FAQ

MiniScaping is a term that describes the essence of what is done in a group of arts & hobbies, focused on creating Miniature landscapes.
In MiniScaping.com we accept the following:
AquaScaping, Bonsai, Diorama, Figure modeling, Model Scenery, Paludarium, Penjing, Scale model.

YES!
this site was designed in 2 levels:
Level 1 - an entire world for each art, so people who loves only Diorama (for example), will be able to see only Diorama and engage with other Diorama artists. Level 2 - allow easy and fun interaction between artists from diffrent arts
YOU choose at what level you want to use the site .

While each MiniScaping art has each own unique charcter and specialization,
They all share the goal of creating Miniature landscapes and the challenges that come with it
We believe that when artist from different arts connect and share their unique expertise
Synergy is created, and new opportunities can be discovered.

For example :
• Bonsai, Hòn Non Bô and Penjing artists can inspire Diorama and Model scenery hobbyists to incorporate living trees in their creations
• Diorama and Model scenery artists can inspire Bonsai artists to place their trees in a very interesting artificial environment. Teach them how to use an artificial ground cover that will last also for the hot summer days, and much more…
• Matte painting artists can create amazing virtual worlds that can be used to both inspire other arts or be used as a backdrop for the MiniScapes.
• Nature photographers can share an amazing pictures of complete landscapes or single elements ( like: trees, waterfalls,..) from the world around to be used as reference or to inspire other arts to create MiniScapes that will capture the essence of those landscapes and elements .

Members get many benefits, for example :
- Easily find the perfect reference/Inspiration for your next Project.
- Learn to make a realistic illusion, that your MiniScape was affected from certain combination of enviormental conditions
- Discover how others let their MiniScapes tell a story
- Discover a very detailed Step-by-step guides of other talented members
- Manage a personal profile that includes a link to your own website, so people who like your work can come to you
- Manage your entire collection on line and access it from anywhere in the world
- Publish your most unique MiniScapes in a state-of-the-art Portfolio, to inspire the world and earn your reputation
Explore this in detail in our Site Tour

This is a global community, welcoming people from every country, culture and releigon.
The only condition is that you’re at least 13 years old.

Joining us is easy and fast and We gurantee 100% privacy, your info will not be shared! You’re welcome to read more in our Privacy policy.
you only need to provide:
- name – we are real people, and we respect each other
- email – this will be used as your user name to login to the site.
- Password – will be used to login to the site

After joining, you have the option to share more info about yourself in your personal profile.
For example: where you live, your personal website/blog, and so on…

to complete your registration process you need to click on a link inside an activation email

- first verify that the email you filled in the sign up form is ok
- in addition to your inbox, check also in your spam or trash folder

- if you have hotmail or outlook email in some cases you will need to whitelist us as senders
- to do this please watch the following short video and add : verifications@miniscaping.com

This will allow you to find MiniScapes that are relevant for you, please follow this steps:

- Verify you are logged in, if not - Login to your account

- Click on the magnifying glass icon on the top menu
- Choose "MiniScape"

- You will be redirected to the MiniScape Explore page

- each thumbnail represent a MiniScape that belongs to a member - when you mouse over a thumbnail you can do 3 actions
- 1 - Heart icon - add this MiniScape to your favorites
- 2 - Magnifying glass icon - open this MiniScape page in another tab to see full information and additional pictures
- 3 - Play icon - will change the view into a slide show view

if you want to filter the results, click on the "Add keyword" button in the top row
- a layer will open : click on the relevant category on the left and then click on the relevant keyword
- you can repeat this process and add more keywords to filter or remove them

MiniScape is a miniature that was created using arts like: Diorama, AquaScaping, Penjing and similar, to add it please do the following:

- Verify you are logged in, if not - Login to your account

- Click on the green "+" on the top menu
- You will be redirected to a new page
- Choose "Add a MiniScape"
- you will see a pop up with thumbnails of various arts
- click on the thumbnail of the art you used for this miniscape

