Question about Contest Model Building.

[davyou5]

Very soon I will be going down to a local Hobby Shop to ask about any model Shows or Contest's. Since I am here on the forum and since many of you here are experts in contest builds. I will ask my questions here.

1. What is considered to be Contest Build?

2. How does one Achieve a Contest Build?

3. How are Builds Judged?

4. Is there a Professional Standard That is needed for Contests?

5. How much does one usually spend in order to build a model up to Contest Specifications?

If there is an advice topic about Contesting here then I will apologize in advance because I did not see it here, How ever I felt that since there are many Contest winners here this question would be better suited for those individuals. Thanks for looking.

[whale392]

This is just a personal observation as I have hit the local shows here, but:

1) What I have noticed is that there are all different skill levels represented at any one contest.

2) Judging criteria is quite subjective; it all depends on the show, judges, and the judges experience level as a builder as well as a judge.

3) If you think you don't have contest-worthy material, you are probably wrong. I think the same thing, and I have found that if I finish anything that it is as good or better than some contest entries.

4) To WIN at a contest takes a very well founded and executed knowledge of the basics......or......some super gee-whiz dang-up detail job. Again, this is based on the judges own criteria/personal beliefs. I have seen super-detailed junk win while a well build cleanly built model won't.

That is all I have. Now, off to build something for next season!

[Pete J.]

You have really asked the $54,000 question that many of us have been asking ourselves for a long time and frankly there is no real definitive answerer only opinions. Here are mine:

1. What is considered to be Contest Build?

A contest build is the best model you can build using all your skills and techniques. If you don't like what you did, then you need to redo it. In a contest you are competing against the best others can do so you need to be on top of your game.

2. How does one Achieve a Contest Build?

Skill and practice. Each time you go to a contest, look and the competition. Talk to other modelers. If you can't figure out how somebody did something, then you need to ask. Most modelers are in this for the fun of it and are glad to share. Those that aren't, aren't worth waisting your time on. Competing is more about improving than it is about taking home hardware. Enjoy yourself and make new friends.

3. How are Builds Judged?

Every contest has it's own set of judging criteria and it is often published in the announcements, but generally it is based on how well you did your basic skills first. ie properly filled seams, glue smudges, parting lines removed, orange peel paint, etc. Then there is the subjective side. How realistic does your model look. If you intended it to look like an actual car, how much detail did you get right. How much did you have to add to get it there. How much wow factor does it have. This is much like an art judging. There are no rules that if you follow them exactly you will win. It just doesn't work that way. Put the best that you have on the table and enjoy the builds of others. After the contest, if you approach the judges in a respectful way, they will most often critique your model for you. Take it positively and you will get good feed back.

4. Is there a Professional Standard That is needed for Contests?

Nope. Just do the best you can and try to improve with each contest. Any one can enter anything they want. You will see the full range of builds, from really rough to super quality that you just can't understand how it was done.

5. How much does one usually spend in order to build a model up to Contest Specifications?

There is no specific dollar amount. It really depends upon you and the category you are building for. In Box Stock the only thing you can spend money on is the kit, paint, and decals. It is deceptively cheap to build in this class. Deceptively, because it is a pure test of building skill. Other classes it can run the gambit. I have seen people win with extraordinarily expensive models and I have seen people build with very modest budgets. It is all about the skill level. There is an old saying, "The magic is in the magician, not the wand."

If there is an advice topic about Contesting here then I will apologize in advance because I did not see it here, How ever I felt that since there are many Contest winners here this question would be better suited for those individuals. Thanks for looking.

One parting thought. Keep it fun. Almost all contests are for bragging rights only. There is no financial reward. Enjoy the other contestants and make new friends and you will be the ultimate winner!

[Foxer]

Pete .. that is one clear and concise explanation! well done

[davyou5]

Yes they both have given a great explaination, I will be heeding the advice here, thanks guy's .

