As much as I love to make models, I would love to turn it into something profitable for myself. I'm a poor college student, so any extra money I can make is WELCOME! I will admit that I've kinda always thought that a job within modeling would be just what I wanted.

I'm trying to get some input from the older modelers out there that have some experience with this. How do I make a job, even if it's just a small job that gets me a 100 bucks a month or something, but how do i make a job out of modeling. what can I do? any of you guys that have done odd jobs to make money modeling, share with me please! Everyone says the best job isn't the one that pays the most, but the one you enjoy doing the most. this is that job for me. something to do with models!

Thanks guys

You may want to explore doing models on commission--I don't know how to get started doing so, but you would need to be a relatively skilled modeler, have good contacts in the community, and the ability to finish builds fairly quickly (and on budget!) to make money reliably this way. I know a few folks here on Armorama build on commission, so you may want to ask them.

You can also try writing articles for a modeling magazine. For this you will need, in addition to good modeling and research skills, an ability to take good photographs, good writing and self-editing skills, and a knack for finding topics not covered by other writers out there.

Hmmm,a couple of suggestions came to mind.
Museums of natural history periodically change exhibit displays and could certainly use your modeling skills.
Architectural modeling service firms welcome talent from time to time.
Theatrical set design and building/props departments.
Amusement theme parks or their contractors.
Movie Studios! (yeah, alot of this went to the Dark Side of computers)
HTH
cheers!

Well, hmmm how can I say this? You have to be very good. Award winning potential good. Fast, capable of working within a deadline which usually means doing nothing else. Once you start building for an income, it becomes a job, enjoyable at first but can quickly evolve into a real pain, distracting you from interest in the hobby.

That said, display some of your work at local hobby shops, leave some contact (business cards) info. Enter local events, build a portfolio of your work. You can always build them and sell them on eBay. Start your own website to sell your services.

thanks a lot guys, those are some good Ideas I'll have to look in to.

While I don't have a lot of experience under my belt, I will say that I'm far from a bad modeller. I have a couple wins from IPMS Nationals at Dallas. I will try to build up a portfolio of some builds and see what happens there. Right now I'm going to start the A-20G havoc "little joe", and it just so happens to be the exact same plane that's 5 minutes away from me at the USAF Museum at Wright Patt. I might present it to them and see what happens.

I've had some people approach me about building cars, but I will admit that the automotive category is not my forte. I absolutely LOVE working with real cars, but I'm not much of a car modeler. maybe that'll change.....

If you are good at scratchbuilding, talk to the aftermarket resin guys. Several of them are always looking for more master makers. You'll bneed to understand their needs before quoting a project. Building for manufacture is significantly different than builting for display. Yuo have to consider casting as well as assembly by the customer plus a few other details including how the mould will be made and other details. Start small and work your way up with one or more manufacturers. Speed is of the essence, but so is really good accuracy. No sense having the resin kit be less accurate than the plastic kit (although it does happen!).

Paul

While the thought of earning some income from modelling is certainly appealing, as Gerald has said it can eventually become a chore. Time you might want to spend working on your own models or any other activities may have to be devoted to your current project, and if you run into any snags you'll want to make sure you have the skills to overcome it as you'll most likely be on a deadline. I've built models both for family and on commission so I can attest to this. Also, IMO the average person doesn't realize the work that goes into a build and wouldn't be willing to pay you what your time's really worth.
Not trying to discourage you but I'm speaking from experience, so I just want you to go in with both eyes open. You still have potential to make some $$ from this if you market yourself properly and carefully choose your clients. Nice thing is it could give you an opportunity to build kits that you might not normally build for yourself.

