Vignette or Diorama?

[pjgtech]

What's the difference between a Vignette and a Diorama?
I assume that a vignette is just a "small" diorama. Or is there more to it than that?
Cheers

[Gern]

I think you're close enough Peter. I've seen discussions about size, number of figures/vehicles/buildings, amount of scenery/background, how much back story there is and all sorts. Most folks have their own opinions on the distinction between the two and sometimes the arguments can become quite heated. I don't believe there is an 'official' line dividing the two, and the difference isn't critical.

Stick with what you've got and don't let it worry you unless you start entering competitions. If the competitions are well organised there will be a rule book of some sort defining the difference. If they're not well organised, there'll be a lot of arguments between the judges and you could quite easily get stuck in the middle!

[wasdale32]

In general a "vignette" will have a single focus and capture a moment in time and will probably be small - maybe as few as two figures or even one figure with a more elaborate scenic base ( eg soldier digging a foxhole ) . A traditional "diorama" usually has multiple focal points and tries to tell a fuller story - each of the individual focal points might be a vignette in their own right.

[Ian M]

A diorama is normally busy and depicting a scene A vignette is more often than not a simple base with a single model, a vehicle and driver...
Is what I hear the most.

[Jim R]

I would tend to go along with Mark. A diorama tells a story whereas a vignette simply sets the scene. A tank crew, sat by a tank having a meal, would be a diorama whereas a tank on a country lane would be a vignette.
Of course I could be wrong!!

[Airborne01]

Isn't vignette wot you splash over pomme frites ... ?
Steve

[rtfoe]

Isn't vignette wot you splash over pomme frites ... ?
Steve

That's vinaigrette I think.

Cheers,
Wabble