Modeling as Ikigai

[Zippythehog]

So, I thought I'd pose the question- do you build as simple artistic expression, connection to the history of the subject, for the way it helps your focus and composure, for the good of others or is it more or less or something else?

Why do you build?

 

[Ralph Haus]

I am surprised for the lack of replies yet?

For me, I need to keep active and creative. I have, for most of my life, lived with I call the 'German Curse' of not being able to not do anything. I am 76. I still work 40+ hours a week doing mechanical CAD design work. When I am off I need to do 'something' and modeling fills the gap. I have been unable, over the years, to do other things that I enjoyed, furniture making, gardening, but that comes with aging I guess.

 

[Zippythehog]

Thanks Ralph. I understand the German Curse.
I was hoping to get some interesting discussion going. I am surprised too.

I love the historical connection and find the physical expression of the thing in it's context compelling. Someone designed and someone built the original to satisfy a need or mission and someone flew it. I can artistically (try) express their creation in miniature and on a small scale, understand something of the era or goal or operations.

I also make zooming sounds with them when done.

 

[PFVA63]

Hi,
I guess for me the question may need to be split in two. Over the years I have frequently bought some models that I am not sure that I may ever get around to building, mostly in part (I think) to get a little better understanding of the ship, plane, car etc that the kit is a scale model of. Sometimes I have ended up giving these away after awhile. Many other kits though I do hope to eventually build and the reson I bought them may vary a fair bit.

Some of the kits that I hope to build I also bought to get a better understanding of the "prototype" the model is based on. Others I have bought specifically to try and use as a basis for something else, and some I have bought in part because I remember them from when I was a kid and either nostalgia or the realization that I can now afford something I wasn't able to afford when I was younger clouds my judgement.

Overall though I guess a common theme is that buying and (hopefully eventually) building models is a hobby that gets me thinking about stuff, whether its "how is a ship shaped underwater", "what would a 4 door sedan look like built on a sports car chassis", or "how did this airplane compare in size to that one" etc.

Pat

 

[vikingBerserker]

I do it for several reasons, I enjoy the research that goes into building them (its led to my "unhealthy" fascination with the B-10 bomber) and it is cheaper than a real plane. On the bad side which causes me to take breaks from building is I start getting too much into it and its no longer enjoyable but a job.

 

[rochie]

I started building again about 10 years ago as a way of switching off from work on my days off.
I like the research and the history as much as the builds and also the camaraderie on this forum amongst the builders.

Karl

 

[jetcal1]

For me it was simply the pleasure of continually developing better skills and ending up with a representation of an airplane that I liked. And while I like the availability of all these new resin and PE parts, they some how seem to signal an obsessiveness to create a replica rather than an accurate representation. I mean come on on, is a .156 diameter river really going to scale to 1/48th?

 

[pgf_666]

I find I have afew motivations, all selfish.

1: I lokw weird planes (and other things, too). I very much doubt I'll ever get to see an X-29 any time soo, REALLY doubt I'll get to see an He-111 Z....

2: I'm a bit OCD, so have had a couple of collections of each and every varient of an important aircaft--like the full gammut of Spits, from the first version of the prototype to the last Seafang., Mustang,ditto, '109s, most of the 190s.....

3: I can indulge my whimsy--Start with a Monogram 1/72 P-51-B, add razor-saw and Miliput, now you have NAA's answer to the J7W-1; or just print up some Red, White and Black roundels--or, rather, Rott, Weiss, und Swartz--put them on an early mpodel Merlin Mustang, and you have a plane of the frei Deutches Luftwaffe, formed in the west to fight the Nazi loyalists after Rommel (not shot up by a P-38) saves Valkyrie.

4: Fantasy & Science Fiction: I KNOW I'm never foing to see a full sized Star Fleet Enterprise, or that funky ornathopter from that anime.....(;^>

And of course, there were a few times I was paid to make a model when I worked in the toy industry--"Hey, if you really enjoy it, it's not really work." (attributed to Ron Jeremy by a friend)

 

[fubar57]

 

[vikingBerserker]

1/48????? Man, I had bought that and the Me 321 from Testor's but they were only 1/72. 1/48 would have been awesome!

 

[Zippythehog]

1/48????? Man, I had bought that and the Me 321 from Testor's but they were only 1/72. 1/48 would have been awesome!

1/48?!
There have been plans to shrink the size of the plastic blob in the SWP- is this part of ICMs corporate green initiative? A run of the Zwilling in 1/48, using plastic scooped from the blob, could almost eliminate it.

 

[PlasticHero]

As a kid, I got the occasional car, tank or plane kit along with Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs so I had a childhood full of "things to put together". High school was the muscle car era and I had enough disposable income to afford getting a car kit and some spray cans every few months. After college, came my first "real" airbrush, a compressor, and tools. I've done cars, tanks, and ships but planes always held the most interest to me. Here is part of the paper stash.

Also mags

So I've always been interested in how things work and when holding a 3D representation of something, you really get a good idea of how all the parts go together. And the planes and cars are colorful and different. When I was building the cars, some of them got pretty wild paint schemes. It's an indoor hobby that doesn't cost me a lot and I'm not into sports so there is a block of time to be used. There is a lot of satisfaction in creating something that looks fairly complex, but is just a number of "relatively" simple steps.

 

[Zippythehog]

As a kid, I got the occasional car, tank or plane kit along with Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs so I had a childhood full of "things to put together". High school was the muscle car era and I had enough disposable income to afford getting a car kit and some spray cans every few months. After college, came my first "real" airbrush, a compressor, and tools. I've done cars, tanks, and ships but planes always held the most interest to me. Here is part of the paper stash.View attachment 598161
Also mags
View attachment 598162
So I've always been interested in how things work and when holding a 3D representation of something, you really get a good idea of how all the parts go together. And the planes and cars are colorful and different. When I was building the cars, some of them got pretty wild paint schemes. It's an indoor hobby that doesn't cost me a lot and I'm not into sports so there is a block of time to be used. There is a lot of satisfaction in creating something that looks fairly complex, but is just a number of "relatively" simple steps.

Great Bookshelf!

And thanks for the reply. I like the idea of the "3D representation." I appreciate the same element of building.