Barry

If your aim is to just make a few extra bucks, rather than a living, try selling your models on ebay, and start the bidding at just above the cost of your kit, plus paints etc. You won't get much for your time, but you will make your money back, plus a little more. And these are (usually) kits you build because you want to, so you don't really lose much.
If you want to make a little more, you have to be prepared to build something you don't particuarly like (like cars... ). But in that case you quote a realistic figure for your efforts, and then it's up to the client to decide. Don't go building for a knockdown price just for the sake of it.
I build some commissions pretty cheap, but I know the guys, and I like the subjects. I have also build a few commissions that I would not have build for my own pleasure, but I quoted three figure sums for those.
Word of mouth is a very powerful selling tool. Once you get a satisfied customer (Army base, re-enactment group, military vehi thusiasts etc), they will show your work to their friends/colleages, and recommend you. That's how I get my commissions.

Good Luck

Henk

once you start to get paid for the hobby it stops being just that, and thats where the work comes in to it , it sounds great fun at first getting paid for doing something you love but it can have a lot of downsides too, i used to do a lot of commission's but i just wore myself out , now i pick the ones i want to do . sometimes you get lucky and the person the model is for says just do your own thing . but most of the time he has a mental picture of what the finished product should look like. and you NEED to get it as close as possible to what he wants, sometimes it aint easy . the thing i hate most is modellers block, ( ok hands up who has never had this ) i love my hobby but now i slow down and relax before i start the next model. the upside is that you get better with each one, well hopefully ! but all in all i say go for it . i may sound a bit negative but the old modellers block has been on me for about a week and a half now so please excuse me . what about you other guys ever been in your model room surrounded by all kinds of kits and you think to yourself i aint got nothing to do. one bit of advice i would give is to start with kits that you like , just to start with .

@ Paul - making pieces for resin casting sounds a little beyond my level, but I may consider that in the future when my skills increase. I know this will be a life long hobby for me, so who knows.

@ Barry - Thanks for the heads up. The deadlines aren't what scare me too much (I'm a boring college student, so I have LOTS of extra time), I'm just more worried about being asked to build something that would either be a really difficult build or have a really difficult paint scheme. I think I'm going to have to make do until xmas '08 to get a good dual action airbrush for some fine painting. I'm still working with my Paasche H. Some of those paint scemes on some of those German aircraft still intimidate me

@ Henk - I really like that Idea of selling them on eBay, as I'm already an avid eBay seller. That and any money I make from a finished model is really all money in the bank for me, as just about all of my kits were purchased at least 5 years ago (except a few cars I recently bought to get some practice). Moms are great. I really owe a lot to her, as I think she's invested probably at least 5K in my modeling (going to conventions, buying kits, airbrush, compressor, desk, lights, ownership of my basement!). I do think I can manage learning to build some cars, it's just going to take a different approach. I'm too used to all the wear and tear you put into planes, and you don't necessarily do that with cars...
Guy at the LHS is also part of my IPMS Chapter so I might see about displaying a model on the counter there with some business cards. I don't know how much I can handle, but I can assure you I'll start slow and work my way up, not the other way around!

@ Tony - the one thing I'm afraid of is losing interest from being too stressed. That's why I think I'll make sure I take things slowly. And I'd be lying if I didn't say I've had modellers block. I've had it at home and at school. at home I have about 120 kits on the shelf, and I would just sit there staring at the boxes, not knowing what to do.

Never in almost 34 years of modelling, but there's still time.......

I agree. In all my time modelling, I've never thuoght I had nothing to build. Quite the contrary. I have too may projects I want to build and I'm just not going to live long enough to finish even a fraction of them.

I need to win a lottery. This work thing is seriosuly imparing my modelling time...

Paul

Quote-"I need to win a lottery. This work thing is seriosuly imparing my modelling time..."
I'm of the same thought Paul. Buy the ticket! Mega lotto is 270 mil and super lotto is 80 mil! I could probably buy DML and Cyberslobby!
cheers!

I did the commission thing for awhile and it was fun at first, but I quickly grew tired of it. Once it became work, it lost its appeal. Not to say you will too, but there is that possibility. I try to remember that there is more to life than all the plastic I have on the shelves. Now I build for me with the occassional commission job tossed in every blue moon to keep it fun. Just be careful what you wish for and good luck. "Q"