1:6 scale modeling
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1:6 scale modeling [aka Playscale Miniaturism[1]] is a hobby focusing on the customization of commercially produced 1:6 scale action figures*, accessories and, even, dollhousing, frequently, for use in dioramas. High-end miniaturists prefer the neologism sixthscale as a distinction from the perceived amateurism associated with playscale. The term playscale has its origins in dollhousing and it, along with sixthscale, is better received by text-based search engines, like Google, Yahoo & MSN, than numbers and punctuation are, such as "1:6" or "1/6."
This hobby is fairly new to the modeling world. Many people don't know about it. Most of the modeling work is done on posable figures made of plastic. The average 1:6 figure stands roughly 30 cm (12 in) tall, representing a 1.8 m (6 ft) tall human, but they can be as short as 20 cm (8 in) representing a scale 1.2 m (4 ft) tall adult. Figures can be outfitted in a wide variety of mass produced, limited production, and custom clothing and items. Some people undertake vehicle projects ranging from tanks and helicopters to sand rails and jeeps. Talented "customizers", hobbyists specializing in construction of one-off and limited production items or the extensive modification of stock products, are limited only by their imagination.
The primary focus of most modelers is military subjects of many different eras, but some modelers focus on science fiction, fantasy, pop culture, or civilian topics. There are many ways of participating in the 1/6th scale hobby, ranging from simple collecting to the accurate modeling of entire military units.
The 1/6 scale has also been used for fashion dolls, with Barbie being the most famous example. A standard Barbie doll is 11.5 inches high, giving a height of 5 feet nine inches for a real person.
*This hobby favors action figures for their posability, but any playscale figure is viable.
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[edit] History
1:6 scale modeling emerged as a hobby in 1964 when the toy company Hasbro introduced the first fully articulated action figure: G.I. Joe. Created in the image of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines that served around the time of the Korean War, G.I. Joe proved to be a revolutionary success for Hasbro. However, as the bloody and violent Vietnam War went on into the 1970s, war toys & figures fell out of favor with parents, G.I. Joe's sales declined drastically, even with a change from military type figures to the Adventure Team theme. By 1976, GI Joe was not being produced in 1:6 scale.
The UK equivalent to G.I. Joe - Action Man - and its short lived but wholly British opposite number Tommy Gunn first appeared in 1966. Action Man continued through various incarnations until 1993. Enthusiasts consider 1993 to be the end of what is now described as Vintage Action Man. Action Man continues today, but would not be recognisable as a direct descendant of the original 1966 figure and accessories. Action Man was initially a direct copy of G.I. Joe, but as time progressed it developed an identity of its own with a very British flavour including ceremonial uniforms from many historic British military units. The 40th Anniversary of Action Man is being celebrated in 2006 by the launch of a series of commemorative reproduction sets being produced in a collaborative effort by Modellers Loft in conjunction with Hasbro and Dragon In Dreams (DID).
In the early 1990s Hasbro began reproducing G.I. Joe in 1:6 scale again, aiming the toys at the adults who grew up with the original G.I. Joe in the 1960s. The new figures, known as "Classic Collection" were more posable and had better accessories than the original G.I. Joe. Customizers also began to offer custom items over the internet at this time as well, especially focusing on historical subjects yet to be touched by the major playscale producer, but they carried a high price.
In 1997 a small company known as 21st Century Toys began producing 1:6 scale accessory and uniform sets representing equipment used in the Vietnam conflict. Soon 21st Century Toys had expanded their product line to include World War Two, Law Enforcement, Emergency Services, and Modern Armed forces Accessories, and under the name "The Ultimate Soldier" (TUS) and "America's Finest" respectively. They offered more detailed and historically accurate products than Hasbro, and soon became the brand of choice for many playscale collectors. In the 1999-2000 21st Century further expanded their to include highly detailed vehicles and a "Villains" series. These vehicles, including the M5 Stuart light tank and Willy's jeep are still today considered by many collector's to be the epitome of mass produced playscale vehicles. Unfortunately, after the start of the 21st century, 21st Century Toys even further expanded into 1:18 and 1:32 action figures and production of playscale figures and vehicles slowed to a near standstill. Through 2000-present rumors have persisted of a resurgence of the TUS line, however production, mostly of RC vehicles and "lower quality" figures have been inconsistent in both areas of release and numbers produced.
