The Hobby of Model-Making: More Than Just a Pastime

Scale modeling existed as early as the time when people had first started building structures and machines. It has served both the purposes of leisure and utility. Model-making is the replication of an object at a scale or size that’s either bigger or smaller than the original.

Model-making as a form of leisure

One could argue that scale modeling in terms of leisure is as simple as a child arranging rocks or sand in a way that looks like a castle. However, because rocks and sand are difficult to shape into more intricate shapes, scale models were typically made of wood.

Today, scale modelers enjoy the convenience of assembling a variety of objects, from ships, planes, and trains to cars. This is accomplished using injection-molded plastic, which perfectly captures all of the authentic details.

Not only does the activity offer much-needed leisure time, which helps to lessen anxiety and depression. But you can also learn about the background of your model and feel proud of yourself once you’ve finished one.

The importance of detail

There was a time when these details could mean the difference between saving a life and removing a threat. Thousands of scale models were produced during WWII to train military personnel. These models helped recognize whether a plane or a tank was friendly or hostile. Being able to identify if a specific plane belonged to the enemy allows the spotter to react faster. This gives them a definitive edge in a dogfight.

In contrast to drawings, models have a physical presence and function differently, according to Gordan Murray’s article on the subject. “It reveals things in new ways, genuinely slowing the process down so you can consider various aspects in more detail, especially if you’re making a façade model, for example, you would consider the way the light passes across it or how light and shade play across an elevation.”

But is there something that the average person can benefit from making models?

When one buys a model, what they usually see is a box with artwork displaying what it looks like. What the box doesn’t depict is the perseverance required to construct the model, and the dexterity needed to join tiny pieces and accurately paint the lines. The concentration required to avoid mistakes that could endanger the model entirely.

With the time and effort, you put into it, you can improve your artistic skills while also destressing and allowing your mind and body to work on their own rhythm. This could be a hobby you can share with someone you care about or a stranger from the internet who admired your work. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a collection of your own masterpieces?

Scale Model collection

These are some of the scale models that my boyfriend has made and collected. He is my personal walking encyclopedia and the reason I’m knowledgeable about the background of each model he has made. This article was inspired by him, and he also helped me write it by sharing his own experiences, history, and thoughts on what lies beyond model-making as a hobby.

I admire him, I really do, and I’d like to pass along the insightful observations that he shared with me regarding his model-making experience.

“Model-making may not seem like much fun in the age of cellphones and internet, but as with some things in life, I believe there’s a certain warmth that can be felt having something you created with your own hands that can’t be replicated in cyberspace. Remember, our hands are our best crafting tools, and with them, we can make wonders.”