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Yes a GIRL Can!

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  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Denver
Posted by tankboy51 on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 1:05 PM

My daughter built some Tamiya dinosaurs back in the 1990's.  I taught her how to use the Badger airbrush I had.  She was 12 years old then.  She caught on quick, and she is very artistic.  She entered  IPMS show and won Best Junior model with it.  She realy P.O. some boys with it!  I had nothing to do with it.  She is a very talented modeler.  She did Artwork in High School.  We talk about it all the time, but she hasn't built a model since.  I guess she hit the imaginary wall.

  • Member since
    February 2011
Posted by GreySnake on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 11:45 AM
My better half likes to build Gundam models. This is half of her collection. Shelf is really dusty it’s just a pain to move everything.  
 
She’s built over a hundred kits so far. She’s happy snapping them together from time to time I’ll do some detail painting if she asks. She doesn’t have much of an interest in gluing or painting them. She does have her own set of tools and works at the computer desk. So neither one of us gets in our way if we are working on something at the same time.
  • Member since
    July 2014
Posted by modelcrazy on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 9:05 AM

plasticjunkie
I do believe Keyda is the only girl in this group. For those that have seen her builds will agree she is a very talented young lady and one heck of a car mechanic/body repair dudette. I think Elizabeth is a model builder too but not sure. 

Yes, I belive you're right about Elizabeth. There's also Peaches and one other I think.

Steve

Building a kit from your stash is like cutting a head off a Hydra, two more take it's place.

 

 

http://www.spamodeler.com/forum/

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 8:50 AM

This is a very old thread but I will jump in anyway. I see nothing wrong with girls doing plastic modeling. Heck I wish my wife was a model builder too so she can help me bring down the stash count. She is very supportive of my hobbies so there is no issue there as I see some guys that have to hide from their wives what they buy so not to upset them. She says my modeling is VERY complicated specially all the scratchwork I do. I also tried to get her involved in cycling since I own 7 vintage Schwinns and a Chicago Welding Company 1948 Roadmaster, but to her is too much work lol. 

I do believe Keyda is the only girl in this group. For those that have seen her builds will agree she is a very talented young lady and one heck of a car mechanic/body repair dudette. I think Elizabeth is a model builder too but not sure. 

 

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

  • Member since
    July 2019
Posted by Robotism on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 7:36 AM

Real G

To those who want to make more women build models - do you REALLY want your better half using your Xacto and other supplies?  Taking a line from “A Christmas Story” (not related but useable):

Man: Get the glue.

Woman: We’re out of glue.

Man: (Fuming with rage) You used up all the glue ON PURPOSE!!!

 

I can't imagine how unhealthy it would be to have a relationship with someone who shares your super glue with you. I glue the lid on enough myself and don't need to be mid build when I find she had done the same. Glued lids cost me more in glue than running out does.

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 1:01 AM

To those who want to make more women build models - do you REALLY want your better half using your Xacto and other supplies?  Taking a line from “A Christmas Story” (not related but useable):

Man: Get the glue.

Woman: We’re out of glue.

Man: (Fuming with rage) You used up all the glue ON PURPOSE!!!

But seriously, there is no need to enforce a quota.  They do or they don’t.  It’s not up to us.

But I did know a gal who liked to build gunship helos because her dad flew them in Vietnam. Even as a kid, I thought that was pretty cool.  My best friend has a father who flew in helos into combat zones to retrieve downed aircraft during the same timeframe, but he had no interest in building models.

 

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, May 4, 2020 11:54 PM

Rob, some pretty interesting metaphors there.

Goldie, my gosh, thats so true. Women are so good at color.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Monday, May 4, 2020 10:01 PM

Yes, women can be great at the hobby if they have an interest.  I've been in the auto body/paint trade for over 45 years.  While it is a male dominated field, those women who get into it generally excell at it.  They have a finer touch and can feel imperfections better than we do, and turn out straighter work.  As to painting they are better at color matching than the men, they just see color variances better.

  • Member since
    July 2019
Posted by Robotism on Monday, May 4, 2020 9:48 PM

Rob Gronovius
modelcrazy

I've never understood what gender had to do with building models...

 Because it was marketed to boys in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. I've raised six children, four boys and two girls. Only my now-26 year old daughter was truly interested in model building. She went to club meetings and entered contests at age 11.

 She was really interested in girly girl models, but those were hard to find. I eventually got pink paint and let her paint them as she wished. I got her a Tamiya Pink Panther. I wish the Girls und Panzers line was active back then.

 

 
 
Men and women just have different interests, there's no point trying to sell stuff to people who won't ever care. All you will do is water down your core supporters because they're getting less and less of what they want. Bandai recently tried to make more kits for women and they basically all failed. Only Bearguy III and the Petiteguys got any traction. Most of the kits they aimed at women were bought by weirdos wanting to making little model girlfriends rather than women.
 
