On the 17th of September 2022 at the Cosmopolitan Club in Hamilton, New Zealand, there will be a combined event taking place, which includes the Waikato Scale Model Club (WSMC) Model Competition, and the Hamilton Immortals 2022 Painting Competition.
Peter from Parker Hobbies recently had the opportunity to speak with WSMC member, Chris, to discuss this upcoming event, the WSMC, and his personal journey in the hobby.
Chris, Member of the Waikato Scale Model Club
In classic kiwi style, Chris doesn’t proclaim to be a great modeller, in his words he is mediocre, but he is very passionate about the hobby space. For Chris the hobby is about the people that make up the community. Before our interview he noted that in today’s digital age it can be difficult for some people to make friends outside of the realm of social media, the face-to-face contact you can get from belonging to a scale modelling club is great for mental health and well-being. The video conference calls and in-person meetings his club offers present an opportunity for some ‘me’ time, and members partake as much or as little as they like.
Could you please tell me about the Waikato Scale Model Club? What type of models are scale modellers interested in?
Chris: The Waikato Scale Model Club has been running since the early 1990’s, and I have been a member for about eight years. It's a great diverse group, we've got about 15 active members, and another 10 or so who join in as their schedule allows. It is a very supportive space that welcomes people of all abilities. It's a great way of being able to reach out and connect with people, while scale modelling is often a solitary hobby, the club introduces a friendship aspect to your modelling.
We meet in person at least once a month, and additionally every Thursday we do a zoom meeting, where people can join in from their own private space, we hang out, talk rubbish and work on our models. The ability to share one’s knowledge and help build members skill levels is a very satisfying aspect.
The Scale Model scene in New Zealand encompasses a lot of different subjects, from replica vehicles to sci-fi and fantasy figures, scratch-built models, train layouts to dioramas - it really doesn't matter. It's more about the enjoyment of creating something with your hands.
Group photo of the Waikato Scale Model Club members
What about your personal history in the hobby? What got you into it, and what do you enjoy about it today?
A love of aeroplanes got me into it. As a little kid, I think that would have been from about four, with my parents helping me putting them together, by about age six I could do it better on my own. Whenever I would get a new model was a highlight, putting them together on the floor as fast as possible. I continued through my teenage years improving gradually, but without a mentor or club I found it hard to improve. I took a break when doing my OE and picked it up again in my mid-20s when needing a hobby while living overseas. Magazines, the internet and then YouTube opened my eyes to what was possible, and it’s just grown into a real passion from there.
The thing I love the most about the hobby today is my group of friends, absolutely. I also get an enormous amount of satisfaction from taking a project from idea through to completion. I’ve developed a real passion for weathering in a realistic style, or at least trying to! Personally, my goal is to make my models look as plausible as possible.
What is your favourite hobby project you have worked on, and what did you like about it?
It is really difficult to pin something down as a favourite. I’ve got a really simple Bandai kit of a Star Wars Star Destroyer. It is a simple model, but I take it along to a lot of shows and people really connect with it, both kids and adults.
Chris' Star Wars Star Destroyer from Bandai, a popular piece at events
On the 17th of September the Scale Model Competition is going to be held, how many years has this been running for?
For longer than I have been associated with the model club, every year we have hosted a modelling competition during the Armistice in Cambridge event. This is going to be the first time we have branched out to do something on our own. Our club will still be attending and showcasing models at Armistice, however we will not be hosting a competition during that event – it will be more of a low-key fun attraction for the kids and their families in attendance. Several factors led to the decision to host this year’s competition alongside the Immortals Miniature Wargaming Club at the Hamilton Cosmopolitan Club, but a main one was to maximise the amount of people that can come along to view and enter the competition, and to enable some cross-pollination of ideas between the two groups as there is a natural synergy.
Chris' model of his old car, a 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Who is eligible to this competition? And how much does it cost to enter?
This is an open competition, anybody can enter. You don't have to be affiliated with a club, you can be a first timer, no one will talk somebody’s work down as we have all had to start somewhere, we even have a junior category for under sixteens. There is such a wide range of categories from fiction and fantasy, through to the more traditional. The full list of categories can be found on the Waikato Scale Model Club Model Competition Facebook page. (There is a link to this following the interview)
When the competition was held at Armistice, some people were unable to afford entry fees, as they already had to pay to enter Armistice. This time access to view the competition will be free, and there will be a cost of $5 per model entered, with a maximum amount of $20 paid to enter as many models as competitors would like. All proceeds are going to be re-invested into producing amazing trophies – for which there is one for each category. There will also be plenty of raffles running throughout the day, club members have generously donated more than 20 kits and tickets will be as low as $1.00.
A sneak peak at the beautiful trophies up for grabs this year
In a competition like this how are things scored? What will the judges be looking for?
Great question, particularly for someone who's coming from outside of scale modelling. We use the IPMS (International Plastic Modelers' Society) standards. The first thing a judge will assess is the skill of how the model has been assembled. Can you see any seam lines where the parts have been joined, can you see any mould lines? All of the fundamentals are considered, the judges will also look at the finish, how it is painted, weathered, and how it has been displayed. It can be really quite hard to decide on 1st, 2nd and 3rd with the high standard of modelling we see. That is why we do peer-review judging, so if someone wants to learn how to improve their modelling skills, a great thing to do is to jump in with an experienced person and then actually partake in the judging
Example of aircraft models on display at a previous model competition
In your view, what are the main differences between scale modelling and miniature painting for tabletop gaming?
I am personally in both camps, I play Flames of War, I enjoy miniature painting, and I have a few Warhammer 40k armies as well. This is a very broad stroke assessment, but war gamers predominantly paint their models to play the game, whereas scale modelling is for the sake of making the model. I think a big distinction is that there would not be many scale modellers who would make 10 tanks all exactly the same. For example, trying to get through my Russian Flames of War army has been a slog. Trying to paint so many of the same models to a high standard is really tough, hats off to those in the gaming community who do that. I’m always impressed when I see an amazing army.
Thank you for your insights Chris, any closing comments?
I suggest joining a hobby club, you might find a great group of guys and girls, and you might learn some new techniques. Don’t be afraid to advance out of your comfort zone and social circles, there is a great cross over between various groups in our hobby.
Finally, anyone who has read this and feels inspired to come along to the Hamilton Cossie Club on the 17th of September, I invite you to bring along the kids, your partner, there are going to be some really neat models on display and it is going to be a great day. Every WSMC member will have a club T-Shirt and name badge on so come by and say “Hi”. There is free public entry, although some details will need to be taken due to the venue’s liquor license requirements.
More information:
Visit the Waikato Scale Model Club, Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1793082770812738
Information on the Waikato Scale Model Club Model Competition 2022, including categories:
https://www.facebook.com/events/626406998704036
Visit the Hamilton Immortals website:
https://hamiltonimmortals.co.nz/
Information on the Hamilton Immortals 2022 Painting Contest:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1tc9iUKATZLJV8LrnvH7yjswnUCjbJqBQx_V8X4pRq40/edit?fbclid=IwAR2nPvMlKaNo-UETJK91jBn3sfrv2rDkeRUxltFCxqtWnqNZEH84Ft0MwUA#slide=id.p