The Zen of Model Building

[styromaniac]

I think a well executed model doesn't necessarily have to be super detailed...to me it's all about balance. For example...it makes little sense to me if a scale model car has a detailed engine compartment with all the wiring etc if the remainder of the model lacks a similar level of detail...its imbalanced. An out of the box rendition lacking all the fine details can still be a great model as long as the stance is good, the paint is nicely finished and the execution is clean. But that's just me...

[Dave Ambrose]

It’s taken a while, but I’m finally starting to just enjoy the process. I used to get frustrated at body prep and painting. Now I’m just letting events come to me, and not placing any particular expectations on them. Not only has my building improved, but I enjoy it more. 

My teacher says I’m learning mindfulness. 

[89AKurt]

Cool to see an old topic that's worthy of getting dredged up.  Reminds me of a saying I heard recently: Wisdom is what you get, five minutes after you needed it.

I understand the Zen thing.  The clock is irrelevant if it's not the day before a contest, and you wanted to finish something.  I tried that this year, I tried to whip a model out in nothing flat, and ruined the fun of it.  I did resume and finished it within a week, after taking some of the sub assemblies apart.  When I get in the zone, I become possessed, and it sure beats surfing the internet (like I am now ha ha).  I have treated some projects as separate models, it helps to check off the list.  I try to be reasonable, and not get too detailed, my eyes are limited.  I'm also the personality that needs to focus on few things, not good at macromanagement.

Should be a book about this. 

[moparfarmer]

With my dexterity and lack of patience I am glad to just do a box-stock build..My big deal is clean build and nice paint..If its clean it will draw the looks as with the paint..You can have a beautifully done detailed to the max and if the paint isn't up to quality it takes away all the work..One that comes to mind is the black one on the cover of the competitors magazine this month..Beautiful work but the paint..Sorry..

[dino246gt]

Since I retired, I've adopted the "Zen" approach, I now have more time to spend so I might as well, slow down and enjoy each and every little moment of the build. After all, that IS the fun, for me, of model building, building! Yes I really enjoy it so much more now that I'm not in a hurry to finish anything. The Scout kit has nothing for under the hood, so I kit bashed and scratch built these "things", so much fun!

[afx]

Enlightenment is a wonderful thing. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 9/15/2018 at 6:32 AM, Gramps46 said:

Interesting perspective JC.  I have gone back and looked at my list of unfinished models and came to realize that once I had conquered the real challenges of obscure research, scratch building, modifying, correcting, etc. I pretty much lost interest in the more mundane final assembly.  

Much the same here, but oddly, the closer I get to having a decent amount of building time, the more interested I seem to be getting in seeing a few things completed. 

[Ich_Will]

For me it is the completed model. I have learned that I need to keep certain aspects of the build in check...making everything 'right' would lead me down a dark rabbit hole of misery and despair. I used to be a model railroader and modeled a specific line. I had to leave the hobby because I couldn't recreate everything down to the 33' of track in a scale mile. I couldn't get over the fact that a town had to face the wrong way to fit in the room or a yard had to come into an area mirrored from the way it was in reality. It literally ruined the hobby for me (well that and working in rail for a career). With models (military and cars) I am just happy with the way they turn out. I don't want it to be about them being perfect, or being as good (or better) than so-and-so. I actually ran across this looking at @Dann Tier's Miura.... I was considering copying some of his techniques (drilling out the gauges, etc) and then I stopped myself. I want my Miura to be my Miura, not an attempt to recreate the amazing work of someone else. 

[Bugatti Fan]

Started scratch building back in 2009 and had to develop a different mind set to building from kits, like treating all the sub assemblies as models in their own right. it is basically creating your own kit to build without any instructions to follow. What made me start was that certain cars I like would never be kitted, so I had to get my head around making everything myself, and of course the protracted length of building from scratch plus the challenge of learning new techniques along the way.

[CabDriver]

Found this great video today - well worth a watch if you have 15 minutes or so:

 

[afx]

Thank you for sharing this Jim.

[CabDriver]

3 hours ago, afx said:

Thank you for sharing this Jim.

Funnily enough, I googled to look for this thread to re-read it, and that video came up

[misterNNL]

A wonderfully insightful video of a true master craftsman.

[CabDriver]

I enjoy videos like these, where they’re about the mindset of a model maker (or indeed, any other type of craftsman) more than about specific techniques.

Wish I could find more videos like that!

