Can I buy 1/3 scale dioramas?

Hello everyone! I sometimes see people on Instagram who have beautiful room dioramas set up for their Dollfie. Does anyone know if I can buy a room diorama for my future dollfie or how to set up an easy one for someone who is not a professional crafter? Thank you in advance! 

For 1/3 scale, I've seen scrolls with background images (more useful for photography) and quite a bit of furniture (usually pretty expensive). A whole room diorama will likely be very hard to find for sale and very expensive due to its sheer bulk and also low demand for it. So you will probably be better off if you try to set up something by yourself. - You definitely don't have to be a professional for this.

 

For starters, a couple of cardboard boxes, bed sheets and maybe some small cushions go a long way in giving your Dolls an environment they can interact with.

 

If you want some more detail, loosely place some carpet tiles or vinyl flooring tiles to make a decent floor. If you have a (wooden) board of the right size for your diorama you can also glue the tiles onto it.

 

Foam board, while not super strong, is great to build walls, as you can cut it with a hobby knife and don't need a saw. You can cut windows into it, glue on some wallpaper, etc.

If you use somewhat thin foam board, you can lean the diorama wall against your room's wall and secure it with some poster tape (don't hang it - it might be too heavy for that).

mmm, 1/3 scale is a bit peculiar in terms of props, there's loads in 1/12 with wood ready stuff available just for surface treatments, even here...

But for starters you dont need that much for some diodrama like qualities:

speck012

speck004

Its not the bokeh perfect stuff youd see on the more heavy duty efforts around, however its a hastly converted section of my bookshelf:

misc52

The bed is custom made, but there is a Ikea thing available that sorta fits 1/4 scale. The posters are just normal A4 copypaper prints with a coat of laquer for the gloss effect. and the plushes are stuff I've picked up along the years, the angrybirds one's were backpack accessories, the Domo-kun's were more a bespoke item available at the time of purchase.

Other than starting out small, just look around for stuff you might be able to use...

Cant really recommend the carpentry route as you then start to build some silly stuff, like bespoke platforms:

nina060

wood126

And along some other shinenigans involving power tools, then end up in a bit of a dilemma that did the effort give enough reward to justify it all... heh.

4 hours ago, finnleo said:

 

misc52

Lol that look. Adorable.

 

1/3 props... sometimes you can find them in places where you least expect it. Like garden forniture, souvenir, etc.

I only use backgrounds for photo, but considering how much a "simple" armchair is priced, I don't even want to imagine the price of an entire room in scale.

You must get creative, I suppose.

Edited June 9, 2021 by Testament

1 hour ago, Testament said:

Lol that look. Adorable.

speck023

No kidding... (was the last photo in the set, hence she was still posed when I was originally asked to show the setup about six years ago)

"grumpf!"

 

😍

Edited June 9, 2021 by Testament

14 hours ago, Tierparkzone said:

For 1/3 scale, I've seen scrolls with background images (more useful for photography) and quite a bit of furniture (usually pretty expensive). A whole room diorama will likely be very hard to find for sale and very expensive due to its sheer bulk and also low demand for it. So you will probably be better off if you try to set up something by yourself. - You definitely don't have to be a professional for this.

 

For starters, a couple of cardboard boxes, bed sheets and maybe some small cushions go a long way in giving your Dolls an environment they can interact with.

 

If you want some more detail, loosely place some carpet tiles or vinyl flooring tiles to make a decent floor. If you have a (wooden) board of the right size for your diorama you can also glue the tiles onto it.

 

Foam board, while not super strong, is great to build walls, as you can cut it with a hobby knife and don't need a saw. You can cut windows into it, glue on some wallpaper, etc.

If you use somewhat thin foam board, you can lean the diorama wall against your room's wall and secure it with some poster tape (don't hang it - it might be too heavy for that).

Thank you for the ideas! I'll look into foam board :). 

 

12 hours ago, finnleo said:

mmm, 1/3 scale is a bit peculiar in terms of props, there's loads in 1/12 with wood ready stuff available just for surface treatments, even here...

But for starters you dont need that much for some diodrama like qualities:

speck012

speck004

Its not the bokeh perfect stuff youd see on the more heavy duty efforts around, however its a hastly converted section of my bookshelf:

misc52

The bed is custom made, but there is a Ikea thing available that sorta fits 1/4 scale. The posters are just normal A4 copypaper prints with a coat of laquer for the gloss effect. and the plushes are stuff I've picked up along the years, the angrybirds one's were backpack accessories, the Domo-kun's were more a bespoke item available at the time of purchase.

Other than starting out small, just look around for stuff you might be able to use...

