Dear artisans and manufacturers,
Do you need new, fresh ideas? Two-inch-to-the-foot (one-sixth) scale could really use :
Realistic male 12-inch figures (male action figures) --- We’d like to see real men in work clothes and every-day street clothes.
Realistic female 11½-inch figures --- They're often called fashion dolls, but we'd rather see the everyday housewife. Can anyone get this right?
Vehicles: die-cast cars, not 1:18 size, but 1:6 size. Perhaps it’s possible to position the smaller autos as background in a forced-perspective diorama. More on forced perspective in a later post on this blog.
Buildings: An excellent opportunity for some artisan or manufacturer to make and sell stores, offices, apartment buildings, and all the other structures found in the average hometown. We could even live with false front background flats like those are available in O Gauge and smaller for model railroads, often very nicely done. That would be another reason for forced perspective, as in a stage setting.
Houses: Finally, some excellent doll houses are being sold in 1:6 (2 inches to the foot) size.
Clothing appropriate to the era --- what your parents and grandparents wore every day to go out into the street, made in fabrics that are also to scale and don't look like wool rugs grabbed off the floor and hastily wrapped around the figure.
Furniture: Shrunken Treasures seems to be featuring some good looking wooden and upholstered furniture that look like they belong in those great houses. See Bespaq's line of outstanding furniture in one-inch-to-the-foot scale.
Basically, we need all the many different accessories for daily living that are available in other scales --- a real opportunity for artisans in this new and burgeoning one-sixth size.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Horses for Barbie and GI Joe
We had never realized how much interest existed in resin horses. Given the huge market for Barbie dolls and military action figures like GI Joe, we are surprised and disappointed that horse figurines apparently rarely, if ever, can be found in a scale of 1:6, the scale common to both those areas of miniaturists.
They would appear to be a perfect fit for the hundreds of thousands of avid Barbie fans who are a natural market for model horses, and fit in perfectly with the same special interest niche.
Furthermore, although most 1:6 scale male military figures (action figures and GI Joe) are currently crafted for World War II scenes, quite a few represent earlier wars, when horses served as both draft animals and cavalry mounts. In fact, horses played a major part in military operations as late as World War I (1914-1918) and could be found as draft animals in Eastern Europe on the Russian Front in World War II (1939-1945). Horse figures would be a welcome resource for dioramas representing that era.
And, of course, in the dioramas of hometown life in the 20th Century, the miniature universe that we advocate, model horses would fit in almost everywhere.... and a farm or ranch scene would be incomplete without horses grazing peacefully nearby to set the mood.
When we started searching for horses of that size and scale, we envisioned artisans building models (to the same scale) of authentic nineteenth and early twentieth century horse-drawn carriages and wagons, a natural fit for the most common means of transportation in that era. Another good fit would be with models of contemporary carriages used in post-wedding ceremony photos for, say, Ken and Barbie.
This would also establish a reason for other craftsmen to produce harnesses, draft gear, and other tack. It would also justify the production and sale of one-sixth size Percherons and Shire horses. We wouldn’t say that this can’t miss, but it certainly seems like a good bet. A ready-made distribution network exists with an established group of avid fans for equine models, and we believe that the need is there.
They would appear to be a perfect fit for the hundreds of thousands of avid Barbie fans who are a natural market for model horses, and fit in perfectly with the same special interest niche.
Furthermore, although most 1:6 scale male military figures (action figures and GI Joe) are currently crafted for World War II scenes, quite a few represent earlier wars, when horses served as both draft animals and cavalry mounts. In fact, horses played a major part in military operations as late as World War I (1914-1918) and could be found as draft animals in Eastern Europe on the Russian Front in World War II (1939-1945). Horse figures would be a welcome resource for dioramas representing that era.
And, of course, in the dioramas of hometown life in the 20th Century, the miniature universe that we advocate, model horses would fit in almost everywhere.... and a farm or ranch scene would be incomplete without horses grazing peacefully nearby to set the mood.
When we started searching for horses of that size and scale, we envisioned artisans building models (to the same scale) of authentic nineteenth and early twentieth century horse-drawn carriages and wagons, a natural fit for the most common means of transportation in that era. Another good fit would be with models of contemporary carriages used in post-wedding ceremony photos for, say, Ken and Barbie.