In 1999 Dragon Models Limited (DML) entered the 1:6 scale figure market with a German World War II figure named "Hans". Dragon figures were held in high esteem by collectors due to their both high quality and accurate products. Dragon Models Limited (DML) continues to produce high quality items, and they currently release several figures each month. Their main focus is WWII German, but they have released figures from the Vietnam War, the Falklands War, Korean War, both the first and second Gulf Wars, and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. They have released few vehicles, three styles of German Kubelwagen jeeps and a German motorcycle, yet are producing heavy weapons such as anti-tank and anti-aircraft cannons.
Around 2001 Blue Box Toys (BBI) began producing modern era figures of the same quality as those manufactured by DML. These figures were notable for their die-cast accessories and quirky "Custom Expression Mechanism", by which facial expressions could be adjusted somewhat by turning a small screw in the back of the head, both of which were met with mixed results by collectors yet indisputably made headway in the evolution of accessory and headsculpt detail. BBI later produced WWII era figures as well, but the company has recently shifted its focus to 1:18 scale figures.
Recently, smaller scale companies such as Toy Soldier Workshop, ACE, Battle Gear Toys, DiD (Dragon in Dreams), Armoury, RMC (Realistic Miniatures) and New Line Miniatures have begun to provide extremely accurate gear made from good quality cloth and leather. This trend to move towards the 1990s mentality of cottage production and scratchbuilding has left a unique feel when combined with the mass produced figures of today. Customizers also have started to produce custom kits for armored vehicles such as half-tracks and tanks that range in price from $100 (USD) to nearly $2000 (USD).
[edit] Controversy: But is it Actually Modeling?
Some conventional modelers who build figures and vehicles from kits argue that this hobby isn't actually modeling, since anyone can simply buy a figure and display it, putting in little work or effort. In particular, these critics point to the minority of playscale collectors who choose to simply display their figures in the original box. Consistent with other forms of miniaturism, many enthusiasts make their own custom uniforms, weapons, helmets, and equipment. Kitbashing is another component of playscale miniaturism. This involves the mixing and matching of clothing and accessories from different sources to achieve the desired look.
Many hobbyists put an incredible amount of work into customizing their figures. Miniaturists sculpt and paint heads for their figures; some go as far as to modify a figure's body to achieve a specific look: More human, or even alien. Weathering a figure is a crucial part of making it as real as possible. Some miniaturists also construct and paint custom weapons made from multiple kits or build them from scratch using materials like styrene, Sculpey, or Aves Apoxie.
A further defense of the modeling nature of this hobby can be seen in the practice of custom-building or scratch-building scale model military vehicles and armor. This type of modeling is even more demanding as mistakes that can easily be hidden in smaller scale builds are now multiplied, challenging the builders of playscale models to be more exacting in their craft. Now, thanks to a number of specialized customizers’ outlets, detailed pieces for scale military vehicle builders are becoming more readily available making it easier for individuals wanting to delve into making their own custom pieces.
To further promote playscale miniaturism, the UK 1:6 Collectors Club ( http://www.onesixthcollectors.co.uk) host a scale modelling competition annually. This is the only modelling competition of its type within the UK. Another aspect of this hobby, is with the use of various parts from the individiual shop bought figures, to make a model that is either not currently available. Or improving on one that is. This way rather than wait for a particular figure to be made, the modeller uses or adapts various parts to suit their particular needs. This way the model maker can create a figure based on a reference picture of a particular soldier, found either in a book or from a page on the internet. This process is known as kitbashing as mentioned above, and can extend from something simple like a change of uniform jacket or unit insignia, to a complete body change such as shortening the height, adapting the body of the figure to allow for a better display, or even using a new head cast from resin which then is painted. This way, the normal boxed figure becomes a detailed scale model. Demonstrating the skill of the miniaturist, in the changes that they have made.
