The Art of Model Making 203

[StephenLawson]

Greetins all: Forgive my intrusion here but I have been wanting to do this class for a looonnngggg time. Truth be told I have been monitoring the hub-bub with the USA IPMS and was waiting until they came to some sort of conclusion as to whether or not I would start this. My most recent IPMS journal says that '...some people would rather not have ulcers so we're not running letters to the editor anymore...' So it appears some people can't take or accept the thinking that a hobby can become an art. (How in the world did they miss 'The Psychology of Modeling 201' and the 'Poetry of Modeling 301.' ) While I do not consider myself an artist there are people that like what I do. I have sold some of my pieces and I do some writing on the subject that gets a bit of notoriety. If we are to believe what a real artist has to say then lets see what well known aviation artist Jim Dietz says, ‘... the process of creating a realistic painting is like describing how a magic trick is done. Once the process is understood the viewer is apt to say,”Oh is that all there is to it?”... “They are to fulfill my own desires.”

Sounds like most modelers to me. While you and I may not see eye to eye in this I would like to encourage free rant on ths topic. I would however like to encourage that we give each othe basic courtesies.

I started this in the off topic thread to get a feel for some surface impressions. To begin with what about model making, building and displaying can be called an art? What about it can't be considered art? Before you go too far let me tell you that I've seen a wooden ship that is worth about $250,000.00 USD sitting in the attic of the Govenor's mansion here in Colorado. To be more specific its old and ragged and to refinish it would only lessen its value.. Yet, I have seen one unbuilt model - mint in the box going for $1,000.00 USD. I have also posted this in the models section as this is where the subject originated from. But I would certainly welcome everyone's participation.

[Barker]

A quickie comment that may or may not be on your intended topic:

There is The Marketing Of Art and there is The Art Of Marketing.
They're different.

Anything done extremely well has an "art" to it. To me.

Anything of one-of-or-near-one-of-a-kind value is not necessarily a work of art - RE baseball cards. Not art, but valuable, if and when unique.

"Art" -
The Best Art changes the way the rest of us think about things, from that point, forward. In whatever endeavor or pastime or happenstance or vocation.

People don't automatically see that, right away - as we all know.

[Tim West]

Hmm, ok. I think that art can be and is many things. A hobby, a profession, even things in nature.

Would a scale model be valued as art....say as much as a 3d model or a fine oil of a tall ship?

It depends on your point of view. Not every one likes or "values" the same things. While maybe that model took months to complete and is worthy of sharing, many people will still just see it as a toy or hobby. Its all in the eye of the beholder

I find masons work to be an art, while others might see it as just work. I see computer generated art.....as art While others might see it as childs play or a lesser medium or even a complete waste of time.

Lots of people hate lots of things. Thats ok. If you do a piece for "you" then perhaps the shallow thoughts of others don't matter so much.

If it evokes even the slightest bit of thought, be it positive of negative, then its art. And in the end since art is usually a personal endeavor it should not matter what a few people have to say about your art.

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. "
--Albert Einstein

[retread]

Five or six years ago in the Mystic Seaport Museum there was a model of the frigate USS Constitution no more than 4" long and roughly equal hieght. It was composed of individual planks, copper plates and fully rigged.It was selling for $100,000. It was bought for $100,000. I not only thought it was art, but high art. I was apparently not alone.

[StephenLawson]

I take it then that I am preaching to the choir when I experss the opinion that art is found in the manifest expression of one's creativity?

[JohnReid]

Every child is an artist.The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. Pablo Picasso.



Cheers ! John.