Dying art........Yes.

I don't necessarily think it is a problem with "kids just aren't interested". Let's face it, this hobby can be a little expensive. I enjoyed models as a kid, but I had to either beg and plead with my parents for a new kit, or save up whatever little money I could earn. And even then, I had other interests besides modeling to pay for (I am guilty of buying a video game instead of a kit). Then add in paints, brushes, glue, etc., it gets a little pricey, especially for a kid. I didn't really get back into it until my last couple years of college. I had a part-time job, and could afford the odd project now and then.

Remember, too, that the hobby shop as we're all nostalgically remembering, was pretty much a phenomenon of the immediate post-war era.  Before the late 30s and the 40s, if you wanted to build a model of something, you learned to work with wood.  There were some vendors who dealt specifically in hobby supplies, such as selling in the nascent market for kits beyond just plans that you have to use to cut the parts yourself, and selling some supplies.  But it wasn't really till the late 40s, with the end of the war, and the availability of improvements in plastics, that really provided the basis for a market for models that you could build without knowing how to measure and carve wooden parts.  And I'm sure many of us remember buying kits at other stores than at a dedicated hobby shop.  Hardware stores and five-and-dimestores added modeling sections.  So the Baby Boomers had the opportunity to build models as a hobby, as kids, that their fathers generally did not have.  And sure, the local hobby shop flourished up into the 80s, but many of those merchants got old and retired, and found no one to take on their businesses.  Others adapted, moving to mail-order, and as the Internet became so commonplace, to online ordering.  I don't lament the dwindling number of bricks-and-mortar shops, because the selection of kits and supplies available to us is probably greater now, than it was back then.  And I agree with Don, you don't have to model as a kid, to make it a life-long hobby.

Don Stauffer

Again, my objection to the title of the thread is it says the ART is dying, not is the hobby dying.  Those are two widely differing things.  The title implies the OT feels that models are not made as nicely today as they were in the past.

I believe models today are being built better than they were a generation ago. I look more closely at some of the traditionally outstanding builds in some of the more famous books by well known modelers. They are not as nice as some of the run-of-the-mill models being built today.

Granted the "canvas" or actual models are better in terms of fit, detail, accuracy and after market accessories not available to the modelers of yesteryear. Those "original master modelers" (for lack of a better term) did great work with what they had, did ground breaking work in the areas of conversions, scratchbuilding, weathering, painting & finishing. Of course many of their current models are quantum leaps above their 20-30 year old builds, but today many modelers can build just as well.

Again, my objection to the title of the thread is it says the ART is dying, not is the hobby dying.  Those are two widely differing things.  The title implies the OT feels that models are not made as nicely today as they were in the past.

I have to second what jibber said.  I wasn't really out of the hobby, but hardly built at all while I was in college and on a deploying tour (Navy).  Before I went to college there were 2 types of glue, the orange tube and the liquid testor's stuff.  The only putty was the testor's stuff.  I didn't see all of the putties, and glues, and aftermarket resin back then.  

I think the internet has put LHS's in danger, but it has drastically expanded the materials, paints, aftermarket, and other things we have access to.  Gone are the days when you need a certain paint color and can't get a hold of it because the LHS doesn't have it.  You can also get an upgrade to your kit, regardless of the kits and where the AM stuff may be.  If the hobby was dying, we wouldn't be seeing this kind of AM, the vast quantity of kits, and the wide array of supplies available.  The model companies are in business to make money.  With the explosion of AM, kits, and supplies, the hobby is definitely healthy.

Groot

I can't believe whats available to us now, I was checking around my bench and from the different tools to cements, to weathering, to paints, to specialty jars, pigments, my goodness thats just scratching the surface. How about the great new kits or the ability to go to You Tube for an instructional video. No, I don't think it's a dying art, quite the contrary this is an exciting time to be a builder.

From what I've seen on this site,the art of model building is alive and well

I think we should start a new thread, Is the LHS Dying?  To say the art of model building is dying is, to me, a slam on the really good modelers of today.  The thread keeps continuing, but is about hobby shops, not the art of modeling!

