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How to be competitive at contests.


Jantrix

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An note on accuracy. The problem with judging it is that you may be an expert on Mopars, but know nothing about Fords. That means you would judge Mopars more harshly than Fords. Or judge Fords against a Mopar standard. Unless photographic evidence is provided by the modeler, accuracy becomes next to impossible to judge. Its why I dislike "Factory Stock" as a category - "Street Stock" would be better.

Then there is the issue of whether or not you really are an expert in that subject? An example of this is the famous "Hippy" or "Psychedelic" Porsche 917L from Le Mans in 1970. If I judged on accuracy, every blue & green painted one I saw would be thrown out as wrong. It should be purple & green. Yet I know many, many modelers who would throw out the purple & green ones, because blue & green has become gospel to many. Hence, I, and they, must completely ignore the color. (Now, I could bring my evidence to shows, but I don't. What would the point be, especially if the model was a beautiful, immaculate build.)

Remember, you are judging a plastic model and how well it is built, not a real car. In many way, the model is a piece of art, and therefor open to interpretation by the artist.

Mike

I was privileged to be part of a group of auto modelers who were asked to rewrite IPMS automotive categories several years ago and accuracy was a subject that was hotly debated for quite a while in that group for exactly the reasons mentioned.  Few judges are experts on the appropriate plumbing and wiring of all cars.  All, however should be well versed in building models and that is what a model contest is all about.  Unless there is an obvious error, such as a drive shaft attached to the muffler, it is not going to be a factor.  The quality of the build in the primary focus.  How skilled was the builder?  However having said that, the need for judging the accuracy of a build was addressed by creating a new IPMS category, "Documented Replica".  In this class the builder is required to provide documentation of the original subject.  If you are building a replica in any category, it is always a good idea to provide adequate documentation.  If nothing else, it shows that you took the time to do your homework.  That carries a lot of weight with judging.  Same with scratch building parts.  If you made something, showing a photo of the raw unfinished part will give you a leg up, if you did it well.  But again, all the scratch building and additions mean nothing if you have a blob of glue in the middle of your windshield.  Basic model building first, then added detail. 

And last but not least, be a gentleman or lady!  If your there just for the trophy, you are there for the wrong reason.  It is a competition, but it is all about the fun of gathering with other model builders and sharing.  

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An note on accuracy. The problem with judging it is that you may be an expert on Mopars, but know nothing about Fords. That means you would judge Mopars more harshly than Fords. Or judge Fords against a Mopar standard. Unless photographic evidence is provided by the modeler, accuracy becomes next to impossible to judge. Its why I dislike "Factory Stock" as a category - "Street Stock" would be better.

Then there is the issue of whether or not you really are an expert in that subject? An example of this is the famous "Hippy" or "Psychedelic" Porsche 917L from Le Mans in 1970. If I judged on accuracy, every blue & green painted one I saw would be thrown out as wrong. It should be purple & green. Yet I know many, many modelers who would throw out the purple & green ones, because blue & green has become gospel to many. Hence, I, and they, must completely ignore the color. (Now, I could bring my evidence to shows, but I don't. What would the point be, especially if the model was a beautiful, immaculate build.)

Remember, you are judging a plastic model and how well it is built, not a real car. In many way, the model is a piece of art, and therefor open to interpretation by the artist.

Mike

Agreed. When we're judging, we think more in terms of plausibility than accuracy. I happen to know a lot about MGBs, MG Midgets, and Morris Minors. But I don't mark down a model of one because of a minor inaccuracy. There comes a point when too much esoteric information spoils the fun for everyone.

Matching colors to cars from photographs is always problematic. Case in point: If you're building Ernie Irvan's Kodak Chevrolet, you'd probably think that the color of the car matches the color on the Kodak film box. It sure looks that way on the kit box. And, indeed Insignia Yellow is almost an exact match. However, the real car has a lot more orange. I was surprised when I saw it, but that indeed is the case. And I'm very glad I haven't painted my Ernie Irvan cars.

If I were to suggest one thing to work on, it would be to get the paint right. It's the first thing we look at when judging.

