By now- from one look at this title, a light bulb would have turned on in your head and you would have imagined miniature cars, planes, houses, buildings and even cities, well now -you’re on the right track. Scale builders are the people who build real-life models of new or existing objects on a smaller scale for architectural or recreational purposes. The job of scale builders may often go unnoticed but this article takes time to salute those exceptional scale builders and modelers across the world who have done something extraordinary!
When we say that, we mean the kind of dedication it takes to stand out for incredible work. For example: years ago, some scale modelers came together to build a replica of New York City, this scale model happens to be the largest in the world. It took them approximately 3 years to build and is the size of 2 basketball courts. An inch on this model is equivalent to 100 feet. So if you are ever in the New York area, feel free to check out this model at the Queens Museum.
Michael Chesko
A Software Engineer turned, miniature modeler, became obsessed with building miniature models of skyscrapers. He became famous for his miniature model of Manhattan prior to 9/11, which he built without even stepping foot into the city. He is now a world-renowned miniature artist and his work is permanently displayed at the Skyscraper Museum in New York.
Jocelyn Teo
If you’re a foodie, then this miniature modeler will definitely pique your interest. Jocelyn, a Singaporean polymer clay artist makes miniature food replicas. The first phase of the process involves using recipes to make real food. She then analyzes the shapes and colors and recreates those food items using clay and a little color magic. Her work has become famous and she is highly requested by celebrities and multiple organizations to create custom work.
Markus Rothkranz
He’s a famous miniature builder who builds miniatures of just about anything. His work includes movie set models, buildings, food, and even theme parks. This has been his hobby from a young age and now that he is an adult, he certainly has perfected the art of Scale Modeling. However, most of his work is usually modeled by various aspects of the entertainment industry.
Bernd Pennewitz
If you’re into vintage cars and want your very own miniature model, Bernd makes excellent mini Porsche replicas, which actually drive using electricity. He made them with children in mind, but children at heart can also indulge in these beautifully crafted miniature vehicles. He builds them in 1/23rd scale and is accurate right down to the dashboard switches and all the working lights.
Stephen W. Henninger
His most famous model: the USS Enterprise and not the Star Trek version. Stephen spent a dozen years perfecting this model with a scale of 1:100 of the Naval aircraft carrier. His years of work has definitely paid off as millions of visitors come to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum located in Washington DC annually to view his model.
Charlie Ryder
Now here’s a man who once used to build stock cars himself and even went on to win many competitions. Later on, his passion switched to Model Car building, which he builds from scratch. Charlie used to work at the car maker company, Ford. In his spare time, he would find his peace in building replica cars. Charlie began this hobby at the age of 4 when he used to make car models out of plastic, which eventually changed to be made out of beer cans. What’s even more shocking is that Charlie’s cars actually work in the exact way as the real thing!
In conclusion, the masters who have built these replica models do not spend much time evaluating how hard they have worked, they just put in the effort. This effort is what astonishes people and that is what drives these professionals to continue what they do. A very rare but beautiful kind of hobby indeed.