I’m 71 years old and I enjoy primarily armor models. Right now I’m not into weathering, having come back to this hobby about 4 years ago after a very long absence. These past months I’ve been slowing down. I’ve got 15 models in my stash, soon to become 18. I think one of the reasons I’m slowing down is because some steps require more precise work. I tend not to do much airplane/jets just because of the canopy, especially the bombers where there’s a decent amount of frets to paint. I can’t seem to do a good job at painting them. I’ve tried to use different techniques and I still can’t do a good job. Some i just don’t bother with painting them!!! Sacrilege!!!
As far as weathering goes, I have not tried it yet I don’t know if I will ever go that route. I’ve seen images of beautiful dioramas that blows my mind. I mean you have to be an artist. It’s not just technique there’s definitely a feel that goes into it. Of course there’s always the theory of start with baby steps.
As far as what I get out of the hobby is relaxation, I get a big kick once the model is built. The one I’m doing now is Revell’s Junkers Ju52 1:48 scale. I chose this model because of the film ‘WHERE EAGLES DARE’ one of my favorite all time films. But again the multi-faceted canopy is scaring me. I’ve attempted to paint it and I just mess ie up. Gonna have to put my man-pants on and give it a serious go at it.
Hey Bob - so long as you’re having fun. For canopies I ALWAYS use 3rd party canopy masks such as eduard makes. I too can’t paint them by hand so they really upped my game. Also dip them in future floor polish (or whatever it’s called now) adds a really nice sheen like on this Osprey
@keavdog 's solution is correct. Canopy masks can be found for most models and is a good solution if you can afford it.
However, if you can’t find a mask to suit, you can do what I do and use decal paper. A clear decal paper, painted the proper color and cut into thin strips, can be applied over the canopy. This works well for 1/48 scale and larger models, though sometimes tedious. A pack of decal paper will last you a long time, in addition to coming in handy if you wish to make your own decals.
I completely agree with this. The technique, I get it. Reading about any technique, I get it. Watching a video tutorial, I get it. I understand the principle. But for some applications, when it comes to transferring that understanding of technique from the brain to the hands to actually do it, I don’t “see” it or “feel” it and I don’t get it. Tried some dry brushing on a current project (weathering clothing on a figure model) for the first time the other day and it was a failure. I believe one has to have an artist’s mind to put out truly great work. I’ve heard the encouragement. Work at it. Experiment. It’ll come. But that’s tough if you don’t “see” it or “feel” it. Not understanding how that part of it is learned. You either feel it or you don’t.
But, alas, I’m not giving up. Might take some shortcuts on the way, but I’ll keep trying. (Shortcuts in the short term meaning compromises on my current build as it is just not the right project to learn some new techniques on. I’m not going to spend a year trying to learn dry brushing on one particular build.)
Anyway, thank you for your post. Makes me feel like I’m not the only one that feels this way.
I guess the bottom line is try not to compare your work to others. That’s what is hard for me and I’m trying to get over that. I’ve always wanted to be great at something, but in the end, I’ll be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Maybe not so bad. It’s my understanding that some masters of a trade are just that. Masters of a trade. One trade. I recall Bill Parcells confessing (on 60 Minutes, years ago) the only thing he knows is football. Nothing else. He had a passion for football. Nothing else.
Point being, if you have one passion there’s a good chance you’ll be great at it. For those of us who have a variety of interests……jack of all trades is the tagline. Do I have a passion for scale model building? If I’m honest, no. I have other interests.
Not to mention the age factor. You’re 71. I’m 63. Certainly time to hone some skills, but perhaps not become a master. I, for one, am hoping to give myself some leeway during my rediscovery of scale model building. Not be so hard on myself and accept what I can accomplish, but also accept what I can’t.
Sorry for the long ramble. Hope this helps. It’s helped me, for what it’s worth. Thank you.
THIS^
I have my way of doing things. It may be better than some but far worse than others. I also have a very limited modeling budget (it is a very expensive hobby in Canada believe me) so work with far fewer purpose made supplies such as special weathering markers, fancy pastels, precut masks and so on. Most of my weathering and such is done with materials from the Dollar Store but I am happy with the results of my simple methods even if I don’t have 26 layers of specialty weathering products on a model to get effects.
Very much aware of this. I’m in Saskatchewan. More so expensive over the last year and a bit getting established, having basically just started the hobby. Could have been less expensive if I didn’t waste money on some things I don’t really need, or thought I needed and bought only to discover I don’t need it after all. But I digress.
Oh I know you knew! That was more for others that do not necessarily know that we pay way more for supplies and kits here. Just isn’t a large enough group pf consumers to bring the prices down.
Bob, I know how you feel about getting too old to do some modeling skills that we once did. Having fun with this hobby and that we model for ourselves first are the main things to always remember. After-market masks and the decal film are both great suggestions and I’m motivated now to tackle some of those big 1/72 scale aircraft kits in my stash that I’ve avoided because of their tiny canopies.
For masking canopies without pre-cut masks I have used the method FSM shared of applying tiny triangles to fill the space between the frame.
It can be time consuming, but it isn’t difficult and I’ve been very pleased with the results. I’ve also used this method when I’ve had to mask a curve of varying radius and irregular shapes.
