Originality Counts?

[Jantrix]

He have a great cross section of builders here from the most die hard replica stock builders to the most unique and custom creators.

The skills are the same fundamentally, but the difference between them, is originality. No creativity, because all modelers are creative, but pure "it's-never-been-done-before originality.

How important is it to you and your model building?

Edited January 14, 2015 by Jantrix

[Danno]

Interesting question! It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

[JTalmage]

I'd say I'm a mix of the last 4. Like when it comes to the Roadkill cars I have planned to build eventually. People have already done them, but I still plan to build them. However no matter how hard one tries they'll still be different and that's what is important. I would like to make mine as accurate as possible but at the same time I dont drive myself crazy to achieve that. I build to my own level of satisfaction.

[DrGlueblob]

I subscribe to the Easter Egg School of creativity. We're the guys that don't do Mark Gustavson-level body restyling, yet toss in a donut box in a police car build.

I like to always add something ~just slightly~ different in models I do. Antenna ball, anybody?

[Ramfins59]

I would say that #2, 4 & 5 work for me.

[bobthehobbyguy]

I usually try to put my own style to my models. I will often combine the elements from several cars to get the look I want.

[sjordan2]

Originality seems to relate mostly to customs, not my thing.

You can use originality to apply innovative solutions to stock builds, however.

[High octane]

I just build what I like. I'm not a "trophy hound" nor do I build models for other people as well. I ONLY build for myself.

[dieseldawg142]

.......

Edited May 11, 2018 by dieseldawg142

[Ace-Garageguy]

Although I voted " If it's been done, I'm not interested in doing it.", the truth of the matter is more like "I think about it, but its very hard to do in the automotive world. "

​I've abandoned a couple of projects, like a chopped '40 Ford coupe, when I saw that someone had already done pretty much exactly what I had in mind, and did a really beautiful job of it too. I got to see my vision finished without having to do all the hard work.

In 1:1, I have absolutely no interest in having another bellybutton '32 Ford with a smallblock Chevy, made "my own" by differences in wheels or color. A lot of people like to do what everyone else does, and that's OK.

I'm happiest putting combinations together that haven't been tried previously, and hopefully, making them work...but in all honesty, everything I've ever designed or built has been influenced, sometimes heavily, by what's gone before.

I just build what I like. I'm not a "trophy hound" nor do I build models for other people as well. I ONLY build for myself.

Me too, but what I like is usually different than what I've already seen. If I DO want to replicate something done by someone else, it usually won't be a priority project. If there's a picture of something finished that really moves me, I'd just as soon look at the photo of the original without having to take time and effort to copy.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I voted # 5 without hesitation. It's the only reason I'm in this hobby in the first place. I've built aircraft, military, ships, trucks.....Just about everything at some point. I've built customs & race cars as well. I settled on stock builds because that's what I liked more than anything else. That's the only reason any of us should be building whatever we build, because we like it. Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

... the only reason any of us should be building whatever we build, because we like it. Steve

Exactly.

[Tom Geiger]

I'm the other guy who voted, " If it's been done, I'm not interested in doing it." (2 votes when I typed this). It just doesn't interest me to build something out of the box, or a replica that I'll get to a show and there may be several of the same vehicle. I like to build interesting things (at least to me) and to make it different. I also love to see when someone else hits it out of the park, finding a way to make a '57 Chevy (or other belly button) different and interesting.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Tom Geiger

[jbwelda]

one problem: "could care less" means you could care less than you currently do, means you care more than you could. I believe you meant "Couldn't care less", and I voted based on that interpretation.

jb

[StevenGuthmiller]

I'm the other guy who voted, " If it's been done, I'm not interested in doing it." (2 votes when I typed this). It just doesn't interest me to build something out of the box, or a replica that I'll get to a show and there may be several of the same vehicle. I like to build interesting things (at least to me) and to make it different. I also love to see when someone else hits it out of the park, finding a way to make a '57 Chevy (or other belly button) different and interesting.

