The inspiration for me
As long as I can remember I’ve always loved making models. I started off making Testors’ military kits and MPC Star Wars kits. I remember clearly my first kit was the US Paratroops set. For birthdays and special occasions I bought Tamiya tank kits.
But my first love, Star Wars, always inspired me most. I would make ships for my action figures from empty tissue boxes and whatever I could find. I always dreamed of making my own creations.
Years passed but the dream remained. I did kit-bashes using junk kits I could afford, but my designs were limited to whatever parts I could get. Back then I didn’t know about putties or styrene. Heck, I didn’t even think to use cut parts, or use non model bits, or that I could sand parts to fit, or sand details off. However the part was the part stayed.
I would spend hours on the internet searching for ideas and inspiration. Most seemed way too difficult and I convinced myself it wasn’t anything I could do myself. I got discouraged and told myself making things was just a dream.
But the desire to create never went away. So I got into painting miniatures. Mostly Warhammer stuff. I enjoyed it, but I still felt limited to what I could find in the hobby store. I would switch arms or heads or whatever, but it was still limited. I found myself stuck. My brother encouraged me to make my own things but I didn’t know where to start. I had no idea how to get the things I could see in my head into the real world.
Then by chance I followed enough links and found myself on the blog of a French artist named Figafix. More specifically this page…
https://fixator.jimdofree.com/ma-k-hover-vehicle/
And it was at that moment that the light went on. THIS one article was what I had been searching for! It changed everything for me. I couldn’t read the French but I didn’t need to. The pictures, as they say, were worth a thousand words. The fire that was inside me found its spark. I’ve been creating my own things since then and am so happy.
I made my creations in private. They were for me, to satisfy that desire I had for so long. I occasionally shared them with family or friends. But not often, I was still a bit embarrassed by it. What would people think about a grown man doing this kind of thing. Slowly my attitude changed and I looked at it for what it is, a form of expression and a part of me.
Now I am happy to share my work. Not for the praise or comments but in the hopes that I can inspire someone. I hope someone, somewhere can be inspired by what I do and take that step to do something that maybe they were too afraid to try. To you I say, you can do it! Don’t be afraid. Don’t be overwhelmed. Don’t compare your stuff to others. And most importantly: HAVE FUN!!