Is finishing your goal?

[Psychographic]

I've come to the sad conclusion that finishing a model is not really my goal anymore. There is a great satisfaction to finishing a model, but I've learned that my goal is seeing how much I can alter something that in the end still looks good. At least to me they look good, I'm sure a lot of people think my ideas are stupid or ugly. I've found once I get a project to the final coat of primer I lose interest. Getting a model to final prime is fun for me, paint and finishing all the little details is almost work. Is this some kind of sickness? Part of my job is custom paint, so you would think that's my favorite part. Maybe it's because when it comes to paint I try to be a perfectionist.

 

So is your goal to finish a model?

 

 

[MeatMan]

I understand your point David, but I do like to finish, even though I've got about three kits that need me to do just that!!

[JollySipper]

Eventually, but I'm finding here lately that the more work I put into something, the more I enjoy the final product..... so I try not to rush anything.......

David, I'll bet that because you do so much painting that you Have to do, that it's sapping your desire to do it for a hobby! They say "The good painter's house always needs painting"..........

[cobraman]

For me the goal is to finish. Again, that is just me. To me what's the point if your not going to finish ? I have no problem for people that prefer to take a model to a certain point and stop. It's a hobby and we all do with our models what we want.

[Psychographic]

 To me what's the point if your not going to finish ?

I keep telling myself this, but to be honest, I think my brain is broken.

[High octane]

I start kits with the intention of finishing them. Over the years it's worked out well for me, however I do have 'bout 9 or 10 started and I need to start finishing some of them. Of course I'm always thinkin' 'bout starting a few more??? Over the past couple of years I've been "thinnin' out the herd" as there's NO way I'm gonna finish all the kits in my stash.

[restoman]

My ultimate goal is to finish the build, but most of my enjoyment comes in the rough work: planning, fitting, shaping, painting, etc. Putting it all together is a kind of justification of sorts for me that all my effort wasn't in vain, but it's not the part of the hobby that I like the most.

After it's finished, I take a few pics and it gets placed in the cabinet with the others, and it's kind of a let-down... It becomes just something to look at. no more hands-on activity. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've come to the sad conclusion that finishing a model is not really my goal anymore... I've found once I get a project to the final coat of primer I lose interest. Getting a model to final prime is fun for me, paint and finishing all the little details is almost work. Is this some kind of sickness? Part of my job is custom paint, so you would think that's my favorite part. Maybe it's because when it comes to paint I try to be a perfectionist....

I understand 100%. And I don't think you should view it as "sad".

There's no right or wrong way to enjoy this as a hobby.

For me, the design phase is the most fun, and working out all the niggling little engineering details that would let something actually function if it were blown up to full scale runs a close second.

Once I have a very accurate mockup, and I've figured out HOW to do everything, actually going through the motions to complete it does indeed sometimes seem like work.

I HAVE to go all the way with stuff in my real life, and I rarely get to do radical modifications to fulfill my OWN vision; rather I get to put my own spin on somebody else's vision...which isn't the same thing at all. 

Building models gives me the greater creative outlet my real-life work lacks, and if I had the perfect real-life job, I'd do the design and engineering and hand-off to others to actually make, paint and finish most of the stuff. So, I design in scale, and when it gets close to being hand-off time, my enthusiasm tends to wane.

I've paid my dues learning the skills and getting to where I'm usually pretty well satisfied with my own work (and I'm a picky SOB), and I don't really feel I have much more to prove (to myself anyway, except for seeing if I can master a couple of skills like BMF and flocking). 

I AM trying to finish a couple now and then, because you don't fully get the sense of how something REALLY looks until it's done, but as others have said, the models I have that ARE finished just sit on the shelf, mostly forgotten. I'll look at them occasionally to remind myself what I'm capable of (and see how they could be better) but that's about it. To me, that's kinda sad.

 

[Junkman]

Finishing a model? Oh God, no! What's the fun in that?

[Snake45]

As we speak, I have at least 5 models on the bench that could be finished with an hour's work or less apiece. Three have them have been at this stage for at least two months.

Sadly, this is about the point at which I get distracted with some shiny new project.

I could be the poster child for ADD.

[Ace-Garageguy]

...Sadly, this is about the point at which I get distracted with some shiny new project.

I could be the poster child for ADD.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[vintagercr]

Unfortunately for me, starting a project is my goal.  I've been in a slump since the spring.  