Well i can say I did modals back in the late 60s and  70s maybe a little in the 80s but I'll admit computers and video games grabbed me, then it joined the navy and had no time for it, but thought about it many times. I retired in 2003 from the military after 20 years and still didn't pick it back up but thought about so at the tender age of 46 I built my first zero in many year and we'll the bug was back been building ever sense with gusto so at the age of 51 it's going strong,stronger then when I was younger so I think it's these age frames that are keeping the hobby going. A friend of mine never touch a kit til he was in his 40s and he's hooked and and now a year younger than I.

So I don't think anything is dieing  there's enough of us old folks to keep it rich, my 2 cents.

Thanks Scott

Seems to me this thread has split into two threads.  One- is model building a dying art, two, are local hobby shops a dying business.  Answer may not be the same to both questions.

Dying? Nah. Just a different business model. Not counting the two Hobby Lobby stores and a couple of Michael's, (and forget Walmart *) we have two in the Loulsville area that I go to. One is really convenient to my work place - not good. One is not too convenient to anything. The first is big into RC and trains. They have a fair selection of aircraft and more than just Revell/Monogram. Nice selection of paints from 3-4 companies. The other is a Hobby Town. Primarily Testor's MM in enamel and acrylic. Very limited aircraft section and mostly what you can fine way less expensive on the web. I do go to both if I know they have what I need/want.  Both run by nice folks.

Just ordered some Gunze Mr. Color paints - could not find them locally. Took about 7 weeks to arrive. So long, in fact, I reported them as lost to the vendor. They promptly reshipped and in a few days a package arrived. Not sure which one that was, guess in a couple months I will find out....

Lyle.

I'm not sure if I would call it a dying hobby, but I have been depressed by the lack of hobby stores.  Where I live, I pretty much have to rely on chains and websites.  However, one of my students is completing a project where she is building a 1/72 Airfix Spitfire and she's loving it.  A few other kids have been asking me about models so I'm going to try to start an after school model club.  Our first meeting is today after school so hopefully things go well.

I f I consider the choices available to me 20 years ago and compare that to what is available to me today, then it is a big NO that this is a dying hobby. LHS's are dying but the internet has sparked a huge new flame for the hobby. As a matter of fact I think the internet has brought a whole new generation into the hobby. Kids on computers playing computer games until their eyeballs roll backwards are starting to explore the possibilities of actually  building the creatures, crafts and other things that they spend hours immersed in. I personally know 2 kids who have started building tank models because of games like World Of Tanks - dying hobby - not a chance.

to truly be a "dying hobby" it would have to not be possible to buy model kits

and that is clearly not the case,,,,,,,,this hobby can last about 20 years after the last new kit is sold (due to some of the people with stashes)

the hobby is not and has never been "alive" just because I can buy my favorite aircraft,,,,we once went through a good long dry spell in new kit releases, and the "hobby is dying" cries were heard,,,,,but, then, 5 or 6 new paint companies game along (they're over 20 of those alone, today), and companies that had "only" been re-releasing kits began to give us new releases, and here we are today

as of today, we have more kits currently being sold than ever before (don't misquote that as "new toolings"), I mean the list of different kits that is available for purchase is longer than ever before (yes, I included the "discontinued" items)

add in the possibility of using this new fangled internet deal to find a kit you missed in 1973 from some online friend or vendor,,,,,,and you can get almost anything ever produced in plastic,,,,with a small amount of mouse and keyboard time

a dead hobby would be something that a person can't decide to do for the first time and get all the items needed to do it,,,,,,,,,plastic modeling doesn't even come close to being in that dire shape

Rex

Both my hobby stores are basically R/C stores.

I'm 51 now when I was building in the late 60s and all the 70s you could buy a model from every store

And gas station and bigger stores like Walgreen would have multiple shelves plus good old testors everything. There was tons model ships. It didn't mater how small the store if had a toy it had models. I guess you can tell what section I always ran to.   Truly the good old days

I totally agree.  I've honestly been a bit frustrated with my local hobby shops in the area.  I prefer namel paints, but the one 5-10 minutes away only sells the very basic testors colors (black, red, green) they don't carry the model masters.  The store also specializes in trains, so I understand that's their bread and butter.  The next closest is about a 40 minute drive and and does carry enamels, but is generally short on other items I am looking for.  They happen to focus on RC cars though.  Usually if I am looking for AM or a specialty building product other than paint or glue, I'll go online.  The kits cost more and the selection isn't nearly as good.

