Is modeling not as popular as it use to be?

[Superjew]

Hey I was thinking, with all the video games, cable tv, computers, the internet and whatnot, is modeling on the downslope from its hey day. I was just thinking that even despite internet forums making it much easier to get the information you need for a newbie like myself to put out a great looking model, there is less modelers since there are so much other time consuming activities that do not take artwork or craftsmanship to get good at.

For example, I took about a 3 month break from modeling, in part because I was discouraged at the idea of spending hours on interior detail work on the B17 only to close it up and never see the light of day, and Id reached a brickwall in that I didnt have the tools or skillset for masking off the damn ball turret, that I spent time playing Counter Strike Source and Company of Heroes than working on my model.

Then I come to think, that maybe there are those people who will never get into modeling at all because thats all they do, everyday.

I like to think that I am atleast being productive when I model, but are the days when modeling was a popular hobby, are they long gone or is it starting to pick up again thanks to forums like this one that help newbies with their interest?

Edited April 4, 2010 by Superjew

[GreyGhost]

I believe the Hobby is fairly strong these days but the scary thing is the ever higher prices of a lot of kits these days, those may scare off a lot of potential new and returning participants ...

Gregg

[HOLMES]

some people will never get into modeling becasue they were probably never shown it, and their toys were unlike yours and mine....

I grew with brothers who made models and Father who bought them for us so WE got into it..I suppose it is sometimes passed on from

family member to another and also you learn from friends who do the same things as you..

......BUT if you never have seen it ,known it, smelled it, touched it, then there will be fewer younger modelers taking part in this soothing {sometimes ....

!}hobby of OURS....

But I see here that most parents have heir sons/daughters/nephews etc taking on the hobby...

MY thoughts ...

HOLMES

[Superjew]

I believe the Hobby is fairly strong these days but the scary thing is the ever higher prices of a lot of kits these days, those may scare off a lot of potential new and returning participants ...

Gregg

Heh, you know what got me into modeling at the age of 24, compared to my DWI or trying to build a loud obnoxious 330whp MR2 Turbo, modeling is CHEAP. I spent $2500 on D Dub, probably under $250 for all the tools and paints and everything, putting together my first model, and about 25k building 2 crappy MR2's for drag racing.

Thats what got me into modeling was I lost my license for 3 months and was basically a prisoner in my own home so I had nothing better to do, and it was cheap for how much my legal fees were. I think even prisons use modeling as a positive creative outlet for prisoners with lots of time on their hands.

You can tell Im an alcoholic if you look close as to whats in the background of the pic of my P38 LOL.

Edited April 4, 2010 by Superjew

[Fishwelding]

Probably depends on country. In the United States, the failure of domestic plastic model kit manufacturing, their large-scale abandonment by retailers, and anecdotal comments made by folks in the business makes me believe the population of plastic modelers has dropped by several orders of magnitude. Essentially, the hobby grew up with several generations of 1950s-1980s youth, stayed with them, and has attracted a very small following since. Other than a few remaining older manufacturers in the USA, survivors of the purge, most plastic model manufacturers or distributors in the United States seem to have abandoned the youth market and make or sell more precise, detailed, intricate, and expensive kits aimed at adults. Efforts to try and recapture the youth market would probably involve more money than anyone in the United States is willing to spend, and in (just) my opinion, a retooling of the hobby's image, including but not limited to: make it kitsch-kool, get some high-profile entertainment industry types to back it, offer a wider variety of subjects than primarily military and automotive kits, and seriously construct a female half of the consumer base.

Here, the biggest target for modelers' ire over the above situation is usually directed at video games. The majority of video gamers in this country are now above the age of 15, as a generation of kids grew up playing them. But the entry for smaller kids, carefully cultivated by the game enterprises and the mainstreaming of games as popular behavior ensures future growth. There are those who argue that video games have succeeded because cultural changes in this country wherein most Americans have a depreciated work-ethic, patience, or some other moral failing. But this seem spurious to me, suspiciously uninformed, andfrom a particular point of view, not some objective assessment. I have some experience playing games, too, and know that there high-profile big-budget, big-sales games that are very intricate, involve complex-problem solving, have increasingly well-written story lines that offer players moral quandaries with consequences. Games are only very indirect competition with plastic models, although I suspect, for the teenager, better value on several counts: more entertainment-time for dollar, and often in a social setting with friends of both sexes.

