At what level to STOP detailing.

[southpier]

It strikes me odd as I look through my stash of detail and super detail sets that I have collected through the years... as time goes by, my desire to use them wanes.

Right now, I am in one of my worse funks ever. The most I can do at the hobby bench is shuffle stuff around. I am a “middle of the road†detailer… I do OK, but never so good that it will make a contest judge drop his jaw. And I seem to be caring less. I cannot build right now. I hope to try again someday.

it's always good to take a break for awhile when inspiration wanes. just check in from time to time so we know you're ok. okay?

[Jantrix]

I think most of us start a built with an idea or theme. At least I do. When the idea or theme has been lost in a ton of added detail, it's too much. The theme becomes - "check out all the detail and never mind the build as a whole or the vehicle it represents".

Just my $.02

[Pete J.]

Brad - I would like to add one additional thought. In the middle ages and into the early part of the industrial revolution there was a cast system in the trade crafts. As a final test to be labeled a master craftsman, the applicant had to create a piece to display all of his skills. This was presented to the guild and if it met with the guilds approval, the applicant could call themselves a Master Craftsman. This is the origins of the word masterpiece. It was not necessarily highly functional, but it was always taken to the highest level possible. I try to create a masterpiece occasionally just because I can, but for the most part my stuff never makes it to that level. The difference is as Drew has suggested, lots of stuff just not put on or painted. If you can't see it, don't mess with it. But every once in a while, just to satisfy your sole build a masterpiece with all the nuts, bolts and wires. It will do you good both ways. Enjoy yourself!

[Scott Colmer]

I feel you can stop adding detail when you reached the look and detail of a real car. For me the fun is not only in the design and concept, but in clean and in-scale detail. That can include tricks to add that last element seen on a real car. It can be done with illusion or photo etch or plastic or even decals. Check out the steering wheel on Mark Jones's GSL winning superb 7 if you get a chance. The threads that laces on the leather steering wheel cover are visible if you take a look. He added them with a custom decal. In fact, if it is on a real car, it's on the "7" but you have to look for it and even know what to look for. Mark is by no means the only one out there making 1:1 detail realistic models. There are others. These guys use some clever tricks to add realistic detail. If you catch them by thier model, take a look, find something you like, and ask them how they pulled it off. To me, that is the most fun.

Not to say detail rules all. I also enjoy looking at a cleanly executed less detailed builds, especially if the concept is unique. Ricky Couch and Winston Mitchel are good examples of this type of model artists.

When detail is not clean or over done, is when I loose my enthusiam for the model. Seeing a model where they added all the PE they can find to every open spot and then anchored the seatbelts to fender tubs takes away from what could be a better model overall. Also, if a modeler went to the trouble to make a bunch of small detail parts (which I think is a very fun thing to do), it is noticeable if they took the time to prep them and air brush them. Brush paint almost always adds thickness, rounds edges, and makes flat surfaces lumpy. And it is also noticable if they took care to glue them on straight. With the exception of overloaded PE, I have made most of these mistakes myself. But the next model is the next opportunity to do it better.

Scott

Edited November 23, 2010 by Scott Colmer

[Art Laski]

I am at a crossroads of sorts; I have started a build that will be for the contest table, and have scratchbuilt many parts so far (with quite a few failed attempts). The failed attempts (quite a few in nature) and their location on the vehicle have me wondering; just how far do you go detail-wise for a contest? I know the underside of the vehicle will be looked at (and am building a display stand to do just that) as well as the topside/interior/engine bay. But in that, just how far should I go with the engine? The timing cover/crankshaft timing belt pully/counterbalance shaft plate/pully will barely be seen when down in the engine bay, yet I have 5 attempts in the above mentioned items and am still not happy with it (well, the pullies haven't been made yet, but everything else has been attempted). Am I just being THAT picky, or will the judges be looking at it? I know a lot of it comes down to product knowledge, and I know a lot of judges won't/don't know what the front of a Ford 2.3Turbo looks like without the belt guard.......but I do.

