DIY to Try: Travel Photo Diorama

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Materials:

Any deep photo frame smaller than 8.5″ x 11″ (I used an Ikea Ribba, which was perfect)

Photo of a background of your choosing

Photo of a figure for the foreground, isolated in Photoshop

Wood Glue

Lazertran

Turpentine (preferably in a spray bottle)

Piece of thin wood for the background

1/2″ scrap plywood

Bowl of warm water

Small nails

Tools:

Iron

Pliers

Scissors

Saw (I use a scroll saw, which works well)

Dremel with sanding attachment, or old school sandpaper

Table saw

Access to laser printer (I go to Fedinko’s)

Instructions: There are lots of ways to transfer images onto wood, but Lazertran has worked really well for me over the years and I always recommend it to others. If you aren’t familiar with the stuff, it’s a decal of sorts. When you use it on wood, in conjunction with turpentine, the decal seeps into wood fibers. Once it’s dry, the turpentine evaporates and leaves just the toner (and therefore the image) visible. It’s kinda cool.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

1. Print out multiples of your chosen foreground images onto a sheet of Lazertran, following the instructions on the package. I usually try to fit a bunch on the page. That way, if I screw them up down the road, I have backups on deck.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

2. Cut out around your image and stick the whole thing in the bowl of warm water, making sure that all of it gets wet. Leave it in there for a minute or so.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

3. While the image is soaking, lightly spray a coat of turpentine on a piece of the 1/2″ plywood. You want the whole surface to be covered, but you don’t want pools of turpentine at the same time. Practice makes perfect here, and it might take a couple of tries to get it down.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

7. Once the images are dry, it’s time to saw! Using the scroll saw (or anything else you find easier), cut all the way around the image. Leave the bottom flat so it stands on its own two feet. If you are using more than one figure, do that one too.

Tip: When using the scroll saw, first use a series of straight cuts (so you don’t have to bend the blade) then go back and fine tune the jagged and angular parts.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

much easier and faster.)

9. Position your wooden figures inside the frame where you want them, then affix with glue. Note: If you want to use the glass, put it in first, then adhere your figures.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

(Images: Dabney Frake)

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