I just hit a modeling low today. I was so disgusted with the paint job on my p-5-51 that I took it out back, lt it on fire and watched it slowly burn. Good thing it was before I did the decals…I can use them some other time. Wow, I feel like I just suck big time, almost like there is no point in going on if I can do everything perfect except paint… I just dont know. Doesnt feel very good.
Yeah destroying models on accident or on purpose doesn’t sit right with me either. Take this example:
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21502
How many models have you built, WWIIsoldier?
Dan
Ya how man I have built around 150 t0 200 FRom the age of 8 to welll 31 and I think I still have along way to go. One thing I have noticed is if you compare yours to someone say on the forum it will never be as good. You are your own worst critic.I compare mine to the last build I did and see the improvement or sometimes the torch. I admire anyones work period. My daughter today asked me if everyone can build models like dad(me) I said no alot of people build waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than me, So I showed hersome others that I think are great and she says dads looks better, So now I got to buy her a porsche hehehe. Point is to have fun if your not then you should probably not continue or just take a brake. I know how you feel though I’ve been there. I have boxes of built up kits I think are not worthy of display anymore to me anyway. Main thing is to keep trying and have fun.
I hate to say it but if you feel that bad about some plastic something is wrong! Dude just go buy another and start over. Besides you should have kept it and that way you could learn from the mistakes that caused it.
I know what I did wrong, I just dont like wasting money. I have build around 25 or so models, 12 of which are military. Enough to do a way better job thatn what I produced on that plane. Not sure what appened, but the paint just ruined t all. Sorry to vent like this.
I know how you feel, we will always be our own worst critic. Couldn’t you have repainted it? I actually repainted my Panther 4 times! Each time I did it, I felt as though I went backwards, should have left it alone. I’m pleased with the final results though. Practice, practice, practice. If I compared my work to others here, I would be disappointed. I just have to realize that I must do the best I can and it’s not a contest. Just be happy in what you do and don’t try to be too accurate, that’s when the fun goes.
This is the wrong forum for me, but I saw the topic on the forum list and thought I’d throw in my 2 cents worth.
It never feels good to trash a model. I’ve been building them off and on for over 40 years and it never feels good. I’ve got two Corsairs downstairs right now. One is about 80% done and the other about 99% done. The one that is 99% done won’t get any closer to finished either because of some stupid mistakes on my part. I keep it around to remind me not to make them again, as bilbirk pointed out.
If we build these things, we are going to have times when we spend a ton of time on a model and turn it into junk. It’s just part of the hobby. Just get another one and after an hour or two you’ll have forgotten about the last one and it will turn out better. Sorry about your problems, but it just happens sometimes regardless of how hard we try.
Well, don’t feel too bad. Trust me, I was just like you, and still kinda am. I am good with alot of things, but suck when I comes to painting. Look at the brightside, you gain experience with your mistakes. What I would do if I were you, and I did do this and it helps ALOT, is get a large carboard box or a really cheap model at your lhs. Just practice on them. If you have an airbrush, practice different airpressures and different amounts of paint being pushed through the nosle. If you used aircans, first I would recomend you get an airbrush, then pactice with those. Try different distances away from the “target”. Trust me, we’ve all had our days. I nearly sh*t a brick when I screwed up the camo on my M10 Tank Destroyer I was building for the Sherman GB. I had done a really nice job on the inside, an ok O.D. outside, and a very very bad camo on the outside. I was able to salvage it, but not after a little paint, sweat, tears, and yes, blood. Hang in there, you’ll get past your darkest days. Like they always say, things get the darkest before dawn.
P.S. You burned it? I would have used some firecrackers and M80’s (speaking from experience)[:D][;)]
Sometimes you put too much pressure on yourself. You have to tell yourself to move on
and try to get something finished. They always look better when finished.
Not to rub salt in the wound WWII but now you have no P-51 where as if you had sat back and rethought it you would have had at worst, a p-51 wreck for a diorama.
Part of getting better at all this is not destroying what you’ve done, because despite what you may have learned by building it the first time, you have nothing to reference back to, nor even nostalgicly look back on to see your improvement, but by looking at the problems you’ve encountered and troubleshooting what you’ve done.
Of all the things to mess up, paint is the easist to fix. It can be removed and reshot on your model. Structuraly the model was still sound and can be repainted. Even if you thought you could not have repainted it, there was still the option to use it for other applications. i.e.
-A test bed for new techniques. Paint or structural. Most modelers have one or two that they have relegated to being a guinea pig for something. It has more validity and you learn more by working on a 3 dimensional item than trying out something on a flat piece of styrene.
- Diorama applications. Shot down in the water, hidden in a barn, under a tarp while others are being readied for flight. Attacked on the ground. Crashed. Being scrapped after the war. (one of the most ironic photos I’ve ever seen was of ex german soldiers and mechanics, destroying allied aircraft after the war for salvage.)
