Australian Pf members

[Chrisr]

I note that several members of our community in Europe know each other, and meet regularly at clubs or shows. Figure painting is not a big hobby in Australia, and we are a rare breed in this country, so I was wondering where in the wide brown land Australian Pf members live, and how active is the hobby where you reside?

I know Tony Dawe lives in my home town of Perth, Western Australia. I now live in Canberra, the nation's capital (and no I am not a public servant), and know of no-one else in this city who paints figures.

Chris

 

[Andrew Perren]

Hi Chris

Melbourne for me. Although I do like to get to Canberra regularly for Scale ACT, perhaps there could be a catch up there as there are several members of the ACT club that are very good figure painters.

I'm a member of IPMS Australia - Melbourne, and we have several good figure painters in the club.

Cheers
Andrew P

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Chris,

As you know, Perth is one of the most isolated cities in the world. I would have to drive for two days to reach the next nearest State Capital city.
The number of figure modellers here is very small, possibly only a dozen. We did have a Figure Modelling Club here for many years but it faded away. I've been a member of the Scale Modellers Club of Western Australia for 18 years and I'm the only regular figure modeller in the club. The only time I get to meet fellow figure modellers in the flesh is at our annual Western Australian Scale Model Expo (WASMEx) (29-30 April www.wasmex.org) or if I spend thousands of dollars to fly to Melbourne at attend the Australian Model Expo.

 

[Chrisr]

Hi Chris

Although I do like to get to Canberra regularly for Scale ACT, perhaps there could be a catch up there as there are several members of the ACT club that are very good figure painters.

Cheers
Andrew P

Thank you Andrew.

Next time you are in Canberra, let me know and we can get together for a coffee. Thanks for the advice on Scale ACT. I think this is the group I visited about 17 years ago, before my second career took over my life. Where they meet is not far from me, so I will drop in next month.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Chrisr]

As you know, Perth is one of the most isolated cities in the world. I would have to drive for two days to reach the next nearest State Capital city.

Yes indeed Tony. These days it would take me longer than two days to drive from Perth to Adelaide - three at least. I used do it in about 34 - 35 hours driving plus a five hour kip in the car at the border, but then there was a dirt road for 1250 km between Norseman and Ceduna.

I shall be in Perth in mid- September and looking forward to getting together for a coffee. It has been too many years since we last met in Perth at in the hall in Nedlands.

Cheers
Chris

 

[alamac]

Hi Chris
Brisbane for me , i'm part of the Queensland figure modellers group which has quite a diversity of members although many of us are ex servicemen, the club meets last saturday of each month we can normally get about 12 per meeting , meeting are at different members home each month. If you ever get up this way Chris please let me know and we may be able to organise a special meeting for you to meet some of the members , we organised a meeting the last time Tony was over this way a few years ago
My brother in law and his wife moving to Canberra in April , my wife and i are planning to be in Canberra in October on our way through to the great ocean road .
Cheers
Al

 

[DEL]

Sorry for crashing into your discussion here guys but it really brings home just how vast Australia is.
We in Scotland can fly to pretty much any European venue in a maximum of four hours for a couple of hundred £s
And here you are talking about 3 day drives to your next State Capital and thousands of dollars for a flight ..............

 

[tonydawe]

Del, the distance between Perth and Canberra is approximately the same as the distance between London and Moscow. For me to drive to Canberra it would take me four days of constant driving with only small stops to refuel and sleep. It would cost several hundred dollars just in fuel alone.

You guys in Europe are so lucky to have so many figure modellers within such close proximity to each other and so many great shows to attend each year. I'm lucky to attend one or two shows a year.

That's one of the reasons why pF has been such an important part of my modelling life for the past 10 years.

 

[Chrisr]

Thanks Al. Good to see you have a large group. I am planning to be in Brisbane in July.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Chrisr]

Del, you are more than welcome to join the discussion.

As Tony says, you are very lucky to have the number of people in the hobby in close proximity to each other, and the number of shows you can get to easily. Not only are the distances an issue, we don't have the numbers in the hobby you have.

Yes the distances are vast, but we are pretty used to them, and it is nothing to drive up to Sydney and back in a day - three hours on the freeway each way. We do envy the access you guys have to shows, meetings, and products for the hobby.

