|
|
 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
|
Hello all,
As we are now off and running with 2015, my thoughts have turned to what I want to build this year and whilst I already have enough kits to keep me busy far beyond this time next year, nevertheless I still find myself sitting here on my laptop surfing the modelling 'net and looking for inspiration for possible new models to buy for this years' stash enhancement. I've found several 'kits' that I'd like, along with the etch and resin upgrades that go with them, but when I added up the total cost involved it got me thinking - is it really worth spending that kind of money just to add yet more boxes to my ever growing pile (rapidly running out of storage space!) that would probably not even get built this year and where would I display them if and when I ever got around to building them?? More to the point, is it really what I want??
We all have kit stashes, most of which will likely remain a pile of great kits that will never actually get built before ending up on a well known auction site, the profits of any sales usually going towards buying yet more kits to start a "newer and better" stash all over again!! Eh? What is that all about??  
Don't get me wrong, I love modelling, done it since I was old enough to open a kit box (or Airfix poly bag complete with header card), but I am finding increasingly that I will start a kit and it's great for a while but then I get bored with it, lose my mojo for that particular model and assign it to the shelf of doom for many a month in the hope that one day I might be interested in finishing it (we all do it!). Trying to analyse what it is that makes me do this, I came to the conclusion that once the first flush of excitement at building a new and often long desired model had passed, the thought of sitting for many more hours and hours assembling many individual parts and often including a myriad of tiny and extremely fiddly etched parts was actually beginning to fill me with dread and an actual reluctance to continue the build!! Short of packing in modelling for good, which I don't want to do as I still enjoy it, how am I going to continue with any hope of ever getting beyond the initial excitement and actually completing a model on a regular basis?!
The answer, for me, seems to be in building a model that takes just enough time to complete BEFORE I get to the "bored with this" stage!! BINGO I thought, all I need to do is make my building time shorter!! But how to do that when the plain 'average' kit of today is complex enough to build, let alone the many 'above average' kits that are being released on a regular basis?! Don't get me wrong, I like the construction side of modelling, to a point, but what I really liked and thoroughly enjoyed when I was younger, was the painting of the model. Something which I find I am missing badly as painting and art is in my blood and because I find it SO hard to get to that stage nowadays given the extended time that it takes to build the damn things due to the inherently detailed nature of many of todays' models!! So then I thought well, other than building simpler, less detailed models, which I don't really want to do - I crave all that lovely detail - it isn't really possible to keep the build time within a sensible limit that would see me complete every one before I hit the bored stage is it? Oh dear ... what to do!?
Then .... I came across a website that completely solved my dilemma!!:
http://www.mitchesmilita...s.co.uk/home/4550845838
Eureka!! That's it!! Figure modelling!! Some of the figures and busts on that website are SO detailed and even the ones that have to be assembled only consist of a handful of parts (they could be built in a day!) with many of the 'bust' type models being cast in one piece and yet (the best bit) ... just look at all that detail .... and no etch .... and no decals .... and no storage or display space issues (you could fit hundreds in the average sized display cabinet) .... it's just .... brilliant!!!   
Now, a lot of modellers have dreams of doing a figure once in a while and would gladly buy one, but are terrified of actually painting the thing, for fear of getting that "1000 yard stare" to the eyes or not being able to cope with the shadows and weathering effects needed to make it look believably realistic. You need a good dollop of artistic skill to achieve such things, so, sad to say, it probably is a genre of modelling that will remain just a dream for most modellers ... but ... artistic skill is what I have in LARGE dollops, as a few of you who know me more personally will know from my paintings and drawings that they have seen in the past?
The more I think about this branch of modelling, the more I have come to realise that figure modelling has everything that I need and want in order to keep me going in this fantastic hobby and even better, it is another form of 'Art' to boot!!:
1. - VERY short construction time (if any)
2. - Everything comes in the box. NO aftermarket bits needed and the detail right out of the box is very often stunning!!
3. - They work out equal or less than the average cost of a highly detailed 'normal' model.
4. - Cost of paints is minimal - most good figure modellers use Artists' oil paints anyway, of which I have loads already.
