Model building on youtube.

[johnyrotten]

24 minutes ago, Force said:

I watched The Autistic Modeler's last video yesterday where he showed all the models he built this year, he did 64 different models and that comes up to 1.2 completed models a week, I just wonder why one will do that because it not like the one who builds most models in a year will win...it's not a competition, it's a hobby.
He doesn't only build new models like HPIguy do but he also has some sponsors, sometimes he do old obsolete stuff from his own "vault", and sometimes some kit bashing and some resin stuff...but the building tecniques are the same as HPIguy, slap together as much as possible in sub-assemblies, paint with spray cans (wich is allright by me) and a little detail painting with some brush paint, sharpies and other pens, and put it together, so of course he builds them fast.
For HPIguy, I belive he does at least one model a week too, he uses a food dehydrator to cure paint and everything faster so it's for sure possible to do so,
HPIguy's channel is a review channel and he gets most of the models for free from Round2, Moebius and other places, but it's possible to do a review of a model and put a little more effort in it and maybe not built (imho) as sloppy as he sometimes does, I mean an experienced modeler would not build models like he does...maybe a beginner would but not an experienced modeler.
I don't mean they should go the extra mile and super detail, open doors and trunks and hinge them and all that, just build a model with a bit more prep and use common basic building tecniques most of us do, and the beginner will of course learn more from it.
If I buy a model for $30 to $50 I would build them so they look nice at closeup and not only at five feet, even if I do it faster than normal, slap them together as fast as I can is definately not my cup of tea.
The GTO model in my first post above was built straight out of the box in 3 days spray can painting (some with enamel paint was used for detailing) and air drying time included and I even did BMF, if I had time to wait for the paint to cure completely I would have polished it too but I only had one week to do it, so no polish as the paint was too soft for that, I don't use a food dehydrator to cure the paint otherwise the paint might have had time to cure completely and it would have been polished, I built it for our local hobby shop for them to display and I did not pay for the kit so it was pretty much like for these guys.
But as I said, all modelers have the right to build their models as they like, it's their model, I just think they would do a better content if they put a little more effort in their builds.

I don't actively "follow" any modeling channels, mostly use them as a resource for tips or information on a particular method or skill I'm trying to develop. As far as the larger channels churning out completed models rapidly,  that probably comes down to youtube being an occupation and them having to keep the algorithm "happy". Miss an upload,  or have a few poorly performing videos and it tanks revenues. I've listened to more than a few creator's say that on channels I follow. 

[Bugatti Fan]

There are those 'Henry' model builders (as in Henry Ford) where quantity is the objective on Youtube.

OOB is fine for many, but putting a model together in about a week inevitably compromises the build quality.

A4 Garage is more my style, concentrating on high build quality and super detailing.

[deuces wild]

Please delete my post....

Edited December 31, 2024 by deuces wild

[stavanzer]

I seriously cannot understand the Anger directed at HPI Guy.

He is very clear about how he builds and why he builds. He does teach basic techniques, and constantly advises his followers to 'Not Worry about a Little Flash' and he shows masking and painting to people who may have never tried masking. He does detail paint, and his use of Sharpie/Molotow for silver/chrome trim is now moving into mainstream model building. He encourages his viewers to try to new techniques, and take more time to build models. His built kits are "quick build", OOB w/Paint. He never pretends they are anything more than that.

Some folks here acknowledge that, and still have a beef with him. I just don't understand that....

It's like Formal Portrait Painters, getting bent out of shape by the guy who draws caricatures at the County Fair. Both provide a service. Both get paid, by folx who are happy with the results. (in most cases).

I don't understand why so many members here have a hard time understanding that just being a member here, already puts you in the 10% of modelers who desire to advance beyond OOB. Now We welcome all skill levels here, and I never, ever see anybody dump on the the members who post build photos of less that museum quality models. I seldom even read constructive criticism.

"you know, if you block sanded the body, the mold line won't show on your next build."

" if you wash the body, you won't get fisheyes in your paint"

"using superglue on headlight lenses, will fog them up. don't use it for anything clear."

