well, i dont really have an opinion on this, i just thought id mention, most of the people i see buying armour at the LHS, kinda wierd me out. you can usually smell them from a few meters away (BO not hobby cement) and they kinda grin at you like theyve been sniffing a little too much glue. But in saying that. Theyre not all like that. The LHS im refering too is the big one where the staff are a little bit el33tist. Kinda like EB Games staff members (of which i am ex stock).
Now for my opinion on the matter. I just figure you build what you like. If i see something that tickles my fancy, ill try find a model of it. I dont really care what genre it is. I just happen to build aircraft because thats what i was raised with.
So are the staff at my LHS… Every tiem I buy a kit there (which I don’t anymore) they try to tell me how to glue the parts, and try to force me into buying a “less complicated” kit. When I buy acrylics and enamels at the same time, they often try to explain to me what the differences between the paints are… Oh how they frustrate me. I may be 17, but I’ve still had 8 years of experience… you’d think they’d recognize me after all these years. Wish I had a cool LHS. [:'(]
Anyways I think its been decided that armor is definitely NOT the black sheep… and that its probably actually up there with aircraft as far as familiarity within the modeling community.
Probrably the most popular form of modeling among children is auto modeling. Obviously after spending years with so many hot wheels one would realise how superior auto modeling is. My only question is: if they really liked cars why dont they just save money for one. You cant buy tanks or airplanes(unless you’re rediculously rich)
Judging by the kit mix at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Hobbytown, I’m inclined to agree that autos are popular with younger and/or beginner modelers. And all the metal body kits certainly make things easier.
But…as to if they really liked cars why don’t they just save up for one?
First, they do. Look at all the stories around here and everywhere else. Built models as a kid. Discovered cars and girls in high school. Came back to modeling years later, often settled down with kids and no room/time/other excuse for something like a project car.
Second, as someone who really likes cars, car modeling holds zero interest to me. There’s just too much variety in cars, and not enough in kits, to ever leave someone who’s a serious enthusiast for anything beyond your typical Motor Trend cover divas satisfied. I honestly believe there is more variety in large-scale die-cast replicas than in BYO kits…
I agree with the lack of variety in cars. The first time I went to get a car kit I searched for days and finally found out noone made it. I wanted a kit of the 3 wheeled blue car from mr bean that he always knocks over to go with a mini cooper kit I had bought. I was disaponinted
Armor is popular enough! Just take a look at the relative proportion of kits displayed at your local model shop. At the end of the day it’s what you like that determines what type of subject you model. Ironically though I’m replying to this thread I model just about every genre except figure mini and armor. Though I have this feeling that the topic starter has in mind a modeler is defined by what genre they focus on, eg you are a armor modeler or a wingy thing lover or a floaty thing builder. Though one doesn’t have to be limited by one genre.
I stuck with ship modelling (a ratio of 2 ships for every other genre builds) not because they are popular (some 3 entries at local competitions) but it fits with what I want to achieve in the hobby - detail in miniature. At the same time, when I’m modelling other subjects, I’m perfectly happy to adopt the ‘way’ particular genre is depicted : eg sqeaky clean finish for sci-fi/mecha, glass-like finish for auto etc, and not constrained by the same, as I know can weather mecha or build a rusty car if I wanted to.
By diversifying into different genres I get exposure to skills that are not used in others and there’s plenty of skill cross over. Eg After doing a few race auto kits, my decalling skill is enough to handle just about any aircraft/ship. Similarly weathering on aircraft gets applied readily to ships.
A funny article and surprisingly accurate, too! Must be coming from someone who’s been through the genres. Especially enjoyed the part about auto and ship modellers (though the AR factor should be 10 at the very least, try folding 60 PE 20mm Oelikons that are smaller than a mosquito and contain 5 pieces each!). THAT PERFECT FINISH vs that 2500 parts in one build, and the judge can’t tell the difference! It has always buffled me on how the ships are judged at competitions, especially when you have criteria such as ‘realism’ when in actual fact the real photos of ships in WW2 is few and far between. The local IPMS chapter is overflowing with aircraft and armor modelers so are the juding panel, not that I mind. To test the theory, once I entered a totally INACCURATE ship, well finished and all to the layman, and with fake ‘reference’ that justifies the blantant accuracies. Guess what, noone had a clue…
I recently bought the Dragon Stug IV from my LHS but took it back and asked if I they could order me an ATAK Zim kit for it as the box art shows Zim but the model has no pre-moulded Zim and I don’t fancy trying Milliput Zim for the first time on a £45 Dragon kit. The shop owner said “what’s Zimmerit”? Groan!
I might ask if they have any vacancies there - I’d happily leave my office job to go work at my LHS any day!
As for armour being the black sheep? No way, it’s leading the world of modelling imo. As I’ve said in a previous post on this thread all the magazines are full of armour, all have more armour content than aircraft!
Hey, I lick my brushes. At least for fine detail. The saliva makes the brushes stick together, making a razor sharp point. Or do you mean with paint on them? [+o(]
As a “utility model-builder” I paint some of the warhammer stuff for a bit of relaxation. You can do whatever you want with them. But I agree, most of the “hard-core” gamers do not live on planet Earth.
but I’ve seen some of those guys who eat the paste and such… hummm…
I lick my brushes to…Boyds colors taste the best…! [whstl]
I think airplanes sometimes get the glamour, because of your old days of mystique and genousequos of the the Fighter Pilot, the airplane… most all planes are gracefull just to look at…
Armor, is not gracefull…at least IMHO… but I build em anyways… not as much as planes… but I do…
and some Sci fi… just finishing up a Classic Battlestar Galactica Viper…
I have all the Mad Max cars that are out there. resin, and plastic ( except Max’s van… can’t find that one )…
We’re all wierd to one another for some reason… lol…
oooh… something shiny on the deck of the Zuiho… !![whstl]
Im trying to start up a Secret Santa where you send what you enjoy to build. If you like armor, you send armor, if you like boats you send boats. So. If your interested say something over here
I’ve built several Tamiya bikes in 1/35th… That make me a “Mortorcycle Modeler”?
The MP Harley and the German BMWs, are they “Armor” or “Automotive”? I’ve built sveral of them for various dioramas, one even comes with the Tamiya Flak 36/37 , Oh wait… That makes me an “Artillery Modeler”… Or an Armor Modeler"? I recently built a diorama of a Spitfire shot down by a Wirbelwind… “Aircraft” or “Armor” Modeler?
Diorama of a a landing craft unloading a Sherman at Normandy… Or a PBR moving through the Mekong River, being fired on by a PT-76? “Armor” or “Ship” Modeler?
Dio of a Bradley running over a Toyota “Techincal” gun-truck in Mogadishu? “Armor” or “Car” Modeler?
I’m not an “Armor Modeler” nor an “Aircraft Modeler”, but rather a “Miltary Modeler”… If it’s got wings, wheels, tracks, or boots, and gets painted green, I gotta build it for my dioramas…
There’s no “Black Sheep” in modeling… Except maybe us “Old School” guys… The After-market freaks say, “Why Build?”, and Old Schoolers say, “Why Buy?”… But since there’re more AM guys than OS guys, it’s probably us OS guys that are RAEL “Black Sheep”…