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Accuracy isn't the MOST important factor in any class,though it is MORE important in Factory Stock.Things like plug wire firing order correctness or a component's color aren't strong factors unless you have multiple well done models vying for the placing in a class and have to use those factors to break ties for trophies.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good read.However my favorite type of model,is one that is a little beat up.I really only build drag cars,but cars that would be used by a low budget race team...A little ratty,and banged up,sorta weathered...Realism is the most important part of building a model.I was at a local show this past weekend,& I noticed that there were cars that had nice paint,or a nice engine,but were just very "fake" looking.I mean obviously I know they are fake plastic/resin model cars,but there are those models that are simply way"Over-detailed".Yuck.I've only won 2 events in recent years...A 1st,& a third place.Both times,the cars were weathered.Weathered = Realism,which should get u a trophy/plaque every time.Just my opinion.

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  • 1 year later...

To revive an old thread - My primary building is 1/48 scale aircraft. I have been building that scale for 25+ years. As a 1:1 car guy, I started to get interested in building car models a couple of years ago. I will say this, and it is not a blanket statement, but one thing I notice with car building in contest pictures, is that some of the basics in modeling are not used consistently, even with winners. Again, this is NOT a blanket statement. Some car models are perfect, perfect, perfect. Basics are alignment, moulding lines, orange peel finishes, silvering decals. These are basics in ALL modeling, as far as I am concerned.  The best way to learn how to model and how to win is two fold. First, look at your basic modeling how-to books. The rules apply to cars, planes, dragons, figures, etc. Practice, practice, practice. Grab some junk kits, snap kits, whatever, and experiment on them, rather than a $20-30 dollar kit. Painting plastic spoons will help you there. Secondly, volunteer to judge with experienced older hobbyists. That time of picking apart models is valuable, probably more so than anything. Remember what won and what lost and WHY! Don't be afraid to experiment either!! Lastly, don't be afraid to lose, and lose and lose, and, oopps ..... a third place, or maybe a second place all of a sudden. It will come. You must have patience. One last thing - there are two ways to build - for contest and for yourself. Sometimes the two are the same. I quit competing 16 years ago. I have boxes of trophies, plaques, etc., but found out all I was doing was building for contests and not enjoying the builds. It was like a second job. Sucked all the fun out of it for me. I still go to contests to look, learn, grab ideas, and spend cash. ALWAYS do that!!! Off the soapbox. I hope some of this may be helpful to the original poster, or others. Enjoy the hobby! Fun is the key!!

BP:)

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I don't think im a sore loser but I did stop entering contests because I never won.  if a winning model was better than mine I studied it carefully but numerous times a model won that had obvious noticeable flaws such as this one that still bugs me...model had very noticeable mold lines on top of radiator and ejection pin marks on back of grill as well as runs in the paint, but it was covered in many coats of clear and was very shiny and it won first place , best of show.  im my own worst critic and judge my models very hard. I was told this once by a judge when I asked him why he put the removable top on my van model back in place(van was displayed with top removed)- we cant take into account the extra detail you put in the interior of your van because it has a removable roof and it wouldn't be fair to the other modellers who had vans without removable roofs.another time I submitted a scratchbuilt framed twin engine dragster with fuel lines, throttle linkage, plug wires, front wheels that turned via the steering wheel-one of my most satisfying builds and was told by a judge -we disqualified your model because I have never seen wheel covers on a dragster like those.

as such I don't enter contests...I build because I enjoy the process, especially scratchbuilding or building wild and crazy stuff...I post a few pics occasionally but not of all builds.

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 -we disqualified your model because I have never seen wheel covers on a dragster like those.

I once had a judge gleefully tell me that my model would've won an award, but they disqualified it because it didn't have a battery.  He was proud that he was the guy who spotted it!   My reply, "It's a Volkswagen, the battery is under the rear seat."   You should've seen his face... priceless!

