Hello ;
I thought about this and came to the conclusion that the answer is quite puzzling to those who don't . Modeling and such has to be based in how one sees the world around them and what interests them .
Now the interest part . Okay , suppose you are fascinated with clocks . What better way to answer your curiosity than building one ? The same can be said of any hobby . Of course there are those that will say ," Why do you NEED a hobby " ?
My answer to them would be " If that's the way you feel , why do you need to eat ?" Building a miniature of anything satisfies the craving some have to create , within their budget , that which draws their interest in the real world .
For instance , you want to know about a MK-1-A-1 Abrams Tank .You can read all about one , and get a lot of information . Can you hold one ? No ! Can you drive one ? No ! But you can own one in miniature !
You can buy a box of finely engineered plastic and create the Abrams of your choice . This applies to ships , planes and vehicles too . Why Bother ? Well , good question . Do you like music ? It doesn't matter what type , Do you like it ? Then you will surround yourself with this liking and be relaxed in your day .
Modeling takes most of us to a different level mentally . A level that maybe we could not achieve in real life . What ? That's right . Many of us never got to do what we really wanted to do to earn a living .
It's rare that someone is happy , truly , with their employment . Now building a model of their favorite subject , from figures to spaceships fulfills that desire to do that which we couldn't achieve in gainful service .
You , say , could never fly . But you can build that favorite plane your way , and then mentally see yourself in the cockpit . When I build ships I relive in memory , all those days at sea , both as the crewman on a destroyer in the pacific (Post Korea ) and the many bridges of tankers that were under my command .
The next thing to consider is the answer to this , " Is it actually fun ? " How do you describe fun ? Is it getting in deep debt to plan and execute a ski trip every year costing maybe thousands ? Or calmly sitting in a comfortable corner of your home surrounded by your tools , a model in front of you , Family close , and the dog or cat close by , safe in your home and except for the parafinalia of your shop and the model cost . Spending quality time in the home you worked so hard for .
I see a toothpick and much more . What do you see ? I see a spar , a gun barrel , a support post for a roof . A lightpole and much more . Do you see just that toothpick ? If so I truly feel saddened for you
One of the things that separates modelers from everyone else is Imagination ! None of that and you have a sad life indeed . I proudly tell folks , " You bet I build models "and Then I tell them why . The places I go and things I build take me to locations far from me and that's the way I like it .
I don't HAVE to model . I enjoy reading immensely . But when done with a book or magazine it's all memory . My hands itch for the feel of a carving tool or X-Acto knife . That's about it I guess . Then , when done I have a three dimensionally reduced version of both life then and the object of my memory , that to me , allows me to travel in time and relive that moment when I locked that happening in the mind .
I wonder , if someone could see into my mind what they would find . Rows upon dusty rows of file cabinets of memories , Grey and dimmly lit . Or , would they find a brightly lit library of experiences , both good and bad , punctuated by the mental files of building that Model ! That's what I would hope . Thanks for taking the time to read this . It was brought about by a ten year old asking that very same question " Why do you build Models ? " Model On - - - - Tanker - Builder