Is scale modelling still a thing for the younger crowd?

Aurora Comic Book Ad 1969  
The Moonbus has recently
been re-released by Moebius

It's been a while since I last posted anything (years...oh my!). One would think in the quarantine environment of the past year would lend to something more active than hibernating like a cave bear.

Early this year Arisia 2022 was set to happen, and I was going to participate in a panel about projects for younger makers. Alas the relentlessness of this stupid virus (Oh my Crom!) has resulted in the cancellation of this year's con. Oh well. So why not put some of what I hoped to bring to the panel on a blog post...sure why not.

Now, there were several things I wanted to talk about, not just plastic model kits. I figure I'll focus on this item for starters. For an entire generation these were some of the main maker projects for kids. They were for me at least when I finished my first one at 10 (3rd time was the charm).

What about scale modelling?

By definition, it is the recreation of real, or in an SF/F world, speculative objects in normally a reduced sized for display (or increased in the case of very small things). Fundamentally, a model requires that it be built or made - hence the "maker" bent to this topic.

Now, this can be done from scratch, and fairly impressively if you watch Bill Robertson's Ted Talk on miniatures. While the "museum" quality level of workmanship is impressive, for many if not most, this level of expertise will escape you. This is definitely not the level of work we could expect from the average 8 to 12 year old, particularly given short attention spans. 

Meccano Magazine  -  Sept. 1920

 For this purpose model kits were created. Now we sometimes forget that the idea of prepackaging miniatures in easy to assemble form goes back well beyond plastic kits, or even the idea that scale miniatures were purely meant for adults. If anything, much of this was a "kid" thing. Sure you have assembled miniature toys such as boats, trains, dollhouses and airplanes that were meant to be played with, but with the advent of childhood playtime, which wasn't always a thing, the idea of building these things became much more a part of childhood.

Solid Plans from
Air Trails (Feb.1937)

An example are the reproductions afforded by Meccano, one of the earliest construction toys. Still, while perhaps limited in their accuracy, they do represent a whole range of building toys that are meant to go beyond simply building blocks. Lego and Lincoln Logs are just a couple of additional examples. The classic scale model though is meant to represent accurately in miniature a larger subject. 

As mentioned earlier, the creation of kits simplified the creation of static scale models for your average model builder. The popular craft of solid models required using 3 orthogonal views of the object or parts, and then using those patterns for cutting or carving out sections on a block of soft wood. A modeler then had to blend together the shapes into something like the original by turning 2D diagrams into a 3D object. with only with the benefit of the wetware between your ears! Initial wood kits would pre-finish these wood parts to some extent. Needless to say plastic kits did away with that since all the parts for the subject are already molded into their final state, if in piecemeal fashion. Some assembly was always required.

Is kit building then still a "maker" thing, and how is it a young maker thing

There is indeed a sense that assembling plastic model kits is not exactly model making and not exactly a "maker" project (for context within the modeler community see see the professional model maker Dave Merriman's introduction on crafting the "Dove" from Doppelganger over at cultTVman). Kit assembly doesn't carry the notion of being designed and built from scratch as a kind of cradle to done operation which "making" sort of implies. In any case, kit building is not totally divorced from the sense of accomplishment that one gets when something is finished.

Steam boat plans from   
"The Boy's Book of Model Boats"  
R.F. Yates, 1920

Recall that the target audience we are talking about here, namely kids. The "Boy's Book on Model Boats" from 1920 shows the fairly simple solid plans for a steamboat which are quite within reach of young crafter who can cut soft wood. Some of the other projects depicted are very ambitious, even involving miniature steam engines. It is perhaps telling that many of the illustrations feature adults and none really feature children. Simple projects are key for starters. They are more likely to succeed and even if the initial attempts don't work they can point to what is achievable. As I mentioned earlier, my first successful kit was actually my 3rd attempt. It wasn't perfect, paint was sloppy and inaccurate, cement fingerprints happened here and there, but for the most part I was happy with the finished product (Monogram 1/48 P-39)

Modern starter and beginner plastic kits admittedly don't require the kind of skill a generation ago (and much less than the solid models of 2 generations ago). They still require the ability to follow instructions and organize and plan a project. Many modern starter kits are fully painted and snap without glue, so many of the issues parents had with kits before are not as great - namely plastic cement and enamel paints. 

