How to Make a Really Creative Shoebox Diorama

Select A Unique Housing for your Diorama

When making a shoebox diorama the very first thing you should do is think outside the box! I mean this literally in that you really don’t have to use a shoebox to make your shoebox diorama. You can use any number of interesting containers to make a really unique diorama housing. But I recommend you take this thinking to a second step and use something that adds a level of meaning to your diorama.

For example, if you are going to make a diorama about coffee plantations you might want to use a big coffee can as the actual diorama housing. This adds a level of uniqueness that also adds meaning to your diorama. It gives people something to talk about. Think about what your diorama is going to be about and then look around for housing ideas. Another good example of this would be an ocean diorama. This is a very popular theme for a diorama and I made a diorama by hollowing out a Styrofoam lobster trap buoy. It looks really nice and gives the whole diorama a very nautical feeling. Of course if you are going to make a diorama of a shoe store or a shoe factory then a shoebox is perfect!

Tell A Story or Capture a Moment in Time

One of the best things about a diorama is that they can not only show a scene but they can tell a story by capturing a single moment in time. A good example of this is if you want to build a medieval diorama with a castle you could put a dragon and a knight in battle. If you are making an ocean diorama you could capture the moment just before a big fish is about to gobble up a little fish. This tells a story. There is an event frozen in time and it gives your audience something to think about and questions to ask. What is happening in this diorama? What is going to happen next?

Explain something with the structure of the diorama

This is a little bit harder to do but can be the most rewarding aspect of diorama making. Think about how the structure or materials of the diorama can be used to explain the story or point you are trying to make. A good example of this would be a rainforest diorama. The rainforest has five layers from the over canopy to the ground layer. You could build your diorama in five different layers. This way the actual structure of the diorama helps to make the point of how the actual rainforest is.

A shoebox diorama can be a beautiful little facsimile of the real world and there are lots of ways to make it creative and special. All you have to do is think outside the shoebox!