I had meant before Halloween to have a kick-a$$ Halloween diorama, complete with the Gothic Mansion, stage, staircase, cemetary, abandoned chapel with the zombie bride, party in motion, you name it, BUT...ONCE AGAIN...my grandiose diorama ideas went out the window when I realized the work involved. It simply takes a huge amount of time each day, to assemble and create and build that kind of diorama. sigh.
But my progress has been made. I was perplexed when my 2nd floor was once again too high for my stunning staircase. So I hit on the idea of raising the stair with a platform and making steps up to the platform, which worked. I used a box about 7-8 inches high, covered in wood contact paper and used foamcore to make the steps leading up to it. It isn't stunning but worked.
Here is the diorama with the staircase up to the 2nd floor, on the step platform I made.
I used a box one of my big lights I use in my studio to light up my dioramas and covered it with contact paper. This is before.
Their eyes meet, and the Professor, Eugenia's husband, has intercepted their looks of longing as well...
Some of these stunning pictures I took with my cell phone, some with my camera. I had a brain storm to do a grouping of Egyptian items with my mummy cases around the staircase to give it an Egyptian /profressor/archeologist feel. I picked through my stash for unusual ornaments like the deer head to to hang on the walls with pictures/portraits of Napoleon, that give it that old world, creep factor feel. The touches of the red velvet paper, red velvet brocade on the walls, with the dark stains, and the black dress on Eugenia really make everything elegant from a cult classic horror noir movie. Just the look I'm going for.
But my progress has been made. I was perplexed when my 2nd floor was once again too high for my stunning staircase. So I hit on the idea of raising the stair with a platform and making steps up to the platform, which worked. I used a box about 7-8 inches high, covered in wood contact paper and used foamcore to make the steps leading up to it. It isn't stunning but worked.
Here is the diorama with the staircase up to the 2nd floor, on the step platform I made.
I used a box one of my big lights I use in my studio to light up my dioramas and covered it with contact paper. This is before.
And then he sees a vision of loveliness on the staircase....
Count Dracula is enchanted when he first sees Eugenia on the steps. He must have her!
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Count Dracula..."
"I am pleased to meet you. I am Eugenia..."
Some of these stunning pictures I took with my cell phone, some with my camera. I had a brain storm to do a grouping of Egyptian items with my mummy cases around the staircase to give it an Egyptian /profressor/archeologist feel. I picked through my stash for unusual ornaments like the deer head to to hang on the walls with pictures/portraits of Napoleon, that give it that old world, creep factor feel. The touches of the red velvet paper, red velvet brocade on the walls, with the dark stains, and the black dress on Eugenia really make everything elegant from a cult classic horror noir movie. Just the look I'm going for.
7 comments:
I am still in awe of the Mansion. It is quite an undertaking to set it up!
Phyllis, it is! The walls are made of insulation foam and are a bear to get to stand up pinned together or leaning against the wall like they are now. I designed it so I could stand them together like they are now, or be pinned on either side of the front wall, (which was the original design). My original design called for another 'back wing' to the mansion. Maybe one day I will get to do that now that I have the staircase thing worked out. I love building expansive dioramas for the dolls, and I hate tearing them down. Having a climate controlled storage unit really helps me not only store my excess collection but allows me to build in peace and quiet without being interrupted by family, lol. I highly recommend it. Once I get the mansion set up I don't want to tear it down and I want to play with it through the holidays.
Your mansion is lovely. Those stairs and the addition you added, are awesome! Isn't it crazy how quickly time is slipping by? Spending days on dioramas and stories are a challenge with everything else we have going on in our lives. I completely understand.
Vanessa,thank you, and isn't it? With the health issues this year, they have just sucked my energy out of me completely. It took a couple of months to recover from the kidney stone and I have had alot of family stuff going on as well. My dad had open heart surgery in September so I had to care for him, and he is 81. He did very well and came through it fine. As well as with running a business. It just piled up this year and left so little time for the dolls and dioramas, which I really missed.
Awww Lisa, I didn't realize you were going through so much. I'm so sorry. I have never experienced kidney stones, but my neighbor's uncle spent quite a bit of time in the hospital recently all due to kidney stones. Hope you are completely recovered. Same for your dad. Happy to hear he did well with his surgery. Hopefully, you will be able to get back to the dolls, which always help us cheer up.
I think everything looks wonderful and the photos are so nice from the perspective you took them at. I can definitely relate to just not having the time to devote to your hobby as I feel the same way and have had to "let it go" more for now. Glad to hear you are feeling better after the kidney stone. My aunt was just in the hospital for a kidney infection and stone blockage and it really has knocked her down quite a bit so I know it's not easy.
I can't wait to see more of what you have in store for the mansion. :)
Vanessa, Farrah Lily thank you both for the warm and kind comments and understanding. I also had some family drama with other family members that was mildly stressful as well; so it has been quite a year so far. The health issues and family stress can take a toll on our beloved doll hobby to the point where all you can do is look at them and enjoy them but my building obsession had been curbed considerably due to the energy level .
Now that I am back to full speed with the holidays here- I am eager to get back to my projects ESPECIALLY the mansion and my Santa's bake shop which I had started back in February when all of this happened! I had wanted to have that done! Now I have to work at full speed.
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