Dioramas II Custom Contest
Your little plastic friends would all like a space to call their own and this is your opportunity to give it to them! Whether it's the Bat Cave, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Snake Mountain, the Technodrome, or just a rotten log lying in a festering swamp, a detailed environment can really spice up your toy display and add that extra touch of realism. The goal of this challenge is to create a custom base, diorama, playset, or similar structure, that you can use to exhibit your figures. The three best chunks of toy real estate will net Figure Realm's gold, silver, and bronze awards!
- You don't have to re-create a large location or structure in its entirety; a single room/area or small section of it is sufficient. Nobody expects you to make a complete X-Mansion or Death Star!
- As the diorama will likely be a lot of work all by itself, you are not required to make a custom figure to go with it (although you're welcome to do so if you wish.) IMPORTANT: You'll probably want to take some photos of characters interacting with the environment that you've crafted, when you do so, please use unaltered toys, not your other custom creations (unless it's an all-new custom figure that you made specifically to go with your diorama submission.) Remember, the contest entries are supposed to remain anonymous until the voting is over; if you were to place old customs in your diorama, Figure Realm voters might recognize them and identify you!
- You may modify or repaint an existing base or playset, create a new one from scratch, or anything in between. Your diorama can be any size/scale and you may use whatever materials, tools, or techniques that you like to make it. If you're stumped for ideas, or would just like to see examples, check out some of the submissions from the original 2009 incarnation of this challenge:
Diorama Custom Contest Please remember to follow the
Contest Rules and to
Vote Fairly.
Contest Winners:
1st
2nd
3rd
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What are the rules of the contest?
- Please use the form here to submit your custom figure.
- At least a paragraph description is required with your entry. This paragraph, at a minimum, should answer the following questions:
- How was this custom customized?
- How does the custom fit into the contest theme?
- You may submit up to three different entries for the contest.
- Please only submit figures that were created for this contest. Do not submit old figures from the Showcase or previous contest entries.
- Your entry should not be posted on this website, any other website, or anywhere on the internet until the contest is completely over.
- The pictures for your entry will remain hidden until the contest ends and the voting begins.
- Your identity will remain hidden until after the voting completes.
- Do not include names, logos, signatures or anything on the pictures that will give you away as the creator of the custom. We want to keep the customizer's identity a secret until the contest is over.
- Don't wait until the last day to submit your entries. If your internet is down, or something happens beyond your control, you will miss the contest! Also keep in mind how many customs you can submit in one day. You may not be able to submit all your entries in one day.
- The contest is purely for fun... well... and bragging rights!
How does the contest voting work?
Anyone can vote for their favorite customs in the contest, you don't even have to submit anything to the contest! You do have to be logged-in to your Figure Realm account though so we can keep track of the votes. Only appointed Figure Realm staff can see the votes, so anonymity is guaranteed. Voting begins once the entry deadline is met and lasts for a week.
It's hard to choose just one custom to vote on when there are tons of great entries, so Figure Realm has a unique voting system where you can vote on ALL the customs! When you click on an entry to view, there's a bar with buttons on it that lets you give the custom anywhere from 1 to 5 Stars. 1 Star means you think they could have done a better job on the custom while 5 Stars means you think they did a perfect job. The votes for each entry are added up when voting is closed and averaged-out to determine the winners. Also, don't abuse the system. Don't give your own custom 5 Stars and then give everyone else 1 Star to boost your rating. Remember, the votes are monitored.
Some points you might consider when casting your vote: Is the figure well-made? Is the paint smooth or crusty? Are there noticeable fingerprints on the sculpted parts? Is it an original custom? Is it accurate to the source-material (comics, photos, description in a book)? Are the pictures clear enough to see the details? Did the creator take the time to include a back-story or recipe? Is the custom so unbelievably awesome that you'd trade your dog for it?
Craftsmanship and creativity are major factors to consider, but ultimately your vote should depend on how much you like the custom, and how well you feel it fits the contest theme.
What is the contest schedule?
| Begins: | Contest Closed |
| Ends: | May 15th, 2012 - Last day for submissions. No exceptions! Cut off is at midnight Central Standard Time. |
| Voting: | May 16th - 22nd. |
Example Pictures for Ideas
View Contest Entries 
User Comments
Something I will sometimes do is hold off until a contest's deadline is almost over before I submit an entry, that way, the wait isn't very long before I can publish the submission on my own web site and other locations. Alternatively, working on a new custom can help keep your mind off the finished one(s) that are tied up in a contest.
Is there no way I can enter?