[Railfreak78]

I completely agree with Pete. I am part of a local club and we have our own meetings and voting but it nothing like my first big contest. I realised a childhood dream this year entering a big show and met a lot of people from this very forum. The classes are open to all levels of building BUT I certainly used it as a learning experience as to what others do. My real advice is do not go into it thinking, hoping, or planning to win! Go there to interact with people and learn. I think the best part of it was just visiting everybody. It is a cool feeling when someone really looks at your build though My next big show: I will do just what I did this time. Take things from the best I built to stuff I think othes might just like to look at. Oh one last thing..... If you don't know already you do have to pay to enter your cars! A lot of people do not know that. It goes to help fund the event. Have fun!

[bobss396]

1. What is considered to be Contest Build?

Anything I build I strive for it to be contest quality.

2. How does one Achieve a Contest Build?

I started by looking at other cars at contests and got a sense of what it takes. I joined a club in 1999 and got to see how the masters put theirs together, what they added, how they painted, etc.

3. How are Builds Judged?

Every sponsoring club has their own method of judging. The car with the most detail doesn't always win either. As a judge, I look for nice paint and a squeaky clean build first off. From there cars are judged against other cars in that particular class. Complexity of build and the effort that went into the build are important. It comes down to the best of the best and at times the best of the worst! I've had to judge some novice classes over the years where ALL the cars in the class had glue on the windows, teetered on 3 wheels and were missing driveshafts and other parts.

4. Is there a Professional Standard That is needed for Contests?

Some clubs use a point system and IPMS clubs have a set system that they use. I doubt there would ever be a standard that all would agree with.

5. How much does one usually spend in order to build a model up to Contest Specifications?

Again, there really are no contest specifications. I've won at shows where I've had $30 into a build, others I've had over $100 into a car and it didn't even place. My usual range is around $50-60 for anything I build.

Bob

[davyou5]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply here, this is very informative, and I will be asking around the Local Hobby Shops soon about any contests, further more, I have a few builds coming up soon, I would like as many of you as possible give me your constructive critizisim on these builds of mine, it'll be a test so to speak, your input will tell me if I am ready to enter such contests, or if I need to build my skill more. Tommorow I will post a Picture of a 69 Chevy Nova body that I have just finished painting this evening, and you will tell me if the paint job is good enough or not. This would be a good start I think. Thanks again guys.

[davyou5]

Okay it's time to view and make and objective ruling over the paint job. All are welcome to comment, and give advice.

Oh, and you can follow this build on the " David's '69 Chevy Nova Stock" topic in On the Work Bench.

these are some of the best shots I could get with the camera sitting on the table. So those with a good eye for detail, let me know what you think about the Spray paint job? Is it good enough for a contest? or do I need improvement?

[Art Laski]

One parting thought. Keep it fun. Almost all contests are for bragging rights only. There is no financial reward. Enjoy the other contestants and make new friends and you will be the ultimate winner!

I've been hitting most of the local shows and contests around my area, and this really is what it's all about and what I enjoy the most.

[davyou5]

I've been hitting most of the local shows and contests around my area, and this really is what it's all about and what I enjoy the most.

I hope to meet as many good people out there in a show as much as I have here on this site .

[ewaskew]

David

The paint needs a good gloss look or it may be your camera.

As for the contest thing, I agree with everyone here.

I took a 69 Camaro to my first NNL contest not expecting anything out of it.

Well to my surprise it made the mag. Not this one but they were doing a 40 year

annv. on Camaros from all conest for that year.

Only the top ten out of about 300 photos of Camaro's made it.

When I saw that mine made the top ten that was better than any trophy.

Because everyone that has that mag. world wide see's your car.

You are the only one that will see that trophy as a reminder.

Just build it for yourself and fun thats it.

Then if something come's out of it that makes it better.

Earl

[Jairus]

David, I wrote the following and published it in MCM a few years ago. The information was intended for those entering at GSL but most of it still holds true for any model contest. Enjoy and I think it answers most of your questions.

