Planet Making Tip
To make the roundest planet possible, roll the clay lightly between your palms.
Suspension Technique
Use Project Wire, included in the Sculpting Kit, to suspend planets and add labels to your diorama or display.
Lens Tip
Special materials, like the Clear Plastic used for the lens, are included in the Building & Structure Kit.
Muscles and Nerves
Sculpt the inside layers of the eye with Sculpting Clay. Paint the tiny nerves with Project Paints.
Cell Parts
Paint the cell pieces bright colors with the Project Paints.
See-Through Tip
Use Clear Plastic, included in the Building & Structure Kit, to make see-through layers.
Building Tip
Cut Side Panels, included in the Water Diorama Kit, and build terrain with newspaper wads and Plaster Cloth. This creates a hard shell that you can paint and landscape.
Rock Making Tip
The Mountain Diorama Kit includes a Rock Mold, Casting Plaster and Rock Colors for making and coloring your own rocks.
Lava Flow Technique
Use Casting Plaster, included in the Mountain Diorama Kit, to make a lava flow. Lava cools from the top, so paint the top gray and the bottom red and orange. Watch the following Scene-A-Rama video for more information.
Clear Plastic
Create effects, like this layer of rain, by etching or painting Clear Plastic, included in the Building & Structure Kit.
Puffy Clouds
Make clouds for any weather diorama or display with Puffy Clouds, included in the Horizon & Detail Kit.
Special Effects
Use the Building & Structure Kit to add signs and labels to your diorama.
Stalactites & Stalagmites
To create stalactites, roll wet Plaster Cloth and attach it to the cave ceiling. Allow it to dry and apply Casting Plaster around the Plaster Cloth. Let the Plaster drip to make stalagmites.
Water Technique
Add Realistic Water, available in the Ripplin Water Kit, to the cave floor, walls and other surfaces to give it a damp, cave atmosphere.
Submerged Dinosaur
Sculpt and paint your dinosaur without legs. Pour a thin layer of Realistic Water around the dinosaur and allow it to dry.
Flying Creatures
Make flying creatures with the Clay in the Sculpting Kit. Use the Project Wire in the kit to suspend your animals.
Water Effects
Make long or short waterfalls, waves and ripples using the materials in the Water Diorama Kit.
Suspension Tip
Suspend a bird, fish, sign or other item with the Project Wire, included in the Sculpting Kit.
Backdrop Tip
Paint your backdrop to create an environment. The Horizon & Detail Kit has a variety of paint colors to choose from.
Water Technique for ReadyGrass Sheet
To make water areas on ReadyGrass Sheets, wet the area and scrape off the turf, creating a flat area to add water.
Conifer Trees
Use trees and other scenery that is specific to the animal habitat.
Snowdrifts
Mix Snow Flakes and Snow Base, included in Winter Effects, to create a mixture perfect for snowdrifts.
Texture Technique
Use Plaster Cloth on the backdrop to make rock textures or icebergs.
Labels
The Project Base & Backdrop and the ShowBox include labels with adhesive on the back. Make your label simple, or get creative.
Sculpting Plant Life
Sculpt plant life with Sculpting Clay. Push Clay through a screen to make coral tubes.
Making Waves
Apply Water Effects to any surface like clear Plexiglas“ and use a Stir Stick to make waves by patting gently, up and down. It dries clear.
Out of Water Tip
Sculpt a dolphin and cut it in half. Glue each half to opposite sides of a clear surface. It will look like the dolphin is half in the water and half out. Watch the following Scene-A-Rama video for more information.
ReadyGrass Rocks
Wrap Desert Sand ReadyGrass Sheets around newspaper wads to create large rocks.
Waterfalls & Rapids
Use Water Effects and Realistic Water, included in the Water Diorama Kit, to make realistic still or moving water effects.
Autumn Trees
Add Autumn Trees to any diorama to establish a seasonal setting.
Structures
The Project Sticks and Project Glue, included in the Building & Structure Kit, are great for building any structure.
Frosty Tree Tip
Take a small branch, brush on Sticky Bond
® and sprinkle with Snow Flakes (included in Winter Effects).
Winter Technique
Use Snow Flakes and Snow Base, included in Winter Effects, to make snowdrifts or a light dusting on your diorama.
Stained Glass
Use paints and markers to color Clear Plastic (included in the Building & Structure Kit), to make stained glass.
Stucco Texture
Apply Plaster Cloth and paint it for a stucco effect on your buildings.
Flowering Details
Make a pot and fill it with Foliage Fiber and Red and Yellow Flowers, included in the Foliage & Grasses Kit.
Water Fountain
Mold Water Effects, included in the Ripplin’ Water Kit, to form moving water in a fountain.
Flowering Cacti
Glue Red and Yellow Flowers, included in Desert Plants, to the tips of cacti to create flowering cactus. Watch the following Scene-A-Rama video for more information.
Covered Wagons
There were several types of covered wagons used by settlers. To make a specific type use Project Board, Project Cloth and Project Sticks, included in the Building & Structure Kit.
Constructing Sails
Project Cloth is great for making the sails on a ship. Paint your sails to replicate a specific ship.
Figure Tip
Sculpt your military figures with Sculpting Clay and then paint them. You can also paint figures that you already have to fit a specific scene.
