I was talking to the owner of the LHS...

professordeath

A neat little one page flyer with a list or essential tools and supplies...

...that could be included in a popular modeling magazine for people to hand out to a deserving newbie.

Thanks for the input, Gaston.  I planned on this being something that would help a new builder with their first few kits, and since I don't see many of them investing in or trying to use an airbrush right off the bat, so I'd leave some of those advanced subjects for them to look up in books, FSM, and sites like this one.

Looking back on my early kitbuilding experiences, I figured that I'd be limiting it mostly to basics to help minimize the frustration of finding out the hard way that Elmer's glue or Krazy Glue isn't the same as model cement, that liquid cement dries faster than the gel for those who are impatient about drying times, or what these weird "FS" numbers are in the paint instructions so that their Viggen in splinter camo or F-16 in Israeli colors looks more like the pictures or box art than something where Turner overdid colorizing.  I don't think that people have the patience any more to keep trying after paying to make the same kinds of mistakes I did back then ( and, yes, all of the above examples are real ones I had over 30 years ago ), so I'm hoping that helping them skip the worst of them while building skills will boost interest a little bit.

 I've found generally that experienced modeller's advice is the worst thing imaginable for beginners. Experienced modellers have their own hard-won tricks and specific brands, and often don't realize how utterly non-transferable their knowledge is to other brands or other circumstances...

 Most of the advice I've gotten over the years takes absolutely no account whatsoever of the equipment/skills limitations of the beginner it is directed to:

 -For instance, no mention is ever made that airbrushes are totally useless without a compressor or at least a big air tank filled at the local garage (the cold-air Co2 cannisters are useless for this use, especially with acrylic paints), and no heed is taken that compressors or big tanks are not practical for the available space/noise/transportation limitations of some beginners... How do you carry that stupid big tank from the garage on a bike? How do you use a compressor without a specific modelling area? Most experienced modellers haven't riden bikes in decades by the looks of it, and that just give you a clue at the gulf between them and the beginners they assume they can help...

 -No advice is ever given on how to best use simpler items like spraycans and easier-to-unclog spray guns with Co2 cannisters, and  not much advice concerning the apparently unthinkable use of paintbrushes for the main base finish: I've never been given the advice that most paints brushed-on should be slightly thinned just like airbrush paint for best results... Neither have I heard that shaking the bottle is a long, long way from being as good as stirring it to suspend the pigments for an even matte finish...

 One modeller did give me the advice to twist frozen caps by just barely grabbing the cap top in pliers: A huge help...

 -The advice to use masking for two-colour upper-surface hard edge paint schemes is only good if you have a delicately blowing airbrush, which ALL modellers naturally assume you have: For all the other spraying methods, the results of masking is sharp lifted edges that look horrible: If only the advice to use a paintbrush for the second colour had been given to me, it would have saved me a lot of work and disapointments...

  -For cleaner more dust-free finishes, when you don't have the expert's high tech basement spraybooth, I have yet to hear the advice that night-time or a rainy and cloudy day keep the sun's ray away from raising dust particles off every surface they touch and then heat up... A huge difference in ambient dust levels which even the "pros" don't seem to have a clue about (You can tell sometimes the parts of their models sprayed by day from those colours sprayed by night...)

  -Finally, when there's putty on a model and you want a good metal finish over that porous surface, I have yet to hear anyone sing the praise of a clear gloss coat as a superior primer (except for a print magazine modeller known as "Dr Asher") where even lacquer-based spray cans like Tamiya's gloss will not craze the naked plastic (it will craze clear plastic occasionally)...

 Most of the advice consist of assuming a beginner will want to equip himself just like the old hand, which is a very effective way of keeping youngsters away from what is after all an unambitious-looking hobby...

  I think there is no way a beginner's modelling should be done with the same tools and tricks of an experienced modeller, but that is where the entry level is assumed to be these days... Most experienced modellers probably don't even remember what being a beginner is like, and that actually makes them ill-suited to give them advice...

   Gaston

There is a huge Hobby Town in Kennesaw, GA near where I used to live.  They have a lot of large display cases with models completed by customers, and they rotate them on a regular basis.  These are really good ones, and it always inspired me to see how I might improve my work.  Nothing in the way of "how to" info, but it wouldn't have helped because these were really advanced models.