10 Secrets for winning at GSLMCC in 2009

By Jairus Watson

“The winner is not so much determined by who shows up but rather by who doesn’t!â€

The Greater Salt Lake Model Car Contest is indeed one of the most prestigious gatherings of automotive modelers on this planet to date. Builders from all over the world travel to or send their creations to Salt Lake City, Utah in order to compete with acknowledgeable the best builders on the planet. Winning an award or simply placing in a class is a big deal and a worthy aspiration for all readers of Model Cars Magazine. But... what does it take to win an award or even take home a class win? A gentleman who accompanied me on the drive home after the 2003 show asked me this and the question has nagged me enough to put this information together. You see, I have won a few class awards a couple of master’s awards at GSL including Best of Show in 1986. But… even more important than that, I have also had the huge honor of being present while the judging takes place and overheard a tiny bit of the conversation that goes on during judging at every show since 1999. So I believe I just might have a unique viewpoint in order to suggest ways to make your models more competitive in 2009!

Build a better mousetrap - …â€and they will comeâ€, or so the saying goes. What this means to you is that if the model is cool, different or unusual then by word of mouth everyone in the contest hall will know about it. There are two reasons any car gets an award and the first is because it’s built cleanly, painted sharply and detailed realistically. You might think that this is a no brainer but a lot of builders think that this is all that is needed. On the other hand, just because you took an award in a regional show does not mean your going to get anything at GSL. The guys who compete at GSL are the “best of the best†for a darned good reason!

The second reason a car might receive an award is not so obvious and that is because it is looked at by the judges and the people at the show. The judge’s eyes do not examine every car on the table! There is just not enough time to do that and this is the sorry truth. However, by word of mouth your model will get looked at, judged and rated against the other cars on the table if it catches people’s eyes FIRST! Every time I have attended GSL more than one person has approached me asking if I saw this car or that truck! If word has spread about a particular car then you can be sure that the judges have heard about it as well. For example in 2001 Roger Yu entered a fantastic multimedia Diorama that featured a Future Formula 1 Pit garage. From the very moment that Roger set it down on the table word spread around the contest room and the expectation was that this was definitely in the running for Best of Show. You can be sure that the judges gave that one a good looking over…

Pick your class – Best of Show winners in the past have come out of a wide range of classes registered at GSL so there is really no “Sweet Spot†class where Best of Show is chosen. However the Street rod class has been the host of 7 Best of Show winners and that is not something to take lightly! The Street Rod class has also been one of the most hotly contested classes and the most populated of all classes during most of the GSL contests since 1979. This is also true to a lesser degree of the Custom class, generally because of the artistic license allowed in these classes. Free form creativity is the norm here and many of the very best model builders participate in Street Rod and Custom classes so be warned if you plan to enter onto those hallowed grounds in ‘09! On the other hand, if you are looking for a relatively easy class win then look to enter in something a little less populated like Motorcycle, Light Commercial or Replica Class.

Another area not generally concentrated on by other competitors is the Klingon cruiser award, the Ed Roth/Ricky Couch memorial award or one of the group/common kit classes. Generally those awards are not so competitive and easier to attain if a builder puts his/her mind to it.

Something to note is that the Light Commercial and Heavy Commercial classes have yet to host a Best of Show win. This seems strange to me due to the essentially higher level of details, possibility for scratch building and weathering possible on trucks found in these two classes. Maybe this will change in 2009?

Paint it red – Well, not actually… but it should be sharp and brightly colored in order to be noticed and getting noticed is half the battle as I mentioned before. Only three Best of Show winners were painted Red by the way. A dark green Corvette with no graphics or a Lowrider in white pearl on the other hand, just might be over-looked by everyone in the room unless there is something there to grab the viewer. Remember you are competing against the other cars on the table so create something that looks “Electricâ€!

As far as paint quality goes there are quite a few awards given for those builders who can paint well and they are the Masters award for best paint and the Model Cars Magazine award for best use of color. There is also the Box plus class where paint is about the only variable (other than clean building style) available to the builder and Best in Class almost ALWAYS features a glass smooth paintjob.