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I once had a judge gleefully tell me that my model would've won an award, but they disqualified it because it didn't have a battery.  He was proud that he was the guy who spotted it!   My reply, "It's a Volkswagen, the battery is under the rear seat."   You should've seen his face... priceless!

that IS priceless

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I don't think im a sore loser but I did stop entering contests because I never won.  if a winning model was better than mine I studied it carefully but numerous times a model won that had obvious noticeable flaws such as this one that still bugs me...model had very noticeable mold lines on top of radiator and ejection pin marks on back of grill as well as runs in the paint, but it was covered in many coats of clear and was very shiny and it won first place , best of show.  im my own worst critic and judge my models very hard. I was told this once by a judge when I asked him why he put the removable top on my van model back in place(van was displayed with top removed)- we cant take into account the extra detail you put in the interior of your van because it has a removable roof and it wouldn't be fair to the other modellers who had vans without removable roofs.another time I submitted a scratchbuilt framed twin engine dragster with fuel lines, throttle linkage, plug wires, front wheels that turned via the steering wheel-one of my most satisfying builds and was told by a judge -we disqualified your model because I have never seen wheel covers on a dragster like those.

as such I don't enter contests...I build because I enjoy the process, especially scratchbuilding or building wild and crazy stuff...I post a few pics occasionally but not of all builds.

I've done contests all over Florida. I learned the good ones and the bad ones. Don't give up on contests for a couple bad experiences. Most contests and judges I've known don't care if they can see the battery, if the model is well done. Most good judges will tell you that opening doors, removable tops, mirrored bases are most often opportunities to spot flaws and mistakes rather than view additional detail and can be a detractor rather than an asset. Ever seen the face of a builder who's told he'd have won first place if he'd left the mirrored base at home, as it let the judges see the ejector pin marks on the chassis. It's not pretty.

I understand some people are REALLY competitive. But if the only reason you go to contests is to win a $12 trophy, you are missing out.

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I enter contests with almost no ambitions of winning. I do it as a show of support for the host club so that they will continue to bring people together annually for a fun day of socializing, learning, buying/selling and bragging. If I win something, so be it.

Judging is all just opinion and if the turn out and competition is strong, every judge (and contestant) will bring different values to their decisions. To have an enjoyable experience you have to recognize and accept that.

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I enter contests with almost no ambitions of winning. I do it as a show of support for the host club so that they will continue to bring people together annually for a fun day of socializing, learning, buying/selling and bragging. If I win something, so be it.

Judging is all just opinion and if the turn out and competition is strong, every judge (and contestant) will bring different values to their decisions. To have an enjoyable experience you have to recognize and accept that.

I agree with you completely...as I said im my harshest critic...my best build ever only gets an 8 from me...just got disgusted when 5's and 6's were winning...probably was just the judges of the contests I entered but it seemed all they counted was how shiny the models were

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I've done contests all over Florida. I learned the good ones and the bad ones. Don't give up on contests for a couple bad experiences. Most contests and judges I've known don't care if they can see the battery, if the model is well done. Most good judges will tell you that opening doors, removable tops, mirrored bases are most often opportunities to spot flaws and mistakes rather than view additional detail and can be a detractor rather than an asset. Ever seen the face of a builder who's told he'd have won first place if he'd left the mirrored base at home, as it let the judges see the ejector pin marks on the chassis. It's not pretty.

I understand some people are REALLY competitive. But if the only reason you go to contests is to win a $12 trophy, you are missing out.

when I first began entering contests it was to see how my builds compared to people I didn't know...there were always better models than mine, but they usually didn't win either. I remember one guy who entered a early 70's Camaro-mold lines on radiator, ejection pin marks on grill, nowhere did he touch up the areas where parts were removed from trees, crooked side pipe exhaust with mold line showing, tire tread not sanded, runs in paint but he did apply many coats of clear and his model was very shiny and he won best in show when there were clearly 5 or 6 models much better than his. I guess the final straw was when this guy made fun of everyone elses models when he won.  I still attend contests to learn how to be a better modeler.  understand also, these were smaller, local contests and I suspect some of the judges had never actually built a kit.  were I to enter a large contest with models from hundreds of miles I would have a completely different mindset and would really enjoy scrutinizing the models of these guys that build precise works of art to see how I could improve mine.

