Birdie's San Playmo Zoo

[tahra]

Great dio

I agree that it's a brilliant combination of themes!

Love the posing of the animals (like the tiger coming down the rocks).. and I must say again - that "floor" is AMAZING.

Is it real "earth/sand/soil" with the meerkats?

And that guy running scared    (I was SURE it was the spiders in there!)

Ah, and certain people were laughing cause you were so happy (it's contageous) - certain people never really question the NEED of having some playmobil set or other (as certain people's wallet might attest...).. and certain people have (almost) all the dino sets (and all the dinos!) 

[sunflower]

  you really do magic with the best toy in the world!

Your zoo looks so nice and peaceful with all kinds of vegetation. My favorite parts are the hyena, the ostrich looking so curious around the corner. Also like the family portraits. Those babies are really lovely. I don't mind their hair anymore.

What is the candy in the bag? It looks delicious in that beautiful snack area.
 
The bear exhibit is very nice. So much room!  Love the terrarium too. Great idea. A lovely place to take a rest and enjoy the animals.

One thing I have been wondering about before. How do you create those great skies? It looks so bright and gives a lovely depth in the pictures, especially the one by the cabin looks great.
Are you willing to reveal your secret?

[Birdie]

Thank you everyone    I find the Zoo theme a fantastic reason to justify buying Playmobil from any theme imaginable 

Is it real "earth/sand/soil" with the meerkats?

Yes, I still have a huge bag of yellow sand from when I used it for the western goldmine area. I wanted to smoothen it out at first, but while heaping it on I noticed it looked a lot like an actual meerkat tunnel system.

And that guy running scared    (I was SURE it was the spiders in there!)

I have no Playmobil spiders... Now you mention it, that Inca ruin just screams 'tarantula hideout', doesn't it?

Ah, and certain people were laughing cause you were so happy (it's contageous) - certain people never really question the NEED of having some playmobil set or other (as certain people's wallet might attest...).. and certain people have (almost) all the dino sets (and all the dinos!) 

 

I actually gave all the dinos to my nephews and niece. Temporary insanity or something 

What is the candy in the bag? It looks delicious in that beautiful snack area.

The popcorn, you mean? Or the churros sticking out of the litlle bags? Both are from Sylvanian Families (there is a set with a popcorn vending stall - the cutest!).

One thing I have been wondering about before. How do you create those great skies? It looks so bright and gives a lovely depth in the pictures, especially the one by the cabin looks great.
Are you willing to reveal your secret?

Oh that is no secret at all! I think Skywalker also mentions how to use lighting that comes from behind the table and backdrop, in order to create a more realistic glow. Can't remember which topic it was though...

What I did was, I went to the market and bought 9 by 2 meters worth of cheap lightblue cloth. I always attach it to the wall with thumbtacks all around the sides (they're easy to remove). The part of the cloth that is suspended in the air (it divides the room in two, it hangs off a wooden beam in the ceiling), has light coming in from behind, through the window. That's why it looks so bright from that angle.

What I should try to do is hang the cloth in midair around all three sides and put spotlights behind them. But then I'd need more room... or reduce the size of the diorama table.
I might give that a go for the next project.

[PlaymoMan]

Great diorama, the use of the Viking longhouse as a snack bar and observation area was fantastic, as well as the Egyptian temple as an entrance point. Well done, thanks for sharing!

[tahra]

Yes, I still have a huge bag of yellow sand from when I used it for the western goldmine area. I wanted to smoothen it out at first, but while heaping it on I noticed it looked a lot like an actual meerkat tunnel system.

You are very right - it looks great!

I have no Playmobil spiders... Now you mention it, that Inca ruin just screams 'tarantula hideout', doesn't it?

I guess it does.

  We have spiders - 2 we got from parts, and there is a black one on a pirate add on... I only touch the corner of the bag CAREFULLY, IF my sister is not around - or else "can you get the spiders?" - whenever I go into that tub. Which is EXPLICITLY marked with "SPIDERS!!!" on the outside, after a couple of near fits 

(it is SOOOOOO STUPID.)

I actually gave all the dinos to my nephews and niece. Temporary insanity or something 

Definetely!

But then I'd need more room... or reduce the size of the diorama table.

More room... yes. We need portals to another dimension!

[DrDalek6]

Very nice zoo, the stuff you've used for the ground reminds me of some farm boards which I think my Dad made himself for me and my sister, will have to post a photo one day when I do a set up. I like the way you've used parts/sets you wouldn't expect like the Viking set, the old Pirate Island I notied plus of coruse the Inca Ruins and Western parts. Some of your family photos are really nice they tell a story, I particularly like the 2 little boys getting snacks out of the freezer box. I really like the little turtles? in the Viking area and the Orangutans, chimps are also favourites of mine and a lot fo the others look very realistic in their habitats the settup for the griaffess and zebras looks like a proper settup you'd expect to see in some of the UK zoos and the gorrilla climbing up the mound looks realistic as well  .   

[playmovictorian]

There is so much creativity and life into each of your wonderful pictures dear Friend 

I am always amazed by the clever way you use various Playmo parts for scènes such as the Victorian conservatory which works so beautifully as a green house !

Your dioramas showcase just what Playmobil is about, fun, imaginative and full of life !

The amount of détails is just amazing 

[leefert]

Wonderful work Birdie!!! I love how it is designed and laid out. It looks to be a very popular zoo! I love it

[Rhalius]

Wow this really is a very amazing diorama! I really like how you used many things from other themes like the viking fort, the pirate island and the egyptian gate. It really takes a keen eye to combine it all into something that matches.

It just looks like a very fun zoo to visit, very colorfull and nicely decorated. The groundwork is fantastic too with green patches at the enclosures and the walkways being brown.

Many beautifull pictures as well with lots of great animal and clicky posing. I like that a chimp is checking another one for bugs. 

[Rhalius]

Also great to see Meg is out of the hospital again and looking healthy.