How I Fell in Love With Model Kits: Part 4

Read: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

I had been designing paper models for others for so many years. Now, I wanted to start working on models strictly for my own pleasure and relaxation; I wanted a hobby to call my own. I didn’t want to design anything; I wanted to be the end user for a change and just enjoy the assembly process. I also wanted to get away from paper. I work with paper; I want to play with a different material.

In 2011, I bought a naval combat game called Dreadfleet, created by Games Workshop. It contained a ton of highly detailed miniatures that I wanted to paint, and it cost a pretty penny at the time. I had never painted miniatures before, but I was sure that I could do it and do it well. Then, I could sell the whole game on eBay for ten times what I paid for it.

Six years later, I’m still painting the miniatures. The game is out-of-print, and fully painted sets don’t sell as well any more. My nephews have shown interest in the game, so maybe I’ll crack open the instructions and give it a whirl when I’m finished.

I impressed myself with how nice the Dreadfleet miniatures came out. So much, in fact, that I started painting figures and pieces for other board games like The Adventurers: The Temple of Chac. The pieces were all a flat gray, and screamed to be painted. Adding color really enhanced the game play, and players always fight over the figures. It just goes to show what a little paint can do.

Last year, I found a gem of a kit in the form of a crystal puzzle, which I reviewed in another post. It was a nice break from all of the painting; I only had to assemble it. It was surprisingly fun and complex.

I also explored other kits, like LEGO. I always liked LEGO bricks, but the kits are so expensive, and rightly so. LEGO knows the value of creativity.

Read: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

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