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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 22, 2012 18:25:55 GMT 12
The other day during a car trip with my mate Kerry we were discussing modelling, and he told me about a heated discussion he'd had with a workmate over modelling. His workmate, who apparently came from an art background, refuted that model making was art, whilst Kerry argued that it was.
The workmate apparenty claimed that it cannot be an art because it was working with something already previously created, and not an original idea, and therefore was a "craft" - not "art".
I personally find it a difficult pill to swallow that modelling is not art.
There are several elements of modelling that are clearly elements of art, in my opinion.
There is sculpture, clearly recognised as an art. As well as building mosels that others have scuplted and moulded, I have in the past sculpted from scratch or remodelled kits from the likes of plastic and putty.
There is painting. Whether is is hand painting with a conventional bristle brush, or air brush painting, that must be art. It is the application of paint to create a representation of real life.
There is in modelling also photography, research and reading of history, planning, colour matching and engineering all involved, each being a noted skill and each being applicable to the elemnets of art too.
But foremost to me in art is that if it is an expression in some form of medium that brings joy to both the artist and at least some of the viewers, whether it is a painting, a scultpture, a photograph, a film, a play or a dance - which are all classifed as arts. Well modelling brings pleasure to the artist and to a ceretain percentage of the viewers of the models - whehter it's an aircraft, a car, a tank, a model human figure, a model railway, or whatever. And therefore in my opinion it has to be art.
Given the workmate's argument that modelling is not art as it is working from an existing entity and is not original - could that concepot therefore not be applied to a portrait, a landscape, an art photograph or a film? They are all drawing on something else that exists.
If this person was referring specifically to the fact that a modeller buys some plastic pre-moulded and simply assembles and paints it, and therefore it's craft and not art, then I have to say all this "modern art" that sees so-called artists pick through a rubbish pile, assemble a load of found junk and call it art - cannot be art either by that very definition.
So, what do you all think. Is modelling art?
I say yes.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2012 18:58:44 GMT 12
The way I build I say no, but the Greek superdetailers yes. It is an interesting discussion to have.
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Post by TS on Jul 22, 2012 19:51:17 GMT 12
Too right it is art !!! The models that I have seen on this thread are amazing no matter what skills you have at hand to do it. Because when you build a model you have purchased or built from scratch you are doing it with PASSION. The same way an artist or sculptor would. Just because it can come pre cast or what ever doesnt mean its not art does it?? If you just build for the sake of building a model then why do it? I used to find it a great way to destress myself. Having said that I havent built any for quite some time now!! Maybe its time again............  |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Jul 22, 2012 20:38:01 GMT 12
Art is what is made. Craft is the set of skills learned in order to make a it well.
Modelling is a past time for most, a pleasurable experience, satisfying the human desire to build and create. Whether the result is a museum display quality or finished with a huge hairy brush and dollops of paint, the art is there. Viewers may critique the result but as in picture art, there will be different ideas about what is a great result and what isn't. It is still art.
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Post by Luther Moore on Jul 22, 2012 20:46:54 GMT 12
I have attempted to make three models and have failed at all three.In my opinion it's art..Some of the models I have seen a real works of art.Mine look like abstract art ;D If anyone needs their model to look like it has crashed, ask me for help.Mine turn out looking like that.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Jul 22, 2012 20:49:21 GMT 12
Luther, have you shown pics on the forum of your 'failures'? I've seen many so-called 'failures' which have actually been really nicely finished kits. Some builders are harsh on themselves.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 22, 2012 21:00:39 GMT 12
Luther, I was never a top grade modeller, and don't have time to do it nowadays, but I found that going from being a brush modeller to an airbrush modeller made the world of difference in quality. It is easy to do after a bit of practice but it makes it look like you've really elevated oyur skill level immensely. I am sure many others here who have progressed to the airbruch will agree with me, and now looking back i wonder why I ever wasted so many models painting them by hand.
As for the art thing, just like other forms of art modelling has its own styles which follow leaders and masters - there have been the Shep Payne style, the Verlinden style, etc.
I think model making has been a lot more progressive in the past 15 years or so than most other art, developing all new ways of doing things. Only digital art would be more progressive in its development I reckon.
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Post by Luther Moore on Jul 22, 2012 21:01:40 GMT 12
Na,I dont have any photos.I dont have the patience for model building, so I just rush through it and it comes out looking pretty crumby.Now they are somewhere around my room with broken props and stuff.