Nothing wrong with masculine and feminine preferences. Evolution made men and women different and they have different strengths for it. If a woman wants to build models and isn't being disruptive then that's neat. But in my experience women I've seen involved with models in public venues (game stores, wargaming clubs) are usually attached to one of the male members and is more interested in the social side of things. I've asked a few who barely seemed interested in the hobby but always turned up to the clubs why they were there. The answer I got from one was "You guys are nicer than my friends are so I like coming here". In the end she annoyed me because if you got paired with her in a tournament you had a free win, which wasn't satisfying. She never improved or got invested, she just wanted to hang out. As someone who values his hobby time a free win isn't something I value and it felt like I was getting ripped off because the tournaments had an entry fee. There are ultra rare exceptions where there are decent quality women players and modelers but they are the exception. They tend to be pretty cool as long as it doesn't turn into a circle jerk where everyones too busy blowing smoke up her butt to focus on the activity at hand. Unfortunately I've never seen a situation where more than 1 guy and 1 girl can share a hobby space before they start peacocking and vying for attention. Men and women are just different and dynamics involving them are going to be different to a group of only one sex. Some people like that dynamic and others don't.
 
I do wish people would stop demanding quotas for groups though. It's nice having masculine spaces to hang out in. Adding women just for the sake of adding women destroys those spaces and leads to resement from the people who like them. Sort of like if you're a huge soccer fan, suddenly people picking up the ball and playing rugby instead is going to annoy you. It's not that you don't like Rugby, it's that your love for soccer is now being ignored. Men need spaces where they can just be men, Women need spaces where they can just be women. Not everything has to be a big pile of mush where everything and anything is included. I like my hobby space to be void of the drama and non-sense intersex groups always end up with. Same way in a good relationship you and your other half share some interests but also have unique hobbies away from each other. Lets you express aspects of your personality they don't share and you can support each other in that without stepping on any ones toes. A prime example being the great ladies who help run modeling shows their husbands display models in while they themselves have no interest in the activity. Their support enables their partners hobby to a greater depth than could be achieved alone. Same way I see a lot of men supporting their wives in developing handcraft or painting skills. Rather than trying to force the supporters into the hobby actively they do more for the hobby by being outside of it. The integrity of the hobby and the quality of hobby time would only go down if you tried to pander to people who aren't really interested and will never invest themselves in it. Better to have a good supporter than a mediocre builder who will lose interest in a year and wander off to do other things.
  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, May 4, 2020 12:15 PM

Oh, no big deal. I tried to keep comment factual.

One crazy thing I saw there is that although it was started in 2003 and thats when most of the activity went down; lot's of folks posted during 2003 while their "current" "member since" date is later than that. I know mine's been reset several times.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Monday, May 4, 2020 12:12 PM

GMorrison

17 year old thread! 

I think that's a record for zombie threads.

It's a new guy who brought it back from the dead.  We should give him a pass.  At least he didn't post a specific, technical question in an "Introduce Yourself" post.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Monday, May 4, 2020 11:15 AM

modelcrazy

I've never understood what gender had to do with building models...

Because it was marketed to boys in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. I've raised six children, four boys and two girls. Only my now-26 year old daughter was truly interested in model building. She went to club meetings and entered contests at age 11.

She was really interested in girly girl models, but those were hard to find. I eventually got pink paint and let her paint them as she wished. I got her a Tamiya Pink Panther. I wish the Girls und Panzers line was active back then.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Thursday, April 30, 2020 12:42 PM

Gamera

Midnightprowler is I think the only member in this thread from 2003 that still posts here.

Sur-prisehttp://cdn-frm-eu.wargaming.net/wot/eu/4.1/style_emoticons/wot/Smile-hiding.gif

     I'm still here.

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Thursday, April 30, 2020 9:43 AM

GMorrison

17 year old thread!

 

And frankly it's kinda depressing. Midnightprowler is I think the only member in this thread from 2003 that still posts here. 

 

BTW: Penny Pierce still builds. She's currently running our club newsletter. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Thursday, April 30, 2020 9:18 AM

17 year old thread!

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    July 2014
Posted by modelcrazy on Thursday, April 30, 2020 8:22 AM

I've never understood what gender had to do with building models. My wife is extreamly intrested in my builds although she doesn't want to do one, just one push and over the edge she'll go. She loves airshows, cars, tanks, Sci Fi. I never have to worry about watching a chick flick, she prefers fantasy, Sci Fi, and some war. Most war movies go over the top in violence for her but she loves the old ones and ones like the new Midway.

I bought her a 1/24 56 Thunderbird last year, her favorite car, but she hasn't done anything with it yet. Most anything I have is the stash is hers if she wants.

Steve

Building a kit from your stash is like cutting a head off a Hydra, two more take it's place.

 

 

http://www.spamodeler.com/forum/

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: East Bethel, MN
Posted by midnightprowler on Thursday, April 30, 2020 8:02 AM

Ive seen Michelle's work up close. Amazing doesn't begin to describe it.

Hi, I am Lee, I am a plastiholic.

