Are they alive? (1 Viewer)

[Poppo]

I am rather lonely and independent person and I spend a lot of time alone. I love toysoldiers in my room,not only they are a decoration, but a kind of company also. It seems that they are moving in a diorama or in a shelf display...I watch them when I wake up, when I get back home, even while I am watching TV sometimes; I can' t stay more than a few minutes in the room without a glimpse . I know them one by one, and I feel like they are little friends, acting in my room, and this is a so positive feeling, a real company...

Man has always felt the need of watching 3D representations around, starting from the ancient greek and roman statues, till the more voulgar " "garden gnomes".

Do you also feel your dios and displays " alive"?

 

[Mitch]

No!!!
Mitch

 

[wadepat]

I am rather lonely and independent person and I spend a lot of time alone. I love toysoldiers in my room,not only they are a decoration, but a kind of company also. It seems that they are moving in a diorama or in a shelf display...I watch them when I wake up, when I get back home, even while I am watching TV sometimes; I can' t stay more than a few minutes in the room without a glimpse . I know them one by one, and I feel like they are little friends, acting in my room, and this is a so positive feeling, a real company...

Man has always felt the need of watching 3D representations around, starting from the ancient greek and roman statues, till the more voulgar " "garden gnomes".

Do you also feel your dios and displays " alive"?

Hi Poppo,

While you and I both know our toy soldiers are not alive, I do fully understand the feeling you are communicating. I spend hours in my display room, partially because I have located my computer in the room. But, I did this on purpose.

Many times, I whirl around in my chair just to view my collection. In doing so, I take note of each and every figure I have on display. As I have become very familiar with each one, they do seem a bit like friends. And, viewing them provides me with a sense of comfort as they provide me with relief from the reality of everyday stresses I experience.

I once had a discussion with a very successful professional toy soldier painter who said to me, "When you spend as much time as I do painting these figures, they become your friends." In no way did this painter suggest that these little toy soldiers take the place of real friends. What he was saying is that the figures take on a special significance in our lives that few, if any, other entities can duplicate.

I think what you are expressing is a bit like admiring art or music. There are no words that truly capture the emotional experience of listening to a great symphony or the thrill of producing a work of art of which you are extremely proud. The experience is emotional rather than logical. And,...for some of us...collecting toy soldiers includes a degree of satisfaction and fulfillment that adds great meaning to our lives. I think this special experience is why meeting and visiting with other collectors is so incredibly satisfying. Other collectors can understand the fulfillment we derive from collecting toy soldiers, while non-collectors might shake their heads and wonder how we could ever enjoy this hobby.

Yes, the toy soldiers are my friends, but they can never take the place of living friends. But, they can occupy a place in my life that living friends cannot.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[AIDMAN]

Poppo

We all know that what we collect is..... no more than, and no less than a toy soldier!!.....BUT!!>>>> i know absolutely what you are saying my friend. Enjoy your collection any way you wish!!.

Steve

 

[TomB]

Hi Poppo,

While you and I both know our toy soldiers are not alive, I do fully understand the feeling you are communicating. I spend hours in my display room, partially because I have located my computer in the room. But, I did this on purpose.

Many times, I whirl around in my chair just to view my collection. In doing so, I take note of each and every figure I have on display. As I have become very familiar with each one, they do seem a bit like friends. And, viewing them provides me with a sense of comfort as they provide me with relief from the reality of everyday stresses I experience.

I once had a discussion with a very successful professional toy soldier painter who said to me, "When you spend as much time as I do painting these figures, they become your friends." In no way did this painter suggest that these little toy soldiers take the place of real friends. What he was saying is that the figures take on a special significance in our lives that few, if any, other entities can duplicate.

I think what you are expressing is a bit like admiring art or music. There are no words that truly capture the emotional experience of listening to a great symphony or the thrill of producing a work of art of which you are extremely proud. The experience is emotional rather than logical. And,...for some of us...collecting toy soldiers includes a degree of satisfaction and fulfillment that adds great meaning to our lives. I think this special experience is why meeting and visiting with other collectors is so incredibly satisfying. Other collectors can understand the fulfillment we derive from collecting toy soldiers, while non-collectors might shake their heads and wonder how we could ever enjoy this hobby.

Yes, the toy soldiers are my friends, but they can never take the place of living friends. But, they can occupy a place in my life that living friends cannot.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

Very well written.....TomB

 

[Rob]

While you and I both know our toy soldiers are not alive, I do fully understand the feeling you are communicating. I spend hours in my display room, partially because I have located my computer in the room. But, I did this on purpose.

Many times, I whirl around in my chair just to view my collection. In doing so, I take note of each and every figure I have on display. As I have become very familiar with each one, they do seem a bit like friends. And, viewing them provides me with a sense of comfort as they provide me with relief from the reality of everyday stresses I experience.



Pat, that is EXACTLY what I do to. Sometimes I just spin the chair and take it all in, it is very enjoyable to just sit and reflect on your collection and how it has grown over the years. It is for this reason that I'm very grateful that I have a dedicated room for them so I can just sit and enjoy them. Great post Pat.

Poppo, whilst I do not believe my figures are alive as such they do mean a great deal to me, its nothing to do with the financial side of it as I rarely sell anything, but in the collection there are sets that represent things that my country has gone through and fought for of which I will be very proud of until the day I draw my last breath. I don't really see my collection as a memorial though more of another extension of my interest in military history, its why they sit next to all my books and my DVD''s that cover both wars. Its just another branch of a life long interest. Man my wife has a big job ahead of her clearing that room when I'm gone!{eek3}{eek3}:wink2:

Rob

 

[kogu]

"While you and I both know our toy soldiers are not alive, I do fully understand the feeling you are communicating. I spend hours in my display room, partially because I have located my computer in the room. But, I did this on purpose.