How many readers and lurkers don't know those things? How many guys might welcome an answer as to why the build they just posted doesn't look as good a something built by Steve Guthmiller or Tim Boyd, or Chariots of Fire?

So, why do people feel free to Dump on Chris (aka HPI Guy)? He is still a member here, and is never given the same courtesy that anybody else who post his built models here is given. It must be because he has a YouTube Channel , thus opening him, (and every other Model Builder on You Tube) to intense public scrutiny...........

I just don't get it. Would you treat a guy at your local Model Show the way you treat HPI Gut online?

 

[bobthehobbyguy]

8 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

I seriously cannot understand the Anger directed at HPI Guy.

He is very clear about how he builds and why he builds. He does teach basic techniques, and constantly advises his followers to 'Not Worry about a Little Flash' and he shows masking and painting to people who may have never tried masking. He does detail paint, and his use of Sharpie/Molotow for silver/chrome trim is now moving into mainstream model building. He encourages his viewers to try to new techniques, and take more time to build models. His built kits are "quick build", OOB w/Paint. He never pretends they are anything more than that.

Some folks here acknowledge that, and still have a beef with him. I just don't understand that....

It's like Formal Portrait Painters, getting bent out of shape by the guy who draws caricatures at the County Fair. Both provide a service. Both get paid, by folx who are happy with the results. (in most cases).

I don't understand why so many members here have a hard time understanding that just being a member here, already puts you in the 10% of modelers who desire to advance beyond OOB. Now We welcome all skill levels here, and I never, ever see anybody dump on the the members who post build photos of less that museum quality models. I seldom even read constructive criticism.

"you know, if you block sanded the body, the mold line won't show on your next build."

" if you wash the body, you won't get fisheyes in your paint"

"using superglue on headlight lenses, will fog them up. don't use it for anything clear."

How many readers and lurkers don't know those things? How many guys might welcome an answer as to why the build they just posted doesn't look as good a something built by Steve Guthmiller or Tim Boyd, or Chariots of Fire?

So, why do people feel free to Dump on Chris (aka HPI Guy)? He is still a member here, and is never given the same courtesy that anybody else who post his built models here is given. It must be because he has a YouTube Channel , thus opening him, (and every other Model Builder on You Tube) to intense public scrutiny...........

I just don't get it. Would you treat a guy at your local Model Show the way you treat HPI Gut online?

 

Well said.

[Force]

22 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

I seriously cannot understand the Anger directed at HPI Guy.

He is very clear about how he builds and why he builds. He does teach basic techniques, and constantly advises his followers to 'Not Worry about a Little Flash' and he shows masking and painting to people who may have never tried masking. He does detail paint, and his use of Sharpie/Molotow for silver/chrome trim is now moving into mainstream model building. He encourages his viewers to try to new techniques, and take more time to build models. His built kits are "quick build", OOB w/Paint. He never pretends they are anything more than that.

Some folks here acknowledge that, and still have a beef with him. I just don't understand that....

It's like Formal Portrait Painters, getting bent out of shape by the guy who draws caricatures at the County Fair. Both provide a service. Both get paid, by folx who are happy with the results. (in most cases).

I don't understand why so many members here have a hard time understanding that just being a member here, already puts you in the 10% of modelers who desire to advance beyond OOB. Now We welcome all skill levels here, and I never, ever see anybody dump on the the members who post build photos of less that museum quality models. I seldom even read constructive criticism.

"you know, if you block sanded the body, the mold line won't show on your next build."

" if you wash the body, you won't get fisheyes in your paint"

"using superglue on headlight lenses, will fog them up. don't use it for anything clear."

How many readers and lurkers don't know those things? How many guys might welcome an answer as to why the build they just posted doesn't look as good a something built by Steve Guthmiller or Tim Boyd, or Chariots of Fire?

So, why do people feel free to Dump on Chris (aka HPI Guy)? He is still a member here, and is never given the same courtesy that anybody else who post his built models here is given. It must be because he has a YouTube Channel , thus opening him, (and every other Model Builder on You Tube) to intense public scrutiny...........

