What is and what is not a diorama

[Guest]

Now here is a naughty teaser. :P


What do you class as a diorama ? What do you not class as a diorama ?


For me a diorama is a scene which depicts a story. For instance a tank with the crew strung around having a picnic (although perhaps in war an expression out of context) in the middle of war. It tugs on the imagination..


Not a diorama would be a tank just sat there not really telling a story. No emotion at all.


Or in my case a shelf with grass, a bit of runway and background with aircraft strung all over the shelf.


A teaser.


Laurie

[john i am]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diorama

[Guest]

What about a vignette? To me, a diorama versus vignette is a matter of scale & size.


A plane on a base depicting an airfield or a tank on it's own (with or without accompanying figures) is a vignette.


If more vehicles or planes are added, along with buildings then that's a diorama.

[Guest]

What about a vignette?

Like that Patrick. Another one might be a Cameo. As in acting a small part of significance.


Laurie

[Guest]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diorama

Wiki states "...in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum."


So, to Wiki, a single plane sitting on a desk is a diorama! For our purpose I Would go for Laurie's first description. The important words are "scene" and "story". I would not include Laurie's "Or in my case a shelf with grass, a bit of runway and background with aircraft strung all over the shelf." That's an up-market shelf!

[eddiesolo]

My small 1/144 scale landing craft with the zero buzzing overhead is a vignette, so is my Triceratops model. My larger tanks on bases are dio's as they are telling a story. Well that is how I see it.


Si

[john i am]

One mans vignette is another mans dioarama the reason because we all have different opinions and ideas about things and I'm so glad that not everyone thinks the same and that's what arguments are based on opinions and beliefs.When presented with facts we can either choose to believe them or dismiss them.So for now I'll go with Wikipedia I am sure the people working there know more about these things than I do.


http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vignette


http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diorama

[Guest]

My small 1/144 scale landing craft with the zero buzzing overhead is a vignette, so is my Triceratops model. My larger tanks on bases are dio's as they are telling a story. Well that is how I see it.
Si

Si could you swat that damn fly. At least it would then be a Vignette and dead.o_O


Laurie

[Ian M]

Well if you go by the IPMS rules it is actually simple:


Any model entered in any class that contains more than one model is a diorama.


An aircraft on a runway with the crew would be a simple base. (could be called a vignette I s'pose).


Add a refueller, a couple of ground crew, or other extra items would be removed from the table and placed with the diorama's


A cameo is either a small acting roll, or a piece of jewellery. The small flat (typically figures) are called flats.


Ian M

[Ian M]

My small 1/144 scale landing craft with the zero buzzing overhead is a vignette

No its a small diorama as it contains more than one model.


Ian M

[Guest]

Well if you go by the IPMS rules it is actually simple:
Any model entered in any class that contains more than one model is a diorama.


An aircraft on a runway with the crew would be a simple base. (could be called a vignette I s'pose).


Add a refueller, a couple of ground crew, or other extra items would be removed from the table and placed with the diorama's


A cameo is either a small acting roll, or a piece of jewellery. The small flat (typically figures) are called flats.


Ian M

A cameo is actually a more than just a small acting roll it has more of an exalted roll. It is played by some one well known either in acting or in the community. But such is English that numerous words have been used to represent another form but associated in some way with the original meaning.


For instance escalator is used in finance. Dovetail is used in business deals. Vignette also has many meanings where the original came form and what it was originally I have no idea.


Laurie

[stona]

I understand why the IPMS has those rules, it prevents arguments about which category a model should be judged.


The word diorama really only refers to a view or a scene. For example a stuffed leopard on a tree branch in a case in a natural history museum would be a diorama. A diorama doesn't have to include more than one model, buildings, figures or anything else, but usually does.


What makes this a diorama (two models and some figures)?


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And this not (one model and some figures)?


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What if we take the figures out and just have one model, but on a base and with a background?


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Take away the base, what's this?


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Luckily I don't care. They are all just models I built for fun and as I won't be entering any competitions they won't be subject to any artificial rules


Cheers


Steve

[Ian M]

Vignette also has many meanings where the original came form and what it was originally I have no idea.

They where a decorative border and or separation in passages of text normally vines and vine-leaves, hence Vignette.


For the sake of this thread, which I assume was based in the model building genera I just thought I would say how it is that the IPMS do it, and as it is pretty simple to keep a grip on, is how the sections in these fora are 'managed'.


Steve. Picture one deffo a diorama.. #2 Tja, simple base, but a grumpy judge could pull it, but I'm no judge (just grumpy :P ) #3 and #4 simple base. but that same grumpy judge would not allow the background on a show table.


Aren't we all glad that we just build and show her for the fun of it.


It could be interesting if some IPMS members had a poke at some judges, the next time they are around some and get their 'professional' opinion on the subject.


Ian M

[Guest]

So why isn't a figure a model, if a figure was on a base on its own it would be so when you put it with a Spitfire haven't you got two models?


As Steve says the IPMS have to have definitions to be able to categorise models for judging but I certainly don't feel obliged to follow thier guidelines in fact I go out of my way not to.


I also seem to remember we have been around this particular circle already only a few months ago.

[stona]

By the rules I would agree with Ian.


Unfortunately almost any other definition of a diorama would include a background of some sort, even that stuffed leopard on a tree branch!


Cheers


Steve