Well, i'm interested in this:

What YOU think is the biggest diference between Diorama and Vignette?

The Story?
The Size?
Items used?
Size of scene?

A vignette typically does not include vehicles and has a limited number of figures, 5 is what my club sets as the limit. By this nature, it has to be a much tighter, more focussed story. Addinig any number of vehicles turns it into a diorama for us.
Now, adding a single figure in or near a vehicle does not turn it into a diorama unless there's some intertio nbetween the two.

I think the size of scene...

For me, a vignette is a small base with a few figures on it. Diorama's are the things were tanks come in and more figures can be put on.

So, it's about the size!

Good question. I beleive a vignette is limited to amount of figures and if there would be a vehilce present it would be a smaller vehicle an dalso be on a tight smalll base. Cheers Kevin

Ohhhh the question of all questions.

There is no one answer.
Physically - I believe size is primary factor in defining vignette vs a diorama.
If something is small it can't contain as much and therefore can't have as many of as well defined a story.

Visually - I believe 'scope' of story is the defining quality. If the story is very 'short' or very 'one sided' I would opt for vignette. For example: if you have one figure in a tower sniping. That's a vignette. If you have that same guy and his target, which is an officer and civilian having a quiet picnic on a blanket over looking a creek I'd say diorama. You take the one sided story and add the 'other' side which rounds out the story and does not leave room for interpretation on the viewers behalf.

Hi,
A diorama actually is a actual representation which should blend into a realistic background, a vignette is a brief incident or scene. So a real diorama should include a background which we really don't do unless maybe a showbox, so we really create vignettes because a scene could involve a number of figures and objects.gEORGE

In my opinion, there really isn't a difference other than physical size. Both take a single frame in history, or whatever the case may be and tells the story in the given space. Perhaps, if you wish to split hairs, the vignette focuses on a single aspect of the larger picture. You imagination is required to fill in the rest of the surrounding space.

Though I think it may be a little more difficult for the builder to articulate the story to the viewer with a vignette.

my two bits worth.


Later edit: I didn't realize that the same conclusions were already voiced by others in earlier posts.
Sorry to sound as though a broken record.

Its not the size that counts,its what you do with it :-) :-) .Sorry just had to put that in

Ultimately, it really nake no difference except when you're at a show, and then, the only definition that counts is what the sponsoring entity says.

I'd have to say that size matters.

Diorama
n.
A three-dimensional miniature or life-size scene in which figures, stuffed wildlife, or other objects are arranged in a naturalistic setting against a painted background.

Vignette-
A short scene or incident, as from a movie

Straight from the dictionary. My personal belief is that the latter is only figures, usually 5 or less, while the other encompasses one or more vehicle and or figures. "Q"

I don't think it's size so much as scope. A diorama covers a greater scope than a vignette. A diorama may be made up of one or more vignettes. Take one of Bob Letterman's Magnum Opuses, many, many smaller stories(vignettes) that make up the larger picture(diorama). Vehicles, number of figures, it doesn't matter. What matters is how the subjects are composed. I've seen (and made) a few "dioramas" that didn't make sense as a story telling medium. Simply arranging a dozen figures around a couple of vehicles doesn't qualify as a diorama.