I just don't get it. Would you treat a guy at your local Model Show the way you treat HPI Gut online?

 

I don't mean to treat him bad at all, I just don't understand the fun in building like he does because I don't see the fun in it, but as I said, everyone have the right to build as they want, and if you put yourself out on youtube you will automatically be scrutinized, good or bad.
I don't see much of the basic building techniques I mentioned in the videos I have watched by them, no prepping of the bodies other than washing them, not sanding off mold lines on them or on the parts, no fixing visible glue joints on two part pieces like engines, trannys, rear ends and such, it's not that hard to do if you want to and it lifts a model a notch or two.
As I also have said, one doesn't have to super detail to build a nice looking model, build clean and use basic build techniques and put a little more effort in them and they will be better models.

 

[bobthehobbyguy]

It's a hobby and everyone enjoys it in their own way. From varied building genres to varoious building styles. Some may build one model every several years, some every few weeks or less. Some may never complete a project becuase they 9nly enjoy mocking up an idea or enjoy one aspect of the build process. If the way you enjoy your hobby makes you happy that is what is important.

[StevenGuthmiller]

22 minutes ago, Force said:

I don't mean to treat him bad at all, I just don't understand the fun in building like he does because I don't see the fun in it, but as I said, everyone have the right to build as they want, and if you put yourself out on youtube you will automatically be scrutinized, good or bad.
I don't see much of the basic building techniques I mentioned in the videos I have watched by them, no prepping of the bodies other than washing them, not sanding off mold lines on them or on the parts, no fixing visible glue joints on two part pieces like engines, trannys, rear ends and such, it's not that hard to do if you want to and it lifts a model a notch or two.
As I also have said, one doesn't have to super detail to build a nice looking model, build clean and use basic build techniques and put a little more effort in them and they will be better models.

 

The only objection that I have with any Youtube channels promoting these highly simplified building techniques is that they are watched by so many these days, and they become the "norm" of building, and that's pretty much where a lot of people's curiosity ends.

If they didn't see it on one of these channels, it doesn't exist.

Let's face it, people are lazy, and will most often follow the path of least resistance, which I suppose is normal human nature, but it also doesn't allow for much opportunity to expand.

This is not to say that everyone who begins with following videos on these channels won't spread their wings eventually and develop, but I gotta tell you, spend a little while looking around on the Facebook modeling groups and you'll understand why the concern.

Not that I really give a rip about how people want to spend their time, or how much or how little effort that they want to put forth, but for a hobby that's already on the skids, I have to think that one if the main factors that entices people into our hobby is "inspiration", and in all honesty, while yes, there are inspirational builders still among us, they're a dying breed, and what's going to be left to inspire down the road but a lot of people who have been Youtube trained to accept mediocre, or even poor, as good enough.

 

 

 

Steve 

[bobthehobbyguy]

I don't see that youtube is a negative. I think it's more a reflection of how most people build. Youtube provides the means for people to share the hobby with others.. There will always be a broad spectrum of build styles.

[Dave Van]

4 hours ago, stavanzer said:

I seriously cannot understand the Anger directed at HPI Guy.

 

 

 

 I watch HPI unbox on every video and then bail. 

The negativity towards him comes from. I FEEL, comments like  'Yes there is a lot of flash...but if you can't handle it go back to Mom's basement'. He has a number of like sayings and it turns off many. 

More ower to him. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

40 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

 

 I watch HPI unbox on every video and then bail. 

The negativity towards him comes from. I FEEL, comments like  'Yes there is a lot of flash...but if you can't handle it go back to Mom's basement'. He has a number of like sayings and it turns off many. 

More ower to him. 

That kind of statement doesn’t concern me, because there’s truth to it.

If something as simple to deal with as flash is a problem, well.....good luck dealing with the many actual issues that you’re likely to deal with throughout the course of the project.

I’ve seen numerous threads about this exact subject on a number of Facebook groups where people moan and whine about some flash on some of the parts of old toolings.

