cruz Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I was greatly surprised last Saturday while at our Monthly meeting by one of our Junior modelers, his name is Alex Forrester. While choosing one of the kits on sale at the meeting to add to my collection, he tells me he has a surprise for me and hands me one of his models on display on the tables. He tells me that the reason he wanted to do this was because I gave him a Ferrari about 2 years ago and that he never forgot my gesture. I wish I could do this for hundreds of other Junior modelers so that I might have a better chance to keep this hobby alive in the years to come. It was really special to me and I will always appreciate his gesture, he truly is a great kid, of course, thanks to his Dad who is also a great modeler and friend. I am sure that when he gets older, he will be a force to be reckoned with at the model contests which makes this gift an even more valuable one!!! Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki If you guys look at this build you just might understand what I am saying about this 13 year old kid, his work is amazing and yes, he did it all by himself, ain't it grand??? He also had another great model at the table, a very nice Model King Tempest with a faded paint job and all, "I've never done a faded paint job myself" Well, I will admit it right now, I don't want to see him at the contest tables with his models next to mine!! Hosted on Fotki It isn't everyday that a Junior modeler does something like this specially with such a great build, I am really excited to share this with you guys so that you can see that not all kids out there are "hipnotized" with the video games only. By the way, Mike, his Dad, had a very nice ongoing project on the primer tables himself, only there was no primer but a gorgeous paint job and perfectly applied BMF on it, I was loving this thing!!! Hosted on Fotki What do you guys think??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordWagonNut Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I was 13 when I first joined a club. I was one of the very few (bout 2-3 kids) that were in the club. A few of the guys gave me kits, some being worth some major value. I'm now 30, I still am in the hobby, never gave or sold the kits given to me, and for the support they gave me, its what kept me in the hobby as I grew into my teenage years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randx0 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 First of all I think it is great that a youngster actually put some thought and effort into showing appreciation for your gesture and second holy cow that kid is good !Thanks for sharing the story it is nice to hear/read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 First of all I think it is great that a youngster actually put some thought and effort into showing appreciation for your gesture and second holy cow that kid is good !Thanks for sharing the story it is nice to hear/read. I'll second these comments. Having worked with kids for so much of the last eight years, I can't even begin to tell you what I've seen- so much either just not very good or really terrible, but so much that is really good, too. I'm glad to see a case of category 2 here. Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smart-Resins Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 That is nice to see! I would hate to sit one of my prizes next to him as I would go away empty handed! LOL. Great stuff! Thanks to several poeple, I was able to give away 10 snaps this year to kids I work with and it was a great joy to sit down with each of those kids and work one on one with them!! I have two interested in working on more with me! I enjoy trying to help the future of our hobby and glad to see kids doing stuff like this kid of yours hs done! Hate to see some of his dads stuff too! LOL> Jody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 fist of all WOW !!!! this kid is really good....as for wagonnut im the same way, i have some that were given to me and could never part with them...looking at the kids models makes me think of something, Man do i need to sharpen my skills up! they whip me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george 53 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 You's got that right! That lil dude is GOOD!!! I REALLY like that paint on the lil Tempest! I've never done a fade paint job either, but if I ever do, I sure hope it comes out as nice as HIS!!!! Great way ta keep the hobby alive Marcos! GREAT move on YOUR part Brother! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffs396 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Kudos Marcos! You've had a real, positive influence on that boy, way to go!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayC Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 A 13-year old did those? Wow! Those cars are amazing! He's definitely got a bright future in this hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meaneyme Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Congratulations my friend, action always speaks louder than words, you have planted the seed and now is just a matter of growth. We need to get more youngsters involved in this hobby, I know it's not easy but we must find ways of doing so. Nice story and even better models, the kid is really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTK434 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Nice to hear a positive story about the younger generation! I saw the pics of his models from the meeting and was very impressed with them. I wish I could build like that when I was 13 or now for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluzboy66 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Cruz, Thanks so much for posting this. Alex will get a huge kick out of seeing it! As you know by now, he's a good-hearted kid who always wants to 'do' for people. He's been that way since day one. When you gave him that built-up sportscar a few years ago, it meant so much to him. He showed it to EVERYONE, and mentioned his friend, 'Cruz', each time. Alex is THE reason I got back into model building. I had a pretty good collection of unbuilt kits stashed in storage for years. When we moved into our current home in 2003 and started to unbox and inventory everything, I came across the totes of kits. There's a storage/laundry room in our basement with lots of shelving, and I thought it might be cool to display the unbuilt kits in this room. Well, Alex (then, 7 years-old) had never seen my collection, until now, but he was familiar with model kits in general since I always had a few laying about. Anyway, Alex walked into the room, saw the kits on the shelves, and with wide-eyed excitement, said "Dad, we should build those!!". I invited Alex to choose a few kits to work on, and that night we built models together for the first time. Again, that was 2003. The rest is history. Alex is now 13, and is quite an accomplished builder. Alex's first couple of builds were spray-bombed on a cardboard box in the back yard, BY HIM. I only acted as a safety net when necessary. I wanted him to get the full effect of doing it all by himself. Like most of us, he has a few early kits that he hates to show people. Personally, they're my favorites. It reminds me of when I built as a kid. Sad part is, at 13, Alex