How has modeling helped you?

Hundreds of unbuilt models in the loft help keep the house warm. LOL

Seriously though, I'd have to say the best thing I ever got out of this hobby was learning English. Took a while, and it did not get good until I had lived in English-speaking countries for a little while, but it got me, though mags and books, a sound base to improve upon.

Through modeling I've learned patience, how to plan and visualize a project, how to deal with problems, and how to finish what I've started (not always on time, unfortunately!).
It's also given me a good understanding of history.

I can always kick but in the history section on Jeopardy and Trivial Pursuit

Really, it has done the same for me as the rest of you. Modeling lets me express myself. I get to go off to an imaginary place and be a kid again. I get to spend time with my kids in a hobby thats fun for them and also teaches them the same values that we have learned.

I think this has helped me be more creative; to think "out of the box" (no pun intended). You know how in modeling there are always ten different ways to achieve the same result? It's the same way in life. If one method doesn't work there's always another.

It's also helped me in the practice of wanting to learn more. Right off the bat it makes me want to delve more into the history behind the subject on which I'm working. This sort of spills over into other parts of my life. It makes me want to be a better at other things in my life. A better husband, father, fixer of things, resolver of problems, etc. I'm being dead honest when I say that I don't know what I would be like if I didn't have models in my life. Unambitious I would imagine.

I also think it, too, has helped me visualize things more. I do architectural drafting for a living. It's scary when a client wants to see an extremely basic rectangular table in 3-D because they don't have the ability to imagine what it would look like.

Eric

Its given me some patience, its given me the ability to do research better. and probably a dozen other things that I haven't figured out yet.

I would have to say patience. I'm new to modeling, but I have always been a very impatient person,especially with projects. I want to see results fast and I like to keep on the project until it's finished. With modeling, you have to break up the process quite a bit. Especially the painting part. I work on my models for about an hour or so maybe 3 or 4 nights a week. I have to wait until my kids go to bed before I start. I have only finished one model so far. It took me a few months. Now I have several models going at the same time. Modeling is teaching me that a project doesn't have to be finished right away and that the results in the end are worth the wait.

Eric said it best for me too.
Bruce

When I was a young teen (in the late '60s), I found the world of sex & drugs & rock & roll. Partying soon replaced modelling. When I became sober in '93, I wanted to return to the person I was before the storm. That person built models. When I invested my limited cash supply in models, I had none left to waste on the destruction of my brain cells. I also didn't want to risk destroying an expensive kit when I was drunk. Since it keeps me from drinking, I could almost say that building models again saved my life.

A while back, I lost a job I really loved. I used my hands to build equipment that was installed onto pipelines around the world and took great pride in my work. Then I got laid off and I thought I would never put my hands to good use again. Years later, I have a hobby that helps me relax and do something good and creative with my hands again. Occasionally, and most rewardingly my models make others happy too. That feeling is priceless.

Great stories here Guys..! Keep them coming!

I agree with Domi. These are great stories. Thanks for sharing them.
mark956

Problem solving for me was one of the main benefits. And even though modelling is kind of considered to be a "solo" hobby, the social interaction with other modellers has been a great joy in my life.

Modeling is teaching me patience....(Im still learning, and learning its something you cant have enough of).
Modeling has also allowed me to have an outlet for artistic creativity that I wouldnt have otherwise(used to be pretty good at drawing but was told to quit drawing in class, so I lost interest! LOL).

Modeling has allowed me to chat and meet with a great group of people that I might not have met other wise....really the list goes on...

Two things-- patience and stress relief....well-- at least until I run into fit problems

I would also like to mention that modeling has brought me to this website and forum. I am glad I joined and got the chance to meet all the very fine members.
mark956

I would say modeling has given me a life outside of the long hours of work and the everyday chores we do in life. It's an escape of sorts, into a fantasyland of watching a piece of history materialize before your eyes. I love history and to me this is as as good as it gets except for the real thing. It's amazing to me how many people I know at work that don't even have a hobby. Poor saps, they won't have a darn thing to do when they retire. Modeling......hopefully will continue until I die.

just meeting great guys like over here to exchange some idees

I got interested in scale modeling sometine year 1999 but its the mind only and it challenged me to build these things (scale models) that if others can do it, i can do it also but i only begun actively building a scale model last quarter of 2003. I already finished by first dio a simple one (i named it ruined city) with 4 german soldiers figures just looking around with the devastation. Im on the process on working a concept for my second dio but this one an action pack like in the movie "saving private ryan" were their waiting for the germans at the bridge to be assaulted. Aside from the patience and enhanced my visualizing concept I can say is I can do something at home when there's really nothing to do during weekends.

