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Dioramas: Buildings & Ruins
Ruined buildings and city scenes.
Hosted by Darren Baker
diorama? vignette?
chrisht
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Gauteng, South Africa
Joined: December 14, 2006
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2006 - 08:58 PM UTC
i know that this might be an odd question, but what is the difference between a diorama and a vignette?
Erik67
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Buskerud, Norway
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2006 - 09:07 PM UTC
A vignette is created to put/show the vehicle/figure in focus, while a diorama is supposed to "tell a story".

Erik
chrisht
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Gauteng, South Africa
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2006 - 09:32 PM UTC
thanks man
i know understand what i'm building
AJLaFleche
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Massachusetts, United States
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2006 - 09:42 PM UTC
Depends on who is defining. In most competitive cases, a vignette is figure based with no vehicles and may, in fact, tell a story. This is considered a vignette

While this would not

And this, though a small composition, would be a diorama
jimb
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New York, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - 08:52 PM UTC
According to Merriam-Webster a vignette s defined as (noun):

1 : a running ornament (as of vine leaves, tendrils, and grapes) put on or just before a title page or at the beginning or end of a chapter; also : a small decorative design or picture so placed
2 a : a picture (as an engraving or photograph) that shades off gradually into the surrounding paper b : the pictorial part of a postage stamp design as distinguished from the frame and lettering
3 a : a short descriptive literary sketch b : a brief incident or scene (as in a play or movie)

or (verb):

1 : to finish (as a photograph) like a vignette
2 : to describe briefly

While a diorama (noun) is:

1 : a scenic representation in which a partly translucent painting is seen from a distance through an opening
2 a : a scenic representation in which sculptured figures and lifelike details are displayed usually in miniature so as to blend indistinguishably with a realistic painted background b : a life-size exhibit (as of a wildlife specimen or scene) with realistic natural surroundings and a painted background

There, that should confuse the heck out of everyone!

Jim
BM2
#151
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Virginia, United States
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Posted: Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 09:07 PM UTC
Depends on the show - IPMS or local - lol :-) :-)
Wolf-Leader
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New Hampshire, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 10:30 PM UTC
Such a wide range of answers! Man I love this website!!!!!!!
jafo
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Michigan, United States
Joined: September 19, 2006
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Posted: Friday, December 29, 2006 - 03:03 AM UTC
me too, i dont post often but i sure learn alot!
GALILEO1
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Maryland, United States
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Posted: Friday, December 29, 2006 - 05:09 AM UTC
Hi,

It's funny how I actually had the exact same question and I was going to post it some time tonight.

Thanks for posting the question and, great answers. I too surely learn quite a bit here.

Thanks all,

Rob
Florre
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West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
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Posted: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 05:46 PM UTC
I'd say :

vignette : small, no vehicles. The base (how elaborate it may be) functions only as a backdrop for the main focus : the figure(s). Therefore there usually ain't much of free space around the figure(s).

diorama : bit bigger, usually with figures ánd vehicles. More 'open' spaces'. The base/groundwork can play a part in the story the creator wants to tell.


I remember that long ago there has been a discussion about this item on this forum. Maybe you can find it back.
Tarok
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 06:51 PM UTC
The most generic or generally accepted definition of "vignette" is that it's a small display featuring figures, and no full vehicles.

From there it tends to get grey in terms of story or no story, photo or instance in time, and the number of figures.

Diorama tends to be everything that else that is either mounted to a base or has groundwork... again, there is plenty of grey

IMHO a vignette is merely a category or sub-class of the general diorama grouping... but hey, what do I know?

Last comment... generally you'll find dioramas here on Armorama, and mostly vignettes on Historicus Forma
05Sultan
#037
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California, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 09:23 PM UTC
I'm in Tarok's camp on this one as far as general definition.
As far as competition goes,why not lump all dios and vignettes into one class called "Scale Model Scenes" and judge them from there on detail,accuracy,quality of workmanship,etc.?OK, a little,but is closely related.
Cheers for non-hair splitting!
garthj
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: August 15, 2006
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Posted: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 09:33 PM UTC
Hi all
I must agree with Rick and Rudi

Classically speaking, dioramas were boxed affairs with a viewing window, giving access to a detailed interior, much like a small theatre. Modern interpretations have progressed to a free standing base with groundwork, vehicles and figures.

Vignettes are specific to figures and usually include only these, as such.

Nice to see such interest in an ' interesting' question.

Regards
Garth
AJLaFleche
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Posted: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 09:35 PM UTC

Quoted Text


As far as competition goes,why not lump all dios and vignettes into one class called "Scale Model Scenes" and judge them from there on detail,accuracy,quality of workmanship,etc.?OK, a little,but is closely related.
Cheers for non-hair splitting!


In an open competition (Gold/Silver/Bronze) that would be workable, but in an IPMS style (First, Second, Third) you have the two person scene on a six square inch base up against a city block with multiple figures and vehicles. With equal workmanship, the small scene would always loose out to the large scene in the IPMS style contest. In open, of course, they could both take gold.
05Sultan
#037
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Posted: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 11:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


As far as competition goes,why not lump all dios and vignettes into one class called "Scale Model Scenes" and judge them from there on detail,accuracy,quality of workmanship,etc.?OK, a little,but is closely related.
Cheers for non-hair splitting!


In an open competition (Gold/Silver/Bronze) that would be workable, but in an IPMS style (First, Second, Third) you have the two person scene on a six square inch base up against a city block with multiple figures and vehicles. With equal workmanship, the small scene would always loose out to the large scene in the IPMS style contest. In open, of course, they could both take gold.



Doesn't IPMS allow for ties? I think the smaller one would have the advantage as holding quality level throughout the table size dio would be extremely tough to do.Heck,give the deserving table size dio a special award for effort if deserving,but not spot on in IPMS world.
Trophys shouldn't be common,but they shouldn't be endangered species-rare either.
Monte
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Rhode Island, United States
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Posted: Thursday, January 04, 2007 - 06:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Depends on who is defining.



And how big of an argument you are willing to get in to.
KFMagee
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Texas, United States
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Posted: Sunday, January 14, 2007 - 01:58 PM UTC
I tend to use a long used addage that has served me well...

Vignette - composition (regardless of size or subject) that conveys a SINGLE specific thought... for example, a boy waving a flag, and captive by a stream, of a soldier drinking coffee...

Diorama - a composition that is comprised of several smaller focus areas that together tell a larger story.

It is the content of the thought - not the size or materials.
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