Making Detailed Replicas
A mini 4WD drive model car. (C)Tamiya
Japan is famous for its precision in manufacturing, thanks to a combination of high technical skills and precise attention to detail. Many people consider some of the high-quality figurines of robots and anime characters to be works of art, and people around the world are amazed by the plastic food and drink models on display outside restaurants in Japan. This spirit is alive and well in models for children too.
Japanese children love to make models and pay a lot of attention to make sure they get all the details just right. Plastic models are a good example. In Japan, kids like to glue lots of precisely detailed pieces together to make models of things like cars, airplanes, and ships. When they are finished, the models look just like the real thing. But the work is not over when all the pieces have been put together. Some children like trying to make a replica that is exact down to the tiniest details, using stickers or art supplies to get the coloring just right. Or they might put a motor in the model so that it moves.
(C)Tamiya
The more times you go through the process of putting a model together, the better you will get at using your hands and tools. Your skills of observation will also improve, and you will keep finding new ways to make your models more sophisticated. The end results will look better and better, and making models will be more fun than ever.