I just want to know where you guys take your detailing level too and if I am just being a little too picky with my work. Thanks for the thoughts/opinions.

The line is yours to draw, but Gregg's advice is sage.

[highway]

To those who responded, I really do appreciate your honesty and perspective. As what I do for a living calls for a high level of attention to detail, so goes my hobbies. I do obsess terribly over the small stuff, even for my 'hobby', and I believe that is what is my major downfall. I will have to learn to dial that back some. Thank you all for your thoughts.

Mike; you know me too well my friend. I have some snappers that are curbside and I even obsess over the little things on those! I just need to FINISH something without thinking about it too deeply!

Bradley, I can understand your job being very detail oriented, and if I remember reading correctly one time, you said you were an aircraft mechanic, right? I could understand the high level of attention to detail, because a job such as that demands attention to detail. Even though I never had a job like that, I drove almost every form of truck on the road from general coast to coast freight to wreckers and snowplows. I also dabble in mechanics, and I say dabble because I don't have any professional training, but I know my way around everything from a Geo Metro to an 18 wheeler very well. I also have the gift (or curse) of a very detail oriented eye, and all of this started invading the hobby I have loved since I was 8 years old. This invasion began to get many wonderful ideas going in my head, from building super detailed cars like you've described to superdetailing rigs and wreckers to the point my head was going to explode! I ended starting some of these projects, but I would burn myself out sweating the small stuff so much I barely even wanted to work on anything for almost 5 years.

I think Mike said it best, and I think he does know you too well, follow his advice. If you don't have any on the shelf that you haven't obsessed over already, go out this weekend and get a snap kit or a simple glue kit, take all your superdetailing tools and supplies off your workbench, and just leave your paints and glue out, and build the kit. No scratchbuilding, no cam gears here and the distributor gear connects there stuff, just simple building and detailing with your paintbrush. I would almost guarantee you'll have fun doing it!

Oh, by the way, another thing I learned during my wanting to superdetail phase, don't bring your work home to your model bench!

[Scale-Master]

I've always believed that you can't have too much detail. The question is why are you doing it. For me, it is the fun of doing the difficult. I have been known to do a bit of over the top stuff, but I did it because I love the challenge. Yes, it did get put on the contest table, but that wasn't really the original intent. It was to do best build I could pull off. I really like to see people look at one of my models and get drawn in. First glance is a "Hey, this is nice." followed by a "Oh, I didn't see that." to a "How the heck did he do that?". Here are a couple of examples of "probably a little too much". I know that most judges would just never see them, but I know they are there and it matter to me.

Ditto. Build for yourself, not someone else. That way you only have to please yourself, and after all, it is your model.

[whale392]

Well, to be honest, most people who look at this model won't notice nor know what I have done to it.........even though I am duplicating the Volvo DOHC swap that I have done to my 1:1 1984 Mustang GT Turbo in scale. Somehow, I think I am putting a little too much worry into the lower timing/water pump area when (if anybody does notice) the head will be the 'Holy S---!' factor to the engine bay. Not to mention the stainless header and forward-mounted turbo (think GT76 or Holset HX60 sized), the external wastegate and the ITB set-up.

The thing for me is, I can walk out into my garage and see this stuff. I keep forgetting that most won't know the difference nor see it at 1/24th of its' original size.

[el Presidente]

Just to add my two cents, I have won quite a few awards without going for all the whistles and bells. Plug wires, battery cables and a few other aftermarket items are about it. The rest is just good build techniques and clean workmanship.

I build for myself first and if it looks good to me then I may put it in a contest to see how I do against others. My motto, and the motto for my clubhas always been, Keep It Fun.

I have seen many contest models that have way to many sparkly things, that catch the judges eyes, and make them look past bad techniques. Go as far as you want, but have fun doing it, otherwise you are doing it for the wrong reasons, as Ricky Nelson sang, you can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself.