roof – 11:03

Diorama Base – 13:10

Making the Road with Operating Vehicles – 14:00

Footpath and Gutters Part 1 – 19:30

Footpath and Gutters Part 2 – 22:24

Landforming – 20:36

Painting and Weathering the Road – 25:01

Road Lines and Markings – 26:33

Ground Cover – 28:24

Static Grass and Ground Foams – 32:03

Street Details & Construction Sight – 34:46

Power Poles – 36:45

Setting a Tree on FIRE – 39:04

Adding Water to the Drainage Ditch – 43:06

Power Line Wires – 44:50

End Shots – 45:16

[BoulderCreekRailroad]

WHAT IS HAPPENING?


Hey all,

I'm currently working on my next video and also moving house.

While waiting for my next video, I've created a new Instagram account for my fans to post completed dioramas you've created (Conditions apply).

See you soon.

Cheers,
Luke

[LeaugeGames]

45 Minutes.. perfect for a calm sunday :)

[MrJeanMaker]

It's amazing how the scenery comes alive with natural light.

[rob]

39:29 “Once the foam was removed, I set the tree on fire”

Going for that ultra Australian bushfire realism I see

[PartisanGamer]

Legit didnt realize the first shot was a model for a few seconds.

[JustDevon]

Realistic Scenery Vol. 50: Create an Ultra-Realistic Simulation of the Universe

[pixelfox]

I do not make models. I have no desire to make models. Yet I just watched a FORTY-FIVE MINUTE video about how to make a diorama, and loved EVERY MINUTE. I just love watching the details come together to make a scene that legitimately looks 100% real. I had to watch the finished results at the beginning and end and keep telling myself "that's a model!" because it just blew my mind. Thank you so much for your incredibly interesting videos! Even people who don't make models enjoy them, which is high praise.

[bandwagon]

This tree is pretty good.

*lights tree on fire*

Excellent and captivating work as usual. Seems like time flew by watching you work.

[DPDK]

First of all; YouTube has everyone afraid of producing a video longer than 20 minutes. If what you are doing with the video is interesting, most folks, young and old, will watch intently for a lot longer than that. Your videos are so well edited and narrated I would watch an hour and still be amazed at your craftsmanship and care for details. You, sir, are indeed a master modeler. I've seen dioramas in the Smithsonian that were not as believable as your work. P.S. Great photo magic as well.

[shock]

" this tree looks okay but I'll make a few minor improvements..."
*SETS THE TREE ON FIRE*

[randomguy]

okay Luke, stop flexing on me with you sick bottle flips

[sitearm]

"I wasn't completely satisfied with the tree, so I set it on fire." priceless : )

[timbullen]

Luke, I just stumbled on this video by accident, but I was absolutely FASCINATED with the detail and skills you leveraged in this instructional video. I don't model and I don't craft but now I really WANT to! Thanks for this view into your modeling world, I was blown away. Wow. Mod podge water ripples. I would never have thought of that.

[petroventer]

"I didn't like the tree, so I set it on fire." I chocked on my coffee. Brilliant :)

[thedarkness]

The modelling god has descended once more to bring us this joyful video. Thank you Luke!

[lindsaywedge]

My husband found your channel and has been listening to you for the last two weeks every night. Your voice is so soothing lol. And you have inspired him to spend all of our money at the model shop. ❤️

[Schnagelkott]

As a person suffering from anxiety these super-relaxing modelling videos are pure gold.

[BradGryphonn]

Up until the Toyota went around the corner, I was happily seeing it as a real scene. Awesome work!

[kcsnow]

Re: Spray painting (even with an airbrush): There was, back in the day, a pretty well known professional model painter, whose name I can't remember at the moment--his talents were often shown off in "Mainline Modeler" magazine, a US model railroad specific magazine. In those days many modelers used lacquer based paints, brand name Floquil (the brand name is still around), and unfortunately this very talented modeler ended up killing himself, because he failed to use adequate respiration protection or a paint booth as part of his regimen. He died not of cancer, which many chemical compounds still make use of and can cause in the long-term...but literally of toxicity due to overexposure to chemically dangerous paint fumes and particulates. Not that even lower amounts of exposure will do you very much good either....
I bring this up because you, Luke, very often seem to spray paint, and particularly paints like Rustoleum, around somewhat haphazardly/casually, and without obvious, adequate respiration (at least where the videos are concerned). Maybe your regulars have already heard your recommendations where sprays are concerned, but as a new subscriber, those aren't all that obvious, even if they are already out there.
Paint splattering? Cool. Dry brushing? obviously cool. Dusts, chalks and other dirts? Cool--you are as exposed to those as much as if you step outside and take deep breath (life is dangerous...lol!).
But spraying paint inside a confined space is a bit riskier, particularly if you make modeling a life long hobby. Just sayin'.
Otherwise, I LOVE your work. You get after it and get it done, which is a talent (and it IS a talent too) I can only envy.
Props...!!...and thanks. Your channel rocks!

[TET]

45:23 HOLLY MOLLY! At first glance, I thought it was taken at a REAL location! Man it looks so realistic!




Edited: U got a new subscriber!