SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Who decides Who is a "Master Modeler"?

3755 views
33 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Buffalo NY
Posted by Thehannaman2 on Sunday, December 21, 2008 10:11 AM
 DURR wrote:

who is given the title   master -baiter     Angel [angel]

The one who sets up everyones pole.

Justen

"The distance between genius and insanity is measured only by success."

Member IPMS Niagara Frontier. "The BuffCon Boys."

IPMSUSA Member 45680 

  • Member since
    July 2013
Posted by DURR on Sunday, December 21, 2008 8:54 AM

i always wondered about the master title in Anything

like  on a fishing boat  who is given the title   master -baiter     Angel [angel]

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Eagle River, WI
Posted by PANZERJAGER on Sunday, December 21, 2008 7:52 AM

Maybe this will help....

http://www.ipmsusa.org/Features/features.htm


by Joe Porter
(Editor & Project Manager, VLS Mail Order)

          1. Score 100 points if you ever called in sick to finish a model.

2. Score 50 points if you ever needed assistance getting unsuperglued.

3. Deduct 75 points if you own a set of golf clubs.

4. Score 40 points if you ever helped yourself to that cool sand in an upright hotel ashtray.

5. Score 2 points for every bottle of paint on your workbench. Add 50 bonus points if you own your own paint rack.

6. Score 200 points if a hobby tool incident has required stitches.

7. Score 75 points if, on arriving in a strange town, the first thing you look for is hobby shops in the phone book. Score 300 bonus points if you ever-planned -a family vacation to include a model show.

8. Score 25 points if you have something from the kitchen on your workbench. Score 100 bonus points if your wife doesn't know it's missing.

9. Score 50 points if you shop for hobby supplies,unaccompanied, in a fabric or cosmetics store.

10. Score 50 points for each pack of Grandt Line bolts you ever bought.

11. Score 25 points for every kit you have purchased in the last year. Score 250 bonus points for every project you have completed.

12. Score 50 points if you're left-handed.

13. Deduct 300 points if you ever sold some of your unbuilt kits.

14 Score 30 points for every non-modeler who has seen your models and said, "Oh, I used to do that when I was a kid

15. Deduct I 00 points for every unfinished project you've set aside.

16. Score 500 points if you ever purchased a Mascot figure. Score 800 bonus points if you painted it. Deduct 1000 points if you did anything weird after that.

17. Score 150 points if you ever ordered a kit through the mail, and had it sent to your office so your wife wouldn't find out. Score 500 sympathy points if your hobby has cost you a relationship.

18. Score 600 points if the local library refers inquiries to you.

19. Deduct 5000 points if you ever used a penlight while judging.

20. Score 50 points for every part you dropped - and found!

21. Score 75 points if you own Optivisors.

22. Score 425 points if someone else smashed their models when you showed up at a contest.

23. Score 350 points if, lacking reference, you ever "invented" a detail on a model, and passed it off as I 00% accurate.

24. Score 75 points if you use different "mood music" for different modeling projects.

25. Score 250 points if you ever found someone else's drool on one of your models.

26. Deduct ALL YOUR POINTS if you actually scored yourself. You should be in there building models, not using your valuable time taking frivolous quizzes.

        Take life seriously. Take your hobby seriously. Just never take yourself too seriously.
        Thanks for coming. -Joe Porter

Tom

 

 PANZERJAGER

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Grand Bay, New Brunswick ,Canada
Posted by MECHTECH on Saturday, December 20, 2008 8:45 PM

Hans, I met a"National Model Railroad Association Inc." Master Modeller this past summer while on vacation. I saw his plaque fastened to the wall in his home and asked what the qualifications were. He said that a member had to have shown experience in all aspects of modeling, from building dioramas to complete scratch building of a model and to be qualified for judging of competions as well. It was something that took years to complete with evaluations by his peers along the way.

His was issued in England in 1995 and his membership number is 240.

I don't think it is a title that is given away very frivaliously.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Saturday, December 20, 2008 1:19 PM

 http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/parisienne-moonlight/emoticon/asdcattivo.gif Does that make me a Picasso?

http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:US8-SaoC05wX-M:http://belindaschneider.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/andy-saunders-picasso-car.jpg

http://www.thelastsuperman.com/disastermaster/%23t1-4.jpg

 

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Buffalo NY
Posted by Thehannaman2 on Saturday, December 20, 2008 8:14 AM
 the doog wrote:

NO! Because I know what I still can't do, and what I wish I could do! I know my limitations--even though it seems that I'm testing those boundaries with every other build lately. There are still things that I can't yet achieve, and techniques that elude me....Sigh [sigh]


Oh c'mon now....  Van Gogh was a master, yet he could not do a velvet Elvis to save his life!