Although new to modeling, I would say it has brought us closer as a family. My daughter enjoys and my son to some extent. We have had a few modeling "days" where we spend the day together off and on modeling and maybing watching a film while we wait for paint and or glue to dry! I love spending time with Mr Dj and sharing in something that means so much to him. He is teaching me something, I love to learn new things! Also, I must say I am overwhelmed by the positive response a new person can get on this forum. Thank you to everyone from the whole Dj clan.

I just want to say that this is the most positive response that I have seen.Wish I could stick around but i have to go.Be back on feb 9 for that sherman build.

I have found that with my hands busy on small parts I don't have any hands left to strangle my 14 yr old daughter who just reached puberty.
*shudders*

Iroc - strangle her or the 16 year old boy at the door?

It helps me unwind.

At the end of a stressful day, of which I have plenty, half an hours modelling relaxes me totally.

Added to which during my lunch and coffe breaks I am at liberty to log onto the forum, which again helps me unwind, and engenders a feeling of community.

IT MAKES ME HAPPY!

My three year old son happily helps me make models. We are buddies.

Where to start? Patience is the big one. Planning, definately planning. It may not take the couse I plotted, but I at least know what direction I'm going. Organization, research, stress management, stopping and looking at something from a new direction, the value learning from the mistakes of others and my one, and that the fastest way to happiness is making it yourself.
Here are a few odder ones:
just because something is supposed to work dosen't mean it will
if it wasn't made to do something originally doesn't mean it won't work.
for everything there is a glue and almost all will stick to skin.
obsession isn't a always a bad thing.
people always think you're weird until it pays off.(ask any one whose commented on me opening doors just big enough to get through or waiting a second to go through one and then they were later kamikazied by my cats coming through my door or had to chase something because they let it out when they came in.)

I'd agree with everything people have said here, but I'd also add courage! I build models in grade school and high school that were pretty good, but mostly unpainted. When I did paint them, I used the Testors square bottle enamel and a brush. At the time, I was reading FSM pretty regularly. I'd try out some of the easier techniques, but I had a feeling that a lot of what was shown was way beyond my ability level.

I got away from the hobby in college and a bit after, but I kept buying FSM and even a kit now and again and I really wanted to build -- but I was afraid to. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to build the kits so that they looked good. My expectations were much higher now that I was older.

I finally took the plunge last year and started building again. I started with a really cheap Starfix kit, but I paid attention to filling the seams. I hand painted the camoflauge, and the result was pretty good. After that, I started my current project last May. This time, I really focused on trying new techniques for glueing and filling seams, airbrushing the finish, using Future, etc. I'm nearly done with the kit, and I'm really pleased.

Anyway, there were several times during the building of this kit when I had to simply take the plunge and try to do something that I had read about. I think part of the reason this kit has taken me so long is that I did a lot of research on different tips and techniques before trying them, but at some point I had to muster the courage to actually do it and risk messing up.

Naturally, a lot of the stuff that other modelers do worked for me as well. That's been a real confidence booster. Even better, I've been able to solve some problems using what I know. Everytime I've gotten stumped, I've figured out a way around it.

It's great being able to post here and get/give tips and share experiences.

Regards,

-Drew

Well, I'm still sane. . . sort of.

I have quite a stressful job to start off with, and when I got injured in an explosion in 1992 I thought that I would never build a model again. I had quite serious injuries to my hands ( still have nine fingers left ), legs, my left eye, hearings gone, damage to my opthalmonary nerves ( lost the ability to taste and smell), and due to long exposure to violent incidents was left with post traumatic stress. 12 years down the line I have regained the use of my damaged hand and most of my other affected senses and conquered the PTSD, all due to the fact that I forced myself to do modeling again. The therapeutic value of modeling is amazing. I have found no other way to relax and have something worthwile to produce for my efforts other than modeling.

I'm always at home for my family, except of course for the monthly club events , and even has my son involved in the hobby on a less intense scale.

To be honest, modeling gave me my life back.

God bless and thanks for the thread.

Now that I've got that off my chest in this forum, keep up the good works and thanks for all your inspirational posts.

Regards,

Wow... I'm afraid I can't beat Tappie's post, but I'll contribute my $0.02.

Being new to modeling, I'm still not sure how it will affect me. I hope to be affected in the same way many of the above posters have been.

On the lighter side, modeling has done / taught me three things...

1. I now watch less TV.
2. eBay is a good source for kits.
3. Do not spend 20 minutes talking to the model shop guy about airbrushing and compressors when your wife wants to go home!