- Salvaged for other parts. You may have a missing part, or ruined a part that you could have salvaged from this bird.
The key is finding the silk purse in the sows ear. I know it doesn’t fix the situation now, but look at this as a learning experience. Move on and keep it in mind for future reference. We all stumble a bit before we walk and certainly practice a bit before we run a race. If you find that you are getting frustrated with something, move on. Put it aside. Do something else. You can always come back to it later after gaining more experience or learning a new technique. Besides. Who are you modeling for? Us or you? Despite what it may look like, you must have had some enjoyment while building it and when you first started painting it. Don’t compare what you are doing to anyone else here. It is your project and not for us to judge you or your build for it. (There are other venues for that and a whole different thread). We are capricious with ourselves and with what we perceive as aestheticly pleasing. Some like heavy weathering, others like factory new. Some build from the box, others heavily detail. Allied, Axis, modern, WW2, aircraft, armor, civilian, figures…It is what interests them and what drives them and their creative whim.
gderue put it best, in that we often are too hard on ourselves. I will add that our expectations sometimes exceed our abilities and we set ourselves up for a fall. There is no need to. Enjoy what you build, regardless of what you fear anyone may think. Again, it is not for us or them, it is for you.
Good luck, and go out and buy another one. Once more into the breech dear friends once more…
Buddy, You can always fix bad paint. It does come off. You fell off your horse, just get back up on it. That little plastic model shouldn’t be able to “wup” you. I’ve been there, I think every modeler on this forum has too. All these guys are right, learn from it, part of the satisfaction of making mistakes is fixing them, thinking “out of the box” and developing your own creative techniques to get yourself out of a jam. Hang in there!
Steve
[#ditto][#ditto]To all the above I just finished a tiger 1 that I had to paint 3 times now I like it,and just keep in mind things do get better.
Someone has some issues to deal with ya little pyro!..[:D]
We all get discouraged from time to time, soldier, but don’t give up! I once felt like you did when I was younger, but I managed to improve to the point where I’m an average or
better modeler. One of the great things about modeling is that there’s always the potential to improve. And part of the reason of my being here is to learn how to do that.
Whatever problems you may have with the painting phase of modeling can be addressed & remedied right here in the forum’s technical section. I plan on harvesting
as much of this information as possible–it’s really invaluable. But the fact that you haven’t already given up in spite of not being satisfied with your end result speaks volumes. You keep coming back for more, so there must be something about modeling that you really love. Concentrate on those aspects, & then try to eliminate
the things that keep you from enjoying the hobby more. There is absolutely no reason
that you can’t become a better modeler–you’ve got a brain & two hands just like everybody else here. Maybe you just need to get you confidence back, & if that’s the case then try a fairly easy kit. Take your time (the most important key to modeling, in my opinion) & go all out to produce a good end product. Then once you’re satisfied with it,
build on your success by tackling another kit & applying the lessons that led to your previous good work. Above all, take the logical approach. THINK: what are the things that I do that lead to my successes?; what are the things that I do that lead to my failures? Be as honest with yourself as you can, & then begin to ACT on your conclusions. I sense very strongly that deep down you really love modeling, & it would be a shame to see you or anyone else give up something that he or she loves due to
discouragement. Because, believe me, soldier, I can testify from experience that nothing hurts so much in life as a lost love.
Sometimes men, being men, just have to destroy something.
Thanks for the input! I have all of my confidence back now. I started to paint my Willys jeep and it looks good so far… Now to just tackle that weathering job… lol Thanks for the support, I wasnt about to leave the hobby, I just wanted to vent, and gain some reasurance from the all of you guys. You wouldnt believe how much a person’s comments can lift someone up!
Ataboy, good for you, soldier!! Your post really got to me & I’m glad to know that you’re
back on an even keel. Stiff upper lip!
Glad to see you have your confidence back!
Whenever you feel frustrated with a build, just walk away from it for a while. When you see it again with fresh eyes, you’ll probably see that it’s not so bad!
Ya know, I’ve built quite a few models with the intention of blowing 'em up! Luckily, got 'em all on film!
pix from the a/c forum has a statement, build what you like, like what you build. it looks as though your dilema is over, good for you. you have moved on. remember that when you build mistakes are common. everyone makes mistakes, either minor or major. the only time mistakes really hurt are when we dont learn from them.
i recently finished the f4f from revell, a very difficult kit. the landing gear from the kit was horrible. illfitting and difficult to deal with, i felt that i could have easily destroyed the kit ending my misery but my wife made me step back and look at it. i did and then completed the kit over a two week or so period. when i decaled it i misplaced the decals. was very frustrated but ordered a different set and then completed the build. the only reason for this story is to show that we all make mistakes. it is how you deal with them that separates.
joe