Justen

"The distance between genius and insanity is measured only by success."

Member IPMS Niagara Frontier. "The BuffCon Boys."

IPMSUSA Member 45680 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Friday, December 19, 2008 10:05 PM
 Hans von Hammer wrote:

I was curious, since FSM is hangin' the "Master" tag on folks in every issue it seems...  What made me notice was the recent article of Doog's where he was reffered to as "Master Modeler Karl Logan" in the Hetzer build.

 

LOL! I was wondering if that was your reason for the inquiry?! Whistling [:-^].....Wink [;)]

Well, I have to say; when I saw that honorific title bestowed upon me, I puffed up a little, as that was the first time I was ever so honored by that appelation. I was kinda like "Witchypoo" in the old "Looney Tunes" Halloween cartoons where Bugs Bunny calls her "Mother"--and she's walking through the house and then just stops and says "Mother!?..EEE-HEEE-HEE-HEEEE!!!!while clicking her heels. I guess you could say it was a real hoot!

I took it as a compliment from the Editors on my various published builds. A generous honor, and one for which I was/am thankful, to be sure. But do I actually consider myself a "Master Modeler"?

NO! Because I know what I still can't do, and what I wish I could do! I know my limitations--even though it seems that I'm testing those boundaries with every other build lately. There are still things that I can't yet achieve, and techniques that elude me....Sigh [sigh]

My "heroes" are many in the modeling world--and they do sincerely include many of the amazing modelers here--and that's no "fluff"; I sincerely mean that! Big Smile [:D]

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Friday, December 19, 2008 8:57 PM
 disastermaster wrote:
 tigerman wrote:
 wbill76 wrote:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...so too is the title of "master" IMHO.

Exactly. We all see and perceive things differently. From my own perspective, I consider many members here "Master". I also think that being recognized by your peers (in this case forum) is the ultimate honor. Just my My 2 cents [2c]

Dittohttp://th210.photobucket.com/albums/bb316/Mushkratt/Smileys%202/th_thiagree.gif

http://www.thelastsuperman.com/disastermaster/%23t1-4.jpg

Sign - Ditto [#ditto]to the Sign - Ditto [#ditto]

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Friday, December 19, 2008 7:45 PM
 tigerman wrote:
 wbill76 wrote:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...so too is the title of "master" IMHO.

Exactly. We all see and perceive things differently. From my own perspective, I consider many members here "Master". I also think that being recognized by your peers (in this case forum) is the ultimate honor. Just my My 2 cents [2c]

Dittohttp://th210.photobucket.com/albums/bb316/Mushkratt/Smileys%202/th_thiagree.gif

http://www.thelastsuperman.com/disastermaster/%23t1-4.jpg

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Friday, December 19, 2008 7:34 PM
 wbill76 wrote:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...so too is the title of "master" IMHO.

Exactly. We all see and perceive things differently. From my own perspective, I consider many members here "Master". I also think that being recognized by your peers (in this case forum) is the ultimate honor. Just my My 2 cents [2c]

   http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

 Eric 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Friday, December 19, 2008 7:26 PM
 Mansteins revenge wrote:

 wbill76 wrote:
One factor that I haven't seen anyone mention yet is related to being published. That may trend more toward being a "professional" vs. a "master"...but most who have the "master" title or association have also been published and recognized either in established magazines/books or even authored them themselves. Just a thought to ponder...personally I don't go much for titles like that, but it's human nature to want to classify and create hierarchies so I suppose it has its uses. Wink [;)]

Hmmmmm...being published...I'm not sure I totally agree that being published makes you a Master Modeler...As I said in another thread, I have several "modeling technique" books that I have bought over the years (many published by Kalmbach) that feature works from folks who really were not impressive at all---and I really mean "not impressive"...I was almost embarassed at looking at their work and really wondering how they even GOT published ! 

I know a lot of modelers who don't seek publication who are extremely talented...

On the other hand, I do concede that if you are talented (a master, if you will), the chances of you getting published are of course going to be greater than that of an average modeler; however, being published, IMO, is as much a matter of willingness to be published as it is talent... 

I don't think it's the "only" criteria but possibly "a" criteria...consider who we normally think of when we use the term "master"...we think of the likes of Shep Paine, Verlinden, Mig Jimenez, etc...and all of them have been published or publish themselves (depending on how you look at it). They are the "rock stars" of the model world in that regard...but that may be true of an age now gone with the advent of the Internet and no longer necessarily a valid criteria.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...so too is the title of "master" IMHO.

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by TD4438 on Friday, December 19, 2008 6:05 PM
If I were ever to achieve 'Master' status,I'd want it to be at the behest of my peers.You guys that is.That would be the most meaningful by far.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Friday, December 19, 2008 5:37 PM

It would appear we have reached the rectum principal.

