What got you started into figure modelling/making

[blaster]

When I was a kid, my dad bought me a box of Airfix Ancient Britons. I was hooked.

Rgds Victor

 

[badger]

yes the ancient britons and the romans were very good, great detail for the time./ badger

 

[Ventress]

When I was 11 I won the Best Letter prize in Warlord comic and won an Airfix Me109 1/24th scale. Progressed to Tamiya and Esci. The got into Dave Grieve, Almond and Stadden, the rest is history. Now hooked on Carl Reid and Moz Courry production via several brilliant manufacturers.

 

[mcsnead17]

I started do the hobby in 1970's and the reason was I needed something to keep on my mind on something other than work and anyway I thought it would be great to come with an award which was not happen yet just merit awards for trying my best .

 

[Ray Stout]

My interest started in 1973 When I saw Peter Gilder's model of the complete Battlefield of Waterloo with 25mm wargame figures mostly Hinchcliffe and Minifigs. Also on display was the "Master" of Ray Lamb's Taisho to be done by Hinchcliffe and Ray's Historex Chasseur de Cheval. I joined Manchester Area Wargames Soc. and the following year they put on the 1st. Northern Militaire. It was sponsered by Frank Hinchcliffe and, as a reward ,the Stewards were each given a figure; mine was a 75mm Prussian Dragoon mounted. This,at the time was way beyond my capabilities, but I recalled seeing a man at the show demonstrating painting in oils. The man was Joe Shaw, so with some trepidation, I phoned him to see if he could help. I was duly invited to visit , and, as Joe said,"To-night we're going to paint th'orses head, I'll do one side, and tha'll do t'other, and if we can tell the difference, well thars no point comin next week is tha?" Well , we finally finished the figure in 6-8 wks, and I learnt more about colour theroy and painting techniques than I thought possible. Everyone should have a mentor to realise what potential they just might possess without knowing it. I was just one, in a long line of painters beating a path to Joe's door at that time. Incidently, I still have a Les Higgins Miniature in my collection it's a boy carrying a musket on his shoulder,with a Breatplate hanging by one strap, and a rip in his trousers.

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

Ray

that is a great story.

 

[garyhiggins]

Thanks Ray, it's nice that people still remember my dad's stuff.
Best wishes, Gary.

 

[Ray Stout]

It still looks good now, and I think it was the only 30 year war fig. available at that time. I've often thought that those figs. available then were somewhat more difficult to make a good paint job of. with some noteable exceptions, the one that stands out for me was a New Hope Design Mongol; I think it was Keith Durham's first commercial figure. It has that elusive essence of a mongol, short,squat, but menacing.

 

[Ray Stout]

Another point for the "newbies" who may not know , Northern Militaire, in it's day was the best attended show at that time with attendances of 4-5000 on each day, and gave birth to Southern Militaire, or as it became known, Euro Militaire. Purely because Lynn Sangster (Historex) and Ray Lamb (Poste Militaire) didn't like to travel to Manchester, but with the punters coming through the doors, they couldn't just sit at home.

 

[garyhiggins]

. I've often thought that those figs. available then were somewhat more difficult to make a good paint job of. with some noteable exceptions,
The difficulty in my dad's time was the materials they had to use, before all the various resin putties, some made their models directly in solder and carved them to shape, and others, like dad had a basic blank lead figure that they bent to the pose they wanted, and then modelled onto with a mix of plasticeine and beeswax. Not much scope for modern multipart kits!
Best wishes, Gary.

 

[mcsnead17]

seeing figures in the window of Soldier Shop in the 1970's and going to the MFCA in 1970's but I did not know anybody then because of my shyness .

 

[badger]

i feel like i am a member of the best model club ever,i enjoy reading comments and hints and tips from other modellers / badger

 

[samson]

Like others have said my grandfather bought me some Tom Daniel monogram show rod kits and was hooked on car kits that changed to rat fink and the weird oh kits that my parents bought then about five years ago a toy show had a figure category and that's all it took

 

[kevininpdx]

I got started with gaming miniatures. There's still a couple of lines I collect like Infinity the Game (a sweet sci-fi game with amazing miniatures) and Helldorado (a quasi historical line). All the minis are 28-32mm. When I got a little sick of playing the games I discovered Historical Miniatures Magazine (I miss that rag). I have always been into ancient and medieval history and it was a natural switch. I started off right away with Pegaso Models (it's all about Victor Konnov!). I think reaching out to gaming miniature painters is the way to keep historical figure modeling alive with fresh enthusiasts. I do wish there was a figure club here in Portland OR though.

 

[Pilgrim_uk]

Started having those matchbox figures as a kid. 40 years later and I'm still finding those little plastic blighter's when digging up my dads garden.

 

[moz]

When i realised I was failing dismally with girls.

 

[tonydawe]

I started to fail with the girls when I told them I was a figure modeller. Good thing I was married by then

 

[ChaosCossack]

That's why I took almost 20 years off from the bench... The second I realized "Hey baby, I paint little soldiers, wanna come back to my place?" Is a next to useless pickup line. Right after "Hey sweetheart, wanna come up and see my miniatures?"

Colin

 

[Colin_Fraser]

I remember something in an old campaigns mag that alluded to one's ability to create a female exclusion zone around one's person at a cocktail party by admitting to this hobby.....the effect ranking immediately after "I have leprosy!" in effectiveness.

Colin

 

[smudger1960]

It has to be the HO/ OO Airfix plastic figures for me,I just loved all these and the play sets with forts and castles etc,I will always have a place in my heart for these little chaps,although I loved them all,the Waterloo range was my favourite,I stopped collecting these about 1977 but I still have quite a lot of the Waterloo range stashed in my attic