Papo Diorama Advice

[hao_bao]

I have a glass fronted display cabinet that I keep Papo dinosaurs in and each of the six shelves are being turned into a diorama featuring a unique biome or collection of  dinosaurs from similar ecosystems/time periods. Obviously the accuracy can only go so far, as I'm using what Papo has to offer, but I would like some advice on how best to spread out the collection as evenly, aesthetically pleasing, and ecologically valid as possible. I found that it's impossible for them to be completely accurate as there's bound to be some from different eras and landmasses occupying shelves, such as the Dimetrodon, which would otherwise occupy a whole shelf alone! I also wanted an ocean biome for the two marine reptiles and Pteranodon but I just don't currently have the space.

Here is how they're currently displayed (apologies for the frightful quality, I'll post high def photos when the dioramas are actually finished):



Shelf 1: Gallery Forest featuring Jurassic giants
Brachiosaurus
Stegosaurus
Allosaurus
Apatosaurus
Ceratosaurus

Shelf 2: Mangrove Swamp featuring wetland denizens - as it stands, this one is currently a nonsensical mess, with marine specimens just plonked there
Dimetrodon
Dimorphodon (when arrived)
Plesiosaurus (want to move)
Dilophosaurus
Cryolophosaurus (when arrived)
Archaeopteryx (move to gallery forest?)
Tupuxuara
Pteranodon (want to move)
Kaprosuchus
Tylosaurus (want to move)

Shelf 3: Desert River featuring Early Cretaceous predators
Polacanthus
Baryonyx
Spinosaurus
Parasaurolophus
Styracosaurus
Pachycephalosaurus

Shelf 4: Tropical Rainforest featuring pack hunters
Velociraptor x5
Acrocanthosaurus
Oviraptor x2
Carnotaurus
Acrocanthosaurus

Shelf 5: Rex Valley featuring alpha tyrants
T-Rex x6
Ankylosaurus
Triceratops x2

Shelf 6: Ice Age featuring Pleistocene mammals
Mammoths x3
Woolly Rhino
Smilodon x2
Cave Bear (when arrived)
Primitive man x2

I'm nowhere near happy with the arrangement yet, I've been playing around with it for months. Basically, I'd rather focus more on biomes and less on temporally accurate dinosaurs, but I hope to avoid mixing Jurassic with Cretaceous where possible. Would love to hear your suggestions, even if it's just something like 'Acro fits best in desert.'

For the purposes of the display, the raptors are effectively Deinonychus because the Jurassic Park vibe made me want to place them in the jungle biome. The marine reptiles are the bad eggs that should really have their own small area, perhaps I could hang them from the ceiling on invisible wire or something. I want to avoid overcrowding, i.e. not having too many large dinos clustering one shelf. The T-Rexes are the main offenders here.

[danmalcolm]

You might be having trouble because of the large number of biome represented. Parasaurolophus, pachy, and styraco are all north American. But your only north American shelf is already too crowded, by your own account. Carno is south American, and as the only one would realistically require his own shelf. You won't be able to do ideal biomes, so really you're going to have to go by personal preference. Honestly most of the shelves look great, and interesting to me. Though if you asked me what to do with the marine reptiles, my brutal, honest opinion would be to do away with them altogether. They really are badly done.

[pako]

Nice ! A big Papo collection ! Do you have detailed pictures of each shelves ?

[Reptilia]

I display my Papos in chronological order of release. I tried different arrangements, such as carnivores and herbivores, bigger ones and smaller ones, or simply an aesthetically pleasing disposition, but eventually I've found an established order to be easier to follow. And this way I can appreciate the evolution in style that Papo had through the years. But your disposition is interesting as well.

[hao_bao]

You might be having trouble because of the large number of biome represented. Parasaurolophus, pachy, and styraco are all north American. But your only north American shelf is already too crowded, by your own account. Carno is south American, and as the only one would realistically require his own shelf. You won't be able to do ideal biomes, so really you're going to have to go by personal preference. Honestly most of the shelves look great, and interesting to me. Though if you asked me what to do with the marine reptiles, my brutal, honest opinion would be to do away with them altogether. They really are badly done.

You know what? You're right lol! I really hate those marine reps and I'm going to kick them off the diorama. I hope Papo makes some better ones in the future.

[pako]

I display my Papos in chronological order of release. I tried different arrangements, such as carnivores and herbivores, bigger ones and smaller ones, or simply an aesthetically pleasing disposition, but eventually I've found an established order to be easier to follow. And this way I can appreciate the evolution in style that Papo had through the years. But your disposition is interesting as well.

Oh I like that, didn't think about this way to display them 

[danmalcolm]

You might be having trouble because of the large number of biome represented. Parasaurolophus, pachy, and styraco are all north American. But your only north American shelf is already too crowded, by your own account. Carno is south American, and as the only one would realistically require his own shelf. You won't be able to do ideal biomes, so really you're going to have to go by personal preference. Honestly most of the shelves look great, and interesting to me. Though if you asked me what to do with the marine reptiles, my brutal, honest opinion would be to do away with them altogether. They really are badly done.

You know what? You're right lol! I really hate those marine reps and I'm going to kick them off the diorama. I hope Papo makes some better ones in the future.

What have I done?!?
I'm with you in hoping for better ones. Papo has so much potential for beasts like that. I'd love if they made a walking quetz too.

[hao_bao]

I display my Papos in chronological order of release. I tried different arrangements, such as carnivores and herbivores, bigger ones and smaller ones, or simply an aesthetically pleasing disposition, but eventually I've found an established order to be easier to follow. And this way I can appreciate the evolution in style that Papo had through the years. But your disposition is interesting as well.

Thanks, I displayed mine like that for years too, until I decided to attempt the dioramas. I sort of decided to use Ark: Survival Evolved biomes as the inspiration, purely because almost every Papo dinosaur is represented in the game, and it has clearly defined biomes. Arranging by continent was a no go due to North American heavy representation.

[hao_bao]

Nice ! A big Papo collection ! Do you have detailed pictures of each shelves ?

I currently have all the models from the Prehistoric range except the firepit, steppe mammoth, standing rainbow Rex (too many t-rexes) and impossible to find brown running rex. I will post photos of the dioramas soon.

[hao_bao]

After retiring the marine reptiles and 2 of the duplicate T-Rexes, things are a lot more manageable now.