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it seemed all they counted was how shiny the models were

This is a fact of life in the hobby, most of the time. Shiny paint gets noticed. Period. If you can lay decent paint and polish well, sometimes the other basics of clean building get overlooked in the judges eyes. One of the highlights of my competitive experiences was winning Best Paint with a weathered model, and then it made it into a contest annual. 

he won best in show when there were clearly 5 or 6 models much better than his. 

Odds are he was also a friend of some of the judges. Favoritism will always be a problem. 

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 it seemed all they counted was how shiny the models were

That is the first thing that will grab the attention of a judge, or anyone else for that matter.

If the paint is not nearly perfect, there's no need to investigate further.

I've always said that the paint is the most important part of a build.

Without a good paint job, all of the details in the world are a complete waste of time.

 

Steve

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That is the first thing that will grab the attention of a judge, or anyone else for that matter.

If the paint is not nearly perfect, there's no need to investigate further.

I've always said that the paint is the most important part of a build.

Without a good paint job, all of the details in the world are a complete waste of time.

 

Steve

I tend to agree with you.

And close after is body detailing. If I see molding lines or flash, I need look no further. Then, has SOMETHING been done with the window frames--foil, chrome, silver paint of some kind, matte black, SOMETHING? It's not the monochrome/dipped '90s anymore. It wasn't a good look then, and now it just looks lazy. And then run some black paint or wash to show the open areas of the grille. Few things look worse than unworked chrome "open" grille areas.

And, BTW, paint doesn't have to be super-shiny--or even shiny at all--to look great. Some of the best finishes I've seen on this board have been overall primer or a weathered/patina finish. It doesn't have to be shiny, but it does have to look REAL.

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I tend to agree with you.

And close after is body detailing. If I see molding lines or flash, I need look no further. Then, has SOMETHING been done with the window frames--foil, chrome, silver paint of some kind, matte black, SOMETHING? It's not the monochrome/dipped '90s anymore. It wasn't a good look then, and now it just looks lazy. And then run some black paint or wash to show the open areas of the grille. Few things look worse than unworked chrome "open" grille areas.

And, BTW, paint doesn't have to be super-shiny--or even shiny at all--to look great. Some of the best finishes I've seen on this board have been overall primer or a weathered/patina finish. It doesn't have to be shiny, but it does have to look REAL.

Agreed on all counts.

If I were judging I would do it in steps.

First, paint.

It needs to be smooth & blemish free.

Shiny is not necessarily the be all end all.

I've seen some models that look almost too shiny giving them that unrealistic "candy" like appearance.

As you said, it needs to look realistic & in scale.

Next would be the body details.

Foiling, washes, badge & emblem detailing, glass, etc.

Then I would move on to how well the interior was executed.

The last & least important, to me at least, would be engine & chassis detailing.

They can be important, but I don't believe that every wire, hose, nut & bolt needs to be represented in order to place in a contest.

 

Steve

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Lunajammer nailed it. Support your club! Outcome is great if you win, but you show team spirit that way. It's all about the fun, the road trips as we called them! The "no battery" thing shouldn't even be a judged item. That, IMHO, is piss-poor judging. The QUALITY of the build is supposed to be judged, not the accuracy of the parts, the part shape, the parts count, or the accuracy of the mould. Many aircraft kits are in some way or another, NOT accurate out of the box. Who is going to ding points for that? That would be a poor judge. I have judged many a contest. It was always the quality, much as Sake45 and Steve Guthmiller have listed. THAT is the important stuff. I'm glad I blew air into this topic. This is something that newbees need to see and to encourage them to NOT give up. One may lose for YEARS, but one day, they will carry that little gold man or plaque home because they learned and didn't give up.

 

BP;)

Edited by Bushpounder
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Lunajammer nailed it. Support your club! Outcome is great if you win, but you show team spirit that way. It's all about the fun, the road trips as we called them! The "no battery" thing shouldn't even be a judged item. That, IMHO, is piss-poor judging. The QUALITY of the build is supposed to be judged, not the accuracy of the parts, the part shape, the parts count, or the accuracy of the mould. Many aircraft kits are in some way or another, NOT accurate out of the box. Who is going to ding points for that? That would be a poor judge. I have judged many a contest. It was always the quality, much as Sake45 and Steve Guthmiller have listed. THAT is the important stuff. I'm glad I blew air into this topic. This is something that newbees need to see and to encourage them to NOT give up. One may lose for YEARS, but one day, they will carry that little gold man or plaque home because they learned and didn't give up.

