Ok, maybe I was asking the wrong questions in my previous thread.

http://www.planetfigure.com/threads...sses-ref-figure-magazines-and-articles.52297/

What to YOU constitutes, or makes up a good article on figures? Specifically, what are YOU looking for?

Jim Patrick

In one word: HMM

I'm still trying to work out what HMM means??? that's 3 words Marc not 1 Did you mean NMM?

Keith

Inspiration!!!! when I see a great photo or article on a particular figure, vehicle or diorama. It gets the creative juices going. Most everyone I know gets fired up about their "next" project, right after attending a good model/figure show. There are always one or two pieces that stick out. That make you want to get back to your work bench as soon as possible. But we can't traval to every great show around the world. So that's what I want out of a great figure/model magazine. Sometimes it's just one picture or you read a tutorial on a new technique, that does it as well. For the most part, I won't purchase a magazine, unless there is something in there that jumps out at me. Figure International has great photograghy, so right now, they lead the way for me.

I think Marc is referring to Historical Miniatures Magazine Keith, if not I apologise.

Roger.

Something a bit off the beaten path obscure battles or periods etc etc. Not the tenth million SS man with a map pointing with a constipated expression.

Steve

A list of the winners of the awards at Euro Militaire would be nice.
Pete

A great magazine for me would have LOTS of quality pictures, profile articles on artists, show reports with award winners lists, SBS articles on figure painting, articles on uniforms, figure reviews and new releases, tips and tricks column, and advertising. Jim, do you plan on going into the publishing business? Or planning to write an article?
Specifically, I like an article that gets into depth about a subject, is very descriptive and answers the basics (who, what, where, how and when).

My friend, I red Figurines from issue one and stopped only last year. .Je parle parfaitement la jolie langue de Molière!


Without pretending to be controversial, I think the concept is exhausted. The concept is the key issue of an enduring product. An Editor may have a dream but he must put to paper the concept. Way back in the 90's, the concept was highly innovative. Nowadays the concept is surpassed by, for example this forum. Just compare the "What's new" here, with the one possible to place in a printed magazine: Whatever the magazine is.


Is a solution available? Sure it is: Just like Newsweek made: Dematerialize! No paper means no risk: Selling one copy or one million copies won't generate a pile of back issues and bills to pay to the printer. Where comes then the profitability: digimags will raise exponential the number of "pages". I placed this "" because they are not really pages: They are contents tied to a concept. Who triumphs: The one with better contents and stronger concept. Finescale Modeller and Military Modelling are already investing quite more in their digital contents as when we compare contents we clearly see you have a lot more available online than on the paper. Specially photography size and photo numbers as the web is highly more visual and graphic. Once the paper stops you can loose all your creativity to the digital format as you don't have to justify to long term print clients they can't have a certain article in the printed magazine but others have it online.


Last advise: Figurines has a name, a solid reputation and a long range of the best skilled contributors on this planet: Modellers, photographers, reporters ... It has everything except fresh cash. That's the press today. So ... what language is the broadest: The language of Shakespeare! No doubt! So take your right trail: Save costs correctly and firm the concept right on the path of this second decade of the XXI century. Markets evolve, so brands must follow: Once behind,others will take place

Hi Patrick,

I am interested in figure modelling primarily, and related material. Over the last 10 years, HMM and for me, the predecessor fanzine produced by Philip Cranz. That fanzine was rather interesting, despite its short period of existense. Before these, Mil Modelling (superb uniform studies by Bob Marrion etc) , Airfix magazine (great articles by Sid Horton). I have a large lot of Figurines mag (bought at a sale) because I did not read French. O/w it is a great magazine. I don't buy FI because it features mainly commercial figures and painting articles. In short, the magazines and articles I most enjoy are the ones where there is a lot of research, scratchbuilding, conversions and painting, preferably backed by a few great photos. A blow-by-blow account of a painting sessions does nothing for me.

Blue Thunder makes a good commercial point - to make magazines accessible on-line and charge for pdf download. The Uniformology model of small print runs for spiral bound books may also work.