This would also establish a reason for other craftsmen to produce harnesses, draft gear, and other tack. It would also justify the production and sale of one-sixth size Percherons and Shire horses. We wouldn’t say that this can’t miss, but it certainly seems like a good bet. A ready-made distribution network exists with an established group of avid fans for equine models, and we believe that the need is there.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Autos for GI Joe, Home from the War, & Barbie, in their Hometown
This blog is designed to encourage production of one-sixth size miniature collectibles,
that huge interrelated world of Barbie, military collectibles (action figures), and dollhouses, all built to a scale of 2 inches to the foot, sometimes called Playscale ®, but done with civilian orientation and generally covering the nostalgia period of the 20th Century in our history.
Because I also favor the use of Forced Perspective in these dioramas and presentations, it should be possible to use both larger and smaller figure sizes when they are placed appropriately. This allows the use of realistic “fashion dolls” --- from 21 inches down to 14 inches in height --- in the foreground. In addition, by carefully selecting and placing selected figures crafted for model railroads in G Gauge and even O Gauge in the background, another universe of possibilities opens up.
Still, we are surprised that major manufacturers of collectibles have not yet jumped on this bandwagon and produced classic and postwar (WW II) die-cast cars in 1/6th full size.
They would sell to Barbie collectors in place of those awful Barbie cars produced by Mattel; it would sell to GI Joe collectors and all those World War II military diorama guys as an alternative to their tanks and jeeps; it would provide a car to be placed in front of those very well done 2"=1' dollhouses that are being sold now; and it would give creative scope to model car designers and builders because they would have the twin advantages of incredible detail (because of the larger size) and models that are easier to build. The very wide untapped range of autos that flourished in the early and mid 20th century would provide a whole new market for manufacturers and retailers.
that huge interrelated world of Barbie, military collectibles (action figures), and dollhouses, all built to a scale of 2 inches to the foot, sometimes called Playscale ®, but done with civilian orientation and generally covering the nostalgia period of the 20th Century in our history.
Because I also favor the use of Forced Perspective in these dioramas and presentations, it should be possible to use both larger and smaller figure sizes when they are placed appropriately. This allows the use of realistic “fashion dolls” --- from 21 inches down to 14 inches in height --- in the foreground. In addition, by carefully selecting and placing selected figures crafted for model railroads in G Gauge and even O Gauge in the background, another universe of possibilities opens up.
Still, we are surprised that major manufacturers of collectibles have not yet jumped on this bandwagon and produced classic and postwar (WW II) die-cast cars in 1/6th full size.
They would sell to Barbie collectors in place of those awful Barbie cars produced by Mattel; it would sell to GI Joe collectors and all those World War II military diorama guys as an alternative to their tanks and jeeps; it would provide a car to be placed in front of those very well done 2"=1' dollhouses that are being sold now; and it would give creative scope to model car designers and builders because they would have the twin advantages of incredible detail (because of the larger size) and models that are easier to build. The very wide untapped range of autos that flourished in the early and mid 20th century would provide a whole new market for manufacturers and retailers.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
MINIATURE HOME TOWNS WANTED
MINIATURE UNIVERSE . ORG
We are advocates for the production and sale of one-sixth representations of an earlier era for inclusion in dioramas, model railroads, and forced perspective displays
Realistic male 12-inch figures (male action figures) --- The problem with them in the past has been that either they are dressed to kill (literally) in military uniforms and battle dress OR they look like pretty-boy participants in a high-style fashion show. We’d like to see real men in work clothes or every-day street clothes.
Realistic female 11½-inch figures --- Barbie-size figures BUT not Barbie-style, who all too often have that exaggerated swan-neck, too-pink, fake look --- just what we suppose appeals as play dolls to little girls, but not what you would see on an average American street in an average American home town setting. Can anyone get this right?
Vehicles: die-cast cars, not 1:18 size, but 1:6 size
Buildings: An excellent opportunity for some artisan or manufacturer to make and sell stores, offices, apartment houses, and all the other town buildings found in the average hometown. One could even live with false front background flats.
Houses: Finally, some doll houses are being sold in 1:6 (2 inches to the foot) size. See the beautiful examples sold by Shrunken Treasures.
Clothing appropriate to the era --- what your parents and grandparents wore to go out into the street.
Furniture: Again, Shrunken Treasures seems to be featuring some attractive wooden and upholstered furniture that one is not embarrassed to place in those great Victorian and mid-20th century houses.
Model trolleys in 2-inch-to-the-foot scale --- Where are the great trolley modelers of East Penn Traction, now that we really need them?
