Alex Newborn
Jedi Council Diorama
Descripton and pictures by Alex Newborn
This is fairly simple, but is an item that breaks down well into a single large plastic sweater box - the kind that fits under a bed, or stacks fairly well.
This is an attempt to combine elements from Niubniub's wonderful recreation of the Jedi Council Chamber from TPM with Hasbro's later (and in my opinion derivative) three-pack mini-dioramas.
Of the sets released, I have duplicates of baseplates and several chairs, so I was able to make almost a full circle. Actually if you watch the film, the Council does not place their chairs in the twelve positions of the clock numerals, but more like what these five baseplates represent... they leave a space empty to one side, I guess where the turbolift doors open.
The images for the walls and floor come from Niubniub's Jedi Council download textures. His excellent window views have been printed out and double-sided-taped to curving walls made from foamboard. I used each image from his site twice, once correct and once mirror image.
The curved walls (cycloramas) are 'wild'. Meaning they can be removed to allow my camera access to shoot from different angles.
I will be very happy when I buy the Adi Gallia who can sit more lady-like.
Since I've taken these pcitures, I've bought the TRU-exclusive Jedi Council three-pack, with Yoda, Qui-Gon, and Ki-Adi. Like the previous Target-exclusive three-packs, this new one comes with a sixth of the outer ring of the floor, and two chairs. Unlike the previous versions, it also includes a fourth of the inner section of floor. Once a collector owns all six of the proposed sets, they will have a full diorama.
Well, I'm a tad impatient. I have duplicates of the previous Target semi-circles, so I am able to make a full ring now. And it didn't take long to notice that the new quarter-floor section was the same thickness as a piece of foamcore.
So I printed two copies of the quarter-floor's artwork, and also flipped it mirror-image and printed two more copies. When I cut them out and applied them to cardstock, I was able to make a full temporary floor. Use the images below to make your own Jedi Council floor.
 
Hasbro Jedi Council Inner Floor:
Part 1, Part 2
I don't suspect there are many collectors in a similar dilemma as mine, but if folks have the first three ring-sections, they could do a half-floor to go with those.
Once you assemble all six ring segments (the crust) and all four wedge segments (the pizza slices), and try to put a cyclorama wall around them, you notice there are little wedges cut out of the outer perimeter, where the ring segments join. They will show your shelf or tabletop through the diorama, between plastic floor and printed cyclorama.
I made little "darts", to adapt a sewing term, to fit into those, scanned from the colored artwork underneath the three-pack when you take it out of the box.
Jedi Council Floor "Darts"
These are exactly the right shape on the straight edges, but the rounded edge will need to be trimmed once they are applied to foamcore and wedged into place.
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