The similarity is simply this: both present the ideal. Fashion magazines present the perfect woman (or at least, what we are to take as such) as opposed to something less. Hobby modelling magazines (such as Finescale Modeler or Military Modeller) present the reader with pictures and articles of kits built by people who are very good at what they do.But where are the ordinary Joes and Janes? (and it's almost entirely Joes, by the way). These are the people who build to a much inferior level, like the not quite completed Soviet BA-3 armoured car above built by yours truly. Granted, I don't see why anyone would regularly want to see large numbers of pictures of or articles on such pedestrian accomplishments in their monthly model magazine. But here's my point: one gets the strong impression that the only people who build like I do are children. Is this really so? Are all the adults out there building musuem quality planes, ships and tanks? Somehow I doubt it.
If I had the time and the desire to build to the level displayed in your typical modelling magazine, perhaps I could do so. But to me, that means less fun and more work.
Am I the only one in the hobby who thinks this way? Something for the modelling magazines to consider: maybe if you had a monthly column (say, one page long) devoted to the thoughts of less accomplished builders you could actually make your magazines more interesting.
No comments:
Post a Comment