SPA Modeler

It’s always nice to have something to discuss on a forum...

I’ve done a fair bit of thinking this year (whilst thumbing through my copies of AMW and mooching through the forums) on the current standard of my builds and where I want to go with this hobby.

I’ve not been happy with my building standards for a while now and would really like to move my models up another level from the slapdash methods I follow at the moment. If I’m honest, I’d love to be able to write some reviews and/or see them in print one day (although I accept that’s a loooong way away). I’m not saying I’ll ever be interesting in rivet counting, but I would like to feel a bit more pride in the quality and accuracy of the builds sat on my shelf.

So what tips could you give a fairly novice slapdash builder with the desire to up his game a little?

Practice, practice, practice once you learn new techniques.

I am with you Portman. And agree with the replies. That is my main problem right now. Lack of completed builds, practicing a certain technique, repitition, repition, repition. That is a problem I've always had. Too impatient.

I can't really add much to what's already been said, but here's a few things that worked for me once I started building dioramas.

Research, research, research. Pick a topic you like. Read as many reviews as you can find on the different kit manufacturers of your chosen subject. I like to refer to this stage as gathering intel. Post your questions on forums, see what kind of answers you get. Believe it or not, I have 2 builds in-progress, but I've been planning my next one for months. I equate it to chess. Thinking 3-5 moves ahead.

Decide how much detail you want, or where you want it. We can all get super OCD at times, but remember that can also lead to burnout. One of the reasons I work on more than one project at a time, is so when one starts to burn me out, I put it on the back burner and work on the other. it helps keep my focus on having fun.

I also tend to break my dioramas down and think of each element as a separate model. The kit, the figures, and the base all have specific features that once tied together, create the whole story.

Take chances. Try something new. Make mistakes. You're going to anyway, might as well get your mind set. I make more mistakes than not. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. But unless I tell you that I've painted, stripped, and repainted a German Panzergrenadier 6 times, and am looking at 7, you'll never know how difficult it was for me to get the uniform color "just right". All you'll see is the end result.

If you don't have one already, grow a thick skin. Especially if you plan to show your progress. Not everyone can speak, or type eloquently. Some just blurt out what they see or feel. Don't take anything personally, (especially from someone who has no work of their own to show),but never hesitate to ask for suggestions. Every time I build something, I'm always bouncing ideas or getting suggestions. This site is one of my favorite for that reason. So many different skill levels, so much talent. Tap into it. Nobody starts with knowledge or skill, it has be learned. (Except maybe Yoda)

Probably the most important thing I can stress is, HAVE FUN. If it starts to become a chore, stop. Take some time away from it. Clear your head and it will start to fall into place. If not, smash it into tiny bits, add some rubble and make it an "after impact" diorama.....

Meantime, scour the builds on here or other sites. try to figure out how something was created. What materials, what ideas, etc...ask the builder, I know I'm more than happy to share, provided I can actually remember what I did....

Interesting topic, Portman.

I've improved my modelling skills in several steps over the past few years since returning to the hobby. The by far biggest step, or should I say turbobooster, to the quality of my builds was my airbrush. I started with a simple two tone camo without shading or anything else, but it looked ten times better then any other model I did before.
It's the most important tool I have and a lot of my motivation to move on in this hobby is the outcome of my paintjobs.
You have to invest maybe around 200$ for the whole equipment, but that money is easily spent for a few kits in a short time.

Just do it, vaporize some paint!

I agree. Practice makes.........well better builds. I know I've been getting better. Now I just need to get more consistent with my builds.

Build as if you are entering your own Gold, Silver, Bronze medal contest in your own shop.

It doesn't matter if you build mostly OOB kits, or if you pop some aftermarket items in your builds, if you build as if a judge is going to be looking your model over,,,,,,you will have higher quality finished models.

Here's one show's judging guidelines http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/6 ... KKAG8rs%3D
and http://www.chattanoogascalemodelers.com/our-philosophy/

If you read those two links and think it over a bit, then build as if those people are coming to your shop to look at your models,,,,,,your output quality just has to go up.

Another thing that sounds backwards in modeling is that if you discipline yourself to take your time, you will finish better models, faster. When you are doing a seam, stay with it until you have it just the way you like, check it with some "working paint", shine a light on it from different angles, etc. If you stay right there on the seam until it is done and then move on,,,,,,you will have less times that you have to go back and do things over later on in a build. (A seam popping while you are primering is not so bad, but, have one pop after paint and decals are on and you are clearcoating "in the home stretch" will teach yourself new words)

And for goodness sakes, forget about total accuracy while you are revamping your technique for higher quality. Getting the seam right and parts glued on is so very much more important to achieving great results than grinding off the brake lines because they "twist the wrong way" and adding those back on.

Oh, and this is more expensive,,,,,but, to go along with Jim's idea of sticking to one paint line while you master it,,,,,,,go ahead and spend some money on supplies along the way. There are 247 substitutes for modeling fluids,,,,,but, until you have your build quality up where you want it, you should use actual Hobby stuff to build with and thin paint with, etc. That is because if you use "Thinner replacement Tip # 153" to paint your model with, and something goes wrong, the only person that could help you is the guy that discovered and uses that specific glop to thin his paints with. The rest of us wouldn't know what went wrong.

After you "have it where you want it",,,,,,,then try out all of the hot tips of the day that you want, since then if you don't like those results, you'll know a reliable way to go back and do it correctly.

Just let yourself Play at this too, it is a Hobby,,,,,call a kit ruined once in a while and pick up another one like it if you messed it up,,,,,,,or skip replacing it if it seems to be the kit's fault. (Golfers try to find the balls that go into the woods,,,,,but, every golfer has left them in there and moved on with another ball from the bag, too. Somewhere, there are 4,173 balls from my bag, in the woods to the left of the fairway at Friendship's 3rd hole with the dogleg in it,,,,,,,I quit golfing at 5,000 balls lost, LOL)

I'm not saying that you need to run out and enter any contests,,,,,I am just saying that if you build as if you were going to, you will build better models for your shelves. And you will be more likely to want to show them off to us on Spam.

I think my biggest improvement came from joining IPMS & AMPS. I don't mean the national organizations, but the local chapters. Find a local model club, join up, and go to meetings. I learned more from talking face to face with some world class talent at our chapters, than I ever did from any other method such as at places like this or online videos (I don't do too well with those- after all they cant answer any questions you may form while watching). So look around, find a club, and go see if they can give you the boost you seek. I suspect they will.

Found this video to do with art, but it applies to pretty much everything you do in day to day life.