Design Challenges

Yesterday I was so tired I nearly fell asleep at dinner. I thought my exhaustion was due either to work and all its assorted little dramas finally catching up with me, or maybe it was a bit of the bug making the rounds at work.

Then I took a quick look at the all the hobby news and business that went on this week, and saw what the problem really was: it was a really busy week, hobby-wise! More Web Exclusives were released, pictures of Midyear releases (another glow-in-the-dark Halloween Special!) were floating around, I heard reports of Warehouse Specials being found at Tuesday Morning, and another BreyerFest SR picture was released (Translucent Classic Warmblood for the Souvenir Shop, named Art Nouveau!)

I think he’s pretty awesome, even if some don't think he’s Art Nouveau enough. Personally, I don’t think of the concept as French enough: Art Nouveau was more of a global movement that just happened to be very, very popular in France. Art Deco, on the other hand, did originate in France. The term Art Deco came from the International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes) held in Paris in 1925.

Reeves missed a perfect opportunity here to rerelease the Modernistic Buck and Doe - that were, most likely, originally designed and manufactured during the Art Deco era itself.

Too obscure? Possibly too hard a sell at an ostensibly "horsey" event? Probably, but a girl can dream.

What I think finally pushed me over the edge was the new BreyerFest contest - for customizing.

http://www.breyerhorses.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=7308

I was intrigued enough by this contest to spend a few rare minutes poking around my body box earlier in the week. I like the idea of the contest a lot, but when I finally read the rules I was persuaded out of participating. The winners will receive an exclusive, one-of-five piece Special Run valued at $1000(!!!)

Extremely high stakes lead to extreme behaviors; while I like to think better of my fellow hobbyists, the potential to win something really rare and/or valuable hasn't always brought out the best in us. I have enough responsibilities re: BreyerFest this year, so I’ll just stick to my more familiar heartbreaks.

If I were to design the contest, I would have either broadened the categories - more prizes, more winners, less bad behavior - or made it a little bit more like the others. That would mean adherence to a concept, and a very narrow window of time to complete it. That way it would mean that entries would be more likely created specifically for the contest, and not pulled from the shelf or made by others.

As far as concept goes, I’d go with specific molds - older, more difficult, or less popular ones that aren't considered proper body box material. Anyone can make something beautiful out of a Weather Girl or an Alborozo, but a Touch of Class or Lady Roxana? Now that’s something I’d like to see - or even compete in.

Speaking of…yes, I am aware of the "The Sound TWH Challenge". Hobby customizers of all pay grades are challenged with making a non-Big-Lick horse out of a Midnight Sun, with the sales of said models going charity.

A good idea, in spite of the fact that it seems to be a Facebook-only thing for now.