Are there any paper modeling publications?

[BARX2]

Magazines? Which do you read? Where do you get them? Thanks.

[rickstef]

quick answer nothing doing

there are some digital ones but most are in German
there was for a couple of years, one put out by GPM in Poland, in polish, showcasing some of the competitions and display events in Poland, and each issue had a few paper models also

Also, asking that question, should have at the same time answered it
problem with this hobby is, it is not as established as say the train, RC, or plastic model hobbies, hence the derth of those types of magazines, and the complete lack of paper model magazines

Rick

[David H]

Here in the UK we have Marcle Models' newletter Cutting Remarks, which is published quarterly and can be dowloaded from the webSite, I think.

http://www.marcle.co.uk/index.htm

D

[clarklfarris]

ricstef,

How about creating one of our own? I realize that it would be a lot of work. The first step would to be develop a consensus as to what everyone wanted. Once that was done we could develop a layout. My thought is that this too would be a digital magazine or ezine. It would have links, downloadable models, pictures, build stories etc. If you are interested (or anyone else for that matter) I would be interested in helping out in whatever capacity is needed. I have a fair amount of experience in technical writing, graphics etc. And I am sure that there are others even much more qualified than me that could contribute. This website is the best that I have seen in my experience and a "magazine" would be a nice compliment to that.

Clark

[rlwhitt]

This is a very nice idea. It would be a LOT of re-occuring work though. I'd be willing to help where possible.

Rick

ricstef,

How about creating one of our own? I realize that it would be a lot of work. The first step would to be develop a consensus as to what everyone wanted. Once that was done we could develop a layout. My thought is that this too would be a digital magazine or ezine. It would have links, downloadable models, pictures, build stories etc. If you are interested (or anyone else for that matter) I would be interested in helping out in whatever capacity is needed. I have a fair amount of experience in technical writing, graphics etc. And I am sure that there are others even much more qualified than me that could contribute. This website is the best that I have seen in my experience and a "magazine" would be a nice compliment to that.

Clark

[rickstef]

Folks,

if you want to start up a magazine, by all means go for it.

I will help in anyway I can.

Rick

[Sumato]

I feel that you don't really need a specialty magazine right now. It seems that most of you already are on the pulse of this hobby, and don't really need someone else to tell you what's new, and how things are done. Those who communicate via these forums already know as much as anyone, and aren't afraid to help one another directly whenever possible.
I think what the larger issue here is that we would all like to see our hobby expanded, and eventually built up to more notoriety, recognition, and status. Just keep doing the wonderful work I see everyday here, keep sharing ideas and resources, and just tell everyone you know about it. Eventually you will all PROVE that this hobby is extremely rewarding and attract someone to staff a full-time publication. Just keep doing what you are doing, be patient, and it will come.

[Chief400]

Ehhhh would be nice not to have to take the laptop in the can though.......

[cgutzmer]

If its an e-zine you can still print it ;)

I wish you the best of luck in this, its a great idea! I tried to start one up too and it didnt really go anywhere. I have zero experience though and have no idea where to start. You already got wayyyy more volunteer help than I did :) I might be able to participate in the future but busy with other things right now. Calendar, reserves, building etc etc etc :)
Chris

[rlwhitt]

This comment too has a lot of validity, but can we take it even further? Just doing what we do here WILL indeed help a lot of folks, once they finally stumble onto it. That means they had to be looking, so they already know card modeling exists.

How could we possibly make the hobby more known? I feel like lots of folks would enjoy it if they just knew it existed and what all is available, free and otherwise. I honestly am not sure what avenues might work. You can't just go hijacking other hobby forums making announcements, but how else to reach likely converts? Maybe better seeding of Google on common keywords that have card model subjects? I dunno.

One other thing I think is needed is an updated FAQ. When a newbie comes in, it's unfair to tell them to just search the forums, because for one thing they don't know what they are searching for...

I feel that you don't really need a specialty magazine right now. It seems that most of you already are on the pulse of this hobby, and don't really need someone else to tell you what's new, and how things are done. Those who communicate via these forums already know as much as anyone, and aren't afraid to help one another directly whenever possible.
I think what the larger issue here is that we would all like to see our hobby expanded, and eventually built up to more notoriety, recognition, and status. Just keep doing the wonderful work I see everyday here, keep sharing ideas and resources, and just tell everyone you know about it. Eventually you will all PROVE that this hobby is extremely rewarding and attract someone to staff a full-time publication. Just keep doing what you are doing, be patient, and it will come.

[Sumato]

I feel that in order to make a decent publication that does this hobby real justice, it will take a lot more than just volunteer efforts. I think that, just as other periodicals do, it must be advertising funded and revenue driven. I would happily spend my advertising dollars in a real print magazine instead of the internet. I can think of a lot of great plastic modeling magazines, but I would happily trade all of them for a good paper modeling mag of the same caliber. I guess what I am getting at is that in order to get what we all really want, we must be prepared to PAY for it.

[cgutzmer]

I wish you the best of luck in that endeavor - my wife already thinks I am a bit touched in the head ;) I would buy the magazine most likely though!
Chris

[Sumato]

Perhaps one step that could be taken is more of us designers should advertise in the plastic modeling mags. If enough of us do that, there could be enough advertising revenue to provoke the publishers to give us a magazine of our own.