 

BP;)

it would be great if there was a local club...I don't even know of anyone who builds models besides me in my area...i still deal with family and friends who think guys who build models are boys playing with toys...that's one reason why I enjoy this website so much...I live 2 hrs south of cape giradeau mo just a few miles from I-55...there might be contests in Memphis tn...I went to one a few years ago in st Louis but that's a 3 1/2 hr drive.

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Point system would be good, too. It would cover the basics, just like the 1:1.

Aside from building models I'm also a stamp collector.  This is a hobby that has been very organized for over 100 years.  I exhibited back in the 1970s and really like their system.  First, there is a national board,  The American Philatelic Society, who has a handbook that explains everything.  Judges are accredited by the board, not just anybody they can corral like at a model car show.   This applies to shows across the country who belong to the APS, which is nearly everyone.  There is a point system and judging sheet.  

In APS competition you are competing against yourself by way of the judging sheet.  There is no  first - second - third in class,  there are gold - silver - bronze awards based on the number of points you achieve on the sheet.  So at a show there may be 5 gold awards and everyone gets excited at what a show it was! At another show there may not be any gold awards if the displays don't warrant it.  At the end you are given your sheet, which includes judges notes on where you need to improve your collection.  You apply that and your collection inches up show by show as you work.   I have one collection that I was able to get up to silver with a few years work.  And yes, the judging is consistent from show to show.  Once I achieved silver,  it worked the same at other shows.   

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

1.       Don’t be a sore loser. If you go stomping off to the club president, you will lose the respect of your peers. Your peers will remember this when it comes time to vote for Best in Show which is normally a public vote.

     If you have a problem with the judging bring it up to the contest director or club president after the show. Ranting and raving over a $5.00 plastic trophy is just plain childish. No matter what the politically correct idiots think. Not all deserve an award.

 

 

2.       Don’t bring the same builds to the same contests over and over for years. Again, you will lose the respect of your fellow builders. It’s kind of like bringing a ringer. I have also seen judges say, “This one won first place last year”, and pass it by. My personal rule is - one try, win or lose, for each contest. I have broken this rule occasionally, but only with models that did not win, and not often.

One exception is if the club asks you to bring a certain model back, For display only for a special reason such as an anniversary of a show or club they sometimes want to show case past winners. I usually try to bring a new model to each contest rarely the same one. If I take it to one contest it may go to another show but not back to the same one except for above. or if it has been several years in between

 4.     Aftermarket detail – in my opinion, all things in moderation. I’ve seen a lot of drag cars done with every last fuel, spark, nitrous, water, oil, linkage detail added so that you can scarcely see the engine. Sometimes it’s a detractor rather than an asset.

This is actually a big thing. I have heard this even on the contest floor at GSL. While aftermarket detail can be a great addition to any build done right, ( though depending on the class)  To much can as Rob said above you cannot see the item detailed.

 

6.       Clean building and great paint wins. Period. Everything else done on the model is just more points in your favor.

I have personally seen a curb side take best of show. paint and body work where flawless. underneath the wheels just glued to the body, and the body was half filled with resin, it was a heavy model.

 

Thanks Rob for putting this up. For more challenging build tips from the pros, check out the book, How to build championship models over on the GSL web site. but you had better break out your metal working tools and soldering iron. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Tim H
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Well, these "guidelines to success" have been properly selected and put together, Rob.
There is a lot of truth to them, yet you have made them very entertaining. :)

My favourite passage being:

8.       Poor use of Bare Metal Foil. Nobody is an expert at this right off the bat. Like painting it takes a bit of practice. Get a ’58 Impala and get busy. By the time you finish it, you should be fairly competent with the stuff and in need of a drink.

As I have just had my first "intense" experiences with applying BMF to a Jaguar XJ-S (it doesn't necessarily take the Impala, I can tell you), I know exactly what you mean. Also about that drink... :blink:

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