I've got something to say about contests that ya'll need to hear.

[LUKE'57]

When I saw this picture of Jeremey it just took me back to when I was seven and that first glue bomb Aurora B-26 and how I felt when I ran to show the completed airplane to my Daddy. Jeremey is the current "anchor photo" for The Mad Modeler site and Wildrice was gracious to let me share his enthusiasm for the hobby with you. If model contests ended with this kind of "vibe" I think I would be ready to organize one right now. Ah, the innocence of youth.

[NOMADGAMER]

Those were the good years!

[tigeraid]

Good for him! The more young modelers the better!

[Jamme]

Nice!!!
Congratulations for him, and it's right, the more young modelers, the better.

For so long he made the models by imself.......

Cheers,

Jamme

[MPWR]

Not to be a jerk and not to take away from the warm fuzzies from the above pic, but I've always failed to understand the great importance of younger modelers. Really, how are more younger modelers better? What difference does it make? It seems to be a much cherished idea amongst many a club that starting kids building young will create a future for the hobby- but it doesn't seem to hold up to alot of consideration.

AF is a perfect example. What is the average age of modelers here? Granted there has never been a scientific survey to my knowledge- but if you take a read through the "post your name and age" threads, the community here seems to consist primarily of thirtysomething guys. There are people older and younger, but the VAST majority of builders have are between the ages of 20 and 40. Granted AF doesn't allow members younger than 13, but we're not exactly swimming in 13 year olds here, are we?

This is an adult hobby. Yes, it's an adult hobby that children are capable of participating in, but it certainly doesn't depend on children. 25+ USD kits are meant for adult levels of patince, manual dexterity, and income. Same with airbrushes and laquer paints. Sure a talented, dedicated child can certainly learn to use these things (and granted some do), but a talented dedicated child can also learn to fly an airplane- yet that doesn't mean that airplanes are meant to be flown by children. I think it could very safely be said that at least half of people here started modeling as adults, many with no exposure whatsoever to modeling when they were younger. And in groups of thirtysomething modelers I've seen (here and various clubs), it's really hard to tell a modeler whos been building since he was seven from one who has been building since he was twentyseven. Modelers who start young aren't really appreciably better than, more dedicated than, or having more fun than modelers who started as adults.

Really, when did you become a serious car enthusuast? Yeah, most of us when we were young had a car or two that we each thought was really cool- but before becoming fanatical about cars, most people learn to drive first. Most of us didn't aquire large stashes of kits (say, five or more) and finishing supplies until we had jobs and could afford it- and that's what really supports the hobby.

So what does it matter if kids these days are building models, or buying diecasts, or playing video games, or beating the snot out of each other? As long as some of them still survive to adulthood, some of them will become modelers- and our hobby will have the same future it always has.

[drunken monkey]

maybe i misuderstood.

i figured that the kid got the "prizes" for entering some kind of modelling competition and that this was remidning people that it's the building that matters and not the winning of competitions.

[Some_Kid]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Not to be a jerk and not to take away from the warm fuzzies from the above pic, but I've always failed to understand the great importance of younger modelers. Really, how are more younger modelers better? What difference does it make? It seems to be a much cherished idea amongst many a club that starting kids building young will create a future for the hobby- but it doesn't seem to hold up to alot of consideration.

AF is a perfect example. What is the average age of modelers here? Granted there has never been a scientific survey to my knowledge- but if you take a read through the "post your name and age" threads, the community here seems to consist primarily of thirtysomething guys. There are people older and younger, but the VAST majority of builders have are between the ages of 20 and 40. Granted AF doesn't allow members younger than 13, but we're not exactly swimming in 13 year olds here, are we?

This is an adult hobby. Yes, it's an adult hobby that children are capable of participating in, but it certainly doesn't depend on children. 25+ USD kits are meant for adult levels of patince, manual dexterity, and income. Same with airbrushes and laquer paints. Sure a talented, dedicated child can certainly learn to use these things (and granted some do), but a talented dedicated child can also learn to fly an airplane- yet that doesn't mean that airplanes are meant to be flown by children. I think it could very safely be said that at least half of people here started modeling as adults, many with no exposure whatsoever to modeling when they were younger. And in groups of thirtysomething modelers I've seen (here and various clubs), it's really hard to tell a modeler whos been building since he was seven from one who has been building since he was twentyseven. Modelers who start young aren't really appreciably better than, more dedicated than, or having more fun than modelers who started as adults.

