Are there any young modellers out there?

[Stormforcejj]

Hi, I am 13 and have been building models for about half a year now. Glad to hear that there are others like me out there :-). Such a nice way to get away from screens. Wish there where more of us...

[Captain Triggers]

Hi, I am 13 and have been building models for about half a year now. Glad to hear that there are others like me out there :-). Such a nice way to get away from screens. Wish there where more of us...

Agreed, we need to do more to get people off computers.

At school it is like

"so whats your hobby?"

"making models."

"LOL thats dead!"

"So whats your hobby?"

"FORTNITE! BETTER THAN YOURS!"

"Thats not a hobby, thats like watching tv"

I thinks all schools should have model making in art/DT

and that more ipms branches should be welcoming to children.

If I had a model shop I would give discounts to under 18s.

[rafale]

I started to build models in the eighties when I was 10 or 11 years old and I enjoyed it a lot (I'm still a modeller).  The other day I bought a plastic model aircraft for my nephew (he's 12 years old now) to try to get him off mobile phone and computer games.  

[SegaSaturnDude_05]

I'm 13 and started modelling at 10-11.

[danham567]

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum. It is great to see people of all ages here  😆

[DavidJC]

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum. It is great to see people of all ages here  😆

Welcome aborrd, and I fully agree.

[One can but try...]

Hello,

I'm 14 and have been modelling for almost 2 years.

As others have said I do find it tiresome that I can't find anyone else who is an active modeller at my school with whom I can talk to about the hobby (doesn't help that I'm an intravert and spend my time avoiding people 😛).

The problem I have is that less people being involved with modelling means that there are less shops that stock airfix kits and paint. In Oxford there is, now, nowhere (as far as I know) to get any model kits from now that the department store is shutting down and only one place in the city centre to get Humbrol paints (with a relatively patchy stock).

James.

P.S. Please tell me if I'm wrong about the limited modelling supply availability in Oxford.

[peebeep]

Hi James, welcome aboard. I don't think there's any particular problem with the numbers of people in the hobby, my view over the last few years is that it's expanding and with people in quarantine/self-isolation online retailers are reporting a spike in turnover. There's no doubt there's been a huge reduction in bricks-and-mortar shops as so many people shop online nowadays and hobbyists have no other option at the moment. I realise this is a big problem for young modellers if they are not able to use credit/debit cards or Paypal. I don't know if you're able to enlist the help of parents or a relative to let you do some online shopping? When everything starts to open up again I suggest you find where your nearest Hobbycraft store is, they usually have good stocks of kits paints and glue.

[Peter s]

Odd places like LIDL suddenly get stocks of Airfix in. Often at good prices too.

My parents encouraged me to do Airfix, partially to keep me quiet but partially because (I think) they knew I wasn't dumb but I wasn't a Stephen Hawking either and being able to follow instructions carefully plus practising fine detail work might be sensible training for the future. I'm a cancer researcher now and I use the same forceps and scalpels at work as I do modelling. A senior surgeon was complaining that students don't do needlecraft or modelling anymore and junior docs simply don't have the dexterity to stitch neatly. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-46019429

Its a great argument in favour of encouraging kids to do more crafts (I'm 42 BTW)