"Everybody has one and they are all different"

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Inland Northwest
Posted by Summit on Friday, December 19, 2008 4:41 PM

Here all this time I thought it might have been from the IPMS. I know the NMRA (National Model Railroad Assoc.) has an Achievement Program to where when he or she has obtained at least seven of the eleven Achievement Certificates provided that he or she has earned at least one Achievement Certificate in each of the four areas of the Regulations will qualify as a Master Model Railroader.

On another post earlier about the "Pro Built" models on ebay - I have seen a lot that makes my builds just shine. Whistling [:-^] But then I have seen some that deserve that title.  Bow [bow]


Sean "I've reached nearly fifty years of age with my system." Weekend GB 2008
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Buffalo NY
Posted by Thehannaman2 on Friday, December 19, 2008 4:32 PM

That makes sense.  I always wondered what the "Premier" award was.  They have it listed in the Journal, but they don't show pictures of the winning model like they do for 1st, 2nd, 3rd.

So I guess we're right back where we started.  There really is no defined criteria or voting body that can bestow an official title of "Master Modeler."

Justen

"The distance between genius and insanity is measured only by success."

Member IPMS Niagara Frontier. "The BuffCon Boys."

IPMSUSA Member 45680 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Friday, December 19, 2008 4:27 PM

I was curious, since FSM is hangin' the "Master" tag on folks in every issue it seems...  What made me notice was the recent article of Doog's where he was reffered to as "Master Modeler Karl Logan" in the Hetzer build.  Make no mistake, I'm not saying that Doog doesn't deserve the accolades he gets, in fact, it's quite the opposite... (I know it's been said many times, but Doog, you ARE among some of the best modelers I've seen in my 40 years of doin' this stuff...)

Regarding being published as criteria, I wondered about that, since there was one modeler who was a regular contributor to Scale Modeler and Military Modeler magazines back the 80's/90's, a guy named Duane J. Phister who primarily built dioramas.  His builds, towards the end, were featured in about every issue of those mags, always for sale (said so in the articles), and he even had his cartoons published in the mag (Modeltoons)... But, I never really saw anything that jumped out at me as being "superior" about his work, although it was always good, really good stuff, with many diverse subjects... I recall one of builds was a scratchbuilt diorama of "IPMS Night" where he used the 1/24 scale figures from Tamiya's Pit Crew and various smaller-scale figures, planes, tanks, ships, etc and scratch-built tables and chairs to "model a group of modelers modeling models of models"... It was one of the most original ideas I ever saw, lol... His work was always immediately recognizable as well, I never had to check the name of the author on the articles when they ran, you could tell it was Phister's work right away (Usually by the ever-present tarps, which appeared in almost EVERY build)...

At any rate, this is turning out to be an informative little topic, if I do say so m'self...  Although I don't compete, I have judged in the past and it's always amazing to see the work that folks put glue to... 

It's forums like this one as well, with people like y'all that are willing to share your work, give tips and tricks, and instill confidence in other modelers who may have given up in the days before the internet allowed them to easily see other's work and to actually ASK the guy "How'd you DO that?"... To me, y'all are "Master Modelers"...  I myself will never get to the level of Hizzoner, St. Shepard of Monogram (Cue angelic fanfare music), or the vast majority of y'all,  but I'm gonna die tryin'...Big Smile [:D]

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by ajlafleche on Friday, December 19, 2008 4:01 PM
2 or 3 years ago, about the same time the "premier" award was introduced at the nationals. In fact, IIRC, the "premier" award, wherein the best model by someone who hasn't previously won in that category at the nationals, is given a plaque, was introduced in place of the masters' program.  

Remember, if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Buffalo NY
Posted by Thehannaman2 on Friday, December 19, 2008 3:02 PM
 ajlafleche wrote:
 Thehannaman2 wrote:

If I recall correctly, there was a very specific set of criteria that had to be fulfilled in order to get IPMS Master Modeller status.  I have just spent half an hour looking on the net for those criteria and came up empty handed.

That proposal went over like a in church. People almost universally rejected the idea of IPMS "telling them" how to build models.

Perhaps that is why I came up empty Blush [:I]  

Do you know about when this was under "discussion" in IPMS/USA?

Justen

"The distance between genius and insanity is measured only by success."

Member IPMS Niagara Frontier. "The BuffCon Boys."

IPMSUSA Member 45680 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Friday, December 19, 2008 2:58 PM
In our local IPMS chapter that rank is attained by winning first place in five chapter model contests in the "Advanced"  level. And that is voted by your peers.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by ajlafleche on Friday, December 19, 2008 2:56 PM
 Thehannaman2 wrote:

If I recall correctly, there was a very specific set of criteria that had to be fulfilled in order to get IPMS Master Modeller status.  I have just spent half an hour looking on the net for those criteria and came up empty handed.

