Judging the Reaper Con MSP Open - Diorama Division

[Heisler]

This is the third in a series of four posts each concentrating on a different entry category. You can find information about the scoring system itself in the Painter Division post. From here forward I will just concentrate on how the component guidelines apply to the other three divisions

 

Diorama Division

The Diorama Division does not exist in the MMSI structure. At MMSI a diorama goes into the Open Division as it encompasses the same set of skills. I, however, felt the Open Division ignored or down played the story and what is a diorama without a story?  This is the division that lets you show off the same skills that the Open Division does and wrap it around a story. Again if you have just a single entry then the judges can just go ahead and score your entry, no discussion is necessary. If you have multiple entries, then there will be a discussion between the judges on which entry they want to score. That conversation is typically the only conversation although these discussions tend to be longer than they might be in the Painter Division.  However, when selecting the scoring entry the conversation is still based on “I can score this one higher than the others” or words to that affect, till they come to a decision just as it would be for the Painter Division. 

 

Let’s take a quick look at the scoring guidelines the judges use (which is published as part of the MSP Open rules. One cautionary note’ these particular scoring guidelines may change slightly):

Difficulty: 15%

Creativity: 15%

Workmanship: 25%

Painting Skill: 30%

Presentation: 15%

 

What does this mean for the Diorama Division? In this division we are really want to see all your hobby skills as well as your story telling ability. While the components remain the same the emphasis has obviously changed a great deal.

 

Difficulty: This is a tough one for the Diorama category, since most dioramas are difficult to begin with. We reduced the emphasis here because we feel that you should not take a hit for a good story that is comparatively simple to tell.  

 

Creativity: Creativity steps up a bit here.  While painting is still factor this is the portion that shows us the story you are telling. Now painting is combined with your ability to convert, sculpt and tell a story to your audience. The entrant’s imagination comes into play here, you are looking to tell a story to your viewers. You are striving for the audience to understand your story without commentary from you. It can be subtle or in your face but if you have to explain it then you have not succeeded.

 

Workmanship: This remains a pretty straightforward component but in the Diorama Division there is a higher emphasis on it. It reflects how well constructed the entire piece is. Any type of non-painting effort is represented here. This is includes your ability to do conversions and/or scratch sculpt or at least be able to blend your miniatures in with the scene you have constructed. A missed mold line, poor assembly or a poorly executed conversion could easily drop you a while numeric value in the scoring.

 

Painting Skill: Everything that was said about painting still applies in the Diorama Division but there is less emphasis. At this point workmanship and creativity components exceed the painting component. While we don’t expect your abilities to be exactly equal in those areas you cannot count on your ability to paint alone to carry you over the top.

 

Presentation:  There is more emphasis on the is component as well. You are building the entire entry, essentially from scratch, and the presentation of everything you do affects the story. From the miniatures to the setting, this is where it all comes together. How you present it can be the difference between gold and silver.

Edited March 5, 2019 by Heisler

[Highlander]

Quite useful.

[nytflyr]

asking for a friend... what is the max size of a diorama? I know ive seen it somewhere before. but I don't remember where.

[Clearman]

 

1 hour ago, nytflyr said:

what is the max size of a diorama?

 

24" Cubed

[nytflyr]

On 9/6/2019 at 6:59 PM, Clearman said:

 

 

24" Cubed

 

Pardon my ignorance, is that 24"x24"x24"?

[Dilvish the Deliverer]

5 minutes ago, nytflyr said:

 

Pardon my ignorance, is that 24"x24"x24"?

The maximum size that an enrty can take up for the contest.

[Adrift]

If a diorama contained 6 Reaper miniatures and 1 non-Reaper miniature, would the presence of the 1 non-Reaper miniature preclude the entry from participating in consideration of a Sophie award?

[Heisler]

As long as the non-reaper figure is a supporting element rather than a primary it would qualify for the Sophie.

[Adrift]

Ok cool, that is precisely the intent. I don't have any expectations of something like a Sophie, but it's a good thing to not inadvertently omit yourself from consideration. 

[Cranky Dog]

Double thanks!

 

I have an idea for a diorama involving several pieces that aren't all Reaper, but still mostly Reaper (ironically, the centrepiece would be a Sophie sculpt).

Edited October 21, 2019 by Cranky Dog

[Goddesstio]

Hi, do the figures have to be affixed to the diorama? I'm working on one but will be coming via plane, and not sure if I would be able to get it back intact if I glue them down on the diorama set

[Wren]

On 8/24/2022 at 12:37 AM, Goddesstio said:

Hi, do the figures have to be affixed to the diorama? I'm working on one but will be coming via plane, and not sure if I would be able to get it back intact if I glue them down on the diorama set

We strongly recommend attaching all figures. If you are not able to, I recommend writing up a notice that the figures are not attached to the base and placing that beside the piece, as well as writing on the entry card itself. The contest administration desk staff should have spare index cards and pens you could use for this purpose.

Viewers are not permitted to touch other people's figures. Contest staff and judges can and often do touch pieces. Judges usually pick pieces up to appreciate the work from various angles, which can include tipping back and forward slightly on the assumption that everything is attached. Pieces may also get moved around to make more space on the tables for other entrants, or moved to a side table for to be judged for manufacturer and other special awards. We do our best to look for and attend to information like a note that items are not attached to the base, but accidents do occasionally happen. Including with fully assembled figures, of course. Entering any contest is always at our own risk. Out of the dozens of contests I have entered and judged over the years there have been only a handful of accidents, almost all minor.