In our hobby there is ongoing discussion of the future of the hobby and how we can expand it. Trevor Marshall who has written many articles for various magazines and writes a blog worthy of following on a regular basis. His most resent post (8/8/14) on expanding the hobby is worthy of time for some reflection. He points out issues with explaining all the Model Railroad sub groups to those outside our hobby, the size of the plastic modeling world, and to that I could add the R/C plane folks and the various role playing games players. We need to recruit not only among the parents with kids, but among those who already model but not just our way.
Trevor does not mention one way that we can pull the plastic folks into our fold and that is by talking to them and examining techniques and methods the various military and plastic modelers use for making their models. Most modelers are willing to share and maybe as we apply their methods and materials to our own models. Perhaps they will then become interested in our models. Let us reach out of our comfort zone and bring in some new friends and Model Railroaders.
Philip,I have attended an IPMS clinic on figures in Richmond and given a couple to the IPMS guys here in Lyncburg. We also can learn from "other" scales that we don't particularly model in. If you have some info/knowledge, share it.
ReplyDeleteChuck Hladik
I must be part of the problem as I have no idea what point Trevor Marshall is trying to make. Chuck is spot on with regard to learning from other scales and other modeling focus groups like armor and so forth.
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, model railroad operation is growing by leaps and bounds and growing the hobby for those so interested. Prototype modeling is another growth area of the hobby, but is probably going the way of the scratch builders of years ago in the long run.
Whatever is left, and there is a lot, I really wonder where that will be in the future. Probably more collectors in all scales rather than the brass and large scale guys of the past.
Random thoughts, Mike Garber