In countries with growing economies but as-yet less consumer options and personal or household buying power, I suspect emerging middle classes are taking to plastic modeling as well as other hobbies. It would not surprise me to learn if that's who's buying the most Hasagawa or Trumpeter kits.

[David Hingtgen]

I would argue that at least a part of it is the ever-growing selection/quality/availability of pre-painted diecast. Why spend $50+ on a kit, when you can spend less and get one already built and painted better than you yourself can do? And the appeal of tampo-printed markings over decals is obvious.

For someone with little painting skill/experience, the factory-finished models are very tempting.

[Aaronw]

I wonder with diecast is it really competition or gateway drug.

Clearly diecast is a bigger industry than plastic models but do the model companies actually lose more modelers to the ease of diecast collecting than they gain from diecast collectors who want to add something a little more personal to their collection.

As far as the comment about the media in the US I agree it would be nice to see many quiet thoughtful hobbies in a better light, plastic models, comic books, role playing games, wargaming etc tend to be invisible or shown as the realm of dorks / serial killers or other socially challenged individuals, yet the majority of people I've met into one or more of these hobbies tend to be successful members of society (although frequently terrified someone may discover their hobby).

Would it really kill Hollywood to add a 30 second scene of Vin Diesel building a model of his car in The Fast and the Furious Part XXVII. Maybe the bad guys could bust through the door while he was modeling and he could take them out with a zippo and a can of Tamiya Incendiary Red.

Edited April 4, 2010 by Aaronw

[madmanrick]

Along with the high costs of new kits, I think the unavailability of kits in general is hindering the attraction of new modelers into the hobby. When I was a youngster, kits were available everywhere including the local Dime store, drug stores and discount stores such as KMart, Meijer, Korvettes and many others. Today, model kits are basically unavailable outside of the shrinking LHS circuit and internet. Even many LHS have trimmed down the number of kits they carry, in order to focus on RC or other higher margin hobby items. I can distinctly remember as a kid taking the money I earned on my paper route, snow shoveling or lawn mowing and going to buy a cool kit at a Dime store a block from my house. I can also remember riding my bike 1/4 of a mile to the local Arbor Drug store and buying kits such as the Monogram armor kits or aircraft kits (such as the 1 72 Albatross). Try to do that today, you'll either have to drive a long distance or spend a few days waiting for said kit to arrive from BFE. There is no instant gratification anymore, not to mention the loss of the ability to just go to the toy dept of my local Meijer and just drool over the cool pics on the boxes. Sure many kids were brought into the hobby by an older sibling or adult, but many more of us got "sucked in" by the cool pics on the boxes, especially those old Revell/Monogram boxes (before they went with the photos on models against a white background). Like these:

And these aren't even the best or most classic of the artwork that was used on some of these kits!

Edited April 4, 2010 by madmanrick

[ChernayaAkula]

<...>

Here, the biggest target for modelers' ire over the above situation is usually directed at video games. The majority of video gamers in this country are now above the age of 15, as a generation of kids grew up playing them. But the entry for smaller kids, carefully cultivated by the game enterprises and the mainstreaming of games as popular behavior ensures future growth. There are those who argue that video games have succeeded because cultural changes in this country wherein most Americans have a depreciated work-ethic, patience, or some other moral failing. But this seem spurious to me, suspiciously uninformed, andfrom a particular point of view, not some objective assessment. I have some experience playing games, too, and know that there high-profile big-budget, big-sales games that are very intricate, involve complex-problem solving, have increasingly well-written story lines that offer players moral quandaries with consequences. Games are only very indirect competition with plastic models, although I suspect, for the teenager, better value on several counts: more entertainment-time for dollar, and often in a social setting with friends of both sexes. <...>

Highlighting by me.

