Museum Quality Models

[moon puppy]

As reported earlier we went to a museum this weekend. Like many other museums this one had several models of subjects around. One was an Ironclad on the water, the other was a diorama of the theft of The General at Big Shanty by Andrews Raiders.

Both models were nice, good details but...as I commented to Mike at the time, we see better stuff here and at the show we just left. The Ironclad lacked any sort of weathering, the colors were monotoned with no definition. The diorama was well done with figures in motion and clearly a well told story but the models were again something you would see anywhere.

Understand I am not knocking these models, I doubt I could personally do the same displays but like I said earlier, I've seen much better stuff on these pages and others on the internet. And I do not intend to lump all museum displays in the same category as I put these in, truth be told, I have not been to that many museum to be a judge of those displays.

Question is, what makes a model a Museum Quality Model? Who's to judge if a model is Museum Quality? What do you think?

 

[Phil]

No photo's allowed there?

at a museum, they are probably donated so they wouldn't really knock them back.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=museum+models&client=firefox-a&hs=0vZ&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=2ClyU62YG8S3kAXG2YHIDg&ved=0CCkQsAQ&biw=1126&bih=846

 

[moon puppy]

No photo's allowed there?

Sure, I didn't have any.

 

[Phil]

Here ya go!

what to do with all your models.

http://www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk/models/models.html

 

[phantom II]

I know I have seen model airplanes more than once . A commissioned Cutlass at the Navy museum .

I also remember a colection of WW II Italian aircraft donated by an Italian general being at the USAF museum once upon a time . It is no longer there.

I have been told by several people that they are not able to accept models as they do not have the room to display them.

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[Paulw]

I have one model in a museum, Not too proud of it but it is what it is. I wouldn't mind donating any more there so I would have to see if they are up to anther display. I would love to do a few more but then I am sort of self conscious about the quality of my work and what it represents.

 

[nerdling]

I have one model in a museum, Not too proud of it but it is what it is. I wouldn't mind donating any more there so I would have to see if they are up to anther display. I would love to do a few more but then I am sort of self conscious about the quality of my work and what it represents.

Paul you have nothing to be self conscious about with your work. Your stuff is great work

 

[moon puppy]

I have one model in a museum, Not too proud of it but it is what it is. I wouldn't mind donating any more there so I would have to see if they are up to anther display. I would love to do a few more but then I am sort of self conscious about the quality of my work and what it represents.

Paul you have nothing to be self conscious about with your work. Your stuff is great work

Ditto!

 

[Iron Mike]

My friend Don Barry was involved in a museum build a few years back. He got involved because another builder got the job and needed some help. Don got a box of toy Civil War figures that had flesh colored paint slopped around the faces and was asked to finish them. Needless to say, Don rescued the combatants and the display from modeling purgatory with his painting and building skills. I guess it boils down to good or good enough in the eye of the modeler. I hope he will weigh in on this subject, because he has been there and done that.

 

[Brummbar]

Hello guys,
Since we are all "professionals", in the sense that many of us have built for and entered into contests, I'd start with that set of criteria. If you are happy with the model being submitted, if you would be willing to compete with it against fellow modelers, that should do it. I have seen things in museums that would not place in the juniors category, in a store sponsored contest. Sometimes they are donated by a family, something they think others would enjoy. I have a friend who built what he called museum quality models on commission for clients. They were (are)National IPMS winner material. They weren't cheap, and they were done when they were done, not before. The project Iron Mike referred to has 600+ 1/72 Confederate and Union soldiers, and I had 6 weeks to repaint all of them, plus build the base (4' x 4', 13" high at the back), plus work full time. With that time constraint, it was the best I could do. Sure, there were things i wanted to tweak, poses, scenery, etc. No Time. But I was proud and happy to say I built it. If you are not tied to a rigid schedule like I was(one entire wing of the Iowa State Historical Society's building was given over to Iowa's involvement in the Civil War, and the exhibit had a firm opening date),do the best you can, and add the level of detail you'd appreciate, or be proud to enter at any contest. Remember, 95% of your viewers will not be as familiar with the subject as you are, and many of the rest won't remember the stuff you felt was important to add. (Vets, former users, etc).
I hope this helps. Also remember, many (most) people who see your work won't be "pro" modelers like us, and they will be blown away by what you can accomplish.

 

[moon puppy]

Good insight Don, thanks for jumping in. Got any pictures of that project?

 

[JamesOLeary]

I can reiterate or add a little to what Brummbar explained with his experience with working on a museum project. I can lend a little insight as to what is considered museum quality when it concerns models and dioramas in most museums. I have been working at the Fort Sill, Oklahoma Air Defense Artillery museum since last July and I have learned that the standard for museum quality is not as high as award winning standards at model and figure shows. Unless if a modeler with a high level of skills donates their works to a museum, the standard that is pretty much utilized is a basic representation of the subject matter. Figures would have a base coat, a shadow, and a highlight because that is what is visible to the viewer from whatever the distance is that is in the standard. (I was told what the standard is, but I just got off of staff duty and am pretty tired so I don't remember what the distance is). If time permits, more detail may be added, but it has been my experience in the short time I have been doing this stuff that there usually is not enough time to do the job you would normally do. Our goal is to accurately tell the story that needs to be told, be as technically accurate as possible, and painting and weathering is done in relation to the amount of time you have between the time you get assigned the project and the date that the exhibit must be ready for display. Another factor that comes into play for larger displays is that more than one person might be working on the project, so a standard is set that can be attained by all involved so things look consistent. Of course, when you are working on displays that do not have a particular dealine, or a deadline that is far enough off that you do have enough time to work on it and are able to do so to a higher standard, then you will see some better quality displays. I have had some that I have had a very short fuse deadline and I do just the basics so the viewer can tell the type of uniform, time period, and what is going on by doing the three color deal where you have the base color, one shadow, and one highlight. And at a distance that most viewers will view from, it is sufficient enough to get the point across and still looks pretty decent although not as good as my normal standard that I set for myself. I am also working on some projects that I do not have a deadline for, so they will be completed to the same standard as the things I make for shows and other events.

So, that is why you may see models that are OK, but not a nice as ones you may see at shows or on forums like this one, in most museums. High quality donated models are always helpful and not being rushed to complete an exhibit makes a difference, too.

Cheers!
James

 

[moon puppy]

Thanks James