[Foxer]

I rarely finish anything but I do enjoy it when I do. At least two dozen On the Bench threads are here waiting for me to come back from my current love child. I never build anything Out of the Box, one reason being most of mine are of cars I've owned and I get too carried away on details. So, the research and finding a way to make some missing and noticeable part consume my model time. When the bodywork, drive train and interior are done in primer I'm ready for another one.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I have 3 main goals.

First is to enjoy myself, first & foremost.

Second is to produce a nice finished product. There's no point to it otherwise.

And third is to finish, & to do that on some sort of schedule.

Whether it's 1 per month, or 1 per year.

Personally, I know from experience that if I don't finish something on occasion, my bench time slowly recedes until it stops completely.

The last time I let that happen, it was 10 years before I got back up on the horse.

 

Steve

 

[BigTallDad]

Unfortunately for me, starting a project is my goal.  I've been in a slump since the spring.  

You too? I'm also in a slump, have three kits I want to do, but no incentive. Being retired, I have all the time in the world to work on kits, but it was becoming an obsession and no longer a hobby.

[Pete L.]

I try to finish every model I start, sadly there are several builds that are languishing in various stages of incompletion all over my work area. Somehow I always manage to work myself into a corner with some detail item that eventually frustrates me to the point of placing the kit back into the box and abandoning model building for a couple of months.

Then when I do start another build I promise myself to stick to the basics and just build the kit and try to "have fun" while doing it until, yep, you guessed it, I get tangled up again with some minor detail...the cycle starts again. It's like being the "modelers Twilight Zone" !!!

[D. Battista]

Yes.. when I get a project pictured in my mind , I would like to see it done .... But just getting to the bench and working on one is my goal right now... I have only finished 3 in the last 11 years.. I have a few in various stages as well ... one all I have to do is paint the parts and put it together.....all the part cleanup and fabrication of changed parts are done.... but like others have said ...I see something new in my head and start on that one. 

[slusher]

I am a box stock builder other then adding a few things like magazines, or something in that order to the build. I always finish my builds. David as long as your having fun, that is what matters about the hobby. I enjoy watching guys like you and your creativity work on models..

[DumpyDan]

I am in the same boat as most of you, I usually do the body customizing/alterations first and get it painted,  Then I work on the rest and start detailing and that's when I loose interest.  This time I switched it up.  I didn't touch the body until the rest was done, I can see the end of this build first of 2016.  I have a paint scheme in mind and will start on it tomorrow.  Oh ya and by the way I have 4 others on my desk in different stages of completion and count less others not finished going back years.  The one I am working on I aquatically started in 1985 somewhere around that time.     

[Pete J.]

David, I have said this for years.  The fun is over when the model is done.  What pleasure is there is looking at a built model?  Yes, you can have pride in sharing it online, or at a contest or show, but that lasts for a few moments compared to the fun of creation.  The shear thrill of holding a part in your hand that started out as a lump of plastic or metal is beyond any of that.   Why else would we spend hours at the work bench?  How great is it to spend time creating?  It is what we do.  It is not wrong in any aspect.  It is our form of fun. Why would you rush it?

[martinfan5]

For me, yes, that is my end game,  I want to see all the work ive put into each model pay off at the end, not that I dont enjoy the entire process, but for me, that is the point.  

[disabled modeler]

David...We all go through building slumps at times...there is nothing wrong with a build taking a long time to complete or having to take a break from it for awhile.  Some times Ill get something out of my norm to build that is easy to help get me out of the slump.  My main reason for builders slump is lack of needed parts for the ones I need to restore...cant go too far on them without them.  Everyone has a different building style and likes...its what makes everyone's builds or work unique and that is a good thing. 

[tbill]

yes, the goal; is to finish it, granted, some take longer than others. I have a detail oriented job that also includes getting things done rather quickly, so when it comes to models I feel the need to complete what I started, albeit at a slower/fun pace.

 

as to the fun being over when something is on the shelf, not for me, I like to think of the time I spent working on whatever model I happen to be looking at at the moment. 

[gtx6970]

Finishing one is always my goal,,,but seems like I start more then I actually get finished sometimes. But ,,,I'M ok with it. Its a hobby not a career.

[Lunajammer]

To you master visionaries, it sometimes breaks my heart to see brilliant and superbly executed startups get put out into the weeds. Makes me want to come over to your house with a box of trading stock, a bottle of vodka and pester you like a kid in a candy store for your cast-offs.