Many times, I whirl around in my chair just to view my collection. In doing so, I take note of each and every figure I have on display. As I have become very familiar with each one, they do seem a bit like friends. And, viewing them provides me with a sense of comfort as they provide me with relief from the reality of everyday stresses I experience."



Hi Pat,
that is very well written and describes precisely the way I enjoy my collection.
Konrad

 

[TomNT]

While you and I both know our toy soldiers are not alive, I do fully understand the feeling you are communicating. I spend hours in my display room, partially because I have located my computer in the room. But, I did this on purpose.

Many times, I whirl around in my chair just to view my collection. In doing so, I take note of each and every figure I have on display. As I have become very familiar with each one, they do seem a bit like friends. And, viewing them provides me with a sense of comfort as they provide me with relief from the reality of everyday stresses I experience.



Pat, that is EXACTLY what I do to. Sometimes I just spin the chair and take it all in, it is very enjoyable to just sit and reflect on your collection and how it has grown over the years. It is for this reason that I'm very grateful that I have a dedicated room for them so I can just sit and enjoy them. Great post Pat.

Poppo, whilst I do not believe my figures are alive as such they do mean a great deal to me, its nothing to do with the financial side of it as I rarely sell anything, but in the collection there are sets that represent things that my country has gone through and fought for of which I will be very proud of until the day I draw my last breath. I don't really see my collection as a memorial though more of another extension of my interest in military history, its why they sit next to all my books and my DVD''s that cover both wars. Its just another branch of a life long interest. Man my wife has a big job ahead of her clearing that room when I'm gone!{eek3}{eek3}:wink2:

Rob

What do you mean "gone" Rob, you'll be around forever posting the latest despatches and raising good topics/posting dio's and your collection etc!!!

On the soldiers being alive, i have had some cracker discussions with my little diggers although it usually involves quite a few beers and i rarely remember what i talked about the following morning....{sm4}

Tom

 

[Rob]

What do you mean "gone" Rob, you'll be around forever posting the latest despatches and raising good topics/posting dio's and your collection etc!!!

On the soldiers being alive, i have had some cracker discussions with my little diggers although it usually involves quite a few beers and i rarely remember what i talked about the following morning....{sm4}

Tom

I appreciate your kind words Tom,I'll do my best my friend:salute::

I hear you re the beers mate, I'm the same the day after the London show:wink2:

Rob

 

[Currahee Chris]

My wife got me two pretty wooden and glass display cases for our moving back in after the house fire a couple years ago. They are in our living room and I often crack the doors open and shove my face in there and take it all in. Since it's mirrored, I can see the kids and wife snicker at me but it's cool.

Bold of you to come forward with this thread and share your emotions Poppo.

Sometimes I view them as simply a commodity- just another item ticked off the list and moving on to the next item. I think as prices have gotten more expensive and the artistry has vastly improved, I have learned to take my time and enjoy everything about my latest acquisitions.

While they arent "Alive", they do remind me of many people who are/were alive- my WW2 guys remind me of my grandfather. My modern my buddies when I was in. Also, the casualty figures are a stark reminder of the fact that those little toy soldiers do represent people who did actually live and never got to live their dreams and ambitions. It's a pretty sobering reminder.

I believe action figures have more of a "life" than toy soldiers do- my boys and I play Gi Joe, He Man, Transformers all the time. They have little biographies of each figure or you can act them out like you see on TV. In that sense they do come to life too.

 

[Poppo]

Hi Poppo,

While you and I both know our toy soldiers are not alive, I do fully understand the feeling you are communicating. I spend hours in my display room, partially because I have located my computer in the room. But, I did this on purpose.

Many times, I whirl around in my chair just to view my collection. In doing so, I take note of each and every figure I have on display. As I have become very familiar with each one, they do seem a bit like friends. And, viewing them provides me with a sense of comfort as they provide me with relief from the reality of everyday stresses I experience.

I once had a discussion with a very successful professional toy soldier painter who said to me, "When you spend as much time as I do painting these figures, they become your friends." In no way did this painter suggest that these little toy soldiers take the place of real friends. What he was saying is that the figures take on a special significance in our lives that few, if any, other entities can duplicate.

I think what you are expressing is a bit like admiring art or music. There are no words that truly capture the emotional experience of listening to a great symphony or the thrill of producing a work of art of which you are extremely proud. The experience is emotional rather than logical. And,...for some of us...collecting toy soldiers includes a degree of satisfaction and fulfillment that adds great meaning to our lives. I think this special experience is why meeting and visiting with other collectors is so incredibly satisfying. Other collectors can understand the fulfillment we derive from collecting toy soldiers, while non-collectors might shake their heads and wonder how we could ever enjoy this hobby.

Yes, the toy soldiers are my friends, but they can never take the place of living friends. But, they can occupy a place in my life that living friends cannot.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

I woud also add that dioramas or displays have the same effect on me than the "japanese and zen gardens" for relaxation. Like those ones, displays and dios help to free the mind, or travelling in time. And the day light changes make the dio more vibrant, or more dramatic or melancholic according to the game of shadows.

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Today's quality and workmanship are one of the reasons why threads like this get started. As the saying goes
Dioramas really bring the figures and vehicles to life in their own little way. :rolleyes2:

 

[Cyber Field Marshall]

Mine talk to me {eek3}.........unfortunately I don't understand what they're saying as its in French, German or a really thick British accent! {sm4}