That proposal went over like a in church. People almost universally rejected the idea of IPMS "telling them" how to build models.

Remember, if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 19, 2008 2:45 PM

 wbill76 wrote:
One factor that I haven't seen anyone mention yet is related to being published. That may trend more toward being a "professional" vs. a "master"...but most who have the "master" title or association have also been published and recognized either in established magazines/books or even authored them themselves. Just a thought to ponder...personally I don't go much for titles like that, but it's human nature to want to classify and create hierarchies so I suppose it has its uses. Wink [;)]

Hmmmmm...being published...I'm not sure I totally agree that being published makes you a Master Modeler...As I said in another thread, I have several "modeling technique" books that I have bought over the years (many published by Kalmbach) that feature works from folks who really were not impressive at all---and I really mean "not impressive"...I was almost embarassed at looking at their work and really wondering how they even GOT published ! 

I know a lot of modelers who don't seek publication who are extremely talented...

On the other hand, I do concede that if you are talented (a master, if you will), the chances of you getting published are of course going to be greater than that of an average modeler; however, being published, IMO, is as much a matter of willingness to be published as it is talent... 

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Buffalo NY
Posted by Thehannaman2 on Friday, December 19, 2008 2:06 PM

If I recall correctly, there was a very specific set of criteria that had to be fulfilled in order to get IPMS Master Modeller status.  I have just spent half an hour looking on the net for those criteria and came up empty handed.

From what I recall, you had to have succeeded in gaining gold in the Masters catagory at the Nationals and had to be nominated or appointed..... or something.

I know I saw it somewheres before....  or maybe I'm making the whole thing up.  Too many paint fumes a health cerebelum do not make.

I will continue to look, if for nothign but to prove my (relative) sanity.

Justen

"The distance between genius and insanity is measured only by success."

Member IPMS Niagara Frontier. "The BuffCon Boys."

IPMSUSA Member 45680 

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: t.r.f. mn.
Posted by detailfreak on Friday, December 19, 2008 1:46 PM

i'll decide....actually i kinda consider myself the master of the indie link tracks.also a styrene bonding master.and some days my wife even lets me be my own master.have interpretation will travel.

[View:http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w1/g-earl828/]  http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/cycledupes/1000Roadwheels4BuildBadge.jpg

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Friday, December 19, 2008 1:33 PM
"PE magnet"........love it.

Apprentice rivet counter.

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Friday, December 19, 2008 1:19 PM

While I thank Anthony for the endorsement, in my carefully considered opinion, it's ALL  subjective--and all rather bullcookies to be honest. One guy's "Master Modeler" is another guy's "over-finisher" orthe guy who can't build an OOB as well as a $300 PE magnet festooned with AM stuff out the kazoo. Some guys are great builders; some great finishers. Some are rarely both. It's all subjective. Always.

If there's an IPMS actual criterion for it, it's STILL subjective, IMO, and in my experience! 

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: The Bluegrass State
Posted by EasyMike on Friday, December 19, 2008 12:54 PM

Who decides?  I do.  I make all the master modeler appointments.

 

Big Smile [:D]

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Friday, December 19, 2008 12:41 PM
One factor that I haven't seen anyone mention yet is related to being published. That may trend more toward being a "professional" vs. a "master"...but most who have the "master" title or association have also been published and recognized either in established magazines/books or even authored them themselves. Just a thought to ponder...personally I don't go much for titles like that, but it's human nature to want to classify and create hierarchies so I suppose it has its uses. Wink [;)]
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 19, 2008 12:11 PM

The amount of hardware you have in your trophy case, IMO, is not a foolproof indicator of how accomplished a modeler is...in fact, some of the best modelers I have ever known were very averse to competing, especially as they matured into the hobby...if they went to a show, most would put their work on the "display only" table...

Now there are a few venues that can add a lot of cred to your name, such as Euromilitaire, IPMS Nats, etc...and there are a few associations that do indeed bestow certain titles on individuals, the classic example being Shep Paine, who is considered a "Grand" Master...

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Friday, December 19, 2008 11:56 AM

Hummm....Master Modeler.....Is that like when you look at ebay and see a model that is pro built.

Aside from the competitions where you are formally recognized as a master, I don't think it is black and white but grey. It is how you are recognized by your peers. If your peers are this forum and they call you master, then so be it.

I don't know if you want to start a ranking tree. The problem is someone has to be the root and may not take it well!!

In general, the regulars on this site who post builds and give help and advice are all damm good modelers.

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.