As a child of the cold war, I kinda, sorta feel a little sorry for the young 'uns today. You see, back then the color grey didn't exist. Terms like 'nuance' and 'root causes' wouldn't appear until the 2000s. It was all very simple because everything was black or white. Back then, when some country... Continue Reading →
So, you want to paint it black…
The big Revell Blackbird is done and I have some things to say about the build in a future blog post. But for now, I thought I'd share how I painted the beast. This is not the first time I have painted a Blackbird. The first time was in a much smaller scale and I... Continue Reading →
An Amazing Museum Railroad and My Model Railway Beginnings
For the last few years, I have been spending my summer holidays in a small town along Lake Huron. My family and I love the beach, the town, and pretty much everything else. It has always been this way for me ever since my parents brought me to this town each summer when I was... Continue Reading →
The 2022 Ottawa Scale Auto Contest
The last time we got one of these local shows was in the fall of 2019. That was a great show and, due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, it was the last local show we had until this past Sunday. This show and contest is brought to us by the local scale auto club and... Continue Reading →
Just Ask!
It was the morning of September 2009. This was the day I was going to step outside of my little basement fiefdom of model building and enter into a more social model-building arena. I was going to enter one of my builds into a contest! Apprehensive? Yup. Not so much that I wouldn't win anything.... Continue Reading →
Enjoy Your Hobby Guilt Free
Occasionally there is a 'mainstream' article about hobbies in general or our hobby in particular. Generally speaking, these recent peeks into this thing of ours tend to be positive. But it wasn't always this way. When it came to Hollywood from the 70s through to the 90s, the common theme was that only disturbed or... Continue Reading →
Conventional Wisdom?
When it comes to painting and putting the finishing touches on a model, there are certain widely held beliefs that, despite logic or critical thinking, have become required conventions. As in, if your model does not follow one or more of these conventions, then it is somehow "wrong" or "off" and perhaps, (gasp!) un-chic! Now... Continue Reading →
PUTTY! Huh, Yeah! What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing! Well, at least when it comes to dealing with massive gaps. There was a time when I would gather my allowance and bottle return money and bike on down to the hobby store. Back then I didn't care too much about what model I was going to get. Oh sure I longed for... Continue Reading →
Yellow Peril on a Centennial Pedestal
Have you ever seen this symbol? If you have no idea what that logo is, well, I apologize. Because things are about to get a whole lot Canadian for a couple paragraphs. Growing up, this logo was plastered on pretty much every public building I frequented. I'm talking indoor pools, arenas, libraries, outdoor pools, amphitheaters,... Continue Reading →
The Swap Meet: Lost Love, Cheap Kits and the circle of life
Last weekend the Hobby Centre hosted its second 'Hobby Flea Market' or, as I like to call it: the Spring Swap Meet. The second time around was much the same as the first. Maybe there was a bit more kit diversity this time and certainly warmer weather. Observations? I have a few. If what is... Continue Reading →