Excellent post, Fish!

[Jennings]

I think another big factor in the US is our utter neglect of teaching history to youngsters. We're so dedicated to teaching kids to pass the government mandated tests (All Kids Left Behind Act) that kids aren't taught what they need to learn. Several of the young ladies in my nursing school class had no clue what "D-Day" was, and only the vaguest notion of anything having to do with the war in Vietnam. If you aren't at least a passing fan of history, most of plastic modelling will be of absolutely no interest to you.

I'd wager that in the UK, you couldn't find one kid out of a hundred who doesn't know what a Spitfire or a Vulcan are. I bet in the US you couldn't find one kid in a hundred who has a clue what a P-51 or a B-52 are.

J

Edited April 4, 2010 by Jennings

[Old Blind Dog]

When I was growing up in small-town Iowa back in the late 60s/early 70s, you could walk into any ma and pa grocery store or corner pharmacy and find kits from Monogram, MPC, Airfix, Lindberg, Aurora, Pyro, AMT, JoHan etc etc. In one way, the hobby has kind of followed a generational curve; the industry is gearing its products more to us aging boomers and our (supposed surplus of) disposable income. The hobby is still fairly healthy, but it's less of a kid's hobby now, and a bit more "specialized" (especially since Wal Mart stopped selling kits and supplies).

cheers

Old Blind Dog

[frankv74]

I have come to see that mostly Students in their late teen years are the one's getting into model building

Frank

[GreyGhost]

When I was growing up, Kmart, Zody's and The Treasury all had great Model Aisles in their Toy Departments, now, as pointed out, Walmart doesn't even stock kits anymore ... It was at a Ralph's Supermarket that I bought my first Dukes of Hazzard General Lee Charger kit from ...

Gregg

[madmike]

Our club has 20+ junior members now with more joining all the time. Kids do want to build models, proved they have encouragement, access to cheaper kits and model supplies and above anything, support from senior modellers. Our club believes that juniors are the future and one of the reasons we now have a clubhouse of our own is that the local council supports us in this aim.

Edited April 5, 2010 by madmike

[Unit19]

Double post

Edited April 5, 2010 by Unit19

[PNW_Modeler]

I haven't checked my calendar....is it time for this conversation already?

[Unit19]

My wife. daughter and I were "discussing" my "plans" for my closet full of models and I told them that I was collecting them for my yet-to-be-born grandson. Hopefully, when faced with my library of books and a closet full of old models he will figure out what to do if I'm not around when he's old enough to take an interest.

I think my interest in miniatures was sparked in elementary school when I picked up a book about the Civil war. Inside was some beautiful battlefield illustrations. They were birds-eye sweeping views of huge battles and the artist had created whole battalions of tiny figures, cannons, tents, etc. That got me hooked on military history and model building soon followed. There was a drug store next to the school which I passed everyday when WALKING to school and it stocked models. In fact, there were at least 6 stores within WALKING distance (3-4 miles and uphill both ways), and I frequented all of them to check for new model deliveries. Not many kids today have that opportunity, much less kids that are even allowed to walk more than a block or two from home.

[Mackie]

Blame it on MTv. It ruined everything!

[madmanrick]

Well, while I doubt that MTV had anything with the model kit industry and any supposed lack of interest in said hobby. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, that MTV had more than a helping hand in the demise of the music industry. Particularly, in regards to the focus on style over substance and with the rise of talentless hacks like Lady Gaga, NSync, NKOTB, Backstreet Boys, Jessica Simpson et al.

[Fishwelding]

Well, while I doubt that MTV had anything with the model kit industry and any supposed lack of interest in said hobby. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, that MTV had more than a helping hand in the demise of the music industry. Particularly, in regards to the focus on style over substance and with the rise of talentless hacks like Lady Gaga, NSync, NKOTB, Backstreet Boys, Jessica Simpson et al.

