ALSO READ:\u00a0Roseacres hands over much-needed items to El-Shammah<\/a><\/h4>\nGino sat down with the GCN on Wednesday to speak about his creation, what she means to him and where their journey together has taken and will take him.<\/p>\n
\u201cTintanic, so named because she is mainly built out of tin.<\/p>
<\/div>\n\u201cThis is something that people either overlook assuming it is a spelling error or get the play on words right away,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n
\u201cMostly it is done for copyright purposes for me as the artist but also her name distinguishes her from other Titanic models all around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2018\/08\/33GCNGENERALTINT_83686-520x390.jpg\")
Tintanic is Africa\u2019s largest and the world\u2019s fifth largest scale model of the Titanic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nGino further explained that in 2012 alone he believed that over 3 000 books were published on the topic of Titanic and this name was his way of making himself and his model stand out above everything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow she can be recognised easily all over the world, as well as online and also the name shows that this is not a Titanic replica but rather an original Titanic model with her own character,\u201d Gino said.<\/p>\n
This project has been a lifetime in the making.<\/p>\n
\u201cI began building prototype models when I was 14 years old and then would take them to the Vaal Dam where I would sink them.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause how else do you get rid of a Titanic model but to sink it,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n
He did this because he wanted to understand the layout of the ship and how the water had filled each compartment as the Titanic sank.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach model I built I got closer to the original design,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n
His model building became very quiet when Gino moved from the Free State and worked in advertising for seven years, but he always knew it was his passion.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the company I was working for closed down I found myself without a job and thought to myself it is now or never. I can go look for another job in advertising, which truthfully I didn\u2019t want to do, or I can give my all to creating Tintanic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Rand Airport home to one of four Starliners in the world<\/a><\/h4>\nHe decided to follow his dream.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used the skills I had learnt in selling advertising and applied it to finding sponsorship to build my model.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first stop was a company in Germiston which supplied the tin,\u201d Gino said.<\/p>\n
It took three years to bring the Tintanic to life because unlike the majority of scale models in the world, it is not a hollow shell.<\/p>\n
Gino\u2019s is the only model in the world to feature rooms on the inside, on every one of the nine decks.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2018\/08\/IMG_3027-Custom-520x400.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe three years of construction were some of the hardest of my life, being unemployed, not knowing whether people would understand or be accepting of Tintanic or\u00a0would South Africans take it seriously as a piece of art,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n
But they did and Tintanic has already been exhibited at malls in Heidelberg, Brakpan and Benoni and will move to malls in the north of Johannesburg once it finishes its residence in Germiston at the end of August.<\/p>\n
After which Gino is taking the exhibit to KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis experience has been thrilling and rewarding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot tell you how many Titanic enthusiasts I have met, child enthusiasts, who without this model may never have been able to connect with other enthusiasts.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we have a club, the Tin Club, and we can correspond with other Titanic and Tintanic admirers, see collections and share information,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This is not the only door the Tintanic has opened for Gino who had the opportunity to be the leading historian for the 2015\/2016 Titanic artefact exhibition in South Africa.<\/p>\n
The exhibition included 144 genuine artefacts from the ship and saw him leading tours every hour for eight months, retelling the history of the ship to 25 000 visitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got the opportunity because of Tintanic.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven something as simple as coming here to Germiston and being able to go to the SAA Museum, which I\u2019ve always wanted to do, has been made possible by Tintanic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Gino feels that the success of the Tintanic has proven that he can do anything he puts his mind to and can offer encouragement to others that no dream is out of reach.<\/p>\n
Gino hopes to travel the world with his beloved Tintanic before retiring her at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is going to be a long journey, one where I will be adding to the Tintanic all the time,\u201d he explained with a smile.<\/p>\n
Visit www.tintanicmodelship.weebly.com<\/a> for more information and membership of the Tin Club, or contact Gino on tintanicmodelship@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\nHav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\nContact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nRemember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n
Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nTwitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nInstagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nYouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nOr add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\nCatch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThis is something that people either overlook assuming it is a spelling error or get the play on words right away,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n
\u201cMostly it is done for copyright purposes for me as the artist but also her name distinguishes her from other Titanic models all around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Gino further explained that in 2012 alone he believed that over 3 000 books were published on the topic of Titanic and this name was his way of making himself and his model stand out above everything else.<\/p>\n \u201cNow she can be recognised easily all over the world, as well as online and also the name shows that this is not a Titanic replica but rather an original Titanic model with her own character,\u201d Gino said.<\/p>\n This project has been a lifetime in the making.<\/p>\n \u201cI began building prototype models when I was 14 years old and then would take them to the Vaal Dam where I would sink them.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause how else do you get rid of a Titanic model but to sink it,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n He did this because he wanted to understand the layout of the ship and how the water had filled each compartment as the Titanic sank.<\/p>\n \u201cEach model I built I got closer to the original design,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n His model building became very quiet when Gino moved from the Free State and worked in advertising for seven years, but he always knew it was his passion.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the company I was working for closed down I found myself without a job and thought to myself it is now or never. I can go look for another job in advertising, which truthfully I didn\u2019t want to do, or I can give my all to creating Tintanic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He decided to follow his dream.<\/p>\n \u201cI used the skills I had learnt in selling advertising and applied it to finding sponsorship to build my model.<\/p>\n \u201cMy first stop was a company in Germiston which supplied the tin,\u201d Gino said.<\/p>\n It took three years to bring the Tintanic to life because unlike the majority of scale models in the world, it is not a hollow shell.<\/p>\n Gino\u2019s is the only model in the world to feature rooms on the inside, on every one of the nine decks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe three years of construction were some of the hardest of my life, being unemployed, not knowing whether people would understand or be accepting of Tintanic or\u00a0would South Africans take it seriously as a piece of art,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n But they did and Tintanic has already been exhibited at malls in Heidelberg, Brakpan and Benoni and will move to malls in the north of Johannesburg once it finishes its residence in Germiston at the end of August.<\/p>\n After which Gino is taking the exhibit to KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town.<\/p>\n \u201cThis experience has been thrilling and rewarding.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot tell you how many Titanic enthusiasts I have met, child enthusiasts, who without this model may never have been able to connect with other enthusiasts.<\/p>\n \u201cNow we have a club, the Tin Club, and we can correspond with other Titanic and Tintanic admirers, see collections and share information,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n This is not the only door the Tintanic has opened for Gino who had the opportunity to be the leading historian for the 2015\/2016 Titanic artefact exhibition in South Africa.<\/p>\n The exhibition included 144 genuine artefacts from the ship and saw him leading tours every hour for eight months, retelling the history of the ship to 25 000 visitors.<\/p>\n \u201cI got the opportunity because of Tintanic.<\/p>\n \u201cEven something as simple as coming here to Germiston and being able to go to the SAA Museum, which I\u2019ve always wanted to do, has been made possible by Tintanic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Gino feels that the success of the Tintanic has proven that he can do anything he puts his mind to and can offer encouragement to others that no dream is out of reach.<\/p>\n Gino hopes to travel the world with his beloved Tintanic before retiring her at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Ireland.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is going to be a long journey, one where I will be adding to the Tintanic all the time,\u201d he explained with a smile.<\/p>\n Visit www.tintanicmodelship.weebly.com<\/a> for more information and membership of the Tin Club, or contact Gino on tintanicmodelship@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\nALSO READ:\u00a0Rand Airport home to one of four Starliners in the world<\/a><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n