We need to remember our Canadian, American and Russian colleagues have vast distances to travel as well.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Ybrossculpts]

Thanks Al. Good to see you have a large group. I am planning to be in Brisbane in July.

Cheers
Chris

Hi Chris,
I'm located in Brisbane as well and if I didn't have such busy weekends with work and kids sports I'd be trying to get to the meets the guy's have every month. I really look forward to the QMHE in August every year though and also like Tony feel glad PF exists so I can get my fix of miniatures.

Regards
Chris

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Nap]

Hi Guys

Really good to have you fellows with us and happy you like PF , always look forward to seeing your work

Keep modelling

Nap

 

[DEL]

[quote=" ............. and the number of shows you can get to easily.
Cheers
Chris[/quote]


Those few of us in Scotland are envious of our friends in 'continental' europe who can get together, hire a minibus and drive to a high quality and international show nearly every weekend.
Mind you 2 hours drive takes most of us in Scotland to places like this ......

 

[kenshin393]

[quote=" ............. and the number of shows you can get to easily.
Cheers
Chris

Those few of us in Scotland are envious of our friends in 'continental' europe who can get together, hire a minibus and drive to a high quality and international show nearly every weekend.
Mind you 2 hours drive takes most of us to places like this ......
View attachment 274526View attachment 274527 View attachment 274528[/quote]
And I thought it was lonely where I am! I reckon I could make it to another figure painter within an hour if I put my foot down! I'll stop feeling sorry for myself and get ready for sword and lance

 

[peedee]

Boy this does put it all in perspective doesn't it.
how lucky I am, even compared to Del, Brian, Davey, Gells and Ron Tambourini who are all in Scotland.
I can choose to attend between 30-40 assorted shows here in the UK each year, cherry picking from those that are no more than three hours away by car!
The biggest commitment to travel is to attend Euromilitaire which is 5hours by car and just 3 by high speed train.
I have attended and displayed at 5 already this year and another looms at RAF Cosford in 9 days.
27 booked all in for 2017.
May is my only month were I can't meet friends at a scale model show !

Bless you lads for your committment to the hobby, and for the time you spend ploughing a lonely furrow and still producing high standards.

Cheers Paul.

 

[Chrisr]

I can choose to attend between 30-40 assorted shows here in the UK each year, cherry picking from those that are no more than three hours away by car!
The biggest commitment to travel is to attend Euromilitaire which is 5hours by car and just 3 by high speed train.
I have attended and displayed at 5 already this year and another looms at RAF Cosford in 9 days.
27 booked all in for 2017.
May is my only month were I can't meet friends at a scale model show !
Cheers Paul.

We are green with envy Paul. I have only ever made it to two shows, and that was while I was living in the US in the 1980's. Hope you do well at all the shows this year, but where do you get the time to paint?


Hi Kenshin393,
Lonely ? No - we have PF. The work displayed on the forum is inspirational for me, has got me back into the hobby recently, and everyone willing to share techniques is a great help.

Chris

 

[tonydawe]

30-40 shows in the UK alone each year - wow. I've only attended Euro Militaire once (back in 2009) and it was the thrill of a lifetime to compete and judge at such an internationally renowned event and to meet so many of my mates from Planet Figure all at one show. It made me green with envy to realise that this is normal for so many of you guys.

Most of the time, modelling is a fairly solitary hobby and for me a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of daily life and certainly a better way to spend my time than vegging out in front of the TV. But it was only since I joined pF that I've actually discovered that I'm part of a global community of figure modellers. It's made me a better modeller and helped me get more enjoyment out of my hobby, and also give something back.

 

[peedee]

...edit...We are green with envy Paul. I have only ever made it to two shows, and that was while I was living in the US in the 1980's. Hope you do well at all the shows this year, but where do you get the time to paint....Chris

.

Yeah there's regional shows everywhere here.
I paint at the shows as well as at home.

Sutton Colfield 2016


Hinckley Leics bottom centre blue shirt.

 

[Chrisr]

.
Yeah there's regional shows everywhere here.

Did you say you lived in heaven?

 

[Chrisr]

It's made me a better modeller .

Tony,

I recall the work you did in 1999 was pretty damn good. I have a clear memory of the excellent conversion you did of a mounted 10th light horseman, and the 1917 digger with the shovel - your great uncle at Messines if I recall correctly. Both were first class pieces.

Cheers
Chris