Hills & Bunkers
Wad newspapers and stack them to form a hill or bunker. Cover with Plaster Cloth, paint and add foliage. Watch the following Scene-A-Rama video for more information.
More Figure Tips
Photocopy, color and cut out figures for your diorama. Glue them to flat pieces of Sculpting Clay to add dimension.
ReadyGrass
Sticky Bond
® is great for attaching a ReadyGrass Sheet to the Project Base.
Timeline Idea
You can use the Backdrop as a timeline for your diorama, displaying important dates or chronological events.
Brick Texture
Project Board becomes flexible after it is scored and makes a great rounded tower for a castle.
Watch the following Scene-A-Rama video for more information.
Thatched Roof
Lay Wild Grass, included in the Basic Diorama Kit, in rows across your roof to make a thatched roof. Wild Grass is also great for bogs, haystacks and grassy meadows!
ReadyGrass Road Technique
Draw the road on your ReadyGrass Sheet. Wet the turf you want to remove and scrape it away. Paint the road and add details like gravel and weeds.
Plaster Cloth Tip
Cover your pyramid with wet Plaster Cloth to give it a hard shell for the exterior. This will also give it some texture. Paint the Plaster Cloth after it dries.
Pyramidion Tip
The cap on any pyramid is called a pyramidion. The Khufu pyramid was painted red and topped with a golden pyramidion.
The Mummy
Make a mummy using Sculpting Clay and Plaster Cloth strips. Dip the strips in water and start wrapping your mummy.
Egyptian Canoe
Make a canoe using Sculpting Clay from the Sculpting Kit. Paint authentic details on the side.
Backdrop Tip
Use the Backdrop to display more information. Show what Stonehenge looks like today!
ReadyGrass Tip
Glue a ReadyGrass Sheet to the base using Sticky Bond
®.
Floor Plan Pattern
Draw a pattern of the floor plan and use it as a guide when cutting and gluing your walls and doors.
Landscaping
The Water Diorama Kit includes a variety of landscaping products that are easy and fun to use, including Foliage Fiber, Green Grass, Shrubs and Evergreen and Forest Green Accents.
Architecture
Pick a famous architect and build a model of his or her structure using the Water Diorama Kit as a base.
Map Tip
You can resize a map on a copier or a computer and display it on the Project Base and Backdrop. Build hills and mountains with Plaster Cloth and paint it when you are finished.
Water Technique
To give your lakes, ponds, rivers and streams a realistic look, add Realistic Water over the Water Undercoat. Both are included in the Ripplin Water Kit.
Pattern Technique
Draw a pattern of your bridge before you start to build. Lay the Project Sticks on the pattern and glue them in place to make sure all of the beams are in the right place.
Creative Displays
Use creative ways to display information, such as this chalkboard.
Visual Aid Tip
Start with a simple equation and use the Building & Structure Kit to create visual aids that will demonstrate the equation.
Combining Scenes
You can blend two scenes from the book together to make your diorama. Look how the soccer field and locker room scenes combine.
Game Construction
Use the materials in the Building & Structure Kit to make a spinner, movable pieces, buildings, bridges, tunnels and more!
Backdrop Technique
Use the Backdrop to create walls. Paint or draw lockers and bricks. Backdrop Technique
Watch the following Scene-A-Rama video for more information.
Construction Tip
Use the materials in the Building & Structure Kit to create floors, walls, stairs, windows and figures.
Important Details
Don’t forget to add small, important details to your diorama to give it character. Show the grandfather clock just before the stroke of midnight and the carriage waiting in the background.
Glass Effects
You can make a glass slipper, the grandfather clock, windows and more with Clear Plastic from the Building & Structure Kit.
Preserving Leaves
Preserve leaves by breaking off a branch with leaves, then soaking the branch in a mixture of one part glycerin (available in most drug stores) and one part water. Leave the branch in the mixture for one week. Have an adult help you with this.
Found Objects
When doing projects with plants or trees, gather leaves, branches, fruits and seeds from nature to add to your project.
Visual Aid Tip
Use pictures from magazines, take your own photos or draw a picture for visual aids.
Display Tip
Use frames, angles and other devices to add interest to your diorama, display or project.
Mask Mold
Be sure to cover the object with a plastic bag to keep it clean while using Plaster Cloth.
Special Touches
Add your own special touches, like yarn, sequins, feathers, beads and glitter to make your mask stand out.
Easy Balloon Mask
Cut strips of Plaster Cloth. Dip them in water and apply over the balloon. Watch the following Scene-A-Rama video for more information.
Snowflakes
Finish your snowman by covering the wet, white paint with Snow Flakes, included in Winter Effects.
Jack-O' Lantern
Cut the top section off with a hobby knife and pull out the newspaper wads, like pumpkin seeds and pulp.
Wild Grass
Use the Wild Grass, included in Foliage & Grasses, as the hay in the manger and Foliage Fiber for the roofing material.
Rainbow
Use the Project Paints, included in the Horizon & Detail Kit to paint your rainbow background and other details. Use the acronym, ROY G BIV, to put your rainbow colors in order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet!
The Ark
Build the hull of Noah’s Ark with the Project Board from the Building & Structure Kit.
Saving Materials
Use the scraps from the cut Backdrop to make pedastals, frames and other decorative items for your display.
Make An Easel
Make an easel to prop up your Shadowbox using the Project Base & Backdrop.
