Diorama for collectible action figures

There are action figures. There are collectors of these action figures. And there are dioramas for action figure collectors. Of course, the figures themselves are self-sufficient, but dioramas are not always. A diorama for a figure that is exhibited without a figure does not create a complete image of the event for me. Something must happen, or has already happened, but with whom or why is not clear. It causes me a little tension. The stage is ready, but there are no actors.

Diorama for action figures Ruins of the city. Scale 1/10 - 1/12. By Stan Volsky

If I look at a lonely figure, then everything is simple - there is a figure and it's cool. I am overwhelmed with pleasant associations, memories associated with the character, his storyline and, of course, the figurine itself. The child in me rejoices.

the Terminator T800 Police station assault Ultimate action figure by Neca

There is a action figure and its canonical plot. But the history of the character has already been completed and is limited by its plot, which gradually makes the figure boring - I have seen it a many times, examined it, exhibited different poses, changed accessories. But I want to continue the holiday. I want new stories, films, photos, comics, images, new figures. And such cyclical processes led me to the fact that I began to make dioramas. And as soon as I add a diorama to the figure, a new story begins, magic begins, the holiday continues!

The diorama illustrates the destroyed urban structure of the parking complex.

The action figure character finds himself outside of his story. This is not only the experience of repeated memories, but immersion in new ones stories about the character. Where I direct the scenes and the story. It's like watching a new part of a movie that has never happened before.

And these emotions can be updated again and again, changing the poses, the location of the figure on the diorama, and changing the diorama to another, creating new scenes for the character. These processes can be repeated and run as long as you want.

Diorama for the Terminator action figure by Neca

Well, then, with each new scene, figure, diorama, the plot and compositional play of figure paired with dioramas began to impress me more and more. And I decided that it was time to urgently capture these images on camera. And since then, I have now become interested in photographing action figures against the backdrop of my own dioramas.

Diorama with Robocop action figure by Neca

Diorama with the Predator action figures by Neca

Diorama with the Terminator action figure by Neca

Now a little about the City Ruins diorama itself, which, like the photos, was taken by me in 2019. At that moment, I wanted to create a compact urban scene with destroyed elements, on a scale of 1/10 -1/12. For Relevant figures of Predators, Terminator, Ninja Turtles, RoboCop, Batman. The diorama also had to be compact to be placed on the desktop, as well as interactive 360 degrees with the ability to move elements.

The implementation of the idea began with easy sketches on which I planned a pole with parking markings, and dilapidated brick walls with graffiti. Next, I decided on the size and height. And I started modeling with styrofoam. I cut out a piece for the base, and three pieces for the walls, two of which I then glued together. And the third one I glued with a pillar, which I already had cast from acrylic plaster. I also cut small elements to simulate broken brick fragments.

a future diorama for figures from scratch build

For painting large areas I use artistic acrylic primers and paints.

A preliminary look at the diorama. Against the background of the Neca figurine, S.H.Figuarts to assess the size and scale of the diorama.

Then I drew the location of the paving slabs on the base with a marker and made a marking to simulate a brick wall.

Then I took a white acrylic putty and applied it to the brick walls to create an imitation of plaster.

Imitation of finishing plaster on a diorama

A diorama with a Neca terminator figure to assess the size and scale.

When the styrofoam diorama model was ready, I was able to evaluate the possibility of creating a silicone mold for subsequent casting. I made four silicone molds for casting. One form for the base of the diorama. One form for a wall with a pillar, one form for a smaller wall and a third form for a small wall.

Silicone molds for casting dioramas for action figures

The blue mold in the center is intended for casting the base of the diorama. The other molds in this box were intended for my other dioramas and sculptures.

When the molds were ready, I made castings from acrylic plaster. In the future, I plan to paint the polystyrene model itself to sell or give away.

There are several cast elements in the general photo.

Castings assembled.

Cast diorama for action figures for painting

The result is a diorama of three elements, weighty and strong as a stone.

Weight of the element imitating a concrete pillar

The total weight of the assembled diorama was approximately 2 kg.

I couldn't capture the process of painting on camera, only the photo I took for another diorama with skulls has been preserved, and in the background you can see the first layers of painting, mostly primer. And the main plan shows the palette of paints, liquids and pigments that I used.