Why shadowbox dioramas?
I love model making. There’s a difference between that and model building; model making is scratchbuilding from the most basic materials, instead of a kit. I have enjoyed making models professionally for special effects companies, including a three year role at Walt Disney Imagineering. I came up with my shadowbox dioramas as a way to blend my artistic experience with my love of popular culture.
I liked the idea of creating dioramas of famous TV shows, but the big question was: Where do you put them? Unless you have table or shelf space, it’s difficult to display somewhere where you could enjoy it. Then it hit me – why not have a shadowbox version in a frame that can be easily hung on a wall?
The process is pretty straightforward. First, I decide which TV show I would like to do next. This depends on a lot of factors: whether on not I think it will sell well; feedback I’ve gotten from friends, family, and customers; how iconic the set is; or if I’m a fan and just think it would be fun to make.
Then comes the next step: lots of research. I scour the internet for images of the set from all angles, incorporating closeups of all the little details. This is so crucial because I know the diehard fans will be the biggest judges, so it has to be as accurate as possible.
There are many images of floor plans out there, but they can only help so much. Since the shadowbox is compressed, I then need to plan out how to make all the elements fit and still look dimensional in the inch-thin width I have to work with. I use tricks like forced perspective and layering of materials to give it a 3-D look.
Once I have all the mockup figured out, I then create the artwork on the computer, again using the images I found as a reference. This gets a little tedious because of all the little details that need to go in, but it makes it that more authentic and rewarding in the end!
I then print the artwork and mount it onto foamboard or illustration board (like mat board), depending on how thick I need the piece to be. Each piece is then cut out. Foam board pieces get a strip of artwork glued down the side for a little extra detail. As I assemble it, I make notes if the artwork needs to be modified to make a piece fit better, or if it needs more detail. Once the artwork is modified I correct the issues with the mockup. Then I take pictures and it’s ready to sell.
The response to my work has been overwhelmingly positive, a testament to how much fans of that show appreciate the attention to detail. I got feedback from one customer who bought one for his wife – even though he wasn’t a fan of the show, he told me they both spent minutes looking at all the little parts and fine points!
If you’re a fan of these shows (or know of one) you can have your very own shadowbox diorama. It’s a highly detailed, handcrafted work of art from a professional designer, just the right thing to go on the wall of a true fan.
Thanks for reading!
John Eslick