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Post by mumbles on Jul 22, 2012 21:17:22 GMT 12
If this person was referring specifically to the fact that a modeller buys some plastic pre-moulded and simply assembles and paints it, and therefore it's craft and not art, then I have to say all this "modern art" that sees so-called artists pick through a rubbish pile, assemble a load of found junk and call it art - cannot be art either by that very definition. So, what do you all think. Is modelling art? I say yes. This touches on the "assemblers vs modellers" debate that occasionally runs around the modelling forums, with a sometimes elitist viewpoint that only the latter are "True" practitioners. The workmate also sounds like they are indulging in a bit of "My pastime is more valid than your pastime". Modelling can be art. The skill set required to create impressions and suggest the character of a life size object are similar. The whole thing I like about it is that even from the same builder with the same kit, no two iterations of the subject will be identical due to personal decisions of style or finish. Claiming that art is not "working with something previously created" is a massively flawed viewpoint I think. A lot of art I admire is exactly that. I enjoy good creative art, public sculpture in particular (we have some great examples in Wellington). |
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Post by phil82 on Jul 22, 2012 21:18:21 GMT 12
Have you seen some of the rubbish[literally rubbish at that] in so-called "Art"exhibitions? A pile of loose bricks was designed so the viewer could conceptualize----like --err---a pile of bricks.
In my humble opinion a carefully crafted model, beautifully and skilfully built, and I have two, is every bit as artistic as a pile of bricks. There was a very good play in Wellington a few years ago called "Art" in which a blank white sheet was sold to some art cognoscenti, who ooohed and ahhed over it rather than be shown as idiots, which of course they were!
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Post by phil82 on Jul 22, 2012 21:20:27 GMT 12
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Post by the.x.man on Jul 22, 2012 22:52:00 GMT 12
Yes, model making is a 'craft' - but there comes a time when that craft is elevated to an art form. I have very little experience with model aircraft, but the little I've had, I've seen quite number (including here), that are so far beyond mere 'craft' that the only other word that applies is art. The bulk of my model collecting experience is 1/43 scale cars, fairly high-end stuff for the most part. For example, this Porsche 356A Speedster was sold earlier this year for US$3200. Very sadly, it wasn't mine. I defy anyone to say that this isn't art (it's even mounted and framed). Bear in mind the car itself is about 75mm long...    I do own this Bentley, however. It's almost 100mm long and nearly all of it was custom built. So, more than ever, that drops it into the category of art.    From my experience with model cars of this caliber, I consider a number of the model aircraft I've seen in here to be the flying equivalent of what I usually collect: scale model art! |
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Post by Bruce on Jul 22, 2012 23:04:59 GMT 12
Of course it is an art. Craft implies a skill which can be transferred and replicated, which to a certain degree is true, but if you gave half a dozen modellers identical kits and had them build them up, no two would be alike. why? each individual brings their own touches and creative expression to a build, part of their own personality and creativity. And, not demeaning modern art (of which some I find excellent and enjoyable) many models actually involve more creative input and interpretation than the art works.
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Post by ngatimozart on Jul 23, 2012 15:17:37 GMT 12
It is art, pure and simple. Art like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what is art and what isn't art can also be very individualstic. To me a model is art because each model is unique and it reflects the modellers views, passions, feelings at that particular point in time, so it is both spatial and temporal which are both components of art.
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Post by Luther Moore on Jul 23, 2012 15:23:28 GMT 12
The plastic shell is the canvas.I wouldn'r say all models are worthy of the ''art work'' tag,but all I have seen on the forum deserve it.
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Post by ams888 on Jul 23, 2012 17:56:55 GMT 12
Remember that lady that wanted to have a bubble machine blowing bubbles at an art gallery in Wanganui, but the water for the bubbles came from a crematorium? How is that considered art but a beautifully crafted model aircraft, ship, or vehicle is not? Most art today is not original. All paintings are of something real, hence not truly "original". If elephants can draw on a canvas and it be called art, then i can paint a plastic model of a plane and deserve to have it called art as well :-)
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Post by general on Jul 24, 2012 1:36:08 GMT 12
Personally, I see it as engineering at the start then a complete switch to artistry, for finishing.
As flyjoe first pointed out, too, the s/b efforts that involve sculpting also elevate it to art.
The salient evidence of so many unique finished examples is more than enough to support the 'art-vs-model' argument.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2012 9:01:14 GMT 12
Engineering can be art too - look at the amazing work of NZ's own renowned artist Len Lye. My mate dragged me to the gallery saying I had to see this art exhibition, back when we were in uni. I was very reluctant as I thought very lowly of the shit in Hamilton's gallery as a rule. When i saw Lye's work though I had a nassive change of attitude, it was genius. I'm so glad Gareth forced me into going, and he had trouble shutting me up about it for a while afterwards.
Also many have stated that the design of the Spitfire and certain cars like Aston Martins and Ferraris is also art. I'd agree. I know that the Mosquito at Ardmore is a classic piece of craftsmanship bit it is also a work of art in my eyes too.
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Post by Luther Moore on Jul 24, 2012 9:09:07 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2012 9:18:16 GMT 12
;D Karen is awesome!
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