Like everyone else said. Slow and steady. Take your time and enjoy it. Model building is more in the journey than it is in the destination. Also when fustration starts to set in, it’s time to either 1) set that kit aside and go to another one, or 2) walk away for awhile.
Have you considered changing what you model? Maybe you would be happier modeling a car, armor, trains etc. I can and have built a 1/72 model over a weekend - by the same token I’ve got 1/35 M-109A5 that I have been working on for five years - got all the operators and maintenance manuals, slugs of pictures and for some reason have been installing every nut, bolt and electrical line I can see on it - by the same token I have spent many an evening in my modeling room never touching a model, just reading and listening to the stereo - I figure that room is for relaxing and isn’t that what a hobby is for?
I finally got around to assembling and dry bushing the under cart of my Arado555, last night, only 3 months after I did the initial paintwork.
In a similar vein, I only painted two lineside huts for my model railway last week, 18 months after I built them.
My He177 sits atop the fridge awaiting delivery of a compressor so that I can actually paint it (I can’t paint any area larger than a stamp with a brush, without it looking like I applied it with a trowel!)
And I have never managed to finnish a model railway layout!!
But I do still enjoy it.
Like most of us, I have kids, a wife, a job, and modelling, in that order of priority.
Is it any wonder everything takes so long?
Karl
Hey Snoop,
I had (and still do to some point) the same problem as you. All the advice everyone has given here is great, but I’ll still throw my 2 cents in, just so I can get a cool star by my number of postings [:)].
Anyway, I was given what I thought was great advice…Just build SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Right out of the box, from start to finish. Dont worry about painting and seam filling or making it perfect. Build it like you did when you were a kid and have FUN!!! Do afew like that, then the next one, try to make it ALITTLE better. Maybe just paint the outside of it. Do afew like that, then when your happy, try something new, like puttying, or painting the interior. Once you have 5 or 6 models completed, you will feel better, even if they aren’t “show quality”. You can always build those later [:)].
Build a plane, then a car, then maybe a dinosar. Switch out every once in a while to keep from getting bored.
And most important of all, dont fall into the rut I found myself in. Dont look at the pictures in modeling mag’s and on websites like this and expect your kits to turn out like them the first few times. Even now, I look at my stuff and then at the Readers Galleries or something and think…“Why am I even TRYING?!?” Then my wife slaps me in the head and reminds me, I do it because I ENJOY it, not because I want to impress anyone. (Not yet atleast [:)])
Just remember, you only have to make YOU happy, not the world. And if you had fun building it, who cares what it looks like when its done?
Just my 2 cents…
William
Well, I think with Fall here and in Upstate New York, Winter usually last until late May, I can probably get my motivation going. The only other problem is trying to find the money to go and get supplies I need for that next step. I think if I told my duaghter that I do not have the money for Christmas just so I can get either building supplies or another kits I would be looking for a lawyer from my wife really quick[:)].
I think from what most of you said, just having fun building is the key. Let see how this Fall and Winter goes.
Thanks guys for all the help.
Our model RR friends have a technique I use in my efforts,“just good enough”, when things do not show,backs of buildings etc,dont spend the effort,make yourself happy as to speed of construction,finishing,weather and add detail later if possible . Above all make it not seem like going to work.
My cars in 1/8th scale usually take between a year and 18 months to build. Mostly scratch. The devil is in the details! I turn my own pulleys, create my own blower belts, floor mats, and tires in rubber. I would note there are some I am familiar with who rvel in “a model a day”… to what purpose? The “I did it all” is real strong for me. I have been in contests where awards are given for best use of aftermarket parts, and to me, I make all my own aftermarket parts-wondering why would you want someone else’s parts on your own creation? Time is basically irrelevant in building. As Amadeous put it… It takes a certain amount of notes to make a song.Whatever time it takes to embody the image you hae of the finished model… well, there it is!
Check out my post under “Estimate how many models you have built…” In the 1970’s, when I was a kid, I used to churn models out like an assembly line. I got back into modeling in 1996, and as stated in that post, I’ve only built four models since then! Being out of work, I’ve got lots of time to model, but after ten months, I’m still less than halfway through my current project. (Part of this was because I wanted to open two doors and a rear liftgate, and when I did that, I had to do MUCH correction on the interior tub to get it looking right, plus a lot of boxing in by the vehicle’s taillights. If Tamiya had an “open doors” option on their Jeep Cherokee, I’d probably be 60 to 70% finished.) With all the time on my hands, there are other hobbies that I indulge in…hiking; watching football; cleaning and admiring my insulator collection; reading and listening to music (yesterday, I painted parts of the model’s interior tub, then put the model away and listened to Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Dire Straits and the Atlanta Rhythm Section). So don’t worry about the amount of time it takes to build a model (although I must confess, I worry a bit, also).
It is natural to sometimes feel you’re stuck in a rut, especially if you’re at a stage when all you’re doing is trimming and filing, filling and sanding, more filling, more sanding, a little more trimming, a bit more filling and sanding, apply the primer and let it dry, ARRRGH! The primer reveals MORE holes that need to be filled and sanded; and after that’s done, more primer, and maybe a little MORE filling. (I just recently went through this!) And then you look at your references and discover that you forgot to model that extra detail you wanted to put in, so it’s back to that. On the other hand, it’s sure a lot more fun when you’re applying the actual paint and then assembling the parts. Just remember, every part that is glued into place is one part you don’t have to worry about![:)]
You could actually build a 1/72 scale model in a day if you were’nt worried about how it looks. To do a model you really have to be motivated to do it, time is not a factor. Some nights I will come home from work and maybe just paint 1 item or glue on a piece and that’s it. Other nights I will work for a couple of hours on a kit.
On average I will have 2-3 kits on the go at one time, since sometimes when working on a kit all you can do is glue a piece then wait for it to dry. With the other kits I have to work on fills in the time. Never like to see anyone leave modeling but I guess in the end you have to ask yourself do you really want to build models.