Really, when did you become a serious car enthusuast? Yeah, most of us when we were young had a car or two that we each thought was really cool- but before becoming fanatical about cars, most people learn to drive first. Most of us didn't aquire large stashes of kits (say, five or more) and finishing supplies until we had jobs and could afford it- and that's what really supports the hobby.

So what does it matter if kids these days are building models, or buying diecasts, or playing video games, or beating the snot out of each other? As long as some of them still survive to adulthood, some of them will become modelers- and our hobby will have the same future it always has.

I totally agree with what you said. I appreciate the fact that younger modelers are coming into the hobby. After seeing that cute smile i feel inspired to tell my story. I fell in love with testors die casts when i was probably 8, continued building them till i was about 11-12, and i first started trying to detail the diecasts when i was about 10. At the time i was 13-14 i still hated plastic kits( thought they required too much work), until that is i started looking on internet about kits. The first website that inspired me was a mecca in modeling..italianhorses.net. The site really helped me take that chance with plastics. Ive always been picky about detail, and once i saw a well built plastic ferrari, i saw that metal kits just dont cut it as far as detail. Today i love plastic kits, and realize that they are the heart of modeling, and now i love to paint bodies, my favorite part.

However there needs to be concern for younger modelers. They most likley dont know the dangers of paint and fumes,blades and id hate for them to be misinformed.Quite frankly the hobby just isnt that safe to the seroius modeler, unless properly educated. This is one of the reasons i cosider this an adult hobby. I feel luckly that i didnt get sick from fumes years ago back when i didnt know as much, i airbrushed a metal hummer kit in my room with testors acrylics, and slept in that room that night with the fumes in there, granted it was acrylic, what if it was lacquer?

[MR2_Lancer]

Im sure the kid in the picture above isnt your average kid who has parents that figured, "Hey, this looks cool..."

He knows what he's doing. Im sure his parents taught him well. And I dont understand how modeling isnt for kids. I started when I was about 11, making a ford flipnose truck for dad when he got back from korea. The importance of younger modelers is that theres a sign that there will always be a future. Im sure model companies love to see things like these, because their product will always have a market.

No ones saying this hobby depends on kids. It just shows how much it really is growing. Honestly, how often do we see pics like this? I think its great, not just because hes a kid, but I hope one day to have my kid share interests like this with me.

Im not lookin to start any wars and what not, but no one said anything about this hobby depending on children, nor was anyone trying to cause harm by posting this picture.

[RallyRaider]

Wow, he totaly cleaned up! Good luck to the little tike!

Regards MPWR's comments, I always figured that most of us older modeller's are simply recapturing the fun and passtimes of our youth, except we now have the resources and patience to do a "proper" job. If I'd never built as a kid would I have ever picked it up as an adult? Difficult to say.

[Icon Modeler]

Originally Posted by RallyRaider

Wow, he totaly cleaned up! Good luck to the little tike!

Regards MPWR's comments, I always figured that most of us older modeller's are simply recapturing the fun and passtimes of our youth, except we now have the resources and patience to do a "proper" job. If I'd never built as a kid would I have ever picked it up as an adult? Difficult to say.

I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will add that it is my opinoin that MPWR's comments are very narrow minded.

Icon Modeler

[MPWR]

Narrow minded? Could be. I'd say I've been called worse.

Perhaps to clarify, I should state that my above post was not really in response to the original post. It was tigeraid and Jamme's statements that "The more young modelers the better" that got me thinking. It's a comment I've many times and places heard before (granted, often not here), but have never understood.

I guess I'm often irked by the preceptions that:

A. Modeling is a child's activity

B. Adults who model are doing so to recapture nostalgia for their youth, or that they never grew up to begin with, and

C. That the future of modeling as a hobby is somehow dependant on children starting modeling at a young age.

I did start modeling at a young age. I built my first model (a motorized Tamiya 1/35 M60A2 tank) with my father shortly before my fifth birthday. We built a few more kits together, and then I was turned loose to build by myself. I enjoyed it, and built dozens of kits. I stopped sometime in high school, did a bit of tenative building in college, and then picked it up again for real after gradutation.

