Hello all. My main question is do dios have to have figures? I suck really bad at them and would lik to try one after seeing how great Crismag did on his first one. Most likely I would do a desert storm battle scene and the armor would be buttoned up anyway that way I could hide my lack of figure talent.

Also, what is the difference between a dio and a viginette (SP?). I have seen some labeled each in a magazine and often can't tell the difference. Most my time is spent in other forums so I am sorry if I missed a discussion on this earlier.

This was discussed just a while ago:
Dios and bases


Toni

If I underrstand correctly, it comes down to this :

as long as it tells a story, it can be considered a diorama. If your model just sits there on a piece of groundwork, it is and remains a model.

Thus, if your model is parked at the side of the road, with footsteps leading from the vehicle to a small country toilet house, there would be a story, no figures, but still a diorama.

Or am I wrong here ?

You´re so clever! :-)

Toni

I have to be creative ! I don't like painting figures either !
Jan

Ah, the great dio-vignette debate.
Our club worked hard at trying to figure this out. A vignette typically does not have vehicles, may or may not depict action and usually has 5 of fewer figures. These may be mounted or on foot.
A diorama tells a more compex story and typically has at least one vehicle. The amount of action depends on what the story is.
A figure in or next to a vehicle does not automaticaly constitute a diorama though a sing;le figure and a vehicle might. I would not clasify a single, buttoned up vehicle charging across the desert a diorama. More than one would, however, make a dio.
One figure by a lamppost would not be a vignette. A lady of the evening being approached by a pilot would be a vignette. Add a building in hte background with windows and action in the rooms, and you have a diorama, even though there are no vehicles.
Consider: Andrea figures all come with some sort of related base. None of these are vignetes out of the box. Verlinden has been releasing a number of sets, such as "Glory of Rome" and "Viking Raid" Out of box, these would be vignettes. Andrea has a kit, I bellieve called "Apache" in which an army supply wagon is being chased by an Indian on horseback. Out of box, this is a diorama.
Confused? You won't be after the next episode of Soap. #:-)

I started out painting lead figures and then plastic. Then I got into armor so I don't have a problem painting figures. If you need some quick tips or short cuts I would be happy to help. The most important thing is use your imagination. I like the out house idea. Or you could have a bloody battle and only have to paint a few body parts. Or you could have a mech working on a vehicle and only paint legs sticking out from under the vehicle. Good luck