The above diorama is made on a wooden base, toothpicks, craft sticks, styrofoam, twigs and moss. It is very realistic and detailed.......but not all dioramas are. They can be a basic or fancy as you want and made out of any materials that you want.

Construction paper house for a simple diorama.
A whole diorama can easily be made from construction paper on a cardboard base and is a great craft project for kids.

Dioramas can be very complex and take months to complete and hundreds of dollars to buy the components. These types of dioramas are usually make by serious teenage or adult hobbyists.
- To start a simple diorama, you need to decide what scene you want to make.
- Either sketch a detailed picture, or make a list of the items in the scene that you will need to build.
- Make your base. Anything flat would be usable, such as a piece of wood or cardboard. A shoebox lid is a great base for a small diorama.
- Start by making the big pieces first
- Completed each piece totally and place it before moving on
- Don't glue the pieces down until you have everything done, you may want to rearrange them.
- When you are sure, glue the pieces down and leave to dry for 24 hours.
For more detailed instructions, the website Storm the Castle has great tutorials and tons of information on making dioramas and even the miniature accessories, kits, buildings and other things you will need if you decide you want to make a fancy, detailed diorama.
To make a simple construction paper diorama, all you need is a base, colored paper, scissors, tape and glue. You can also use other household items to add texture, like glitter, sand, sprinkles, macaroni/pasta and craft sticks.
Have fun,
Jade :) If you are interested in making dioramas and prefer to use a kit, instead of gathering the materials on your own, Amazon has some nice ones at a good price: |
Complete Guide on Building Dioramas
$19.13 |