Dr. Cranky Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 I am sure this happens to you all the time too. So, like it often happens, I find myself between projects and a couple of months of no building, and I find myself at the local hobby shop. Normally I stay in tune with kits that are scheduled to come out through Jack's MODELROUND UP, and I see what's coming and make a note of it. So, I'm at the local H.S., and walking up and down the isles and the new ROUND 2 (not new but a re-release, new package) 40 Ford sticks out its leg and trips me. My eyes fall out of my head, my jaw drops, and I feel like IT'S LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT all over again. The box cover art on this kit just captures the mood and feel of racing a fat fendered 40 Ford. It's the same kit, of course, but this time it's in a larger box. They've give the ART more space, more calling power. I don't know if you've gotten your copy yet, but you can check out my reaction to this kit and the art HERE Box Cover art, it's my contention, can really get you fired up about building a kit, and in this case, it can also take you back to those days when you salivated to no end at the sight of a kit who kept beckoning you to save your pennies so you could buy it and build it. Perhaps, my generation of builders is the last to feel this kind of connection. I hope not, not for the hobby's sake. I congratulate ROUND 2 on getting this kind of love affair rekindled in me as a builder. Thank you.
High octane Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 While "box art" does grab my attention, I won't buy a kit for the box art as I dispose of the box once I have built the kit. I have no room for empty boxes here at my house.
Dr. Cranky Posted February 8, 2014 Author Posted February 8, 2014 Neither do I, Nick, since like you, I am not a collector of boxes or box art, but in this case I could not resist buying this kit again because of it. I think the manufacturers have probably done some market research in this area (maybe) and they know what truly tempts their model buyers.
cobraman Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 Good box art can and has steered me to a kit just as crummy art has kept me away.
tbill Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 I find that after so many years away from building, when I see box art of a kit I built as a teen, I am drawn to that kit like a moth to flame, and must acquire it. or seeing one I remember as a kid, but couldn't have/afford, makes me want it [regardless of kit quality]. I hit model round up pretty regularly, and have a good wish list, it seems to go in stages, what I want 'now', what I want eventually, and what I would get when the time is right. oddly enough, most of what is on my list, are the kits I did as a youth, or what I couldn't afford as a youth. isn't a lot of 'new' kits that strike my fancy. seeing some box art takes me right back to a place in time, my mind recreates the smell/vision/feeling of when i built it the first time, hard to describe, but i know some of you have experienced the same thing.
disabled modeler Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 I like the old box art...use them for storage and also wall paper just stick a thumb tack in the bottom part and cover with the top. I buy for what is inside but there has been times where the old art gets my attention.
jbwelda Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 the "Slingster" is a perfect example of this exact phenomena jb
Joker Posted February 8, 2014 Posted February 8, 2014 Great topic and video Doc. The '36 Ford made me double up my "drool bib" . AMT metal axles rule...my childhood...LOL
Shardik Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 I confess; I bought the new Moebius (sp?) Chrysler 300b for the box art alone. I'm glad I did, though, since it's a great kit.
Dr. Cranky Posted February 9, 2014 Author Posted February 9, 2014 I know that perhaps mine is not the popular view but I believe the manufacturers are trying their best to keep the builders supplied with some of the very best styrene with seen in at least a decade. And perhaps they are paying very close attention to the market. I hope so.
slusher Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 I can't count how many times I bought a model because of the box art. I have built many to match the box art that inspired me to buy the kit...
Harry P. Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 I guess I'm in the minority. While I agree that there's a lot of very cool box art (and as a graphic designer, I do notice stuff like that)... I can honestly say that I have never bought a kit due to the box art. For me, the subject matter is all that matters, whether the box art is garbage, or done by DaVinci. I really couldn't care less about the picture on the box... I am only interested in what's inside the box. And as we all know, the picture on the box is often not a very accurate representation of what's in the box. But that's just me...
berr13 Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 Art work can get me interested, but more often I've been influenced to buy something by Larry Greenberg's reviews. They're the first thing I turn to in the magazine, and I appreciate the methodical way he presents the subject. I like knowing what's in a kit, and what the kit's potential might be, also. Guy deserves a raise--just sayin'...
CaptainAhab Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) Box art Certainly can get me interested enough to look twice and see whats actually inside, and I'll admit that I'm not old enough to remember these reissue kits but I certainly dig the nostalgia of vintage box art. There's a vibe they send out, A certain imagination that gets your creativity revving, but for me I still need to know whats inside. I do find some of these AMT reissues very temping and to answer your question, from a younger model builder, I believe this marketing tactic is a good one and overall brings a very sweet warm vibe to this great hobby. Edited February 12, 2014 by CaptainAhab
A.R.C. Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 Some box art sends me right back to my childhood as soon as I see it. The Badman, The Monroe Handler and the Scottys Muffler shop 55 Ford which I`m currently building, are ones that come to mind right away. They`re were just too cool to resist and I bought them as a kid simply because the boxes were soooo cool. I mean if the box looks that awesome the model inside has to be equally awesome....right? Sadly I also bought the Revell 53 Chevy Panel (I`ll never forgive Revell for that kit) and the General Lee. Thank god for big brothers and firecrackers. I dont save the boxes either but I do have a few old favorites from the "olden days" that I have bought recently and when the model is built the box will be sticking around. I have no idea what I`ll do with it/them but having that mint, still in the wrapper 30 -40 year old box show up at my door after all these years made me feel like a kid again....I just dont have the heart to toss it.
1972coronet Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 Even the Retro-Deluxe box art / packaging that Round2 has invented works on my psyche ! As mediocre as the 1968 Road Runner is , its retro box art makes it tough to refuse ! Being that I'm a visual artist , the obvious visual "curb appeal" of the R.R.'s retro art keeps pulling me toward it . Truly , before I was hip to the Retro-Deluxe idea , I honestly believed that the 1960 Starliner box art was , indeed , a reprint of the original (!!) . It was that convincing ! Furthermore ; the almost-exact box art of the old MPC annuals is tantillising ! Sames goes for the old AMT annuals ('76 Gremlin , etc.) . On the opposite end of the spectrum ; the hideous , unimaginative box art from the dreaded RC2 era kits actually has driven me away from buying some of those kits ! That art was extremely unflattering , to say the very least !
Brizio Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 When I was kid (11 year old) and I start to buy models, yes, the box art played a big role on buy the kit. Expecially because I buid different airplane and other military vehicle. They had great box art, expecially the one during combats, or war zone, that make you imagination fly! After few kits, I realized that the box art was different that what was inside the box. Like when I built (1990 ca) a Italeri F-8 Crusader, and it was all white, I know that I could painted it, but a that time paint, and painting a model was a futuristic things... After that, I just look for the subject, no a the box art. I need to admit that there are some cool box art around. I have some old kit, and when I build them I will keep teh box, because personally I like old stuff.
om617 Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 When i was a kid i bought a kit like this because of the box-art,and boy was i disapointed.
scaleauto Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I am with you Doc. I think it is inspiration, gets the juices flown' and some of these older kits have parts that are not in the new releases.
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