Rgds Victor

As Roger said: Historical Miniatures Magazine

Marc

What mag are you reading ?! I'd like a subscription !! : )

Carlos

Or perhaps MNM

Best

Ok, to answer your question Jim, I like figure reviews because it helps me in deciding a purchase. Step by step articles are very helpful for me be it using oil or acrylic mixes. I'm not at the stage yet where I can mix colors instinctively without giving it a lot of thought or experimentation. Finally, I especially enjoy those that include historical background information, akin to what Martin is doing with his Iwan Sirko project just as an example. My focus is WW II, but really I like just about every period if I find the subject appealing. In the case of the Iwan Sirko, I find it very interesting and down right fascinating.

Joe

I have heard that MM, while they do have digital contents, it is not downloadable. Is this in fact true? Can anyone speak with any authority on this? To me (read MY OPINION HERE!!!), if a magazine has digital content and that content is not downloadable, it's defeating the purpose. I understand their trying to protect themselves from copyright infringement (or something of that sort) but, what is to stop me from purchasing the magazine (one issue or a subscription) and then reselling the magazine or simply giving the magazine away? I had it explained to me this way. "If the music industry cannot stop pirating or copyright infringement, what makes you think you can with something as simple as a PDF?". Of course, IF MM does in fact permit digital down loading, this was all a wasted point......

Jim Patrick

A open question about todays mags & are they delivering what we (as figure painters) need?
For my sins, I was asked to contribute to a new Military mag 3 years ago & I accepted with a view to broaden the figure world to others. It soon became apparent that we initially are seen as 'add ons' to the military modellers scene but more exposure was adding to our ranks. The only downsides to being tied in to a mag is that the mag does not want you to post pictures or words to others until the article is published & distributed. Which is a fair point if you have spent time & money to get it to the markets. The idea of downloads is great & worth while as the modeling / painters get older & the newer members want the versatility of the new Apps etc.
Just to show you a sneak preview of upcoming articles I have pending....Shhh! don't tell the editor...

Very good job on the bust
Best

VERY good points Mark!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Jim Patrick

Jim, forgive my delay! I was not around for some days!


You see, "media" is going through one of the largest revolutions in it's history with the arrival of palm devices.

When the web appeared everybody said "printed stuff" would end. Well ... about 15 years later there is lots of paper around. What is changing everything is currently the palm devices and their portability. People carry them everywhere easily and while digital media has motion and interactivity it lacked portability: Even light laptops were not "easy traveler friends"

Things changed now: Many consumer studies point that for this Christmas the most desired gift in the western world is a touchable tablet: Ipad, Kindle, Ipad mini, Samsung Galaxy, Nook ... all have different features and focus different targets and another avalanche of offers is arriving to the market like Printemps Fnac Kobo. Industry numbers don't lie: Ipad already passed the one million sales per month and it is estimated to pass the two million sales per month late this year.


What these gadgets change is the way we deal with a magazine: There are two radical differences:

First periodicity: Something "monthly", "bimonthly", "weekly" and so on turns to be continuously edited: In this industry a kit is released - a kit is presented, discussed, analysed ... and furthermore edited: Dpreview.com already works like this for years! But nowadays this concept is turning to be the benchmark.

Second: Interactivity - it means motion, communication, linking, navigation, video streaming, live comments and so on: An immensity of options impossible to have in a printed magazine. Computer gaming magazines are currently ahead (as expected) in these fields presenting the reader an unprecedented array of options.


This revolution we are living is an excellent opportunity: Many more readers, in this case, many more users and a capability to move the market ahead: Here is where profitability comes: The return comes from live advertising: The more hits a magazine can generate, more cash it will ask to their advertisers: Economy always worked like this.


The ones that will be seriously hit with this new media are obviously the printing industry: Everyone - graphics, printers, machine manufacturers, ink suppliers ... many more than what we first think. They will have to discover new necessities like in the past typewriter companies, rent video, or film companies had to do.


Modeling is quite slow and extremely conservative when compared to other industries. In the short term we will see well established names like Rolling Stone presenting digital versions of their magazines with unprecedented length, interactivity and continuous editing. Modelling, most probably will take more time to do so as money in this industry is not abound. Nevertheless stay tuned to your favorite mag: It will grow considerably in the future - just surf the right wave