An Introduction to the Art of Scenic Modeling
by Kenyon Kemp
I have been interested in trains for as long as I can remember. When I was little, whenever my family went to my grandparents’ house, we would pass trains on the highway. As I grew older, my parents would take me to model shows, where I found out that anyone could make model train layouts that looked real. One of the members in my ward was also interested in trains, and had a display that he took to the shows. Through him, I was introduced to railway modeling, where miniature models could be used to create a 3-dimensional scene.
In a world where digital technology and artificial intelligence are being used with increasing frequency, people are beginning to appreciate handmade art more. A lot of the time, when people think of handmade art, they tend to think of drawings, paintings, or sculptures. These also tend to be the types of art forms that are readily developed in schools and university art classes. However, scenic modeling is another important, physical art form that people around the world enjoy.
Basics of Scenic Modeling
Scenic modeling is where people create a 3-dimensional scene of a landscape. Although they are usually made as some form of diorama, they can be made to almost any size as long as someone has the space for it. For example, someone could make a scene small enough to fit in a shoe box or large enough to fill a basement or specialized building. There are also several different scales that people can build dioramas to, which can allow people to adjust what they want to build to the space that they have.
Scale is the ratio between an object’s size and the size of a miniature counterpart compared to it. The larger the ratio, the smaller a model is. Generally, everything used in a diorama is to the same scale as each other, although some people use slightly smaller objects near the back of a scene to make the objects seem further away than they really are. Additionally, someone would want to choose a scale size based on the amount of detail they want to put into a particular project; “Highly detailed designs… need larger scales to accurately capture fine features, [while] simpler designs… may be adequately represented in smaller scales without sacrificing clarity.”
What type of work goes into scenic modeling?
The most common tasks that go into modeling are building kits, painting them and scenery work. Building kits is usually pretty easy, as you usually just need to glue plastic or metal parts together. Painting is a little more complex, but is still pretty simple. After choosing the colors you want to paint a model, you can apply them either using a brush or by using spray paint, the latter option generally being preferred by people to avoid brush strokes being visible on a model.
For scenery work, you need to glue miniature plants, such as grass, bushes, and trees, to the scenic base you are working with. There are plenty of video tutorials available on social media sites, such as this one by George Williamson on YouTube. As the video states, “glue is applied… and spread over the field,” and the scenery products are sprinkled onto the glue. It can be a bit complicated, as you need to decide what types of plants you would want to use, but it quickly makes a diorama look real. The nice thing is, dioramas are not time sensitive like paintings can be. You could do as much or as little at a time as you want, so if you ever start stressing over what you are doing, you could step back without negative consequences.
The Different Types of Modeling
All scenic modeling could be considered a form of diorama, although there are different types that are distinct from each other. The subjects in scenic modeling can be almost anything. In addition to making simple nature scenes, it is possible to buy models of almost anything one could hope to include, such as trains, boats, cars, people, buildings, and more. As a result, scenic modeling is a common denominator between several different types of hobbies.
The simplest way that scenic modeling is used is to create static dioramas. Static dioramas are commonly used to model military scenes, houses, and nature scenes, where the overall scene is important to the creation of a piece. They are typically small enough that they could be displayed anywhere, and an advantage of them is that someone could do multiple unrelated scenes, which would give them a lot of freedom to model what they want, and allow them to learn a lot of different techniques and skills. For example, in one diorama, someone might choose to model a river in a forest set during the summer, and then for their next diorama, they might choose to model a winter scene set in a town. Others might choose to model a historical scene or something that was personally significant to them.
Another hobby that scenic modeling is often used in is railway modeling. Even though many people start with a simple train set on a floor or table. They will often learn about where the trains they are interested in operated and when they were used, and will create a scene based on that location and time period.
One of the biggest things that model railways add to dioramas is movement. Most model trains are designed to move, powered by electricity that is conducted through the rails. They are one of the easiest ways to add movement to a diorama, because the rails provide a set path for them to follow, unlike cars or boats, which would require a lot of control to move realistically. For some, the movement of the trains is the most important part, and they will build something that allows them to operate the trains like the real railway would have. For others, they are just a way to add background movement for additional interest in their dioramas.
However, one disadvantage of modeling railroads compared to other dioramas is that they can take up a lot of space. Compared to the shoebox-sized space that other dioramas take, a model railroad can easily take up a table or a small room. This could also lock someone into modeling a specific time period or season if they don’t have space for more than one layout. On the other hand, that could make it easier for someone to focus on the detail they want to add to their models.
Wargaming is another hobby that makes use of scenic modeling in the place of regular game boards for their game. “Model hills, trees, shrubs, stones etc are used to represent the terrain,” where players set up miniature armies to battle. The different elements of the terrain also affect the game, so that the player’s army will encounter a variety of obstacles to overcome, providing a more challenging experience. Since terrains are set up and taken down between each game, they will never be the same, providing an infinite number of possibilities and a lot of replay value.
