For those who have actually built a Fine Scale Miniature's kit.

Started by tct855, February 26, 2019, 08:41:37 AM

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Janbouli

Quote from: mark dalrymple on February 26, 2019, 08:46:10 PM
I think Troels Kirk made some fairly major waves in the modeling world in recent times and influenced the way many people model.   By coming into the hobby as a professional artist, and bringing with him techniques and mediums from that field, he presented a new, but also time tested approach to the hobby.

Cheers, Mark.
One of the people I wanted to mention from Europe along with Martin Welberg for his insanely realistic scenery. And then there are people like Marcel Ackle, Chuck Doan, Ken Hamilton who inspire us to do even more detailing . Which then is seen on this forum , done by the great Craftsmen here , that have inspired me through the years.
I love photo's, don't we all.

cuse

I would agree there is a very steady progression beginning with John Allen, then George (who changed the whole game for kit builders and with his layout)...to me, the current and recent guys who impress me the most are generally On30 guys like the Aussie group (with the late Geoff Nott) and similar groups who have built such amazingly detailed logging (generally) layouts and the group in Florida that have built the Sundance Central and other amazing displays and dioramas. The level of detail, whimsy, weathering, and personality in some of today's modeling is just stunning. These layouts generally have a very strong "personality" that transcends the trains and operation...almost like a movie set, I guess. I know it's my own particular taste but the heavy "theme" layouts tend to be Narrow gauge and maybe come off the Malcolm Furlow/Jon Olsen family tree. Troels Kirk and Martin Welberg, Don Railton and the other contest room regulars in Jan's post. Brett Gallant's stuff and influence certainly fits in this group as well. George's modeling direction, IMO, is ultra-detailed, extremely weathered, and generates a "feel" more than ultra-realistic...and all of these modelers seem to grow off of that direction. Perhaps I'm over-thinking this but I know how I react to different types of modeling talent...and there seems to be more of this genre than ever - even as the hobby seems to shrink.


I know there continues to be outstanding prototype and mainline modelers but, to me, the quirkier (generally large gauge) stuff is the state of the art and groundbreaking in the way that George has been for decades.

NKP768

Good morning - I have to echo Bob and Dave on Jack Work and E.L. Moore - did you ever notice how many Moore builds became AHM kits? But I can't believe this thread has ran almost 2 pages now and no one has mentioned Hayden and Frary. I think back to the RMC series on Thatcher's Inlet and believe that is the consummate "layout how to". Whereas John Allen showed how to fill a basement H&F
built an "empire in a corner". As far as kit progression, a lot of us cut our teeth on the old Alexander,Timberline and Campbell kits and when we could afford it maybe a S.S. Ltd. and thought at the time these are truly the golden days. As far as George "pushing the envelope" some of his earlier efforts such as the signal and water towers would be considered pretty crude even by the standards at the time(cardboard sub structure covered by brick paper).

postalkarl

Hi All:

I have built probably around twenty FSM Kits. Frank Bernard and I used to get the Jewel Series kits to build as test fits before they were released. This was a lot of fun. I am now building FSM kits for a friends RR.

Karl

tom.boyd.125

 If your on this Forum...you must have some craftsman kits from your favorite manufactures...or just like model railroading...and one of my first small hard covered books was Frank Ellison's on Model Railroading. Many of the articles come from other magazines that showed his O gauge Delta Lines in the 40's-50's-60's era...some of the FSM kits and structures on George's layout are based on photos within this book.  Frank Ellison is a name that is now added to this thread.
Tommy
Tom Boyd in NE Minnesota
tommytrains22@yahoo.com