[Texman]

A long time ago, there was an e-zine run by Saul Jacobs, over at www.cardmodelers.org. However, Saul had some health problems, and running, editing and publishing the e-zine proved to be quite a handful
for those who valiantly tried to maintain it. And so, it languished. Did I
look forward to it every month? YOU BET! It is a great idea, just be advised, it's not all that easy.

Best of Luck

Ray

[Stev0]

Isnt what this forum doing right now ... better ... than a magazine? We trade secrets, tips and tricks on how to do things. We build and share our experiences on certain builds. We create and share new products. We support and act on each other and the community in real time.

A magazine either digital or print form becomes easily dated and sometimes becomes a rush to meet a deadline.

The only otherway around it is if we create a monthly site and have it divided by sections much like a print product in which members take turns writing and submitting articles which are placed into parts of the blog. The final product is an archived record of such activities that are viewed onsite.

[David H]

I would agree with that.

The free forum with no deadlines offered by Cardmodlers.net is so easy to live with. You can just read it or contribute if you want. Sure threads go off on a tanget now and then but what's so wrong with that. Plus you can search and find an article in seconds.

Its a bit like working in a team, some old-hands, some new, all with a point of view and something to contribute. Some times it is best to listen and learn... sometimes you speak up.

The PDFing of threads is a great, no, fantastic service, a bit like a newsletter and marking milestones in the hobby (Cleopatra).

In the end I like the low maintenance chaotic world of post and counter post.

D

[milenio3]

Lighthouse models also ran a magazine. Unfortunately, the House is no longer.
I have though the copies of the (I think) only 2 magazines published in English. PM me if you want a copy.

You can also find Papership Modell Welt, in German, mainly about ships, but it has very good tips and tricks that can be applied to all gamma of paper models. Find it here: http://www.kartonbau.de/wbb2/filebase.php?cat=3.

There are many good ideas for a good magazine or e-zine. Let's see what we can come out with.

[rlwhitt]

I think a combination of the PDF'd threads and a really well maintained current FAQ would the most important elements to make the forums "stand in" for a publication.

I feel really strongly about the FAQ. It would take some time to hoover up all the bits of info found over all the forums here and abroad, but I think it'd go a long way toward helping the beginners.

If I were more experienced, I might say to heck with it and do it myself.

Rick

[Bad_Scorpion]

Here's my little bit to add. Yes the forum is excelent. I have learned enough to keep me busy for a looooong time. But when or if the site has technical difficulties or a thread just gets up and walks off. Who is really going to have the info? Not many, if any. We all depend on the site. But look at the comments about the e-zine from others on just this post. Then look at comments for e-zine from others about e-zines that used to be. They still have them, the information is still out there. But the sites are usually long gone. It wouldn't hurt to try like a little 10-20 page e-zine or something like that and make it downloadable. Maybe try using one or more of the posted threads to start. That way you can read it when ever you don't have your pc, laptop or mobile device, with you while some of you are on the can. You have a printed copy or saved to one of your various backup methods. I would like to help out if I can but not sure how. Just thinking would be a good way to save the information that is already here. That way it's usually in a more understandable format than some of the threads are. I'm one person to blame for that, ramble on about something else. Just a point of view from my perspective. Besides we do that for the IT department at work send out the monthly letter/book. Most of them can tell you exactly which edition form which year to find information. Although they are all nerds, me being one of them. So when we have to take the systems offline they have the information they need without having to wait until the server comes online again. Plus, "If you build it , they will come", Might get the word out there a little more. Maybe start posting the newsletter a a 0.00 bid auction on ebay and make those pirates lose out. Because everyone will know where to go to get the free version.

[cgutzmer]

I have started creating exactly this in the reserves.... threads turned into pdf's They still look like threads when opened but I did that on purpose as I wanted it to have the same feel. Others have made them look more like professional documents and those look splendid!
Chris

[sakrison]

I feel that you don't really need a specialty magazine right now. It seems that most of you already are on the pulse of this hobby, and don't really need someone else to tell you what's new, and how things are done. Those who communicate via these forums already know as much as anyone, and aren't afraid to help one another directly whenever possible.

I strongly agree. As the former editor of two small aviation magazines, I'd also like to point out how much *&^%$#@! work it takes to put together a monthly or even quarterly publication.

For now, this forum offers lots more that any magazine could offer, with a greater immediacy and sense of community. We don't need another way of preaching to the choir. I suggest it would only dillute the effectiveness of what we already have--the premier online English(mostly)-language community of paper modelers.

We need to keep making this forum as useful and user-friendly as possible for "newbies." I think we already do that, if recent posts from new members are any guide. We can always do better. See, for example:
http://www.cardmodels.net/forum/showthread.php?p=62057#post62057
Or how about a thread called "Getting Started in Paper Models," focused on basic How-Tos and recommendations--kind of a paper modeling FAQ. (We've talked about building a new Card Modeling FAQ, why not do it here? Why not make it a prominent category: "Paper Modeling FAQ"?)

We also need to start knocking at the doors of the mainline scale modeling magazines. When I finish the GPM Leopold, I intend to pitch a feature story and photos to FINESCALE MODELER Magazine. We, as a group, should be sending so many photos to FSMM's "Reader Showcase," that they can't ignore us any more.

I've noticed a growing number of articles about paper models in model railroading publications. If nothing else, pitch the idea to the leisure editor of your daily newspaper.

Let's focus our energies and creativity on using the resources already available to us: a vibrant online forum and community, and several established scale modelers' organizations and publications that are ripe for infiltration by this maverick, underground hobby.

No worries,
--David