What is Scenic Modeling Used For?
Although scenic modeling is typically used to make display pieces for hobbyists, it also has unique uses in work environments. Scenic modeling has been used in several different jobs, such as landscaping companies, film and television production, architects, and even by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Landscaping companies use scenic modeling to plan out their designs and get a better idea of how the landscape will look before actually starting work on the land. Their models also help them understand how different landscaping designs and ideas could affect the environment and landscapes around them.
Building scenic models also helps the landscape designers to build trust and connect effectively with their clients. Even when they are not yet working on the actual site, having physical three dimensional models to hand can help “show progress to the client early… and [the] clients tend to appreciate the commitment shown in a carefully crafted representation for… the project.” The 3-D models also help the client to easily understand and visualize the developments that the designer is presenting. Clients and designers are also able to work together and discuss ideas more effectively as well.
Miniature models are also used quite often in film and television production. Even though computer-generated imagery (CGI) has become extremely popular and is extensively used throughout the film industry, models are still effectively used in multiple ways.
For example, models are used to create a scene without requiring filming in a large area. Models need to be used carefully so that the audience doesn’t know it’s staring at one, but “eagle-eyed viewers may be able to spot them when movies show an expansive establishing shot.” One famous example of a model is Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter series, which was used for all of the films in the series. Models are also used to force perspective, where buildings of multiple scales (larger scales in front, smaller scales in back) are placed in the same scene, which tricks the viewer’s eye into thinking a shot has more depth than it does in reality.
Architectural careers also rely heavily on three dimensional models for buildings while they work, and the models made can have several different purposes to aid the architectural processes. In general, model buildings can give architects “an opportunity to explore and research spacial relationships, volumetric concerns and material qualities, and to experiment with form, scale and texture” in ways that drawings do not allow. Some models are also made with the internal floor layouts in place, and are designed to be taken apart to show what the inner parts of the building will look like.
One of the more specialized ways that models are used by architects is to understand what decorative details would look like under natural lighting conditions. Segments of buildings that have ornate detail are 3D printed to a large scale and can help an architect “ensure the desired light and shade effects are achieved,” so that a building can look as good as possible. Architectural models can also be made to solve specific problems with building construction, such as how the walls or ceilings will be constructed, or the best way to create air circulation within the building.
One of the most surprising ways that models are used is by the Central Intelligence Agency to help plan high-stakes operations. In the 1960s, the CIA created an agency called the National Photographic Interpretation Center, which produces miniature models for defense strategists and military commanders to plan military operations. Models have been made of several different “enemy weapon systems, prisons, government buildings, safehouses,” and other structures. They are crafted to be as close to the real buildings as possible, even including details such as security bars on windows and different types of terrain to ensure that the operatives know about the different types of obstacles they might encounter.
Scenic dioramas are also used as attractions, with several being in museums worldwide. One example in the eastern United States is The Panorama of the City of New York, which can be seen in the Queens Museum. Originally created to help with city development and planning, it was shown as an attraction in the World Fair in 1965. Filling almost 10,000 square feet of space, “each of the city’s 895,000 buildings…, and every street, park, and some 100 bridges are represented” on the model. The model has also been updated every few years as the real city has been developed, with changes being done as recently as 2009.
Why is it valuable?
One reason that makes scenic and three dimensional modeling important is the potential for interaction between the art and the viewer. While “2-D drawings lock viewers into a specific position and trap them in a particular state of observation,” 3-D models and scenes allow for viewers to see things from multiple perspectives, providing a more immersive experience with the art.
Something else significant that scenic modeling does is reduce screen time. With the increasing presence of computers and other screens in our lives, finding things to do in the physical world are important. The average person worldwide spends about 7 hours a day in front of a screen, and “data from a survey of 2,000+ adults revealed that less than half the time spent on screens is believed to be productive.” In addition to that, people can experience health issues from excessive screen use, so having a hobby that reduces use of screen time outside of work can help reduce the effect of screen use on someone. The hobby is also good at countering the effects of screen because it requires a lot of use of the hands and focus on what is being done.
Scenic modeling is also a unique way to preserve history, as dioramas can depict something based on how something used to look in the past. These can also be helpful in museums by showing architectural styles and city designs of past civilizations and “help to understand the cultural and historical heritage” of those societies. Even on personal dioramas, a lot of research goes into finding historical information, so that the diorama can represent the past as closely as possible.
As a hobby, modeling scenery can be a great way to disconnect from the pressures of day to day life, and it is very satisfying to create something that looks real. Modeling is also very educational; it seems like I learn something new almost every day, whether I’m looking for information about something I want to model or trying to learn other peoples’ techniques on how to do something.
Conclusion:
Overall, scenic modeling is a great way to represent a landscape in miniature and can be an immersive art form. Models are also a great visual aid, and their different types of use within jobs is a testament to their versatility as well. I would recommend to anyone to try making a diorama sometime, and even if you decide it’s not for you, it’s still a great way to make some memories!