When I was young, even though I enjoyed it modeling wasn't very satisfying for me. I occasionally saw what adult modelers could do in modeling books and magazines, and was deeply frustrated that I couldn't do similar- no matter how hard or often I tried. Then when I started again after college, I found that I could easily do things I would have killed to be able to do when I was ten years younger. All the important skills I use in modeling now I really learned as an adult. I strongly doubt I'm any more accomplished as a builder today because I started young. And I certainly don't build today to recapture some frustrating piece of my youth- I build now because I enjoy building now.

As another example, I played golf (for a year or two) when I was young. I had a set of clubs, took lessons, and played with my father. What did I learn? That I just didn't like golf (apart from driving golf carts, of course!). And for better or worse, that lesson has stuck with me. I have friends now that play golf, but I never join them for games, because I don't enjoy golf- or at least I didn't when I was eleven. Hard to say though if I would enjoy it more now if instead I had started as an adult....

If a kid enjoys modeling, great- There's no reason at all that he shouldn't build. (Provided of course as Some_Kid pointed out that they can do it safely. I certainly regret now doing things like airbrushing enamels and laquers without a respirator when I was young. I very much hope that in 20 or 30 years I won't suffer ill health as a result of stupid decisions and actions I made when i didnt understand consequences.) But I think that in many ways the general preception that modeling is a child's activity is a significant disservice to the hobby.

Are adults really more likely to build if they built as kids? Of course some of us that build as adults built as kids, too. For some of us, it may be that we build now because we built then. For others of us (probably myself included), we build in spite of the fact that we built then.
If you're an adult who likes cars and likes doing things with your hands, why wouldn't you try modeling, even if you've never done it before (as countless new members here regularly do)? Unless perhaps you've always preceived it as a child's activity, and assume that adults just don't do it. Many, many people growing up stop modeling when they "put away the toys of youth" (as I did). Most don't pick it up again as adults, regardless of how much they might enjoy it as adults. They simply believe modeling was a childhood activity, and therefore aren't interested in it as an adult.

So I think it's fine that some kids build (and it's probably OK that Some_Kid builds, too ). But I really don't understand the belief that it's somehow particularlly important or good for the hobby if kids build.


Meanwhile, I simply posted my (somewhat longwinded) thoughts resulting from what was said above. As always, I'm curious about other people's thoughts. I recognise that I could in fact be thread jacking. But if other people aren't particullarly interested in my thoughts or in posting their own, that as always is fine. I'm sure I will soon have other narrow thoughts to share....

[proosen]

Whether kids are the future of the hobby or not I think it's wonderful to have the oportunity to share this with my kids. So far it's only the oldest that have participated at any shows.
But I tell you he is one proud little boy, that takes any chance to show who ever gets in his way what he won last spring.



He took a third prize in the childrens category and is anxious to go back this year again.

I say, Way to go youngsters, congratulations on your awards.
Niclas

[Icon Modeler]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Narrow minded? Could be. I'd say I've been called worse.

Perhaps to clarify, I should state that my above post was not really in response to the original post. It was tigeraid and Jamme's statements that "The more young modelers the better" that got me thinking. It's a comment I've many times and places heard before (granted, often not here), but have never understood.

I guess I'm often irked by the preceptions that:

A. Modeling is a child's activity

B. Adults who model are doing so to recapture nostalgia for their youth, or that they never grew up to begin with, and

C. That the future of modeling as a hobby is somehow dependant on children starting modeling at a young age.

I did start modeling at a young age. I built my first model (a motorized Tamiya 1/35 M60A2 tank) with my father shortly before my fifth birthday. We built a few more kits together, and then I was turned loose to build by myself. I enjoyed it, and built dozens of kits. I stopped sometime in high school, did a bit of tenative building in college, and then picked it up again for real after gradutation.

When I was young, even though I enjoyed it modeling wasn't very satisfying for me. I occasionally saw what adult modelers could do in modeling books and magazines, and was deeply frustrated that I couldn't do similar- no matter how hard or often I tried. Then when I started again after college, I found that I could easily do things I would have killed to be able to do when I was ten years younger. All the important skills I use in modeling now I really learned as an adult. I strongly doubt I'm any more accomplished as a builder today because I started young. And I certainly don't build today to recapture some frustrating piece of my youth- I build now because I enjoy building now.

