bigature

n.

A large-scale model of something.

Example Citation:

Of the 68 miniature sets and models in The Lord Of The Rings, about 30 were dubbed "bigatures" because they were so large and detailed, people could have actually lived in them."

— Simon Beattie, "The Rise and Rise of Jackson," The Evening Post, December 19, 2001

Earliest Citation:

Other locations were created with 58 miniature sets, into which blue-screen and digital characters were composited. "Richard Taylor [director of Weta's Workshop] quite correctly called them 'bigatures,' because they often would fill the sound stage," says Barrie M. Osborne, producer.

— Barbara Robertson, "The fellowship of the King," Computer Graphics World, December 1, 2001

Notes:

This word is constructed from the oxymoronic phrase big miniature. So far its use has been restricted to some of the sets created for the film, The Fellowship of the Ring, so it remains to be seen whether it will garner a wider audience.

Related Words:

supersize

warm prop

wire-fu

Category:

Film