Nowadays, the most convincing presentations of artificial environments are generated in digital reality booths or 3D goggles, but it used to be done the old fashioned way with panoramas where the viewer stood in the centre of a cylindrical painting. A diorama is a partial panorama and can be more easily approached and presented. Museum natural habitat displays tend to begin at full scale, whereas military, automobile and railway versions are miniature.
Here are a few examples of dioramas designed for railway collectors.
Dioramas can be made to any size, this one is a little over a metre long.
Like backscenes, dioramas can make good use of forced perspective.
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- Either trade or private displays
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- B & W study in natural light
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- Receding countryside provides a photography background.
Dioramas can be done as indoor scenes if requested.
Interiors can still feature backscenes that are visible through the windows
This display case uses mirrors to provide a depth illusion at either end.
Architectural components can be produced by the 3D printing process if necessary.
This display case was made to accept standard and broad gauge exhibits.
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- Dean sepia version.
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- The case surround.
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- Rooflights and medaevil hammerbeams combined
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- Dean bogie engine.
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- Dean 3232 passenger engine.
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- The early days
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- The Dean/Armstrong era
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- Last year of the mixed gauge
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- Panelled timber screen
Brunel designed bridge and balustraded section wall as part of a display diorama
A bogie single and four wheelers on display.
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- Dean 4-2-2 with four wheeled stock.
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- A semi relief building.
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- A one horse landau carriage.
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- A sepia study from the bridge parapet.
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- Lined black livery, and a passenger turn for ‘Kolhapur’
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- The diorama left hand end.
