Making a dinosaur diorama was definitely one of your school projects. Maybe during those days, your crafting skills were crude and uninspired.
Now, if you need to make another dinosaur diorama either for your kids or for your personal amusement, challenge yourself to level up.
For one, you can incorporate some photographic backgrounds to ensure a more remarkable look. You can also apply the peephole viewing technique if you wish to achieve some sort of three-dimensional effect.
And of course, you can be more ingenious by relying on some household items as basic materials for your project. So, here are the guidelines on how you can make a dinosaur diorama:
Prep up your box
Get a sturdy shoebox. Using a pair of scissors (heavy-duty) or a blade, cut a hole (1” x 1”) on its shorter end. It is important to position the hole approximately about an inch from the bottom of your shoebox. The hole is going to serve as a peephole to your dinosaur diorama.
Bring out your white glue
Pour some right into the bottom of your shoebox. Spread it quickly over the whole bottom area. See to it that the glue layer is kept thin and even.
Afterwards, dump some dirt right before your glue completely dries up. Tilt or move your shoebox.
Do it back and forth so you can allow the dirt to stick evenly on the area with glue. Remove the excess dirt when your glue is already dry. The dirt is going to be your dinosaur diorama’s “ground”.
Prepare your photographic backgrounds
Ready your “vegetation” photos. Cut or resize them so they can fit the sides (interior) of your shoebox. Proceed by pasting the “vegetation” photos. Cover all sides with “vegetation” photos except the one with a peephole.
Set up your interiors
Get your rock pieces. Glue them on your dinosaur diorama’s “ground”. Study how you can position them well. They should complement your “vegetation” photos. So, scatter them well and try to achieve a more realistic look.
If you have decided to use paper dinosaurs, support them by cutting right triangles out of your cardboard. The number of right triangles that you need depends on the number of your paper dinosaurs. Glue each side of your right triangles.
Attach the glued side to each of your paper dinosaurs so you can make them stand inside your diorama. On the other hand, if you went for plastic dinosaurs, simply glue their bottoms and strategically position them inside your diorama.
Add the necessary details
Your goal is to make your dinosaur diorama appear three-dimensional. So, consider gluing some miniature plastic plants to enhance the vegetation. You can also cluster your dinosaurs. Or, you can let them emerge – either from behind a rock or from a plant.
That completes your dinosaur diorama! Encourage your viewers to peep through the hole for a more exciting experience.
If your photographic backgrounds are not enough, you can always improvise. You can check out your flower or seed catalogs.
They have great and colorful images. You cut them out and place in your dinosaur diorama. They are certainly going to add depth and delight.