Entering REALLY BIG models at contests. Pros and Cons?

[SeaDog101]

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in my below post is meant to suggest that I hate extremely huge model subjects nor do I hate the people who build them nor do I hate seeing them at model contests. My only concerns is in regards to how model contests handle such huge model subjects when it comes to table space. What do contests do? 

 

This is something that I’m really curious about.
What is the fascination with building and displaying REALLY HUGE MODELS at contests? From my point of view, this seems to be getting more frequent in recent years.
Case in point are some example pictures of models from various contests shown at the bottom of this post. 
And it’s not just ships. I’ve seen aircraft, dioramas, etc. that are 3, 5, 7 or more feet in length, width, and/or height. Big models like these are nice and all. But they sure do take up a huge amount of table space. I also can’t help but wonder if huge models should have their own seperate category/class for judging purposes.

If some people are bucking for an award by building bigger, then good luck to them. But as the old saying goes, “Bigger does not necessarily mean better.”

I can slightly understand people building exceptionally bigger models because modelers have eyesight issues. But is that the only reason for these huge models? Having bad eyesight can't be the only reason?

My only gripe with big huge models is that they take up a large amount of table space. So much that people bringing smaller model subjects will be left wondering where the heck to put their stuff if table space runs out. Or if a person puts a larger model subject in front of smaller models thus blocking the smaller models from getting noticed, judged, and photographed. 

Does anybody know if the IPMS has a size limit as to how big models can be entered for contests? Have any contests enforced any size limits at all due to space/table restrictions?

Here’s an idea. To cover additional rental costs of a venue hall, tables, etc., maybe contests should charge an extra/different price for people who bring exceptionally large models. Anything beyond 3 feet long and/or in width and/or in height could be charged an extra $5 to $10 per square foot…....or however a contest wants to charge. Big models require lots of table space. And renting extra tables costs money. People bringing extra large models should pony up a little extra more I think. 😉

I guess another thing that concerns me about oversized huge models is the weight.
How much do those things weigh? Will the tables be able to support them?
Especially if the tables are “raised” by the use of PVC pipe extensions on the table legs. And when you add in the increased weight of the display case itself, then things really start to get crazy.
I’ve never seen or heard of a really huge model fall to the floor because of how big it was and/or it’s weight. And I hope I never do.
Below are some sample pics of really big models I’ve seen at past model contests over the years.

 So is this the new trend in model building and going to contests: Exceptionally huge models? If it is, what are model contests doing about it, if anything, especially when it comes to table space for them. 

 

Edited October 21, 2025 by SeaDog101

[Firemodeler1]

Really big stuff is a wonder to see.  But it does raise a very important issue and that is the level of detail that has to go into the build to make it appear realistic in such a large scale.  The larger the scale, the more detail has to be included.

I'm sure that if there is an exceptionally large number of big models that get entered, the host club will make allowances for them.  From the shows I have attended, there have not been that many that would take up a lot of table space.  What I have found is that sometimes the host club does not make sufficient room for all of the categories they invite models to be shown in.  And that is difficult to predict since every year and every show is different.

I would not place a lot of concern with big models.  Enjoy them as they are and give credit where credit is due for exceptional work.  Where the level of detail and good execution is lacking, graciously point that out to whoever built the model so that he (she) can become a better modeler.

[Ron Bell]

The bigger and more complicated the model, the more chance for mistakes in assembly, alignment, painting, etc. I have seen many of these larger examples and almost all of them had flaws that would have eliminated them from winning a "place" award, but they would have garnered a medal at a GSB show. 

[Highlander]

You raise a very good question.

I see the issue, as a contest provider, about how to "bed down" the gargantuans.  And it is not only size and weight.  Power requirements have been an issue.  The ability to judge, when a huge entry is covered by a glass case and the entrant, in spite of the rules, refuses to remove it.

At one Nats, a huge, huge entry had to be placed in a distant corner of the contest room.  The thing was about five feet high, had a footprint of about nine square feet, and must have weighed 30-50 pounds.  The entrant had a meltdown, witnessed by a group of fascinated spectators, claiming that his entry would not be afforded the same security and ability to be fairly judged as the entries on the table.

In some cases the power requirement has been resolved by a contest rule that all entries provide their own power.  Sometimes resulting in battery packs on the floor under the table with wire bundles snaking around.  Still, some folks show up asking which wind farm will be powering their entry.

The glass case for a huge entry is not uncommon.  And it is sometimes accompanied by the claim that the entry is so special that the case cannot be removed, even for judging. 

The general case is that entrants requiring special space, power, or covers must make prior arrangements with the contest director.  The practice is that not everyone does so, claiming ignorance.  All going to reinforce the stereotype of the entrants who don't read the registration, contest schedule, category, or judging rules.

[BWScholten]

I would think a glass case might hurt the model during judging, but folks going to insist on being special.

[ghodges]

As a show host (Jaxcon), BIG models do present some problems, especially if the builder has not given us a "heads-up" that they need the extra space. In my experience, EVERY host at every show I've been to has bent over backwards to accommodate big entries even when they showed up unannounced. It certainly helps both the host AND the builder if they give the hosts a warning to be ready to have the extra space needed ahead of time.

While size impresses many attendees, it count's for next to nothing in IPMS judging, whether it's a 1-2-3 show or a GSB show. The BASICS of model building still have to be met and as others above have pointed out, the bigger the model, the more details that are needed and the more chances there are to make mistakes. So size in and of itself gives no true advantage if the judges judge by the basics as they should. If builders THINK they gain a contest advantage merely by the size of the build then they're just not familiar with the IPMS judging criteria.

Personally, I've never concerned myself with the "why" a model is done in such a large scale or wondering where they put it. I'm guessing no one does such a project without having the answer to that problem solved at the start! And as for transporting larger models, that falls into the same category and I just tip my cap to the builder for solving that logistical nightmare.

While this last Nats had more larger builds than many other shows, I don't see a "trend" towards more and more HUGE models at shows. It is true that many of us are building larger scales and shying away from the smaller details as our eyes dim with age; but overall we're also creatures of habit and not prone to changing that much.

 

Gil 

[Highlander]

On 11/5/2025 at 10:45 AM, ghodges said:

...

While size impresses many attendees, it count's for next to nothing in IPMS judging...

...

That is the theory.  In practice, not always so.  Which, after a jarring incident at Nats, is why I stopped judging for a decade or so.