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Tom Cleaver
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R.I.P. Shep Paine

August 2, 2015 · in News · · 20 · 1.9K

R.I.P. Shepard "Shep" Paine, the father of modern modeling and a major influence on all of us who try to "get it right" with the products of our hobby. He was an historian who could bring history to life through the work of his art. He was an incredibly generous artist who didn't believe in such a thing as "secrets" and spent his career showing everyone that anyone could do what he did if they took their time and thought it through. It was great to connect with him personally on Facebook. When you sent him a message telling him what his work had meant to you, he'd reply like this: "I am glad to hear you have enjoyed my work over the years. It is always gratifying to hear from people saying that it has had a positive influence on their own modeling projects."

Shep died this morning as a result of the stroke he suffered earlier this week. The world's a dimmer place.

Reader reactions:
3  Awesome

20 responses

  1. I read that he had been admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke. His contribution, inventive, scholarly in many respects, and with a fine practical approach in terms of craftsmanship, should be respected and applauded.

  2. said on August 2, 2015

    His work will forever be a testament to a great Modeler who has influenced our hobby immensely. His dioramas has always fascinated me. It had the power of bringing history to life. R.I.P

  3. An inspiration to most of us, a truly gifted individual.

  4. I was inspired by him as a kid, and today my 9 year old is equally inspired. RIP Shep.

  5. I have Shep's diorama book, it was an influence in my diorama building. His work was exceptional, especially at a time when all the modern photo etch and resin casting was not a common occurance in model building. RIP Mr. Paine.

  6. I'm very sorry to hear that. I used the guide he included in the then brand new Monogram 1/48 B-17 to build a diorama with mine, picked up a lot of useful modeling tips that I still use to this day. He was a master of his craft.

    Blue skies and fair winds, Mr. Paine.

  7. Paine was a pioneer of modeling and showed the world what could be done with common painting techniques,imagination, a little commercial art,some stage techniques and a little elbow grease... could be used to entertain and educate people about history through the magic of plastic models being staged in various settings.

    What is now common practice be it opening up a engine compartment or displaying a model in a setting or scene can be traced to his work.

  8. Shep was a truly nice man, as well,.I met him several times, took his 'how to paint figures' class with the members of my local club twice (the second time as much to have Shep around as to have a refresher) and socialized with him at the Chicago MMSI shows for over twenty years,. The main thing is Shep was kind, generous, open, supportive of everyone he met, and a great storyteller, if you were around him, and you weren't laughing, you had to be dead.

  9. A true genius and an inspiration to all modeler so. My heart goes out yo his family and may he rest in peace.

  10. The B-26 assembly line on the cover of the book is in the EAA museum. It was always one of my favorites to see but I didn't know that was his! Sad news.

  11. That's very sad to hear. Monogram kits weren't widely available in the UK in the early 70s, but I vividly remember a friend of mine getting the B-17 for his birthday, and bringing the diorama leaflet to school – I'd literally never seen anything like it.

  12. said on August 4, 2015

    I am sorry to hear of Mr. Paine's passing. I still have all of the diorama sheets that featured his work from Monogram kits I got in the 1970's. Of all the things I have lost over the years from my youth, I made sure that those were never lost or destroyed.
    RIP Mr. Paine...

  13. i'll never forget Christmas morning 1978 opening the box of the Monogram 1/48 B-17 and finding that insert illustrating his diorama of the shot up and crash landed B-17. That motivated me to take my time and add as much detail as I could on my models.

    -Ken

  14. These comments, and all those across the internet, now in their thousands and saying in so many words exactly what is said here, are a memorial to a Life Well Lived. If, when I depart, I got 1/10,000 of what Shep has gotten in the past four days, I would think my life was The Most Successful Ever. I think if you look through these posts, and the hundreds of others I'm sure you have all seen, you could boil down from them The Secret of Success: share everything you know, help anyone who asks, and don't forget the jokes, or the humility.

    we should all be so lucky to be within extreme sighting distance of Shep out on the far horizon.

    How many of us get to say we have changed this many people's lives?

  15. Sad news.

    I remember the time spent when i was young dreaming of his works

  16. Greetings :
    This one really touches me.
    There is not one modeler who can say was not in any way, share or form, inspired by Mr. Shep .
    Ken, surprising it will be, but my B-17 story is much, too much in fact scary much to yours.
    Add to that the Amphibious Weasel.
    He had my mind and imagination going round and round.
    RIP Shep ... RIP.

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