Paper Modelling - Inexpensive and Fun

A couple of years ago, I was going through some health problems that preventing me from working for almost two years. During that time, I had much free time at my disposal. One way to keep my mind occupied was to revisit some hobbies I had as a child. I had always enjoyed building models, but my budget prevented me from spending any money on the wonderful, detailed plastic and vinyl models that are available everywhere today.
Well, I had a computer, a printer, and internet access. Turns out, I had everything I needed to rekindle my love of model building. There are many, many free and cheap models to be had on the internet; all available for downloading. Simply download the pattern, print, and build!
The subjects range incredibly from simple cubic cariactures to highly detailed scale replicas of everything from buildings to spacecraft, cars, boats, aircraft and more. Only the most basic of tools are required: some white glue, scissors, and maybe a hobby knife for finer cuts. Some can be built in a hour, some may require months to complete. I promise, there is something for every taste. Holiday decorations, moving models, scale models, replicas of famous buildings, even scientific models for education.
While I took on this hobby as a cure for boredom, I gained a lot more; including techinical skills, trivia, construction techniques, history lessons, not to mention exercises in dexterity, as well as brain exercises in problem solving and mathmatics. Modelling is a rewarding and fruitful hobby that exercises the mind, the most important muscle of all. I would urge anyone reading this article to explore the world of paper modelling and enjoy all of its benefits.