For 50 seconds of every 3 minutes it will rain on the Xanadu_1 diorama. The rain comes via a 12V Vauxhall Corsa windscreen washer pump from a reservoir below the base. To make sure that the diorama doesn’t completely flood, and to ensure a return of water to the reservoir, there is a series of discreet drainage holes dotted strategically around the surface. These drain holes empty into the reservoir via a seemingly chaotic series of tubes hidden on the ‘ugly’ side of the piece.
the first paint job…
modifying the contours…
final paint job…
prepared base board and terrain outline:
outline transferred to board:
incomplete expanded polystyrene terrain:
A small random piece of topography made to test that the final version of Xanadu_1 will withstand direct soaking, general humidity and rough handling. The rough shape is made with expanded polystyrene fixed to a base board with araldite. This structure is then covered with ‘Hydrocal’, a form of plaster of paris used for diorama making, then painted, then given 2 or 3 coats of water resistant varnish.
Also visible here are the fog coming from an ultrasonic nebuliser and some sprinkler apparatus which is being tested for its rain mimicking capacities.
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