We are advocates for the production and sale of one-sixth representations of an earlier era for inclusion in dioramas, model railroads, and forced perspective displays
Realistic male 12-inch figures (male action figures) --- The problem with them in the past has been that either they are dressed to kill (literally) in military uniforms and battle dress OR they look like pretty-boy participants in a high-style fashion show. We’d like to see real men in work clothes or every-day street clothes.
Realistic female 11½-inch figures --- Barbie-size figures BUT not Barbie-style, who all too often have that exaggerated swan-neck, too-pink, fake look --- just what we suppose appeals as play dolls to little girls, but not what you would see on an average American street in an average American home town setting. Can anyone get this right?
Vehicles: die-cast cars, not 1:18 size, but 1:6 size
Buildings: An excellent opportunity for some artisan or manufacturer to make and sell stores, offices, apartment houses, and all the other town buildings found in the average hometown. One could even live with false front background flats.
Houses: Finally, some doll houses are being sold in 1:6 (2 inches to the foot) size. See the beautiful examples sold by Shrunken Treasures.
Clothing appropriate to the era --- what your parents and grandparents wore to go out into the street.
Furniture: Again, Shrunken Treasures seems to be featuring some attractive wooden and upholstered furniture that one is not embarrassed to place in those great Victorian and mid-20th century houses.
Model trolleys in 2-inch-to-the-foot scale --- Where are the great trolley modelers of East Penn Traction, now that we really need them?
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Realistic Playscale Fashion Dolls
It's time we brought figurines, like Barbie and Ken, home from the fashion runways. They seem to be unrealistic anorexic poster children, dressed for appearance at a toxically eternal fashion show or a never-ending formal ballroom, and living in a collection of pink and purple dollhouses.
GI Joe and other military action figures, on the other hand, are engaged forever in World War II battles that never end; available alternatives appear to be endless battalions of
well-equipped German military figures, glorifying a very sad chapter in world history, perfectly uniformed for a battle dress inspection that will never happen.
It's time we brought them back home to the normal world of the towns and cities from which they came, dressed in standard street and work clothes. Where are the usual variety of cars on the street? Why are so many excellent models of cars built in incompatible scales like 1:18? Surely, it would have been just as easy to design them to harmonize with other miniature worlds. Where are the houses, stores, and buildings that form the normal backdrop to these street scenes? Even model railroads can be found in one-eighth scale (one-and-one-half inches to the foot) but skip over the almost obvious one-sixth size, when trolleys and street cars to take Barbie and her kin into town would have made so much sense.
Only now are appropriate and realistic houses being shown at web sites like Shrunken Treasures, which has done a remarkably good job of manufacturing and selling Barbie-size (GI Joe-size) two-inch-to-the-foot homes for our cast of characters, houses that look like they were designed by architects and built by builders in our hometown. It's about time !
Our goal, here at Miniature Universe, will be to attempt to rationalize the scales, the clothing, the sculpts, and all the parts of our normal world into one harmonious whole. We will urge miniature artisans to design and construct realistic true-to-scale figures --- we know it can be done. ... and we're going to lobby for miniature scenes modeled in Forced Perspective so that they make sense to the eye. More about that in future posts.
Please tell us what you think.
GI Joe and other military action figures, on the other hand, are engaged forever in World War II battles that never end; available alternatives appear to be endless battalions of
well-equipped German military figures, glorifying a very sad chapter in world history, perfectly uniformed for a battle dress inspection that will never happen.
It's time we brought them back home to the normal world of the towns and cities from which they came, dressed in standard street and work clothes. Where are the usual variety of cars on the street? Why are so many excellent models of cars built in incompatible scales like 1:18? Surely, it would have been just as easy to design them to harmonize with other miniature worlds. Where are the houses, stores, and buildings that form the normal backdrop to these street scenes? Even model railroads can be found in one-eighth scale (one-and-one-half inches to the foot) but skip over the almost obvious one-sixth size, when trolleys and street cars to take Barbie and her kin into town would have made so much sense.
Only now are appropriate and realistic houses being shown at web sites like Shrunken Treasures, which has done a remarkably good job of manufacturing and selling Barbie-size (GI Joe-size) two-inch-to-the-foot homes for our cast of characters, houses that look like they were designed by architects and built by builders in our hometown. It's about time !
Our goal, here at Miniature Universe, will be to attempt to rationalize the scales, the clothing, the sculpts, and all the parts of our normal world into one harmonious whole. We will urge miniature artisans to design and construct realistic true-to-scale figures --- we know it can be done. ... and we're going to lobby for miniature scenes modeled in Forced Perspective so that they make sense to the eye. More about that in future posts.
Please tell us what you think.
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