- You will be redirected to the MiniScape edit page, that includes 3 tabs you need to fill
- 1st tab - upload the main picture, this is the picture that will represent your miniscape in the search results ( you can always change it later )
- 2nd tab - fill in some info about your miniscape
- 3rd tab - you can upload up to 19 additional pictures of your miniscape ( close up's, different angles,..) - this is OPTIONAL !

at this stage, your miniscape is in your "personal collection" and only you can see it
when you are happy - click on the  "Publish" button and the miniscape will be moved to your public portfolio ( so everyone can see it )

remark : if it doesn't publish, look for the red warning icon that shows you what required information is missing
you can always move the miniscape back to your private collection

Editing a MiniScape is easy! just do the following:

- Verify you are logged in, if not - Login to your account

- Click on the man icon on the top menu
- Choose "My Things"

- You will be redirected to the "My Things" page, that shows a thumbnail for each of your MiniScapes
- Mouse over the thumbnail of the MiniScape you wish to EDIT
- you will see a pencil icon showing on the buttom right corner of the thumbnail - click on it

- you will be redirected to the MiniScape Edit page
- simply Edit what every you want - it will be automatically saved

Other people see in your public portfolio all the MiniScapes you have published, to preview it

- Verify you are logged in, if not - Login to your account

- Click on the man icon on the top menu
- Choose "Portfolio"

- you will be redirected to your Portfolio Page
- the page shows thumbnail for each published MiniScape

Guides are the best way to learn, they show you step by step how to do something, there are 4 types of Guides :

- MiniScape creation steps - Show you the progression steps in creating a MiniScape, great for showing progression over time of a bonsai tree, or the setup of a new AquaScape or the main stages in the creation of a diorama

- Element Creation steps - Show you how to create a specific Element, an artificial chair, a Window and so on

- Technique - Show you how to do a specific technique - for example : Drybrush, using pigments, AirLayering a tree and so on

- Tips - a list of Tips on a specific subject
 

there are 2 main options :

- When you complete the process, you use the pictures you took, create the guide and publish it

- During the process, after you complete each step, you create the step, keep the guide in Private, and only when you complete everything - publish it
 

Creating a new guide is EASY and the result look PROFESSIONAL

- Decide what is the guide you want to create, when you are ready
- Verify you are logged in, if not - Login to your account

- Click on the green "+" on the top menu
- You will be redirected to a new page
- Choose "Add a Guide"
- You will be redirected to the Guide edit page, that includes 4 tabs you need to fill

- 1st tab - upload the main picture, this is the picture that will represent your Guide in the search results ( you can always change it later )

- 2nd tab - fill in some info about your Guide :Type, Difficulty level, Title, Description

- 3rd tab - List the main tools and items you have used in this guide, the system will try to auto-complete, if it is not there simply continue to type and save it !

- 4th tab - The Steps - each guide can have up to 20 steps, each step is described by up to 3 pictures and explanations - please notice:
---- for each picture you upload, the system create 2 pictures:
-------- 1 which is in a fix ratio that will be used as a preview ( you position it and the system crop it )
-------- 2 that is the original picture that can be viewed as a zoom
---- for each step, you can insert up to 5 paragraphs, each can have it's own symbol

at this stage, your Guide is in your "personal collection" and only you can see it
when you are happy - click on the  "Publish" button and the Guide will be moved to your public portfolio ( so everyone can see it )

remark : if it doesn't publish, look for the red warning icon that shows you what required information is missing
you can always move the Guide back to your private collection

Editing a Guide is easy! just do the following:

- Verify you are logged in, if not - Login to your account

- Click on the man icon on the top menu
- Choose "My Guides"

- You will be redirected to the "My Guides" page, that shows a thumbnail for each of your Guides
- Mouse over the thumbnail of the MiniScape you wish to EDIT
- you will see a pencil icon showing on the buttom right corner of the thumbnail - click on it

- you will be redirected to the Guide Edit page
- simply Edit what every you want - it will be automatically saved