Where should a beginner go?

The first thing to consider is what the child would consider a worthwhile or what they are interested in. The may like cars more than airplanes or vice-versa, or maybe it's dinosaurs, or ships, or sci-fi. There are a fairly wide variety of subjects that can be found. As confirmed in  a recent conversation with a local hobby shop dealer, if the kit is not interesting it is not going anywhere.

The model needs to be simple. Ages ago, at another hobby shop I was in, I overheard a parent trying to return a kit his son had spent his birthday money on. It was a huge and beautiful kit of a Fokker Triplane consisting of its un-skinned appearance, meaning all the internal structure was exposed. Now, this was a serious mistake since one can imagine this greatly exceeded the skill level of the boy to build (which the Dad argued with the dealer). 

A starter set should have a low number of parts. Features such as snap assembly and pre-painted parts should be considered a plus. Given that not all starter kits are created equal, it is nice that the internet and YouTube in particular can provide a wide variety of reviews of candidate kits. 

Bandai is perhaps the best model kit provider for snap together, pre-painted kits. Much of their experience may come from the precisely engineered mecha kits that are popular in Japan. These are often highly detailed and fully articulated. Since they acquired the license for Star Wars kits they have produced a long series of highly detailed snap and pre-painted kits. While fairly pricey at times for the finished size, these kits are still much sought after by adults due to the craftsmanship of the kits and the ease with which you can build them. Outside of the Star Wars line, they also produce a quite affordable and easy starter series of Pokemon figures. Again the design of the models is impressive and often contain working parts to say wiggle ears or tails for instance.

    

Bandai snap kits - Pikachu on the left, Death Star II on the right. Neither needs paints or glue and assemble to about 3 inches (without stand)

Other companies do make "snap" kits of genre subjects, namely Star Wars. Currently the other main license holder is Revell and they do also have a line of "easy snap" kits for the beginner. The detail on these can be somewhat lax, but they definitely fit the "look like what it's suppose to be" bill and often feature fancy details like sound effects. Otherwise, snap together (or even screw together) kits are available from various manufacturers, principally cars and airplanes.

Airfix from England markets a Lego-like Quickbuild series. It is akin to a blend of Lego with scale modeling. The parts are specialized to yield a close to scale finish, including paint schemes, while at the same time combining the ease the assembly methods of a Lego kit build. Quickbuild kits actually look much easier than some of the bigger Lego kits or advanced Lego Technic builds, some of which are now issued with an age recommendation of 18+. 

Airfix P-51 QuickBuild set 

Beyond Snap Kits (and dealing with implements of destruction)

Snap together kits are really only a starting point. If the bug for building scale model bites, one will want to move to non-snap kits that will require painting and gluing. Even some snap kits can benefit from a judicious use of plastic cement and paint washes. There's just a limit to the variety of subjects available as pre-painted snap kits. The phrase "implements of destruction" refers to the fact that some tools are not totally innocuous; cements give off fumes, the permanence of paints, and the sharpness of X-acto knives can give a parent pause.

First, I'll talk about non-snap kits. A good starter for that phase are some of the Airfix Starter sets that already come with glue and paints. These have already been selected or engineered to use fewer parts. Some older kits, those designed in the 60s and 70s may also fit the bill since they date from a time when model kit builders were less demanding, pretty much as 12 year olds may be. Many companies list skill level ratings on the boxes, and that's a useful indicator of how hard it might be. 

The nostalgia market currently has resulted in many of the older kits being re-issued. Airfix releases them with the actual title of Vintage Classics. Round 2, which has acquired many older molds sells them under various brands: Round 2, Polar Lights, Lindbergh, Hawk, and AMT. Atlantis and Moebius have picked up many of the molds of the old Aurora company, noted for its SF/F genre kits. These have been re-released by them under their brand. Moebius has also released many new SF kits, some of which (but not all) would fit the easy build category. Note, old kits are often poorly reviewed by modern builders as being woefully out of date and inaccurate, and indeed many old molds have not aged well (warps and other defects). One of the problems with the hobby right now for kids, however, is that much of it is directed to ambitious adults who demand a much higher level of detail, accuracy, and thus skill. As a result, many new tool kits (meaning a new mold was created) are made for that market specifically and are not for beginners. 

