New idea for a mini diorama

It's me again! I have been selling some trees here and there on ebay and privately for all different types of collectors. Amy (aandmkw on the forum) just won all 4 of my ebay tree auctions so you will see some really good photos coming up soon. She is, like most people are, a much better photographer then I am so I'm sure there will be some pictures up here at some point. Well, in an earlier post I was thinking about some vignettes (small dioramas that usually feature a single subject or scene), one on a desert oasis and the other on an underwater scene. Normally I get all of my research materials together and start there. I have not been to any oasis lately so I started with a Google Image search and on Tom Lussier's page I saw this:
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I decided that this was the base I wanted to make, at least the pool and rockwork, so I began by cutting a piece of 1/2 inch thick foam poster board. I added height to one corner and began sculpting the rockwork. I didn't get any photos of this step, or the next but by the time the landscaping was added and painted this is what it looked like. The white in the pool is the water proofing gel, when dry it is clear.
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The clear plastic in the back is to create the waters edge when I pour the resin, it is like thick water until it dries (in about 24 hours) so I need a dam to keep it from escaping.

Here is a close up of the pool
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Here it is with the sealant almost dry, you can see it is going to be perfectly clear by the time it is done.
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In these shots I have added the first pour, it will take at least 3 pours so I can add the algae in layers so it is 3 dimensional and growing up from the bottom like in the first photo of the real pool of water.
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I will update the photos as I make progress, I am not sure what I will put on this diorama, it is going to be some sort of desert figures, but from what country? I love camels, but what about North American pronghorn antelope? How about an Australian scene? I guess I will finish it I will put it on a shelf and let it collect dust, or sell it as a desert oasis diorama base for modelers or dollhouse collectors.

Wonderful new idea Phil! How many dioramas Do you have?

It's beautiful and so realistic, looks just like that photograph.

I have been adding water and algae, it takes time because I have to let the water cure for 24 hours between pouring the next layer but the algae
looks great. When it is done it will be 3 dimensional and growing up through the water, here is a pair of photos that sort of show the effect.

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Spectacular! you can almost smell the algae! It's truly amazing.
Do you know where the original photo was taken? it's gorgeous.

That is really, really fantastic !!!! Amazing !! !!

Those rocks look completely real...and the water with the algae, - it is wonderful, Phil

And not only real... it is such a wild, unique landscape, ...I am short of words ... WOW

Mastiffcat wrote:

Spectacular! you can almost smell the algae! It's truly amazing.
Do you know where the original photo was taken? it's gorgeous.

Thank you everyone, I am very glad you like it. Sorry for the quality of the photos, not only are my photographic skills lacking but the camera I am using is set up for underwater photography and it has filters that compensate for depth and light so the rocks look really red, in person they are much browner.

The photo is a pool of water near Flagstaff AZ, the photographer is Tom Lussier and he gave me permission to post the photo to show my inspiration.

Philter4 wrote:

The photo is a pool of water near Flagstaff AZ, the photographer is Tom Lussier and he gave me permission to post the photo to show my inspiration.

Tell Tom Lussier thankyou for permitting you to show us his fantastic photo
- and for inspiring you to make this great diorama

SUSANNE wrote:

Tell Tom Lussier thankyou for permitting you to show us his fantastic photo
- and for inspiring you to make this great diorama

Yes!

I am finally finished with the algae that is underwater, I still have one more pour of Magic Water to cover this upper layer of algae but it will be the last pour and then I just have to paint the floating algae on it to finally finish the water. Once this cures I will finish the planting and landscaping so the end of the build it close.

Now for the fun part is to decide where this will be, any suggestions? The plant and animal life that I choose will have to match but the diorama can be just about anywhere right now, I can make it a North African rock pool, or an American Southwest, which is where Tom actually took the photo, I got a suggestion for a South American dry water hole, or it could be Mexican, that is very interesting to me because I love the animal life from these northern desert areas. What about Australia? Or the Arabian desert water holes, even northern Asia with bactrian camels? So many choices but the decision has to be made because I have to match the plant life with the habitat.

Here are a few photos of how it looks now, before the surface water is poured.
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I like the sound of Northern Asia with bactrian camels.

I love the water and the algae, it looks amazingly real.

I have just about finished the base of the diorama, I have just one more layer of water to pour, just to smooth the surface and secure the algae but otherwise there is only the planting and finish the landscaping to do. Here are a couple of photos to show the pool as it is, the final pour will not change the look, it will be so thin it wont even be visible.
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That's nice! Your photo is a bit yellowish or do the landscape appears lighter in nature?

It is marvellous, Phil

I can`t say where it is, but I would say it is American, - a sacred place from before the white man came ?

I love the look of the water in the last photo.

It , s Gorgeous idea Phil! I very like it!!! (It , s example to me! )

It looks amazing Phil. You did a terrific job on it. I can almost imagine being there. Thanks so much for sharing.

Fantastic!!!