S&S RR

This is an interesting topic.  I decided a few years back to have name plates on the roundhouse stalls of my Stone Roundhouse to honor the modelers that had the greatest influence on "my modeling". Stall one, John Allen, stall two, George Sellios, stall three Bob VanGelder, stall four Darryl Huffman, stall five Karl Osolinski, stall six Bob Brown, stall seven Brian Nolan, and stall eight Doug Foscale.  In addition to this, three of the towns on my layout are named Sellios, VanGelder, and Gallant. I met Brett Gallant about 10 years ago and if I built the Stone Roundhouse today he would be on there. Don't ask who would get bumped - we just would build another stall. I will say this, Brett has developed techniques and kits that have taken the hobby to another level of realism.  I think my next round house will have to have more stalls if I'm to continue this process. My list of influential modelers is growing every year - I have met a few though  this forum. Yes, John Allen and George Sellios and others built a great foundation for us all to build off from.  I would say that this ever expanding list of names is evidence that the hobby is alive and well.  I have no idea if I answered the 9 questions.
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

deemery

I bought an extra set of the RMC issues with "Thatchers Inlet", and dig that out whenever I need inspiration.  I've talked to Dave Frary a couple of times, and even got an old beat-up kit from him that he wasn't planning to use. 


dave
Modeling the Northeast in the 1890s - because the little voices told me to

Blazeman

Thom's original question was who replaces George S?  Discussion has evolved to a hall-of-fame roster.  That's OK, always good to learn about someone I may not have been familiar with or forgotten about.

Re: Bob Hayden.  Hasn't he more or less left the hobby?

NKP768

I know what you mean Dave - when we were discussing "down or right sizing" when it came to our accumulated magazine collection - the RMC Thatcher Inlet issues were some of the few that I kept intact. I think Bob Hayden still has an active book store on the web -try BobHayden.com

Doug


S&S RR

Quote from: Blazeman on February 28, 2019, 09:28:49 AM
Thom's original question was who replaces George S?  Discussion has evolved to a hall-of-fame roster.  That's OK, always good to learn about someone I may not have been familiar with or forgotten about.

Re: Bob Hayden.  Hasn't he more or less left the hobby?


Bob Hayden is very involved in the hobby see:


http://whiteriverproductions.com
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

deemery

Quote from: Blazeman on February 28, 2019, 09:28:49 AM
Thom's original question was who replaces George S?  Discussion has evolved to a hall-of-fame roster.  That's OK, always good to learn about someone I may not have been familiar with or forgotten about. ...

It's not just George, but also Bob Van Gelder that we've lost recently.  I actually miss SRMW a bit more, since I really like big mill buildings.  FOS kits are nice (and have good instructions), but they aren't filling the same niche as either FSM or SRMW. 

I'm currently messing with walls from an Imagine That Laser Art (ITLA) background kit, for use as a mill behind my NE Browstone stone viaduct.  There'll be a lot of kitbashing and adaptation involved with that.

dave
Modeling the Northeast in the 1890s - because the little voices told me to

S&S RR

I just have to say we have not lost George or Bob to the hobby. They retired from the kit making business after many very productive years.  They both continue to contribute to the hobby  - they are both working on fantastic layouts, and continue to inspire.

John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

vinceg

Quote from: S&S RR on February 28, 2019, 10:30:54 AM
I just have to say we have not lost George or Bob to the hobby. They retired from the kit making business after many very productive years.  They both continue to contribute to the hobby  - they are both working on fantastic layouts, and continue to inspire.

Yep. What he said.
Vince

Protolancing the Illinois Central Chicago District from Chicago to Kankakee

Dave K.

Quote from: S&S RR on February 28, 2019, 10:30:54 AM
I just have to say we have not lost George or Bob to the hobby. They retired from the kit making business after many very productive years.  They both continue to contribute to the hobby  - they are both working on fantastic layouts, and continue to inspire.


Hear! Hear!

Blazeman

Quote from: S&S RR on February 28, 2019, 10:15:01 AM
.

Re: Bob Hayden.  Hasn't he more or less left the hobby?


Bob Hayden is very involved in the hobby see:


http://whiteriverproductions.com
[/quote]

Thanks for the update, John.  Last I had seen was a video he was living in New Mexico.  He reminisced about Thatcher's Inlet and moving the first C&DR across the country from California.  Happy he's still involved. Maybe because I'm getting older, but I'm learning of guys pulling the plug on their participation in our hobby for other pursuits or have concluded their infirmaries make the necessary decision to give up being active modelers.

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