Paper category at IPMS shows

[Rhaven Blaack]

If I knew that there were people here in the Salem, OR. area, who are interested in paper model building, I would put together a paper model club, and apply to the IPMS.

[Nick Filippone]

My name is Nick Filippone. I am a member of IPMS Northeast New York chapter. On 27 and 28 April, 2018, our colleagues at IPMS Long Island Scale Modelers Society will host the IPMS Region 1 Regional at the new Museum of American Armor in Bethpage, Long Island.

We are very interested in having paper modelers participate in the show either by exhibition or in competition in their own dedicated paper model categories. If the turnout of paper modelers is good, we would also invite them to display and compete at the Regional we will host in April, 2019, in Albany, New York.

I think the participation of paper modelers at IPMS shows will enhance the experience of all modelers. As a part time paper modeler myself, I have taken on the job of point man on this endeavour. I will personally sponsor the trophy packages for the paper model categories at both shows. I am anxious to make this association work, especially because, having seen the remarkable replicas that can be created out of flat paper and card, I believe that such work on display at our shows, will enhance the experience and enjoyment of everyone. Further, I believe there is a lot plastic modelers can learn from paper modelers.

I hope you will consider my proposition. I encourage you to offer suggestions and comments on how you feel we could make this experience best meet your expectations. Thank you for your consideration and thank you to those of you who participated in the poll regarding this. The information has been very useful.

Respectfully, Nick Filippone

[Nick Filippone]

I would be the last member of IPMS to dispute or defend the rudeness and blinkered, narrow minded mentality of some of my fellow IPMS members. I can only offer our willingness to address the very valid criticisms mentioned here by extending the sincere welcome of IPMS in Region 1. I heartily agree that contest categories for paper modeling should be for paper models only! And while I have also heard plastic modelers claim paper modeling is easier. I could not disagree more. Having done both, I can affirm that building in either medium is easy to do poorly. But paper modeling is much harder than plastic modeling to do well. With respect to judging, it would best be done by paper modelers. But any plastic judge with intellectual integrity should be able to assess a model for the things that all good miniatures have in common: neatness, straightness, levelness etc. Personally, for me, as an experienced National IPMS judge, the astonishing workmanship and remarkable results I have seen achieved in paper modeling makes identifying winners no more difficult than in judging plastic models.

I hope we will have your support at our contests to make them better for everyone by putting the paper in IPMS. Thanks.

[rockpaperscissor]

Well said, Nick.

[whulsey]

Got an IPMS meeting next week. Will need to check to see if they have classes for paper in their upcoming contest held at the CAF Museum at Falcon Field in November. The Nationals are going to be here in Phoenix in 2018 also. That is if I remember to make it, not the most active member.

[Don Boose]

The Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the IPMS has welcomed paper modelers (at least since 2009, when I first joined). I and other members of the Forum have entered models in contests and some, including Bomarc and Greg Perry, have won awards. Images of Mike's and my entries at a previous PennCon below.

Kevin Stephens's Dragon Wagon received rave reviews last year. The annual PennCon is held in the same venue as Paper Modelers at Army Heritage Days: the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA. The most recent PennCon was last month.

So, the experience of paper modelers and IPMS in Central Pennsylvania has been entirely positive with much good will and mutual respect on all sides.

Don

[cooler]

Here's my side opinion if you need it. My joy is paper/cardboard models. I have a lot of fun in cutting all these small parts, fold them, gluing them together and see how flat sheet of paper transforms into something. My wife said "you are crazy" when i first show her all-paper ladders for ships in 1:200.

Many years ago i tried to build pastic models (i mean models of more than 10 parts) and these efforts was to glue parts together and leave everything unpainted. I tried to build wooden kit model, ended up with unfinished hull and sell it to someone.

My friend said once "The hardest part of plastic modeling is painting. The rest is as simple as 1-2-3. You can assemble plastic model in just a 3-4 hours and spend couple weeks to paint it. BUT it can take months to build a good paper model."

I participate in many domestic Ukrainian model shows and can say "wow" to any particular pastic or wooden model, but i can't say for sure if it's built well or not. I just don't have much experience.

Here, in Ukraine for many years paper models was assistive part at plastic models shows. It was very bad to hear something like "Oh, it's just a paper model " from TRUE MODELERS (of course, plastic ones) and no matter is it good or bad one. But things was much different when we got our very own paper models contest. Visitors was shocked of what they saw: "Is it made from paper? Really??? I can't belive it!"

Paper vs plastic will be always like "Linux vs Windows", "PC vs Mac", "Apple vs Samsung" etc. As was mentioned above - only paper modeler (at least one who build couple of them) can make right judgement of paper models.

So if you want to have a separate categories for paper models at mostly plastic exhibs then there must be at least 5-10 paper models in any category. Otherwise it have no sense to judge them. You can mix plastic and paper models to see difference but never judge them together in one category.