Cant really recommend the carpentry route as you then start to build some silly stuff, like bespoke platforms:

nina060

wood126

And along some other shinenigans involving power tools, then end up in a bit of a dilemma that did the effort give enough reward to justify it all... heh.

I love the layout of your dioramas, and thank you for breaking it down for me! It makes it feel less intimidating haha. Is the ikea bed you mentioned like a dollhouse bed? I have a ton of small sanrio plushies I can use for my doll =w=.

 

8 hours ago, Testament said:

Lol that look. Adorable.

 

1/3 props... sometimes you can find them in places where you least expect it. Like garden forniture, souvenir, etc.

I only use backgrounds for photo, but considering how much a "simple" armchair is priced, I don't even want to imagine the price of an entire room in scale.

You must get creative, I suppose.

Oooo good idea with the garden furniture! I feel like I don't have a good eye for what looks 1/3 scale though (yet?), so I have to actually place my doll on the stuff in the stores to try it out (not really ideal I think haha). 

 

7 hours ago, finnleo said:

speck023

No kidding... (was the last photo in the set, hence she was still posed when I was originally asked to show the setup about six years ago)

This is ADORABLE!!!!!!

Edited June 9, 2021 by pinkseifuku

6 hours ago, pinkseifuku said:

Is the ikea bed you mentioned like a dollhouse bed?

Sort of, its part of the Duktig series kids stuff, and its sold as a Doll bed with very basic sheets. If trim the legs a little, and give it a more plump matress, and some more appealing fabrics I think it could be quite acceptable for a 1/4 or MDD sized doll. I have one, but in the ... four-five years I've had it I've never done anything with it.. heh

Speaking of the great swede, The duktig cookware looks rather appealing (as in stainless steel playthings? what has the world come to!) ... though I guess tey still are perhaps a tad too big for a 1/3 ... would need to see them in person for a final verdict.

Oh I love her room. And the expression when she is holding Domo 😍 - priceless!  I love Domo!

I wish I could find the coffee mills and other accessories people have for props.  I know Dolks Tokyo gets them in stores, but I haven't found them anywhere online. (Dolks Tokyo sells out) I found the music box typewriter on amazon... lol 

I bought some bento condiment containers to use as pots because they remind me of the Dutch Ovens. 

 

 

On 6/9/2021 at 10:15 AM, finnleo said:

speck023

 

Ahhhh Speck!  I haven't seen her in so long!  She's so adorable!  Tell her that her long lost sisters Sprout and Bud said hello!   

 

 

Billy

On 6/9/2021 at 9:07 PM, finnleo said:

Sort of, its part of the Duktig series kids stuff, and its sold as a Doll bed with very basic sheets. If trim the legs a little, and give it a more plump matress, and some more appealing fabrics I think it could be quite acceptable for a 1/4 or MDD sized doll. I have one, but in the ... four-five years I've had it I've never done anything with it.. heh

Speaking of the great swede, The duktig cookware looks rather appealing (as in stainless steel playthings? what has the world come to!) ... though I guess tey still are perhaps a tad too big for a 1/3 ... would need to see them in person for a final verdict.

Much thanks!!!!  

If you’re into woodworking you can make your own pieces. I’m in the process of making two chairs, but I’ve also been in that process for the last three years or so. The chairs are essentially done I’ve just stalled on the upholstery because my slaves won’t work for me😠

I’ve got another project going however.

Stairs.

Japanese school stairs that I can use to take some pictures of my girls in uniform. Mind you Iori is the only one with any uniforms at this time. I still need to apply the details to the wood and then paint and seal it all, but much easier that sewing.

5 hours ago, AliensOfGold said:

If you’re into woodworking you can make your own pieces. I’m in the process of making two chairs, but I’ve also been in that process for the last three years or so. The chairs are essentially done I’ve just stalled on the upholstery because my slaves won’t work for me😠

I’ve got another project going however.

Stairs.

Japanese school stairs that I can use to take some pictures of my girls in uniform. Mind you Iori is the only one with any uniforms at this time. I still need to apply the details to the wood and then paint and seal it all, but much easier that sewing.

I don't know anything about woodworking sadly but omg your stairs project sounds brilliant!!!!!!!!! 😍

A bit of a thread hijack but...

On 6/11/2021 at 1:35 AM, baldylox said:

Ahhhh Speck!  I haven't seen her in so long

She's been around ... about a year ago, which given motivation and some kind of rotation isnt too bad of a result:

(Also a prop vanity licence plate:)

speck119

The real missing link is my Blanc though ... who's last been briefly on show in '15...

blanc000

But her situation became a bit of a complicated matter as white skin is no longer a thing... But I'll pass on the greetings...