Model Building - Original Creations and Kits

Childhood memories amazingly inspire our favorite pastimes to become our future hobbies or interests. These memories give us pleasure or reward us with relaxation, therapy, or an income.

Examples:

We played cards with neighboring friends as children. As adults we join bridge card playing clubs or card playing at gambling establishments. This hobby rewards us with relaxation or fun income.

We watched a neighbor’s child build a stock car and participated in a racing event. As an adult we can build and restore cars of our choosing and enter them for show or racing. This hobby can satisfy our need for relaxation, therapy, and an income.

A person can specialize in building one item or multiple items which support their specialty. An example of this would be making accessories and landscaping items for a model train platform.

Some of these hobbies or interests can be expensive or for whatever reason will not fit into our current lifestyle. If we are not able to pursue some of these expensive hobbies then an excellent outlet would be model building. We may not be able to own a ship, but we can build a scaled model of a ship and admire our achievement when it is showcased on a shelf.

What is model building? I would define model building as constructing a replica of a real object but in a smaller form. Some of these models can be built with original materials and others may be purchased as kits.

Assembling model cars and balsa wood airplanes were two very popular pastimes with the boys during my childhood. Another popular form of model building was the Erector set. The girls enjoyed working with modeling clay and paper mache.

Model building may be done with wood, plastics, metal, clay, cardboard, paper mache, foam and other articles which can become a part of or support your project.

You may do original work or purchase kits. Many of us do purchase kits because materials for the main structure are included. Original work is done for specialty or realistic items.

I would compare a model kit to purchasing a ready-made puzzle. All of the parts are included except assembly.

Read the instructions on the kits as some tools or additional materials will be required. Glue, paints, screws, small nails, wiring, miniature tools, and batteries are not included. If you are new to using these kits follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and suggestions carefully.

The outside of the box usually indicates the difficulty of the assembly or the age group. This is very helpful. Do not feel embarrassed if you have to start with an easier kit. As the kits become more advanced details or scale precision will tax your attention to detail, following directions exactly will be required, and time and patience will be necessary.

People who have an interest in building models are are both artists and craftsmen with creative and imaginative abilities. They also possess various trade skills with excellent eye and hand coordination, and finger dexterity. They have the ability to observe a realistic object and reduce it to a miniature replica.

Qualities for success:

1. Knowledge
2. Creativity and Imagination
3. Patience
4. Time
5. Detail oriented
6. Photos and drawings of projects
7. Working with an assortment of tools

The media which is being used will determine the order of construction, materials, and tools. These three-dimensional buildings, characters, or animals all require starting with their foundation and proceeding with the accessories, and finalizing the details.

Essential Skills:

1. Familiarity with project
2. Planning and designing, supported with drawings and photography
3. Construction techniques for making the replica
4. Engineering abilities
5. Knowing how to work required tools
6. Finishing applications

Building a model of an object takes the same reality steps as though building the original, but it is a miniature. For instance, if you are building a replica of your home you would need to do all that is required to build a house (with a few exceptions), but on a much smaller scale.

It is a fun and enjoyable replicating the process and a feeling of pride and accomplishment when completed.

There are many different types of models which may be created and assembled. This is a small category list to help you get started.

1. Animals
2. Accessories which support the main project
3. Commercial Buildings and Industrial Buildings
4. Communities – residential and business
5. Entertainment characters from books, movies, and television
6. Flora and landscaping
7. Houses
8. Machinery
9. Natural wonders – volcanoes, mountains, canyons
10. People
11. Robots and other mechanical devices
12. Vehicles – cars, trucks, boats, ships, rockets, space ships, military vehicles