5. - Hours of the fun part of modelling (painting them) to be had!!
6. - Huge amounts of display space available in ANY home display cabinet.
So that's it then. Figure modelling is going to be my new challenge for 2015!!
I don't intend to stop building 'normal' kits completely, indeed, I still have quite a few in my stash that I want to build, some to complete that I have already started and some that I really do still desire and will eventually buy, but I am going to make Figure Modelling my main passion from now on. I already have a few of the Tamiya 1:16 figure models in my stash (though they aren't the most detailed - but good for practice), which I am going to get started on right away and I will be ordering several of 'Mitches' military figures from his site over the course of this new year.
I simply MUST have his 200mm (1:9 scale) Guy Gibson figure along with his equally famous dog plus I really want the 1940's British Fighter Pilot in full flying kit .... amongst many others!
So, that is where I am headed in 2015.
But what about you?? Where are you headed in the fantastic world of modelling this year?? Why not use 2015 to push your skills and boundaries and try something completely new, or just step up to building that 'super-detailed' mega kit that you've always wanted to build but didn't think you were up to given your current skill set? You'll never improve as a modeller if you don't push the limits and go for that next step up!!
Come on .... let us know what you are going to build this year that is out of your comfort zone or will be that great new challenge for you?
Kev 
|
|
|
|
|
Hi Kev! (and Happy New Year!) I like what you say! I'm currently putting together a list of about half a dozen projects which will become my New Year's Resolution list - I don't expect to finish them all in 2015 by any means but I do intend to at least get them started! All but two of them are very old kits which I'd forgotten all about until I rediscovered them in the old workroom on the back of the garage. (There's probably about twenty to thirty more out there still!)  Of the other two, one will be a totally inaccurate 'fun' build based on a Christmas present my dear Mum gave me out of the blue this year, and the other is a kit that has been stuck at the back of my bedroom bookcase for many years. That one is a resin figure, of the type I have never attempted before. Even with some scenic base additions he will still only need a base about four inches square (or maybe up to six) - like you said, these things don't need much room at all! (A couple of the others will need considerably more unfortunately, although hopefully not as much as Messines!!) It's time to sort out my painting skills again! Best of Luck with all your projects too! Robin First wooden ship: The Grimsby 12 Gun 'Frigate' by Constructo Second: Bounty DelPrado Part Works Third: HMS Victory DelPrado Part Works 1/100 scale Diorama of the Battle of the Brandywine from the American Revolutionary War Diorama of the Battle of New Falkland (unfinished sci-fi), Great War Centenary Diorama of the Messines Ridge Assault Index for the Victory diary is on page 1
|
|
|
|
|
Hi Kev totally get what your saying. for me the construction is the fun, painting is boring lol, but i do have lots on the go waiting to be inspired again just like you. I have also started taking up figure painting, partly to improve my painting skills which are poor really and because I am moving towards wood kits primarily in the future with only special plastic projects once in a while. I do have another solution for you however, I could build your kits for you and you could just pick em up and paint them  looking forward to seeing you put some figures up and perhaps sharing your painting approach with us all Jase “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”
-Mark Twain
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
|
Plymouth57 wrote:Hi Kev! (and Happy New Year!) I like what you say! I'm currently putting together a list of about half a dozen projects which will become my New Year's Resolution list - I don't expect to finish them all in 2015 by any means but I do intend to at least get them started! All but two of them are very old kits which I'd forgotten all about until I rediscovered them in the old workroom on the back of the garage. (There's probably about twenty to thirty more out there still!) Of the other two, one will be a totally inaccurate 'fun' build based on a Christmas present my dear Mum gave me out of the blue this year, and the other is a kit that has been stuck at the back of my bedroom bookcase for many years. That one is a resin figure, of the type I have never attempted before. Even with some scenic base additions he will still only need a base about four inches square (or maybe up to six) - like you said, these things don't need much room at all! (A couple of the others will need considerably more unfortunately, although hopefully not as much as Messines!!) It's time to sort out my painting skills again! Best of Luck with all your projects too! Robin Hello Robin,
Many thanks for your comment, much appreciated and may I wish a Very Happy New Year to you and yours also!!