It’s a much bigger turn off to me to read people b*tching and complaining incessantly about simple issues such as flash, or screaming about how terrible a kit is.

People need to suck it up and stop being such Nancys about the little things and grow a pair.

 

 

 

Steve

[Can-Con]

7 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

That kind of statement doesn’t concern me, because there’s truth to it.

If something as simple to deal with as flash is a problem, well.....good luck dealing with the many actual issues that you’re likely to deal with throughout the course of the project.

I’ve seen numerous threads about this exact subject on a number of Facebook groups where people moan and whine about some flash on some of the parts of old toolings.

It’s a much bigger turn off to me to read people b*tching and complaining incessantly about simple issues such as flash, or screaming about how terrible a kit is.

People need to suck it up and stop being such Nancys about the little things and grow a pair.

 

 

 

Steve

[Dave Van]

31 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

That kind of statement doesn’t concern me, because there’s truth to it.

If something as simple to deal with as flash is a problem, well.....good luck dealing with the many actual issues that you’re likely to deal with throughout the course of the project.

I’ve seen numerous threads about this exact subject on a number of Facebook groups where people moan and whine about some flash on some of the parts of old toolings.

It’s a much bigger turn off to me to read people b*tching and complaining incessantly about simple issues such as flash, or screaming about how terrible a kit is.

People need to suck it up and stop being such Nancys about the little things and grow a pair.

 

 

 

Steve

Those statements do not keep me watching or from watching.....but his content is not so fantastic that negative comments go un-noticed. And with Thousands of model building chammels....to each his own!! 

[stitchdup]

if you dont like what you see you could always make your own if you think you can handle criticism.  cameras are getting cheaper all the time so whats the excuse?

[StevenGuthmiller]

33 minutes ago, stitchdup said:

if you dont like what you see you could always make your own if you think you can handle criticism.  cameras are getting cheaper all the time so whats the excuse?

Me personally, I’d rather use my time at the bench.

I don’t have any desire to be “famous”. 😉

 

 

 

Steve

[Can-Con]

1 hour ago, stitchdup said:

if you dont like what you see you could always make your own if you think you can handle criticism.  cameras are getting cheaper all the time so whats the excuse?

Wow, Les, That line goes right up there with "I know you are but what am I ?" and "Why did you punch me, I was just joking".

I don't know if you meant it that way but it looks to me like you just told him to be quiet and mind his own business if he doesn't like it.

I think I'd rather watch Steve build models then make videos about building models. Pretty sure it's a better use of his time.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Can-Con said:

Wow, Les, That line goes right up there with "I know you are but what am I ?" and "Why did you punch me, I was just joking".

I don't know if you meant it that way but it looks to me like you just told him to be quiet and mind his own business if he doesn't like it.

I think I'd rather watch Steve build models then make videos about building models. Pretty sure it's a better use of his time.

I didn’t take it as such.

I don’t even know if his post was directed at me because I thought that I had made it pretty clear that I don’t watch these videos.

The only time I might watch at least part of one is on the odd chance that someone posts a link to one on this board. 😊

 

 

Steve

[Can-Con]

1 minute ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I didn’t take it as such.

I don’t even know if his post was directed at me because I thought that I had made it pretty clear that I don’t watch these videos.

The only time I might watch at least part of one is on the odd chance that someone posts a link to one on this board. 😊

 

 

Steve

No worries Steve, I know you can take care of your own house but I'd have said that no matter who it was aimed at. 

I just read it as downright rude and there was no need of it.