As for weathering. Start small. Pick a single method and apply it on one model. Whether it’s brushing on some pastels, doing a pin wash, or dry brush. Pick one and practice it to learn the gotchas. It’s very important to be forgiving towards ourselves when trying something new and being accepting that perfection will not happen on our first try.
Exhibit A: My First attempt at doing a pin wash
The wash leaked out everywhere and I couldn’t clean it up completely. Learned the hard way that a well applied gloss clear goes a long way to making it easier and cleaner. I can’t count the number of times I had to repaint whole sections of the plane to fix mistakes. I learned a lot of ways of how not to do pin washes from this.
All I will say is that for myself, my connection to a random model is just, “Does it interest me?”. After that I will try to do some research, maybe look for a build log or kit review.
Gather needed supplies.
Then get to work. I’m nothing but a hack but I’ve tried to learn from my past mistakes and when I don’t repeat them, I book that as a win. I also try to use the tools that are available now.
So if a set of masks is going to make your work go from meh to “wow!”. Go get a set and see if it’s a worthy investment. Don’t punt on a great hobby yet!
Hi Trebor357! I’ll share my technique which has served me pretty well. There is a product out there called Parafilm M… It’s a lab film used for sealing beakers and test tubes… It also works well for masking. In fact Testors used to sell strips of it at a considerable mark-up! LOL! Not sure why they discontinued it, except that it does take practice to use it effectively.
Basically the way it works is you cut a piece about the size of the area you want to mask. Then you take the film and stretch it over the part to be painted and keep stretching until it sticks… Of course it helps a lot to make sure the part is clean and free of mold release agents, oils, etc.
Once it has a grip, the next step is to burnish it into place. In fact that’s the whole trick behind it is that you need to burnish, burnish, and burnish it some more, ESPECIALLY across the panel lines for the window frames. You can generally tell when you’ve got a good seal as it will become transparent.
Then with a new blade in your hobby knife, trim off the excess. If in the process of trimming, you notice it start to lift up in an area, just burnish it back down. You may need to go back and trim it a little bit more if this happens. The film can stretch quite a bit before it breaks.
That’s it… From there you can give it a light coat of clear to help seal it off if you think it’s necessary. Then when the paint dries, just lift it off. The film doesn’t leave any residue so there should be no post-clean-up if done right.
Masks work too IF available for your given kit. However, complex masks are pretty expensive and are a one-time use proposition.
Here’s an Amazon link for the film… You should be able to find a better deal by shopping around like I did. Keep in mind too that roll is a MONSTER amount for model building… Probably a lifetime supply worth!
Hi Bob, I also returned to the hobby several years ago after many years of raising my family and running a small business. Modeling was always in the back of my mind during those years. In my younger days, engaging in this wonderful hobby always gave me a sense of peace and tranquility as well as the satisfaction of accomplishment that comes after completing a build.
I am MUCH older than you (72, lol) and I must admit that after coming back to modeling I was a bit intimidated by some of the masterful pieces I saw in this, and other groups, especially the elaborate dioramas. But now that I have the time, I can read lots of posts and watch lots of YouTube videos which demonstrate some very clever tips and tricks to help improve my technique and make my models much more realistic. I can offer a couple of suggestions to make your return more enjoyable. As others have said, build for yourself. If you build as if you will be graded at the end, you will put too much pressure on yourself and spoil the fun. As far as canopies, ditto the clear acrylic floor polish dip (Future or Pledge, or whatever it is called where you live). It not only adds shine, but protects the canopy to allow handling without scratching it. Wipe it clean with a soft cotton t-shirt rag or q-tip before the dip. Also, I just splurged for my first mask set for my current Tamiya P-38J and I’m glad I did. Up until now, I had been using Tamiya masking tape and a new Xacto blade to make my own masks. That method works well for me but the precut masks are much easier and eliminate the chance of a stray cut damaging your canopy. Above all else, and this applies to every aspect of building, TAKE. YOUR. TIME!!! Don’t try to cram too much into one session. The really close work can stress you. I notice that when I tire, my hand-eye coordination will deteriorate, and that opens the door for mistakes, especially when masking and painting. Taking a break will help greatly. There are so many products and techniques available now that weren’t around 50 years ago when I used to build. Highly detailed kits, aftermarket parts, decals, wonderful paints, and easy access to others’ experience, make it easier than ever to build a model you’ll be proud of. You’ll improve with every kit you buy and probably surprise yourself with what you’ll be able to accomplish. One last tip: I don’t know how good your eyesight is, but the closeup work was hard for me, so I went to Costco and had them make me a pair of bifocals with extreme closeup lenses on the bottom. Big improvement! Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Happy modeling! Chris
I would second Binspin said about eyewear. I had a cheap version of the Optivisor,
Which had cheap plastic lenses which didn’t work well with my eyeglasses but when I invested in the actual product it was like day and night.
It has glass lenses and is so much more comfortable and it has a wide field of vision which makes looking at spruces and instructions so easy. The cheaper ones might have a very narrow focal point which means anything just outside of the spot you’re looking at blurry. They are so comfortable that I’ve actually forgotten that I was wearing them. I’m a hat wearer so I always have something on my head.