[Kromolly]

Thank you.  That was insightful and enjoyable.  The older we get, the more we realize the importance of spending more time doing the things we enjoy, and less time doing the things we don't.  I guess that's why they invented retirement.

[Paul Payne]

To me, model building is an artistic and creative outlet. Lately I am getting into kitbashing and scratch building to get something unique and expressing my own vision. 

[Bills72sj]

On 1/25/2014 at 12:02 PM, imarriedawitch said:

To each their own.

Too many kits in the stash, too many ideas and concepts for future builds scratched out on paper to get to for this to work for me.

I hear you. Too much detail takes too much time for those of us who are not retired, I am driven by the sense of accomplishment of an aesthetically pleasing final product.  I do admire the skills of others and utilize their methods from time to time. I like to get about 5 done a year.

[Brudda]

For me it’s the chase( build) . When I’m finished with a model it just goes in the shed and I start another one. I have a few on display but most of my large scale kits just go in the shed, I give a lot of finished models away. A lot of people want me to build cars for money but then it’s work. I will not do that. When I started building 12 years ago, I wanted to see how I did. So I entered every IPMS contest I could drive to. Or fly to. At first it was tough but I got the hang of it. Now with over 100 awards, ( the last 20 or so ended up in a box in the shed) I feel I am a decent builder. But I have learned to love the build. I still feel good when a build turns out but it’s the chase that I learned to love.My friend Mark asked me the other day about entering contests and I said I probably will not enter anymore. It really does nothing for me now. I have just completed a mfh kit and just put it away. I am starting another mfh kit. So the chase starts again! 

[Straightliner59]

One man's Zen is another's frustration. I see many who say that super-detailing requires too much time,  or that it takes the fun from the hobby.  Scratch building and detailing are the things that provide me the most relaxation and satisfaction. 

[Tom Geiger]

On 4/20/2021 at 2:07 AM, Brudda said:

For me it’s the chase( build) . When I’m finished with a model it just goes in the shed and I start another one. I have a few on display but most of my large scale kits just go in the shed, I give a lot of finished models away. 

I like different perspectives.  

I enjoy the build process. I like to put a lot of care and thought into my builds, and try to increase my skills and do something unique on every model.

But I do cherish my finished models. It’s like my miniature Jay Leno collection. These are MY cars and I have them all on display in an old China cabinet I just invested $200 in adding new shelves!  

These are my babies! I’ve only given away a few, ones I specifically built to give away. The rest of them are dear to me!
 

 

[Straightliner59]

12 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

I like different perspectives.  

I enjoy the build process. I like to put a lot of care and thought into my builds, and try to increase my skills and do something unique on every model.

But I do cherish my finished models. It’s like my miniature Jay Leno collection. These are MY cars and I have them all on display in an old China cabinet I just invested $200 in adding new shelves!  

These are my babies! I’ve only given away a few, ones I specifically built to give away. The rest of them are dear to me!
 

 

I wholly agree on all points! New techniques, etc. keeps the hobby interesting! They are our babies, because they are realization of our vision.

[afx]

I no longer obsess about completing a build. I can enjoy a project even partially completed. As an example I seriously considered stopping this project at this point and displaying it as it was.  I did however go on to finish it.  I have multiple projects in various stages of completion and enjoy them even if they are never finished (by me).

Edited April 22, 2021 by afx

[Rick L]

On 9/15/2018 at 1:22 PM, Tom Geiger said:

Ah it's suddenly 2014 again!  

For me the "Zen" is the total concentration that model building requires.

I don't get that from things like browsing on the Internet or watching TV.  Those passive type activities only take part of my mind.  I'm still worrying, thinking about work issues and the like at the same time.

But model building takes me away from my daily bull.  I generally don't bother with TV or music because my concentration tunes them out.  When I take a beer to the work bench, it goes warm.   I can look up and 2 hours have passed. I don't even care what I accomplished,  I'm happy.  And my headaches have gone away, I feel refreshed!

I totally agree with Tom on this one only I like to listen to my oldies collection on Deezer while I build and never, never ever bring beer because letting a perfectly good beer get warm is a sacrilege.

[JollySipper]

I learned a new word yesterday, it was "Meraki". You should look up the meaning! It's pretty much what we do with our models........

(leaving a bit of yourself in something creative that you've done.....)

Edited April 22, 2021 by JollySipper

[Straightliner59]

17 minutes ago, JollySipper said:

I learned a new word yesterday, it was "Meraki". You should look up the meaning! It's pretty much what we do with our models........

(leaving a bit of yourself in something creative that you've done.....)

I like that, very much!