Overall, this is not a terribly expensive hobby. Some kits are indeed pricey, going above $40, $50, or even $100+. Generally though, the easier starter kits have a much lower price. Indeed, very large and expensive kits tend to also be the more complicated ones. They may be tempting, but getting in over one's head can indeed be discouraging.

Implements of Construction (and Destruction)

Beyond the painted snap kits, one is going to need some basic supplies, even if using starter kits that come with some supplies. Paints and brushes for starters. Brushes are fine for beginners. Actually brushes are fine in general. There's a lot of modeling videos that make extensive use and recommendation of airbrushes, but you can get a pretty good finish with a good clean brush. 

Even in the case of starter sets that come with paints, sometimes they are dry and often lack little detail colors like regular basics such red, yellow, or blue. For instance flesh tones are rarely included and it is best not to have green people in general (Orians excepted). Acrylics paints are nice in that they clean up with water if dealt with quickly, so cleaning brushes and the odd stain can be easily dealt with. Dedicated model acrylics are best, but some crafting acrylics may do, particularly if thinned with isopropyl alcohol.

Of course, if you are not working with snap kits you will need plastic cement. Pretty much all plastic cements use mineral solvents and chemicals that are hazardous. For certain things, such as gluing clear parts, using a clear acrylic craft glue can work quite well. In fact for clear parts it prevents frosting which can mar a clear part. On the other hand, these are not particularly strong and can be a bit rubbery and hard to paint. Testors markets non-toxic plastic cements. These may do the job, but they are never quite as good as standard cements. Generally, make sure that plastic cements are used in well ventilated areas, and you never need as much as you think. Keep cements capped when not in use and this helps keep fumes at bay (as well as limit spillage that can result in glue spots on furniture and clothing).

Tree snips are very safe tools for removing parts from the plastic "trees" they are attached to.  Hobby knives and X-acto blades are indeed very sharp and dangerous.  They are probably best avoided by the youngest modelers. They are useful when snips can't quite do the job, but can be left for when the modeler is more practiced and old enough to respect the tool. You also need a safe place to cut, i.e. some kind of surface that can be cut into (wood or plastic cutting block or self-healing board). Always leave sharp tools in a stable place where one will not accidentally drop it or have it roll away. I found a  block of Styrofoam is useful to bury the blade in place keep it from rolling away. Some hobby and craft blades are also retractable that adds a layer of safety. I'll be honest, my fingers carry quite a few scars from model building over the years.

Hobby sanding paper (very fine grit) and/or fine sanding sticks, like the kind for doing nails and polishing. When used in combination with tree snips it can preclude some of the sharp hobby knife usage. Tweezers and masking tape can also help. The former to hold small parts, and the latter to keep small parts from flying off when getting snipped or cut (the trick is to place the tape under the connection you are cutting in so that the tape will hold the part even when the cut is done). Masking tape can also control which areas get painted and which don't.

And finally it's handy to provide some specific space that won't be disturbed by others. Even a bridge table than can be left up for a while will do. Many projects at the beginning may take a day or two, others may take a week. It is important that the maker will feel that the project is safe while it is unattended. A project box, such as a shoe box or printer paper boxes can help (making one out of two paper box lids is pretty good).

Wrapping this post up

Hopefully this long account covers the plastic kit part of what I would have talked about. There is also my interest in discussing paper  modeling and origami (sure why not...it's making with square paper!). For getting more ideas about this I suggest checking out some of the YouTube reviews of Bandai kits and Airfix starter and vintage classics. You can also review my earlier post on SF scale modeling. James May's Toy Stories series is very close to the theme of maker projects for young people in episodes dealing with Meccano, Lego, and Airfix. This last one of course is also enlightening with respect to the appeal of scale modeling and I recommend it if you have access to a streaming service that carries it. 

The tips provided are certainly not all the possible tips. There are plenty of blogs and videos that can give advice on many basic and more advanced techniques for scale model building. I haven't even touched the art of scratch building or of particular interest in SF modeling - kitbashing. Given this was mainly directed to the Arisia crowd you should check some kit bashing projects out or even some "junk" bashing, where the component parts come from dollar stores or recycle bins such as the stuff from Studson Studio. (NOTE: kitbashing is a fairly advanced skill)

Also check out some of the previous paper model projects done for Arisia. While different from plastic kits, these are also meant to be easy builds and can expose you to the paper scale modeling world.