Dare to be different – Build something different and make it unique. A 1969 Camaro is going to get lost on the table when it is in a sea of other Camaros and Muscle cars regardless of the detailing and work that went into building it. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t build basic Camaros, Mustangs or whatever… but make it different somehow if you do by creating a long lost variety, a show car or a specialty vehicle not available in kit form. The Box Plus class is for “out of the box†models… so why build a nice car out of the box and only add just a few details like plug wires? All you are doing is moving your car into a more competitive class that will be populated by entries with waaaaayyyy more detailing…. Thus the term “your out’a your class babyâ€!

Location, location, location – One way to get your car noticed is so obvious that many guys forget to do this and that is to put your car on the edge of the table. YES Really! Not so close that it is in peril of falling off of course but close enough for everyone to see it including those in wheel chairs. If the car is in the middle of the table, the viewer cannot get close enough to see all the little details you worked 2 winters to accomplish. Also a part of location is entering in multiple classes! If you like to build only small scale or only Muscle Cars… you may only end up only competing against yourself. What fun is that? My suggestion is to spread it around and leave the lesser cars at home as they are only going to end up watering the class down and making it harder for the judges to see your best work! There are NO awards given for the most entries in one class so why do so many modelers try to win it I wonder…

Also connected with location is the use of a display stand. A stand can contribute greatly to the wow factor… but it can also make it look gaudy or too flashy if done wrong. Rotating stands are new but there again the effect can be lost if the stand detracts from the model. Rule of thumb is a simple stand with a slight backdrop will aid the realism and focus factor for the viewers eyes. Too big a stand and you’ll be moved to diorama… So far no diorama has EVER won Best in Show…. although Ken Hamilton’s “Home Sweet Home†came very close in 2005!

The inner workings – This arena was popularized by the late Dave Shuklis and starting with GSL – V (1984), became a separate master award for working scale features. Including but not exclusive to: electric lights, opening doors/hood/truck, rolling down windows, working throttle linkage, door/hood/trunk latches, folding tops…. Etc. Mr. Shuklis was a fan of working features and many builders have accomplished better and more realistically features since, but Dave was the first and a true pioneer. Working features if well done can give your car a “class win†faster than a speeding bullet! Quite often I have heard the judges mention how fun it was playing with the door latches or watching how the hood popped open when the release was actuated. Working features can be your greatest asset when shooting for a class win. Or you can go whole hog and shoot for the Shuklis award, as it usually is another one of those masters awards that is not highly sought after for some reason and generally given to someone with the most working features regardless of the quality of everything else.

Cutting open doors and the trunk lid on a model is a guarantee that the car is sure to be noticed. BUT… you HAVE to include correctly folding hinges, a way to keep the door/hood/panel closed and the correct under pinnings once the door is opened. In the case of car doors, the doorjamb is generally uniquely shaped to the particular car you are replicating so get it right or don’t do it at all! You can also make the mistake that just because the convertible top folds down that your going to win your class but if the fabric doesn’t fold correctly or looks out of scale when down then you have not improved the model and in some cases might have made it worse...

My suggestion, if you have never done this before, is to start with something simple like a set of hood hinges. Nothing is more frustrating for a judge than to turn over a nicely built model to have a look at the bottom only to have the hood FALL OFF because the builder failed to hinge it! Hinging a hood is the bare minimum any builder should consider before entering it in GSL competition!!!! Opening doors on a small coupe can really add to the viewer’s pleasure by being able to see the work accomplished on a well-detailed interior, however, this is something that’s probably not necessary with a convertible and can usually make such a car less sturdy as well.

Documentation – Never assume that the judge(s) in this or any contest knows intimately the base model kit you started with. If you built a Revell big “T†kit, added valve cover gaskets and made the shift linkage work then you had better well tell them! Chances are the judges have not built that particular car and may assume that these details were present in the first place.

Way back in 1986 we were instructed to only provide information on 3 x 5†cards unless it was entered in Factory Stock class… however I have seen many entries of late complete with spiral notebooks documenting every tiny modification. And, amazingly the judges actually read through all that ######! I am not suggesting such overdone reference materials accompany every car, but a small place card suggesting where the judges should look and what changes or details you added to the model be the very minimum of documentation provided.