The only problem with worrying about how many others there are like yours at the show, is then you're building for someone else, not yourself. Part of the reason why I've never been interested in shows & contests. I guess some people really enjoy the shows & such for a variety of reasons, & that's great! But personally, it would suck all of the fun right out of building, making it into a competition. But, we're all different & some of us love the competition & comradery. I've just always thought of it as a solo sport. steve

Edited January 14, 2015 by StevenGuthmiller

[southpier]

just don't be a Tasco!

http://deadlycurves.blogspot.com/

[Tom Geiger]

The only problem with worrying about how many others there are like yours at the show, is then you're building for someone else, not yourself. Part of the reason why I've never been interested in shows & contests. I guess some people really enjoy the shows & such for a variety of reasons, & that's great! But personally, it would suck all of the fun right out of building, making it into a competition. But, we're all different & some of us love the competition & comradery. I've just always thought of it as a solo sport. steve

Believe me I'm not building for anyone else! Maybe my show example doesn't illustrate it right, but for instance I had a Ron Cash resin copy of the Divco milk truck. Once I saw the Danbury Mint version, I bought it and lost interest in building the resin one. It had already been done. I gave up competing at shows many years ago, I'd much rather display at an NNL, in forums and at club meetings. I try to make my models different, maybe a subject nobody has done like my messenger car, sometimes an old family or friends car, but I strive to build so that when someone sees one of my models they know it's mine, by style alone.

[Jantrix]

one problem: "could care less" means you could care less than you currently do, means you care more than you could. I believe you meant "Couldn't care less", and I voted based on that interpretation.

jb

Thanks for pointing that out. Its been corrected.

[taaron76]

I just build the model the same way as if I was building an actual car, when it comes to cosmetics and paint, ect. My competition is myself I guess, so I just try to get more creative and build a better build than the previous build. It's really neat to see how creative people can be when building their builds, and of course that spawns ideas for other to try and emulate or reproduce. To each their own, I just love building them.

Tim

[crazyjim]

I'm not sure where I fit in. But hey, as long as the build is SHINY :) , I'll like it.

[Jantrix]

I try to make my models different, maybe a subject nobody has done like my messenger car, sometimes an old family or friends car, but I strive to build so that when someone sees one of my models they know it's mine, by style alone.

My thoughts exactly. I strive for uniqueness, but I'm free to take inspiration where I find it. I think my body of work bears that out. No matter what I build, it's got a spin on it that hasn't been widely done. It's served me well in contests. Something different draws the eye. And like Tom, if I see something built that is too similar to my project, I lose interest entirely, until I find that modification that will set the model apart. This is what I like. Uniqueness and originality IS fundamentally important to my work.

[Snake45]

Some of my builds, I try to replicate some "real thing" as closely as possible. Others are completely from my own imagination.

Sometimes I'll change one or two little things to suit myself, even if not "correct." For example, when I build my AAR Cuda, I'm gonna paint the spoiler body color, not matte black, just 'cause I think it would look better that way.

Other builds are "inspired by" something but not a faithful replica. For example, I'm doing an AMT '66 Mustang funnycar sort of like the Bowani match racer, but it's not an attempt to model that car exactly.

[taaron76]

I'm not sure where I fit in. But hey, as long as the build is SHINY :) , I'll like it.

[TFchronos]

I like trying to be original but the automotive world is so diverse now it's becoming harder to do. So as long as I like what I build that's all that really matters to me.

[jwrass]

I voted it's all been done before, I really don't think about it. That's probably a paradox!!! When I think of it in a generic form there are only many kits on the market and infinate ways to build them, so maybe my answer should have been, I try to be original but not critical.

I build for myself with the thought of artistic license! The thing that drives me nuts with Race Cars is the interpretation of what is and what isn't ! There is so much chatter of you didn't do this right or that's wrong is a load of hooey. if you have ever been involved in racing as a driver or crew member you rarely bring the same car to the track week after week, that's how you get a competitive advantage. Their typically is no wrong or right! I find it refreshing when someone does the what if build