Developing a Village Scene from Start to Finish

Before you can create the surface you have to decide
what kind of surface it is. grass, dirt asphalt etc.
in my case the surface is asphalt and that means black
art paper.

To understand layering look at the diagram below.

To understand this diagram think of looking down on the
scene from above. This diagram is used to help artists
arrange the parts of a drawing or painting for
maximum dramatic effect. The idea is to break the
scene into elements that are designed to catch the viewer's
interest and lead him to look at the things the artist is
showing him. These same rules should be applied to diorama
or village scene creation as well. When applied to a painting
or other two dimensional image this diagram can be tough to understand.
The way it's usualy explained is you are supposed to imagine that
the painting is standing up on end or hanging on the wall. And you
are floating up above it looking down at it. The canvas line at the
top of the diagram is the empty canvas, and the layers are contained
within the paint on that canvas.

Kinda tough to get huh?

For us Village Idiots, this is much easier. For us this is simply
a diagram viewed from above of our scene. The scene is three-dimensional
so everything instantly makes sense.

First let's take a look at the layers. In a Village Scene that has a
backdrop ( and most of them should) the backdrop is Layer 4.
Layer 4 is the "Infinity Layer" the job of this layer is to
create the illusion that the scene goes on forever out the back
of the shelf and through the wall and down the street etc.
you accomplish this by using a three-dimensional scene for the background

Layer 3 is the "Transition Layer". If you imagine looking
down a shaft that extends into infinity Layer 3 is "your end" of that shaft.
The job of the Transition Layer is to keep the things in the 1 and 2 layers
from crashing through into the Infinity Layer and destroying the infinity effect.
As I'm sure you have figured out, an artist applies Layer 4 first. It contains the
things that later, when the painting is done, will create the effect that there
is "something else back there" behind the things in the front of the painting.
In our scene that we are building Layer 3 is the Chain Link fence and the trees.
It is the "Last Layer" of real things before the phony layer of the paper backdrop.
Layer 3 doesn't have to be a fence, it can be a row of telephone poles, trees, shrubs,
a wall, or even a line of buildings. Anything that stands right before the background
and confuses the viewer as to where the background really begins. In order for
the Transition Layer to really work it should cover the bottom of the background
for the entire width of the scene.

Layer 2 is the "Main Interest Layer" in a painting this is "center stage" it should
be center stage in a village scene as well. At this point it's good to remember our second
step, "Title the Scene". Your title for the scene is what should be
happening in Layer 2.

Layer 1 is the "Foreground", this layer is used to create the illusion of
depth. It also help's lead the viewer's eye's to the main action in Layer 2.

Now for the event zones. The event zones are the places where the action should
be. Something of interest should be going on in each zone and
they should be seperate events from the main scene.

I placed the second two lights out in the middle of the scene and turned them
around so they are facing backwards. This is a realistic arrangement but it also
serves two important functions. One is it casts light directly and squarely into
Layer 2 ( The main event) while at the same time acting as part of Layer 1
(The Foreground) a viewer has to look past the poles to see into the scene thereby
heightening the three dimensional effect and the realism.

The finished bed.
Notice how realistic the background looks.

All stationary objects are now in our scene

I took this pic from this unusual angle so that you can see the layers
more clearly. You can see how the placement of the items in the scene
lines up with the diagram. Ok so we have our cars parked in Layer 2 Zone 3
That means "Yes this is main event, it's what the scene is all about but
it's where the least action is. The cars on display are the subject but
not the center of attention.

Before we can decide what kind of action to put in our event zones
we have to know what we have to make that action with. At this point
an inventory of what we have left to go into the scene would be in order.

She would be sitting up on the back of her boyfriend's car as he was driving
in so that she could wave to people she knew.

Let's take a look the finished Zone 2

This is an excellent example of what I was talking about. Notice how everyone and
thing in this scene is part of the whole scene yet they are also a scene unto
themselves. The two girls were talking and the man with the gray coat and the
lady in the Brown coat were walking along. When they were all interupted by the
man driving the 59 Impala into the lot. Notice how by choosing the right figures
and placing them in the proper manner you can instantly see where their attention
is focused. Notice how you want to look there too. That's the whole point.

Also notice that you get the feeling that the two girls know each other and that
the girl in the red skirt owns the Mustang she's standing next to.

Over in Zone 1 this is going on...

This black firebird has just arrived and the owner and his girl have gotten out.

Having the figures standing near the doors of the car and looking out
into the lot and the way the car is parked all suggest "just arrived". This illustrates
yet again the importance of proper placement of the people and vehicles

Let's take a look at zone1 from a different angle.

It looks as though the owner of the Firebird has parked here and gotten out
looking for someone who can tell him where he should park. The man in the green
jacket is coming over to help him.

Once again this scene is a scene unto itself within the larger scene.

Now let's take a look back in Layer 2 Zone 3

Here we have in the foreground (Layer 1) the Blue Camaro with the girl sitting
up on back. The girl in pink must know her or her boyfriend because she's waving
(from Layer 2). Also in layer 2 the man in the hat and brown jacket is standing
expectantly. He most likely owns one those cars ( probably the red Barracuda) and
is waiting for someone to admire it and tell him how great a car it is. That's why
he came out today after all.

And there's the whole scene. My work is done but yours is just begining.
(I hear what you are saying.. "haven't you forgotten something? ...
what about the incidental light?" No I haven't forgotten that. In order
to do incidental lighting we must first have a discussion of low voltage
wiring and electrics ..and that we will do next issue)

It's time for you to go build your scene now. Let me know when it's done and send me
some pix. I'll feature it on The Village Idiot. So go get to work, remember what you
learned. Have fun and ... KEEP ON VILLAGING!!