Now Those are Toy Models!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Now Those are Toy Models!

The Background

   

    I placed a photo of a model of today's person, because I wanted to catch everyone's attention. I know that some people prefer photos, and I didn't want my long "narrative" to chase some people away.

   Today's post is even more interesting than the outstanding models that are produced.  This week, I've been searching for modern toys, specifically die-cast. I'd been searching and searching, and eventually came across several sites.  I finally found some manufacturers, and have written to them. However, I got turned down by one person, because my blog is titled "oldantiquetoys", and this person felt his modern toys would not fit in. He also was reluctant to my doing some enhancements in Photoshop.  However, he did write back, and I thanked him for that courtesy. 

   I kept looking and looking, and then I found a company called Pocher, but it turned out they closed shop way back. If you go to Wikepedia, you'll find a write-up of the company. The company may be revived and return, as I was told by today's fine model craftsman/artist/design engineer that Hornby had possibly purchased the defunct company.

   I still wasn't having any luck, when all of a sudden I spotted  a model like Pocher, but the company is active, and makes unbelievably-detailed models. The company is called CMA Models, Inc., and the owner is Mr. Marshall L. Buck.

http://www.cmamodels.com

(Please click on the above address to be redirected to this exceptional website and Marshall L Buck)

Marshall L. Buck

   In my euphoria with about CMA Models, Inc., and of course Marshall, I asked my wife to have a look at the site. She stopped to look at the video at the beginning of the site, and that got my attention as well. The video was made by Tomyang.net. I don't want to write too much, because that video with Marshall and his workplace tells the story very well.

   I'll just give you a brief bio and write-up, but for sure watch the video! I had to ask Marshall where he got into car modelling, because it's a true "art". I asked if he had a mother or father who was an artist, and he said yes. It turned out he got the dynamic skills of making the cars (my interpretation) from his mother (the artist) and the business skills from his father (a businessman).

  If you look at the models, the one thing that you will surely notice is detail, and that is what places CMA Models, Inc. in a different level and class of model. When I taught pro photography, and specifically tabletop product photography, I would tell the students that "ATD" or "Attention to Detail" is the most important factor. You have to notice the fine detail, light it, pay attention, and know what the client wants. With Marshall and his company, it's the unique model choices and then the detail that you will most certainly notice. 

  I had phoned Marshall because I was so taken aback by his models. However, he was busy and so I left a message. He returned my call, and I was caught off guard. I had seen one of his  older Bugatti models and there were all kinds of levers on the car that I didn't know what they were for. However, I being caught "off-guard", I  could only describe his model as a yellow Italian car! Marshall was very polite, and said that he has made hundred of models, and so I sent him the screen-captures - again, that I had forgot to send in my first e-mail to him.

   Marshall L. Buck's models made me stop and look and examine the autos. There is so much detail that I'll need to try and look for original car plans to figure out the parts that I am looking at. Of course, Marshall's photographs are excellent, but  I kept wanting to enlarge and enlarge to see the detail even closer-up, but you can only magnify so much!

   And one last thing - Marshall's website has lots of interesting information, and a page that will redirect you to other places that are also interesting.

 Please be sure to enlarge all of the images so you can really see the exceptional fine detail and craftsmanship that goes into these "works-of-art"! 

Even the photography is excellent. Marshall provides as many images as are needed to present  the detail in all of his fine models. When I was compositing the images above, I felt that I was more at an advertising agency creating the "comps" for the "real car manufacturer's approval, rather than assembling model photos!

  Marshalls cars range is scale from 1:24 to 1:12. I forgot to add the scale for the cars, but you can find them on the site. If I have time, I will amend and add this data.

I get the sense that Marshall is a caring and sharing person. He also represents a few other model makers, and has photographs of clients and the photos of people that he represents,who have purchased his autos, and sent photos to be posted on his site. Below are 2 examples.

   

 

The above model is almost 24" ( .61 M long)!

As Always,

Thanks for dropping by, 
and have a great part of gthe day wherever you may be.

Stacey