Your thoughts on "Contest Themes"

[Greg Myers]

The Moonlight Modelers have run a monthly "Theme " contest almost from the start more than thirty years ago. Yes we've been at it that long.

I started the theme contest in my high school model club for several reasons. First the "just build anything" kind of got into a rut. With everyone only building what THEY liked it didn't seem like the members, club or their modeling skills were going anywhere. So I started doing themes in and around their interest, same kit, make or model, I'E' Ford, Chevy. Camaro, Mustang.

" But I don't like Mustangs !" OK, do one up with a different engine, do a wreck, use YOUR imagination.

The last MLM Theme was Pontiac's, I don't do Pontiacs. So I thought back to those high school days and my own sage advise. I decided to do an "In your face" build.

Everyone really interested in one make or an other usually built legitimate cars pretty close to stock or street stock.My approach was going to be in your face, Don't ruin that classic making it a "GASSER"

I recently read an article somewhere about how absurd newer gasser builds were with tinted windows, tinted headlights, up in the air stance. Yep that's where I went.Oh yeah, did i mention White Wall Slicks ? 

 

 

[El Roberto]

How about anniversary contests...... 2018  ok any car year ending in an 8.  

Rivals:  two or more cars together  i.e.  Mustang vs. Camaro   

[Snake45]

I used to be active in a local (though fairly large) IPMS chapter that had monthly theme contests in addition to the regular classes. It was primarily an aircraft chapter, with secondary interest in tanks and some interest in ships. I was about the only car modeler, or regular car modeler, in the joint. Cars were relegated to the "other" class along with figures, sci-fi, and other bricabrack. I loved seeing if I could work a car into the monthly themes, even though most of the themes were suggested by airplane guys. 

One month the theme was "General Motors Products." GM built a LOT of stuff during WWII, and I took great pride in entering GM products in not just the Theme and Other classes, but in both Large and Small scale Aircraft and Large and Small scale Armor--Six GM models in all, and I believe I won several ribbons that night. 

Once I suggested "Ladies Night"--the model had to have something to do with females. The theme table had several airplanes with pin-up nose art. I entered the 1969 PMOY car, a pink '69 Shelby 500, displayed with the actual June 1969 issue of the magazine. 

Another theme was something to do with music. I put a "Little Deuce Coupe" on the table. 

And so on. 

Themes are cool with me! 

[Greg Myers]

7 hours ago, El Roberto said:

How about anniversary contests...... 2018  ok any car year ending in an 8.  

Rivals:  two or more cars together  i.e.  Mustang vs. Camaro   

I like the Rivals.

The Anniversary thing sounds too much like something stoplite does every other week, red cars, brown cars, etc. 

[Howard Cohen]

I have found that themes at NNLs or contests work better when the theme is displayed on its own. I have been to some events where the theme builds are mixed in with other classes and they are hidden, so no one really sees them. I.E. - if your theme is Chevy, have a separate spot for them rather than mixing them with street, drag, custom, etc. One of the best themes I ever saw was at NNL East when they did Hollywood Cars, filled up the tables so fast, it was amazing! I always liked the theme, 'Cars in Music' as there are over 200 songs with cars in them (we did a count many years ago) and you can use lots of kits  

[Eshaver]

I've seen Mustang, Box Art , Tri five Chevrolet , too many more to list . I don't build for theme contests as I'm too busy doing commercial work . I enjoy photographing many of the entries though ....

[Danno]

Greg said:    "I decided to do an "In your face" build." 

 

 

I wondered where that came from!  Didn't get a chance to ask you. 

[Pete J.]

My club, San Diego Model Car Club(sorry, but yea that is a plug)  has been doing monthly themes as long as I have been going and that is well over 20 years(this year was our 30th year as a club).  In that time we have had a lot of different themes but some come to mind as "regulars".  Here are some of them.  Ford, Chevy/GM(not so often Chrysler but when it is, often it is "Hemi"), Competition often straight line and other on separate nights, Tamiya, anything but a car.  Red White and blue(July), Santa's ride for December, anything but 1:24 or 1:25 scale.  Hope this helps. 

[DeeCee]

 about 12-15 kits a year, and quite often just sit there between builds, wondering what to do next, so on the forum where i usually build,

we have a theme every month, now this makes it a lot easier for me to pick the next build, and if i don't like that months subject, i just pick something else.