[Kromolly]

I don't think it's fair to categorize a segment of builders as lazy just because they are satisfied with a simple and relatively quick out-of-box build.  It's certainly a level of ambition above plopping die cast cars on a shelf.  It does require ambition (not laziness) to start a kit and see it through from beginning to end, to make decisions on paint colors, details, etc.  Everyone improves or plateaus to their own personal satisfaction.  Let's not discourage them.  People have been inspired to attempt a build after watching a YouTube builder when they may otherwise never have tried building a model, or even knew such a thing existed.  That IS inspiration.  And that algorithm and high viewership? Well, that will put the feed into someone's YouTube queue when they may not have been looking for such a thing.  That's exposure to the hobby, and that's a good thing.  Inspiring people just to build sells kits and supplies, and keeps the hobby alive.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Kromolly said:

I don't think it's fair to categorize a segment of builders as lazy just because they are satisfied with a simple and relatively quick out-of-box build.  It's certainly a level of ambition above plopping die cast cars on a shelf.  It does require ambition (not laziness) to start a kit and see it through from beginning to end, to make decisions on paint colors, details, etc.  Everyone improves or plateaus to their own personal satisfaction.  Let's not discourage them.  People have been inspired to attempt a build after watching a YouTube builder when they may otherwise never have tried building a model, or even knew such a thing existed.  That IS inspiration.  And that algorithm and high viewership? Well, that will put the feed into someone's YouTube queue when they may not have been looking for such a thing.  That's exposure to the hobby, and that's a good thing.  Inspiring people just to build sells kits and supplies, and keeps the hobby alive.

And it’s my opinion that true inspiration comes from viewing something that makes you say, “Wow, I want to learn how to do that”, and not so much from seeing something that everybody else and his dog can do with little effort or talent.

This makes me want to learn how to up my culinary game.

 

This on the other hand, inspires me to maybe make a trip to the restroom.

 

You can call it lazy, or just uninspired.

Depends on how you see things.

 

And just for the record, I wasn’t referring to any individual or group of people as lazy.

I said people in general and by nature tend to be lazy or to take the easy route.

I still stand by that.

 

 

 

Steve

Edited December 29, 2024 by StevenGuthmiller

[RSchnell]

A good portion of Youtube is a wasteland, including some modeling channels. I don't watch any automotive related modeling channels & only a couple aircraft related primarily for unboxing. I've learned more from this site (and Britmodeller for the aircraft I build) than I have any facebook group or youtube video.

I will say & have said in the past that the criticism of HPI Guy is warranted. If I was a manufacturer giving him kits & he continuously slapped kits together with shoddy paintwork, gluing functioning tailgates closed & parts put together wrong not only does it make my product look bad but the consumer is bound to think "couldn't they find someone who knows what they're doing?" It just comes across as halfa**, rushed & lazy.  My family was in the grove equipment manufacturing business. Before we set our equipment at an expo (back when Florida still had more citrus than subdivisions) we gave the demonstrators a good cleaning & wipe down same as when I delivered a car when my restoration shop was done with it. I realize that's not a perfect example of comparison, but it's close.

Now that my work desk is located next to my build desk so at the end of the day all I have to do is move my drink cup & glasses from one desk to the other, I'll actually have some time to build and maybe post a few here. 

 

Steve, how did you get a picture of the chili I made last week? 

[bobthehobbyguy]

Well Hpiguy must  be doing something right with over 100k followers.

And the ultimate irony is to the average person his models are going to get the same amount of attention that the multi-year project because the average viewer isn't going to discern the difference.

[StevenGuthmiller]

3 hours ago, RSchnell said:

Steve, how did you get a picture of the chili I made last week? 

Is that what that is?

I was completely stumped!

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

Well Hpiguy must  be doing something right with over 100k followers.

Well, the number of followers is hardly an indication of doing something useful.

Social media is full of weirdos, creeps and losers with hundreds of thousands of followers. (not to say that he's a creep or loser)

But I guess in today's society, "followers" are becoming the ultimate measure of success.

 

 

 

Steve

[stitchdup]

7 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Wow, Les, That line goes right up there with "I know you are but what am I ?" and "Why did you punch me, I was just joking".

I don't know if you meant it that way but it looks to me like you just told him to be quiet and mind his own business if he doesn't like it.

I think I'd rather watch Steve build models then make videos about building models. Pretty sure it's a better use of his time.

it wasn't aimed at anyone. it was badly worded on my part but it was in no way aimed at anyone. i meant theres a lot of people complaining about the way hpiguy does his vids while they hold a decent camera in their hand.