The current business models and overhead costs simply make it much more practical and affordable to have a big warehouse distribution center poised to mail things all over the world.  You get better prices and more products.  Having a storefront with expensive property (near the population market), insurance, employees, utilities, insurance, etc. like plasticjunkie mentioned can't necessarily compete cost-wise.  Look at how well Amazon has done since they began.

Groot

Lets not forget the bazillion people in the Asian realm that are into scale modeling.  They alone can support this hobby.  Some of the mechs and sci-fi gadgets those guys build are phenomenal!

Even if the LHSs go away, which would be sad, there's still the web.  And honestly, if you can sit in your chair, click a few buttons and have some guy drop a box off at your front door that probably came from the other side of the planet only a few days later...  that ain't bad.  It also makes modeling (and trains, r/c, slot cars etc.) far more accessible to more people than any LHS ever could.

I wonder what hobbies' demises were being lamented in the '50's and '60's.  Wittling?  Wood carving? Collecting widgets?  What with kids getting high on fumes melting plastic and slathering enamels on said plastic!  A post on the other thread illustrated a similar hobby in cyberspace that is very similar to our own.

Bearcat57

I would love to hear of some 'Mom and Pop' hobby shop opening somewhere. Is it even possible these days? If anyone hears of such a thing, please post it on this board. News like that would really make my day.

One of my fondest memories is of the Saturdays I'd spend riding my bicycle to all the hobby shops within peddling distance, searching for what plastic treasure my allowance would buy me. I have to wonder if kids experience anything comparable to that today. I'm grateful I grew up in the era in which I did.

In spite of a bunch of close LHS closing in recent years, my closest shop now is an independent store, not part of a chain.  It is not the classic mom & pop store in that the owner does not normally man the shop, nor any of his family.  But it is very much like the shops I remember riding my bike to when I was a kid.  It is small, and the people who man it are modelers first and retail store employees second.  I hope it hangs on- it has been doing okay for several years now.

If the hobby was dying and fading, companies would not invest in new mold technology producing some truly amazing details along with the Photo Edge details being offered. The thing with mom and pop stores is that they cannot compete with internet prices as the rent, insurance and any overhead cost puts a HUGE dent on their profits and therefore the higher kit prices to stay above water. Eventually they fail because of their lack of sales or poor investments. A modeling store giant like Orange Blossom Hobbies in Miami was run to the ground because of bad investments, truly a loss since that place was hobby heaven.

The higher quality builds are mostly done by the mid to older crowd and not young kids. I have seen some pretty nice builds by youngsters at some shows so there are exceptions to the rule. Kids now days are more in tune with all the electronic and video stuff out there that we did not have back then.

On the contrary, I do not think this hobby is dying but rather becoming more specialized and producing incredible detailed models as I have seen in shows and turnouts at the Nationals.

The hobby is a long way from "death imminent". I agree that we are in a golden age regarding selection. And the point that the hobby has evolved to now, has hastened the demise of many a hobby shop. I am lucky enough to have two within a short drive of my home, and I will take their service and selection almost any day of the year over a website. But the reality is that is the exception and not the rule today...

I haven't heard of too many "Mom and Pop" anything opening up anywhere.  Does that mean society in general is on it's way out?  I think what we're witnessing is a migration from tiny store to web site.  One could argue that the "Mom and Pop" establishment is a very inefficient way to bring products to market.

It may be sad to some, but it's probably the truth.

I'll make the same comment here as I did in the main thread.  The hobby does not need kids to develop artistic modelers.  While airplanes and cars have always attracted youth, ships and model railroads have always been more or less adult hobbies.  But the skills required do not require a life-long learning. I see many adults who entered hobby as adults who turn out very artistic work.  The amount of aftermarket accessories, lines of paint, tools available, and reference resources make this a golden age.  Find a copy of a really old IPMS journal and a recent one and compare photos, especially nats results.  Is modeling still an art- yes!  Even more so than it used to be.

I have no problems with youth in the hobby- I welcome them and try to help them.  But the hobby is NOT suffering because of the lower youth participation.

Rob Sherman

I really didn't get ttuly into the hobby until I moved out and went to college. I only had a daughter, so, she didn't take it up, obviously. The beckons a question: do women fo this?

yes,there are a handfull of women modelers thru-out the forums I have visited,including this one