As another example, I played golf (for a year or two) when I was young. I had a set of clubs, took lessons, and played with my father. What did I learn? That I just didn't like golf (apart from driving golf carts, of course!). And for better or worse, that lesson has stuck with me. I have friends now that play golf, but I never join them for games, because I don't enjoy golf- or at least I didn't when I was eleven. Hard to say though if I would enjoy it more now if instead I had started as an adult....

If a kid enjoys modeling, great- There's no reason at all that he shouldn't build. (Provided of course as Some_Kid pointed out that they can do it safely. I certainly regret now doing things like airbrushing enamels and laquers without a respirator when I was young. I very much hope that in 20 or 30 years I won't suffer ill health as a result of stupid decisions and actions I made when i didnt understand consequences.) But I think that in many ways the general preception that modeling is a child's activity is a significant disservice to the hobby.

Are adults really more likely to build if they built as kids? Of course some of us that build as adults built as kids, too. For some of us, it may be that we build now because we built then. For others of us (probably myself included), we build in spite of the fact that we built then.
If you're an adult who likes cars and likes doing things with your hands, why wouldn't you try modeling, even if you've never done it before (as countless new members here regularly do)? Unless perhaps you've always preceived it as a child's activity, and assume that adults just don't do it. Many, many people growing up stop modeling when they "put away the toys of youth" (as I did). Most don't pick it up again as adults, regardless of how much they might enjoy it as adults. They simply believe modeling was a childhood activity, and therefore aren't interested in it as an adult.

So I think it's fine that some kids build (and it's probably OK that Some_Kid builds, too ). But I really don't understand the belief that it's somehow particularlly important or good for the hobby if kids build.


Meanwhile, I simply posted my (somewhat longwinded) thoughts resulting from what was said above. As always, I'm curious about other people's thoughts. I recognise that I could in fact be thread jacking. But if other people aren't particullarly interested in my thoughts or in posting their own, that as always is fine. I'm sure I will soon have other narrow thoughts to share....

Not to cast stones here, but it sounds like there is someone in your life that maybe struggles with the fact that you build models for fun and has perhaps insulted you or gives you greef over it because they can't understand how you can find any enjoyment in it. There is not one post I've seen that says anything about model building being a child's hobby except yours. In fact I don't think you will find anyone on this forum that truely thinks this is a child's hobby. I think we are all past that, so I guess I've missed the point because as I see it, what you are saying is trying to explain that model building is not a child's hobby........ We know this, that is way we are here.

That having been said, I do think that the more new "Child" biulders we as a group can attract the better. Like you, I started building at the age of 5 with my Dad's help and the competitive spirit that can only take place by having a brother that built models as well. My Mom was in the modeling industry, so I was always around it as a child. Like you, I stopped for 10 odd years and eventually made my way back a few years ago. I never made a conscious decision to stop, in fact I built long into my 20's. I have never looked at as a child's hobby. Rather a way to get closer to the things that interest me, like race cars. It was work and a busy schedule that slowly got in the way.

I don't understand why you think that modeling as a hole will not be effected if there are no new child modelers. It is my belief, that while the vast majority of the people that post here are adults. I think you will find the majority of those started modeling as children drifted away and are now back rather then brand new to the hobby as adults. One way or another, I think most people here were exposed to modeling as a youngster as opposed to making a decision as a adult to start modeling

Just my 2 cents.

Icon Modeler

[tigeraid]

Well, I wasn't saying it was a child's hobby either. But the more and younger kids that we get into the hobby, the more chance of its success later. Like all things it goes through cycles though. We're seeing an upward trend in the industry after a bit of a dearth in the late 90s. I know what's true for me and modelers I know in person and maybe most people here: we were into models at a young age, but lacked the patience and skill, took a break, and came back to it as adults. I would think the percentage of modelers who started as complete 100% n00bs as adults is a lot smaller. Maybe that's just me.

I've had a couple of people say it's a childish hobby--I just ignore them. Their loss.

[lotus123]

Those little guys just bring a smile to my face!

I'm 51 now and I remember building a Monogram(?) GT40 when I was about 13. It was a bit of a mess but I really loved that kit. I'm really pleased to have come back to the hobby recently, because although my standards are much higher (actually I'm a bit of a 'rivet counter" these days) the enjoyment of building cars is the same as it was for that GT40. If a kid can develop enthusiasm for model-building at an early age it can only be a good thing.

Contests? That's just another form of affirmation.

You're never to old to have a happy childhood!

Regards
Graham