I agree with Don- the best thing to do is display info on how to join the local IPMS chapter, subscribe to FSM, etc.

Tojo72

Sounds like a good idea,but there are already a myriad of books out here on the subject including the ones published by kalambach.I point to "Painting and Finishing Scale Models"by Paul Boyer which helped get me started.Its not like there's nothing out there.A good LHS has to stock some these on his own to stimulate interest in his product.He should contact Kalambach and stock some of their publications like "Essential Tecniques"and the like.

I had thought of that, and I planned to include references to books like that for the more detailed info and pics.  I figured I'd cover simple descriptions of some basics including what's available at this particular store in the way of supplies, but leave illustrated step-by-step info for the books so as not to negatively impact actual publishers.  If anything, I'd think that getting someone started who would otherwise have not bothered trying would boost sales at least a little for those existing books, as well as referring people to this site.

I figured on taking a balanced approach: offer enough info to eliminate some of the frustration of starting  in the hobby that can kill interest quickly, but not so much that they won't also look elsewhere later in a way that helps the businesses involved.  Help someone get confident enough to pay a bit to start off, and at least some of them should like the results enough to pay more later to add more references, tools, and materials later to build up their skills, especially nowadays when so many people aren't as likely to pay $15 or so for a how-to with the first kit and supplies.  They come back to the store and order the books you mentioned or that they see advertised here along with the putty that they weren't up to trying for their first experimental kits.

That's the idea, anyway.

As far as the clubs and groups like the scouts, I haven't heard about any clubs in the area to start with ( if there aren't any, I had considered the possibility that this might help get something started based around the LHS since they already have gaming groups ) and the impression I got from the scouts is that they aren't interested in committing to something involving building stuff with the kids beyond the annual pinewood car event.

A one page flyer with basic info about where to go to learn the basics might be all that's necessary - internet names and addresses, like FSM Forum, and so on.  Add youtube to the list - that's where I got my restart into the hobby  Lot's of beginner type videos there.

I wonder if you could get your LHS to do a make-n-take day with the local scouting groups...

I think it wil make you feel good but in reality will be a waste of time...You can't drag people kicking and screaming into this hobby...

EXCELLENT idea!!! If you're a beginner in a hobby shop, you have 1,000's of questions. A little flyer with how to start, where to look on line, some simple tips onkits/tools is a wealth of help.

Being a car modeler from the Scale Auto side, I would suggest a snap kit or 2 to start. Spray paint if he feels "froggy". Ease into airbrush's,compressors,special tools etc.

When we had LHS here, the shop I did most of my business with & where I bought my Badger 200, gave 2 free lessons with each A.B. sold. They would always answer questions/help with anything on a build.

Sure miss them!!! 

When I was selling my condo I obviously had several people coming and going and one realestate agent in particular took notice of my models and asked how he could get started with his grandson.  I told him that the best places to start were the FSM and ARC forums.

In reality, a beginner can learn everything he needs to know just by browsing these forums for a few hours.  Plus, he can ask specific questions that address his particular needs.  And...its all free!

One of the big helps for beginners is to join a local model club.  We make sure that local hobby shops have contact info for local clubs.  In fact, several LHS have employees who are members of one or more clubs.

What about offering to run some workshops/seminars?  I know a few that offer this on various subjects like airbrushing, weathering etc.

Sounds like a good idea,but there are already a myriad of books out here on the subject including the ones published by kalambach.I point to "Painting and Finishing Scale Models"by Paul Boyer which helped get me started.Its not like there's nothing out there.A good LHS has to stock some these on his own to stimulate interest in his product.He should contact Kalambach and stock some of their publications like "Essential Tecniques"and the like.

Deiffinatly sounds like a good idea. I can imagine someone who has never modelled being a bit put off by the wide range of kit and equipment. If anyone ever mentions to me they would like to take up the hobby, i suggest they take it slowly. It would be to easy to buy all the kit and spend loads of money and then find out its not for you.I started out with a tube of glue, a paintbrush and some airfix kits, keep it simple.