Dr. Cranky

Beautiful issue arrived today. Which makes my weekend of fun reading tomorrow!

Isn't that beautiful, that stuff you built way back when is still in your possession. And it looks great too!

Thanks, Tim and Kane--yes, in the coming weeks, I will try to get some more vids done. Ah, BMF, yes . . .

LOL!

It's one day at a time, buddy. This is what you do, if you practice on a piece of paper, save the first couple of pieces and then compare them to some practice a couple of weeks later and you are going to see how you are advancing. When you are painting models, it's the same way. Airbrushing is a skill you need to learn and grow. If you learned how to brush your teeth, you can learn to airbrush! At least that's what Doctor Cranky says! Keep practicing!

That IS super cool!

Thanks, chap, that means a lot to Doctor Cranky. Get your own account and generally shine!

Beautiful job on January's model, Chuck, on to February. Your homework assignment is to do one model per month and then do a calendar in December! Who says so? Doctor Cranky, that's who. Seriously, chap, you are building some killer rides!

Cruz, you just put a big smile on my face because I know that sooner or later the Good Doctor Cranky's going to have some medicine you can use!

THAT's a GORGEOUS 49 MERC. There are so many of these amazing 49 Mercs all over this forum. Congratulations to adding your eye-popping build to the mix. Cheers, Dr. Cranky.

Rob, it's great to have you onboard. The next round of videos are so easy they will shame you into firing up yours and painting some killer models!

The next airbrushing installment is up. Thanks for tuning in.

Thanks for the camera tip. I am still getting the hang of it. I think I have to disable face recognition on it . . . so that it doesn't come in and out or move when I move . . . Stay tuned in for more.

LOL, you guys crack me up!

LOL! There's be more in-custome vids coming up! Stay tuned in.

More vids have gone and will go up shortly . . . stay tuned in and thanks for the kind words. Also, let me know if you have any questions . . . Doctor Cranky is here in the Lab-RAT-ory! :)

Hello, maties, just a quick headsup here to let you know that I am doing a basics and how-to that I hope everyone will benefit from. The beauty of this is that you can watch the vids, and then post your questions here . . . and we'll get a great discussion going. There are a few videos already up and more on the way . . . But you can start here: Enjoy and zap me your questions. Yours, Doctor Cranky

I take that as a compliment, you can't push the envelope as a builder is you are not a little "touched," or "out-there." :) :)

Thanks, man. Yeah, the body I airbrushed with a couple of texture templates I keep around . . . just to give it the look of dragon skin!

Thanks all, I appreciate it.

Somebody has to be demented around here!

Here's a build that I've had on the bench for several years now . . . and suddenly it is calling me back to finish it . . . Hope you enjoy it . . . and if you think Doctor Cranky is CRAZY, well, you h'aint kiddin'!

Well, wow, this thread caught on fire real fast! The discussion is lively, and sonorous!

Harry, you are ABSOLUTELY right on this! The OTHER mag is so repetitive that it hurts the eyes. It takes no chances. I mean, what are you going to do with all the cutting-edge builds out there, that happens on forums like this one, that would NEVER find a home on either that forum or its magazine. If it isn't run of the mill, they won't even look at it. Name your "risky" (or never mind "risque") build and it will never show up. Here's a personal story. Last year I took about 20 models (what I thought people would like and be wowed by) to the Alabama show, and not one got a photo invite, EXCEPT for the one I had put aside on another table on purpose just to see . . . the model I put on the other table was a glossy, flamed 41 Willys (which I love, don't get me wrong), but my crazy-stand-out work was totally ignored. I respect all the different reasons why people build, and I certainly respect why they build what they build, but my personal tastes are all about pushing the envelope. BUILD A MODEL NOBODY HAS SEEN BEFORE!!! It might or might not make it into the limelight!

Okay, here's Doctor Cranky's ten cents--not that anybody asked --I got back into the hobby around the last few issues of Plastic Fanatic, but that magazine threw me into a whirlwind of model-building activity, why? Because it was a magazine that reminded you of how much fun model building is. I think the same energy and vision continues into MCM, and it's the only magazine that I subscribe to currently (I pick up Tamiya at the bookstore) because I enjoy the pleasant surprises in it. The fact that you get a variety of voices and styles. It's great to have an article by say Tim Boyd AND then another by Chuck "Count Chuckola". MCM is not afraid to take risks with cutting-edge matirial, say rat rods, the Post-Apocypse--any of those things that I happen to be interested in as a builder. That OTHER magazine is way too repetitive, and other than Ken Hamilton's columns which I read religiously (at the bookstore, but I don't buy it!) AND STALE. It's a magazine that had a lot of potential a few years ago, but now it's too squeaky clean when it comes to subject matter. It's a magazine that worries too much about WHAT PARENTS ARE GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT NEXT! Personally I left that OTHER forum a few years ago when I got tired of getting my hands slapped way too many times. In short, a magazine that lacks forward-vision and diversity is bound for doom and failure . . . or an editorial board change, which might be too late . . .