Scratch the surface – One truism nearly all the Best of Show winning cars during the last 28 years have in common is scratchbuilding. In most of the cases large amounts of parts, pieces and bits were created or formed from raw materials such as aluminum, wood, plastic, steel and brass. Some of the cars featured cast metal parts such as those two built by Augie or carved aluminum like the engine in John MacGowan’s ’37 Woody. This is a trend that began back in the 80’s by replacing plastic rods with steel and carving bodies built up from sheet plastic or built up from wood. But the scratchbuilding wave crested in 2001 – 2005 when two of the top models built by Tom Kirn and Dave Cummings were completely constructed from scratch! They contained no kit pieces at all!

A more reasonable approach to this craziness is demonstrated by the current Best of Show winner by Mark D Jones where he simply replaced many of the kit pieces with beautifully carved, bent and turned aluminum bits which vastly improved an already nicely detailed kit into one of the most extremely realistic model cars this author has ever see! Of course, the fact that these three aforementioned models were larger scale should not go unnoticed.

My considered opinion is that you as the builder do not need to buy out a whole K&S rack for your next project but simply keep in mind that a nice model built out of the box will probably never win as long as others are taking up the file and lathe. It is the builders who think “out of the box†that is always going to take home that coveted trophy so get creative!

The Illusionist – Many builders think that every wire, nut and bolt needs to be added to win awards but… if you actually put every thing possible in a scale representation of your actual 1:1 ride then more than half the wires and such would be missed by the eye. A modeler only needs to give the illusion that everything is present. Take an alternator for instance. Most alternators have two wires running into the wiring loom. If the accessory is highly visible by being mounted high in the engine compartment then the wiring is necessary and should be added. But if the alternator is located low, maybe even under the air-conditioning compressor, then leave it out. Nobody is going to check to see if you wired the alternator. Only once have I heard of two cars being sooooo close in detailing and build quality that the judges gave one the nod just because firing order of the sparkplugs was correct. That is super rare and the fact that the judges knew the correct firing order I figure is a 1 in 1000 chance. Most likely, a modeler who makes the spark plug wires simply LOOK like they are in the right order is enough.

A realistic goal – Does it look real or cartoon like? Realism is of course in the eye of the beholder. What looks real to you is based on your point of reference and may not be so to someone else… but since we are trying to build a winner at GSL then your subject has got to be realistic enough to the judges eye to be believable. Of course the realism ranges widely depending upon which class the model is entered so keeping the subject within the real world is always a good idea. Fantasy models are cool but generally do better at IPMS contests. If you are building a Custom then keep it in the general parameters of the custom world else you might end up with the Klingon Cruiser Award (not such a bad thing after all). If you are building a Street Rod then try not mixing your “metaphorsâ€â€¦ which is a metaphor for don’t put nostalgic wire wheels on a car that features an engine capable of generating 500 hp! If you are building a racecar then be sure that it contains all the safety equipment required for the period the car was raced. You can be sure that if you don’t all things being equal with the car next to it… the judges will call in a racing expert. So be warned.

Reading this article will not guarantee your car a win, nor will implementing many or all of these suggestions. Ultimately it comes down to building quality more than your choice of subject matter and making sure that your model gets noticed. You can’t win if it’s not on the table and you won’t win if someone better shows up, because as the adage goes: “There is always a bigger fish!â€

Good luck!

[davyou5]

Hey Thanks Jairus, for the lenghty explaination, I see that I may be jumping the gun a bit on this subject, but I am here to learn, thanks .

[Modelmartin]

David,

Just go to a contest, any contest - big or small, and let the process begin. You will have fun and be inspired.

Back in 1979, I drove down to Omaha for the last MPC National Championship contest. I didn't even win a consolation prize with what was my best model ever at that point. But I came away so jazzed up and excited that people thought all my screws came loose! It was the single most inspirational experience in my model car life.

[Greg Cullinan]

How do you go about displaying a build at the NNL East?

[Jantrix]

10 Secrets for winning at GSLMCC in 2009

By Jairus Watson

Thanks very much Jairus. I figure that's good advice for any contest and I'll spend some time kicking this around as I plan for next years contests.