I needed something to keep leading the eye back into the diorama on the right side, and I decided that a boat would be a nice addition. Stairs leading up to the building did the same on the other side. This meant the composition was flowing and nothing led your eye out of the scene.

The reason I began work on the ground of the diorama before the building and other larger assets was because I knew mostly how they would look in the end as they were firmly rooted in realistic inspirations. The ground and foliage, however, were the quite a dominant aspect of the scene and since the foliage was literally growing from the ground, it felt right to start there. I could also cover lots with the smaller props early on and start the project with a good kick. The colours and shapes of the foliage would set the scene.