is 10-times the builder I was....even into my adult years! He's a natural. Eventually, I introduced Alex to the airbrush. He struggled a bit, but eventually became mostly self-sufficient. He's still needs help with proper mixing from time to time, but he'll eventually master that as well. We're using everything from Testors enamels, nail polishes, to automotive lacquers and urethanes. Alex is very aware that most model builders are older adults, and he's doing what he can to get some of his peers into the hobby. He's always quick to offer up a kit to a friend or cousin when they come over. If they show interest, Alex is quick on the draw, and leads them to his own, ever-growing stash of kits. I'm really hoping he can convince a few to join our club, the CPMCC. One last story.... Recently, Alex had finished building one of the Model King 'Funny Farmer' Pontiac Tempest drag cars....the one Cruz has pictured in the original post (his second fade paint job, BTW), and showed it to me one evening before I went to bed. The next morning I came downstairs, saw him crashed out, sleeping on the family room floor in front of the TV, and his Tempest was sitting on the table, FULLY BARE-METAL FOILED! He'd stayed up all night working on it. I'd never really spent any time showing him foiling techniques. He watched me, and picked it up on his own. I'll have to have Alex post some pics of his built-ups. He always enjoys looking at the 'On the Bench' and 'Under Glass' posts here on the forum. Thanks again Cruz. It means more than you know. Proud Dad, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3men2s Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Congratulations my friend, action always speaks louder than words, you have planted the seed and now is just a matter of growth. We need to get more youngsters involved in this hobby, I know it's not easy but we must find ways of doing so. Nice story and even better models, the kid is really good. you took my thunder man If all of us have the same mentality as Marcos This hobby would see more yong blood in its ranks. they need to hear more how good they are. Let's promote them and when you do a show, apreciate their progress it only take a jerk to put them down and they r gone to do somethinh they are good at. Hey kit, You got a good friend in Marcos, Keep him close and learn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Three cheers for you Cruz. Made my heart feel good. And best of luck to you Alex. Keep on buildin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony T Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Wow, very cool builds! I wish I'd have had that kind of support when I first built kits. I'm still learning new stuff even in my 40s! I've planned out a fade paint job, but have yet to tackle it (Miss Deal). With friends, and a Dad like that, Alex, you're pretty lucky!! You're also a talented builder! I'm looking forward to seeing some more of your builds!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 that tempest is incredible! i wish i could paint like that! congratulations, and keep with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 All I can add is a question.....Why isn't he a forum brother???? Alex.........has a nice ring!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul_Perez Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Very nice work, regardless of his age!! I too would proudly display that model in my case!! Thanks for sharing, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Winter Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I was greatly surprised last Saturday while at our Monthly meeting by one of our Junior modelers, his name is Alex Forrester. While choosing one of the kits on sale at the meeting to add to my collection, he tells me he has a surprise for me and hands me one of his models on display on the tables. He tells me that the reason he wanted to do this was because I gave him a Ferrari about 2 years ago and that he never forgot my gesture. I wish I could do this for hundreds of other Junior modelers so that I might have a better chance to keep this hobby alive in the years to come. It was really special to me and I will always appreciate his gesture, he truly is a great kid, of course, thanks to his Dad who is also a great modeler and friend. I am sure that when he gets older, he will be a force to be reckoned with at the model contests which makes this gift an even more valuable one!!! If you guys look at this build you just might understand what I am saying about this 13 year old kid, his work is amazing and yes, he did it all by himself, ain't it grand??? He also had another great model at the table, a very nice Model King Tempest with a faded paint job and all, "I've never done a faded paint job myself" Well, I will admit it right now, I don't want to see him at the contest tables with his models next to mine!! Hosted on Fotki It isn't everyday that a Junior modeler does something like this specially with such a great build, I am really excited to share this with you guys so that you can see that not all kids out there are "hipnotized" with the video games only. By the way, Mike, his Dad, had a very nice ongoing project on the primer tables himself, only there was no primer but a gorgeous paint job and perfectly applied BMF on it, I was loving this thing!!! What do you guys think??? God I'm 14 and couldn't do a fade if my life depended on it, those are very nice builds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluzboy66 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 All I can add is a question.....Why isn't he a forum brother???? Alex.........has a nice ring!! I'll ask Alex if he'd like to register on the MCMF. Mike (Dad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I'll ask Alex if he'd like to register on the MCMF. Mike (Dad) Please hook him up!!! We need more members like him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluzboy66 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 (edited) Here's Alex airbrushing his Two Much dragster body last year.....his very first fade job..... And, the Two Much completed.... Mike Edited January 7, 2010 by Bluzboy66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluzboy66 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Here, Alex is Dremeling out the hood to his Warbucks Mustang gasser, AFTER PAINT! He was bummed to find out that the opening in the hood wouldn't clear the velocity stacks post-build. That's when I introduced him to the Dremel. A little red touch-up afterwards, and everything was good to go..... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Here, Alex is Dremeling out the hood to his Warbucks Mustang gasser, AFTER PAINT! He was bummed to find out that the opening in the hood wouldn't clear the velocity stacks post-build. That's when I introduced him to the Dremel. A little red touch-up afterwards, and everything was good to go..... Mike ..........Thats how Foose Does it!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Laski Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Mike, Your son does great work, and you should be really proud. I'm hoping I can get my son engaged to that degree. I got him started anyway. Here he is laying down some primer on an Indy Car. -Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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