Is it art, or just a hobby to pass the time?

mickbench · #1 07-02-2005, 01:26 PM

Just wondering, actually I've been thinking about this for a few months now, but what do you class model building as?

I know it's a hobby, and it does pass the time away but it's it a form of art work?

I think it is. I think its 3D art, as sometimes the work put into these models to make them look real, is at times the same as you would for say, an oil painting or water colour. I know paintings are a form of expression, and sometimes free thinking, but real life paintings are art work, and they are based on a real object, just the same in some way to a model. I think building a model is just another way to express your artistic side, even if some do not agree. A painting is created not only for the enjoyment of the artist, or to show their creative side, but also for others to enjoy, and we do the very same with our own in progress and completed forum section. Models are viewed, to appreciate the detail and art that has gone into creating something, an object so worthwhile that others actually enjoy looking at them. Just the same as an oil painting.

Just thinking that's all.. Like to hear some of your views on this.

Oh - and this is actually being posted, due the JTRACING, as he was pretty mad that someone accused him of cheating, or something. I just wanted to say that I enjoy the models in here, just the same as I enjoy a painting, or a print of a painting and enjoy looking at the creative work, therefore I think this is art, from very talented folks.

2.2 Straight six · #2 07-02-2005, 01:49 PM

art or hobby ? it's just whatever you make it, im my opinoin

g00eY · #3 07-02-2005, 02:05 PM

it's a hobby that i use to pass the time, and it just happens to be a form of art

.

Whumbachumba · #4 07-02-2005, 06:15 PM

Addiction with no exit.

cbrain · #5 07-02-2005, 06:34 PM

Whether we like it or not, any object irregardless of its level of beauty when presented in a certain kind of way is already art. Actually, just presenting a completed kit in AF, you might not be aware of it but you already applied many forms of "art".

Such as:

Kit assembly - Replicating something into miniature or scale is already art. Just like taking a subject and replicating it on canvass is art.

Sculpting - Molding and sanding putty and forming it is already art.

Painting - I guess here's the most obvious form of art in our hobby. By planning, choosing, and matching of colors you would want to apply on your kit is already a form of applying art on the hobby.

Photography - Yep, photography is an art. We may call our subjects as "still art".

These are just some... others may want to add more.

blubaja · #6 07-02-2005, 07:34 PM

Cars are art to me. Scale models are copies of these beautiful art objects. We get to make art, or copies of art. Art.

RallyRaider · #7 07-02-2005, 09:05 PM

It is both.
But most of the time it isn't fun, more like a struggle with the styrene, putty, paint and dust. Very satisfying when you occasionaly triumph above it all.

CamaroSSBoy346 · #8 07-02-2005, 11:02 PM

I think g00ey said it best.

emperorsupra · #9 07-02-2005, 11:10 PM

cars are a nessecity for me in life an since i cant epress my self yet in a real car. i express my self in these model cars which are art/hobby an a great past time

RallyRaider · #10 07-02-2005, 11:19 PM

Any chance you could express yourself in the English language emperorsupra?

micaman68 · #11 07-03-2005, 03:27 AM

I thank this is more than a hobby or art but just a fantasy that we all have to own the cars we build. If you look at 1.1 car do you not see art? If you build models it is art. If you collect models it is a hobby. yes or no?

freakmech · #12 07-03-2005, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RallyRaider

Any chance you could express yourself in the English language emperorsupra?

mr.emp... your really not doing a great job of first impressions. my hobby is collecting kits, my art is building them. thats my answer.

spidereddie · #13 07-03-2005, 05:24 AM

What I do is art, nothing less. This is what the dictionary has to say about what 'art' means. Based on the definition of the word, this is art and I am an artist. definition 1 and 6 pertain the most to us.

art- n.
Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.

1.The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.
2.The study of these activities.
3.The product of these activities; human works of beauty considered as a group.
4.high quality of conception or execution, as found in works of beauty; aesthetic value.

5.A system of principles and methods employed in the performance of a set of activities: the art of building.

6.Skill that is attained by study, practice, or observation: the art of the baker; the blacksmith's art.

Now compare to hobby:

Hobby- n. An activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure.

you can see that what we do is both, but just as how beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what you 'call' what you do pretty much depends on what the purpose for you doing it is.

A hobby is something done to pass time and enjoy ones self (primary purpose). If you come away with something tangible from your hobby (a finished car, a nice sweater, trophy), than that's a plus, but it's a secondary gain and not the main reason the activity is pursued.

Whereas art's primary purpose is to have an end object completed (or a 'work' if you will) and enjoyment comes not so much from the making of the 'work of art' but moreso from the admiration of the completed work. (i.e. DaVinci probably didn't have a great time painting the mona lisa, but he sure as hell enjoyed looking at it once it was done). So in the case of art, "enjoyment" is a secondary gain and having a completed work of art is the main purpose.

So the primary purpose and secondary gain switch for these two things...so potaayto potahto.

RallyRaider · #14 07-03-2005, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spidereddie

Hobby-...engaged in primarily for pleasure.

Well that settles it. My modeling experience ain't no hobby!

Whereas an artist suffers for his art, right?

Tikiman · #15 07-03-2005, 08:58 AM

I would say it is art, but only like painting by numbers, which is a pretty basic form of art. Unless you start to do things to the kit which the manufacturers did not intend to be done to the kit. Then it becomes a more advanced form of art.
That is what i think and it couldn't be simpler.

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