Co. A, 682 Engineers, Ltchfield, MN, 1980-1986

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Ask me about Speedway Decals

  • Member since
    April 2020
Posted by bluarcher on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 8:44 PM

Her attention to detail was above and beyond anything I've ever seen in the world of plastic modeling. I remember the FSM copy (March '93) that showcased her F4 Phantom II and displayed the open nose radar...just astounding detail. I can't imagine how many hundreds of hours went into some of those builds. May she still be building in heaven. :)

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: UK
Posted by gregers on Friday, August 8, 2003 9:55 AM
HEY Allan just tell her that last time you built one you broke a nail, that'll stop her. LoL ...Greg
Why torture yourself when life will do it for you?
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Thursday, August 7, 2003 5:03 PM
Check out the nice P-51 by Penny Pierce in the latest FSM. Pretty nice work. Smile [:)] Yes, girls can!

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

 Eric 

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Cavite, Philippines
Posted by allan on Thursday, August 7, 2003 9:28 AM
Gregers,

I guess we created our own little dilemma, huh? I was thinking of excuses to tell my wife why she should NOT build one of my Hase F-14s. Disapprove [V]

Jeeves,

Welcome to the club, my man.

No bucks, no Buck Rogers

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Saratoga Springs, NY
Posted by Jeeves on Thursday, August 7, 2003 7:31 AM
My wife's first model blows my dinky first 109 out of the water. She was a bit brave as well-- her first attempt was a Peashooter (P-26 I believe)....and she even did the rigging. I look at the paint job on hers compared to my first model and just shake my head. She said years of putting on nail polish helped her steady herself for painting :)

Her second and current project-- a Hawk-- has kind of gone to the wayside as she spends all her time with our new daughter. I wait until everyone is asleep to do my modeling, but my wife can't stay up LOL
Mike
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 6, 2003 11:27 PM
Wahooo! I love this thread! It's nice to hear all the support from the guys! Not that I dont get tons of support from y'all on a regular basis here at the FSM forum. Smile [:)]
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 10:13 PM
Hey I admire any women who builds models, and why not, its not just for grown men anyway. Big Smile [:D] I really admire you guy modelers whose spouses build models also. Mine likes tole-painting. Dead [xx(] Heck, she doesn't even do that anymore, but in all honesty, she made some neat things. My own daughter is currently giving it a go on her first project. All I can say is "You go girl." Smile [:)]

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

 Eric 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 4:36 PM
Hey aurora-7 the same happend to me at walmart. It was a mom and son. I told her about gundams. I think she liked that someone could help her and her son, and the cost was right. I didnt sell her on a bunch of things that the child would have a hard time with. We must be ready to share the info with any child at any time.
Dale
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Connecticut, USA
Posted by Aurora-7 on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 4:25 PM
I've done my part for breaking the gender barrier. Sunday I was picking up some stuff at a Walmart and stopped by the toy section to see what models they had. A 10 year old girl already there was looking the models over and asked if I knew anything about models Big Smile [:D] Her mom suggested she try doing it just to try something different (thanks, mom!)

She was looking at the AMT sport cars and 'we' decided on a new Trans-Am. I mentioned to her a couple of local hobby shops so if she liked it, she could find a bigger selection of cars and supplies. She tanked me and went back to her mom with a big smile and a 'Look what I'm getting!'

Thank heaven for little girls. Smile [:)]

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: UK
Posted by gregers on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 1:23 PM
Hey Allan, I know what you mean. my missus built a couple of models (airfix P51 and kamov copter) and did a pretty good job of em too. i also taught her to play chess and she can now beat me almost every time. lucky she didn't take up modelling really, mind you it would mean that all the plastic loft insulation up there may just get built if she did...LoL...Greg
Why torture yourself when life will do it for you?
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Waukesha, WI
Posted by David Voss on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 1:18 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by therriman
I think the reason for the "male domination" of the hobby is primarily due to the subject matter of most models. Few women have an interest in military subjects, which we all know is the majority of the kits.


I think you're right. My wife finds most of the subject matter boring (especially the military stuff). However she has built one NASCAR kit and an airplane for the boys. She wants to build another NASCAR kit soon.

I'm into gaming and historical miniatures, which she also finds boring, but she enjoys painting them. I have to admit that she did a fine job on them too.

Going back to subject matter and interests, take a look at dollhouse miniaturists. Having seen some of the work done by people in that hobby, I have to say I'm very impressed. A lot of stuff is done from scratch and with intricate detail.

BTW -- for anyone looking for something to bribe the spouse with Wink [;)], Kalmbach also publishes Dollhouse Miniatures
David Voss Senior Web Developer Kalmbach Publishing Co. Join me on the FSM Map
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Cavite, Philippines
Posted by allan on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 11:47 AM
My wife actually built a 72nd scale P-47. Well, okay, one of the insignias on the underwing was upside down but still, she sanded, filled, aribrushed and washed it (with a lot of coaching and patience). Compared to that bird my first model (a ship) was a heap of abused, unpainted plastic. Shes now building a 72nd Hellcat. I fear the day when I'll be asking her about techniques. Sniff sniff.

No bucks, no Buck Rogers

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