To the extent that this is true, I'd speculate and say that in MTV's absence, it would have happened anyway. The recording industry, like many businesses, eagerly sought to regularize, rationalize, and mass produce its record sales, instead of relying on the precariousness of talent scouting and happenstance. It might still be that true discovery of genuine talent lead to profits temporarily, or even slightly in the long run, exceeding the mass produced pop icons, but when you have investors to answer to, you want the bulk of your new stuff to be measured development, not bold innovation that upsets existing substantial investments. Many, many businesses have and will trade daring for security.

But I digress....

[Phantom ordie]

I believe it is more popular than ever. As evidenced by by the number of kits and aftermarket parts. Many a kid has picked up a model kit or been given one but only a few have stuck with modeling. The same holds true today there will be only some who will take it up as a hobby. But I believe there are more who will stick with it today then ever before. I believe IPMS is doing a good thing by inviteing non members to thier forums.

Edited April 6, 2010 by Phantom ordie

[The Rat]

I believe the Hobby is fairly strong these days but the scary thing is the ever higher prices of a lot of kits these days, those may scare off a lot of potential new and returning participants ...

Gregg

Agreed, which is why I think these are a great idea. I would love to see some in every corner store.

[CorsairMan]

Isn't there a 'Death of the hobby' thread about 3-4 times per year?

[madmike]

Isn't there a 'Death of the hobby' thread about 3-4 times per year?

Yes indeed and going back 40 years as well.

I have old Airfix magazines from around 1970 with editorials and letters to editor discussing the same issue(s).

[trojansamurai]

As a kid growing up in the late '60s/early '70's this was the state of modeling:

• models weren't as detailed or as accurate as they are now, but they had neat features (motorization, folding wings, retractable gear, etc.)
  
• modelers weren't so picky about detail, accuracy, fit, raised panel lines (and markings!), quality of decals, etc.; resin and photoetch weren't even terms you'd find in the modeling industry
  
• kids were the primary target and the kits were more kid-friendly (Weirdos, Deal's Wheels, etc.)
  
• kits were available at drug stores, 5 and dimes, even grocery stores
  
• kits were more affordable -- empty your piggy bank or do some yard work for mom and that was more than enough to buy a kit or two
  
• there were t-shirts, lunch boxes and other kids' goods that showed hot rods and sports cars that got you interested in model cars
  
• there were more war-related TV shows (Hogan's Heroes, McHale's Navy, MASH, Black Sheep) and movies (Green Berets, Tora Tora Tora, etc.) that got you interested in military subjects
  
• model makers actively marketed to kids by offering membership to model builder clubs
  • competition to models were playing outside, playing board games and playing with Hot Wheels, slot cars, Tinker toys and Erector Sets; video games and radio-controlled cars weren't invented yet
    

  Fast forward to today and almost none of the above is true any more. And those kids described above are the ones who are in their 40s to 60s today and are the mainstay of the hobby. They are also the ones who hem and haw about a kit not having recessed panel lines, misplaced hatches, a nose that's a little too blunt, a spine that's a little too flat, wingspan that's a little too short, or landing gear that's a little too long.

  The standards have been raised considerably and today's kits are better than ever, but the hobby appeals to an extremely narrow, shrinking group. At least in Japan, models based on anime have been providing the foundation for kids to enter the hobby through the likes of Gundam and Macross kits. If kids get hooked, they might try out cars, planes, tanks, etc. and may continue to stay in the hobby into adulthood. But in markets where anime is less popular or the corresponding kits aren't readily available, you've shut off the potential pilot light for newcomers.

  Tooling costs used to be amortized over production runs in the tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands. Now, a kit that sells 5000 worldwide is deemed a success. This is clearly not a sign that the hobby is more popular today, than in the past.

  I've seen many disparaging remarks about Hasegawa releasing some of their newer kits with anime themes. But we should be glad they're doing this, as this may be a move of desperation to try to attract younger modelers while still trying to appease our older, more sophisticated demands for accuracy and detail. If this strategy doesn't pan out for Hasegawa, we can expect fewer and fewer new kits in the future.

Edited April 6, 2010 by trojansamurai