Great to hear of your modelling plans for the year and suffice to say that whatever you post I shall be watching with great enthusiasm!! 
Looking forward to seeing some of your figure painting in particular.
Kev
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
|
jase wrote:Hi Kev totally get what your saying. for me the construction is the fun, painting is boring lol, but i do have lots on the go waiting to be inspired again just like you. I have also started taking up figure painting, partly to improve my painting skills which are poor really and because I am moving towards wood kits primarily in the future with only special plastic projects once in a while. I do have another solution for you however, I could build your kits for you and you could just pick em up and paint them looking forward to seeing you put some figures up and perhaps sharing your painting approach with us all Jase Hello Jase,
Many thanks for your comment mate, much appreciated!!
The nice thing about figure painting, for me anyway, is that other than a first fine grey primer coat, which will usually be sprayed, thereafter it will all be brush painting, something which I enjoy far more than airbrushing, so figure modelling appeals to me even more due to that fact alone!! I like construction as well ... but not nearly as much as the painting side of the hobby!!
I'm OK with you doing the building and me doing the painting mate as long as you do the buying and I do the keeping!! LOL!!  
I'll post some of my figure work up as soon as I have something worthwhile to show.
Kev
|
|
|
 Rank: Semi-Pro Level 2    Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/11/2014 Posts: 86 Points: 267 Location: Vancouver, BC
|
Hi Kev. Quote:We all have kit stashes, most of which will likely remain a pile of great kits that will never actually get built before ending up on a well known auction site, the profits of any sales usually going towards buying yet more kits to start a "newer and better" stash all over again!! Eh? What is that all about? I can sure relate to the above! Did it with wooden ship kits, then sold them all, then did it again with anything Tamiya. Sold them all again... Quote:But what about you? Where are you headed in the fantastic world of modelling this year? Why not use 2015 to push your skills and boundaries and try something completely new, or just step up to building that 'super-detailed' mega kit that you've always wanted to build but didn't think you were up to given your current skill set? You'll never improve as a modeller if you don't push the limits and go for that next step up!!
Come on .... let us know what you are going to build this year that is out of your comfort zone or will be that great new challenge for you? Challenges for this year; Attempting weathering effects on the stone base for 1/100 Himeji Castle, putting it off for months now. Build diaries for what I'm currently building, DeAgostini and otherwise. Talking (writing) about my hobbies is definitely outside of my comfort zone. Great post! It's sure got me thinking... Cheers, Gord. Subscribed: Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa In The Last Few Years Builds: DeAgostini Samurai Armour Kobayashi Kougei: 1/100 Horyuji Kondo, 1/100 Horyuji Inner Gate, 1/36 Muro-ji Five-Story Pagoda, Public Bath House of Showa, Model Shipyard: 1/72 Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo Lighthouse. 1/72 Kermorvan Lighthouse Woody Joe: 1/150 Azuchi Castle. Building: Kobayashi Kougei: 1/100 Himeji Castle, 1/70 ji Kinkaku. Received but not started: Woody Joe 1/50 Ishiyamadera Pagoda
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
|
Hello Gord,
Thanks for looking in on my post and for your comments, much appreciated and I'm glad that you like the post!! 
There are loads of sites online to help you learn the technique of weathering stone, just type a suitable term in your search engine and I'm sure you'll be surprised by what you find? I'll see if I can find any later, when I get the time, and I'll post them up here for all to see?
Looking forward to seeing a few of your build diaries so don't be shy or scared if that's something your not comfortable with, we are all here to help if you get stuck ... just ask?
By the way Gord, Japanese architecture is not really my thing but I have looked in on your recent posts and I have to commend you on your work. Your wooden Japanese buildings are simply stunning and beautifully built, so well done to you sir and many thanks for sharing your work, greatly appreciated and I'll be keeping an eye out for more of your work!!
Happy New Year Gord,
Kev
|
|
|
|
Guest
|
US
