I'm following the recent posts with great interest. Thom and I are preparing for our next show which is the Amherst Railway Society Hobby Show. This is an amazing show that takes place in West Springfield MA. the end of January. It is huge, probably the biggest thing you will ever experience in model railroading. (Yes! It is bigger than most nationals.) It is a couple of hundred-thousand square feet of nothing but trains. For vendors and manufacturers, it is by invitation only, so you get the best of the best on display. (It is NOT a Swap Meet. You will not see tables full of other folks stuff.) More info will follow as we get closer. The reason that I mention it is that I will be delivering two clinics, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. I'm not sure, "exactly" what the themes will be, well paper modeling, obviously, but one will probably be on the basics and the other on more advanced techniques. We have the opportunity to do another and Thom is toying with the idea of doing something about using Photo shop in modeling. What do you guys think? Sound like something that would be of interest? It would also probably be a place to discuss some of the tricks and subtleties of printing. Let us know and by all means, make plans to be there. You won't regret it.
Dave

One request that I have is there any way to video those clinics, living in Oklahoma its not realistic for me to attend but I would like the knowledge of both basic and advanced techinques in doing cardstock modeling. Also learning how to use Photoshop to make my models better would be great.

Dave,

My thoughts are the same as Steven's. Please make vids and post.

Like Steven I also live too far away to attend.

John

I live right up the street from the fair grounds where the Amherst show is held and I go to the show every year. The show is where I first saw your models. I would think you could do your clinics on building the models I think alot of people don't understand what the process is. They are used to buying a plastic model kit opening the box and assembling the model with instructions. I think if you showed people that you could print a page and then layer and cut out the kit more people would give your models a try, stressing the convenience, cost effectiveness and the ease of assembly.

I would probably do a demonstration on how you layer the model kits, I think people think of card models as being four walls printed and assembled and being very 2 dimensional. If you can show people that your models actually have quite a bit of depth to them more people may decide to go to cardstock models over plastic ones.

A photoshop demonstration may draw some people to the demonstration but I think alot of model railroaders are not computer geeks. I think alot of the hobby kind of suggests that model railroad fans don't use computers that much at all. Look at DCC, even though it has been around for some time and the prices for DCC have come down to reasonable level there is still alot of resistance in the model railroad community to moving to it, there are alot of old timers in the hobby. Although this is changing.
I don't know I think since Model railroading is so expensive I would probably stress how cheap cardstock modeling is but how great the results you achieve are and Ithat would best be done buy having people in your clinic build a small kit in your demonstration. Maybe a model with just a door and a window, pre-cut that you show them how to layer and detail. Something they can take home after they are done and put into their layout.

I do like the idea of a photoshop clinic. I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan so I won't be there for sure, but I would sure like to see videos. Card stock modeling is so not new, but having the ability to do your own printing and design sure is. You could do a presentation on Photoshop and also show card stock modeling has evolved. Strathmore was the material of choice in the 1950's by great modelers like William Clouser and Jack Work. Card was used for structures and rail cars. Horse around on the internet and you can probably find the fellow who builds locomotives from card, enamel paint and white glue. A clinic on Photoshop might open a lot of people's eyes to the potential.

BTW - Are there any plans to produce standard gauge cars?

To coincide with the show, maybe you could put a new model on the freebie page and use it for your demonstrations both for building and for Photoshop. That way you will get a whole lot of people from the show coming to the website and downloading. If JDuv is correct then getting people to download something and print it would help them in getting used to the technology.

Best Regards
Jim

Thom, Dave,

I think you guys should also consider revisiting producing clear and concise instructions on building your models. I think alot of people are put off by the idea that you give no real construction instructions with you kits or on your cd's. It could be as simple as numbering parts on your kits and making a list of order of assembly. Making sure there are pictures or drawing of each of the models things like that. I know you have time restraints but I believe you may open up a larger customer base if the construction of each of your models were better explained. Just a thought. Keep up the good work.

Jay

I'm sure you are right but it's just no fun. Seriously we are trying to do more photos and instructions.
Thom

I hear you about not being fun, an old timer at the Amherst train show once said to me "The quickest way to ruin the fun in a hobby is to make it your work."
I live by that statement, that is why I don't own a hobby store.

I rather agree with JDuv on both fronts. I am not sure that a Photo Shop presentation would hit a majority of model railroaders.

Just a comment on the instruction part. I spent a lot of my work life as a computer programmer and management was always after us to document our code and processes. You are RIGHT - is is no fun!!!! As another note, when I was managing a group of programmers I happened to have one that had been a writer of instructions and the like in a previous job. I had him help others with the documentation process and it worked out very well, He enjoyed the challenge and others enjoyed not doing the documentation. Perhaps you have a friend that might fit this profile and would be willing to lend a hand.

I have started my first Card Stock project and YES, I think instructions would be helpful. Others in this thread have discussed layering. That is something that I had not thought of nor probably never would just as a example. But I have not yet read the Tips and Tricks section and that might provide more insight. Good luck at the Convention.
Dan