I seem to be having trouble keeping my focus lately when it comes to building models. I must have 8 -10 projects going currently and can't seem to finish any of them. What's worse I keep coming up with more and more projects. Luckily I am able to stop myself from starting them, instead I just write down whatever my ideas are.

I don't know if I am just bored or perhaps burnt out. I can't seem to put my finger on it.

Anyone out there with a similar problem or a helpful tip on how to turn this around?

Hi Marty-

I had that as well a while back

I build German Armor, mostly, and was kinda getting burned out a bit. What cured me was to buy a 1/48th FW-190 ..hehe

The plane is progressing nicely, and I seem to have re-gained my focus for armor. Maybe pick up a kit of a subject that you don't normally build? It worked for me :-)

HTH-
Jeff

I'm in the middle of that funk right now too Marty. What helps me through it is picking a totally different subject and scoring a "quick victory".

Example: I picked up one of my Fine Molds TIE Interceptor (fantastic kit) and sat down one Friday night to work on it. I had the thing done by Sunday afternoon - even though I had to force myself to focus on it from time to time. The quick finish and a great kit helped me break out of AMS.

I always keep a supply of quickies lying around in the workshop. Even building and finishing something as quick and as small as DML's Goliath can help you get through the doldrums. It's fun too...

Gunnie

I burnt myself out a few years ago tryng to build an Italeri Panther D kit ...I had five different P/E sets a new turret ,new wheels ,new tracks ,new barrel...at least a dozen books all over my desk ....I just picked the whole thing up one day and put it all away and was at least 2 years before I touched a model ....I then picked up a Centaur from Tamiya and built it straight out of the box....wow that was fun !! Still a challenge with the decals..but FUN! I then in one year brought out a M-3 Stuart,a KV1,a JSII, and a Famo...All pretty much (can never do it with out some kind of correction)OOB builds....
So maybe just go get an old kit off the self and build it for the FUN of it ..then you'll see the other projects will regain their place on your desk ...

Rick

Is there anything wrong with the projects? Any major problems that need extra attention? I know what gives me this problem is when a kit I am working on requires so much attention that it turns me off, it could be a major fit problem, painting error, or some money requiring paint or tool that I can't spring for at that time. I would also suggest something off the wall that you can build quickly to get the juices going again...or maybe just a break for a while?

Hope you catch the modeling bug again,
Sean

I'm going to have to echo what everyone else has said.

During the fall, I was working on a P-51 project, adding detail sets, etc. Was trying to get it done for Christmas, but due to work and some of the frustrations of the details, I gave up. I didn't do anything for a couple of months, then just a week or so ago got going again. I finished up a 1/72 Merkava that was 95% completed, and decided just to build something OOB. I grabbed Trumpeters AS-90 off the shelf and it's going together well.

So just finishing something is a big boost, as well as working on something you can see progress on. I'd also recommended (as did others) building something simple and quick so you can see the final project. That should get you going again.

Good luck.

Hi, Understand your delimma here. I currently have 5 (or more) models I'm in the midst of doing. I find it awfully hard when I bring a new one home 'to keep out of it', so to speak. I talk myself into just 'doing a little preliminary work' on it and then putting it back. Unfortunately this little 'preliminary work' usually developes into a lot more than I had planned to do originally, and soon I have parts of several model kits sitting around in the bedroom--in winter--or out in the work area in the garage--in summer, mainly gathering dust and other nasty things that shouldn't be settling on them. Plus the added danger of loosing parts or getting things broken due to their vulnerability sitting where they are at the moment.

Then, of course, all this work on different kits causes me to lose focus on each and every one of them and I find myself making mistakes by trying to 'rush' some of them in order to keep up. I think this is one of the may reasons I have lately 'misplaced' one of my Panther 1/25 scale road wheels. Sort of a 'punishment' by the model gods, if you will.

I think we modelers, in some ways, are being sort of 'forced' into this delimma by the amount of really nice kits out there today vs. the free time we have to pursue out hobby, no matter what particular part of modeling we're involved in. And since it seems that kits are being made now only for short periods of time we are being sort of 'forced' into buying them today, rather then putting that purchase off for a few weeks or months down the road because, more than likely, we won't be able to get them at that time. And, of course, having the kits in hand does create temptation to do that, again, 'preliminary work.'

In the last few days I've forced myself to re-focuse my priorities, so to speak, and have put all but one of the kits aside in their boxes and am returning to the 'just-one'at-a-time, no matter how much temptation there is to open another one is. And believe me I'm tempted all the time. It's almost like a drug addiction, of sorts.

But we shall persevere, I hope.

Good luck and take care, Sgirty

I am having the same problem currently. Some things that help me are doing like you do and writing down all of the ideas I have, maybe even doing a sketch or two. That way I can work out what I could do later. It also adds motivation to get the current project done. If you are really bored and don't have any cash, why not go back to one of your previos kits and putz around with it. Give it a new paint job, fix a broken part or inaccuracy, etc. and then go back to your current project. I have done this with numerous kits and all of them keep getting better and better, including the current project. Hope this helps.
Kyle

A good break sometimes isn´t a bad thing. Whenever I have a spell of modelling and get a lot of stuff done ..... i usually take a week or two off until I can´t sit still. Another great remedy s to go and rearrange your modelling area. Tidy it up.. throw away ll the scrap ... fix up the stash.. peep in to boxes once or ten times, leave everything set up in an ideal way...clean out the tool box. Ths one works every time. As soon as the modelling area is glistening .... you just have to mess it all up again!

Get an XBox
play some WWII games
you'll get inspired

Here's what happens to me:

I get an idea for a dio. I get all excited, go tearing around buying up all the parts and start building. A week or so into the project, I get another idea and I go tearing off again to buy all the stuff I'll need and start building the second project. So, then I've got two projects not completed, and pretty soon, here comes a third idea that requiring my attention as well.

I think for me it's the exctement over the one idea and then forcing myself to stick to it. I'm getting better at it. I think writing the ideas down or sketching them out is a good practice. I often find I can sketch the idea to death and it helps to keep me from running out to spend more $$ before really analyzing the feasability and scope of the project.

Another idea I've been toying with is to take all the stuff I won't need for ONE project and lock it in a cabinet. Give the key to my wife and tell her not to let me have it until I finish my current project or REALLY need to get something out of the cabinet for my current project.

here's another idea... Look at completing one project as a triumph worthy of a "reward" the reward is to move on to another project.

Another idea... establish a due date for your current project. This may motivate you to wor hard on one thing to get it done by the due date. Armorama campaigns and group builds are great for this. I joined the British/ Commonwealth build and have been totally focused on getting the model built. Even though it is not a fun model to build.

STEP BACK!

The hobby was becoming work. You just need a vacation. Been there. Done that.

Sealhead (Kansas Sunflower)

I am having this problem right now... I have a M32 Recovery vehicle on my bench (about 1/2 way built). I just used my 50% off coupon at Hobby Lobby and now I have 3 other models that I'd really like to start on (not to mention the 2 HMMWVs and BMP-1 that I have partially assembled and back in their boxes).

I think that my biggest problem is that I have been putting off buying a good airbrush due to the price (I have 5 kids at home!) and in order to paint them the way I want I need an airbrush.

I guess I'll have to find a side-hobby to refresh my modeling attitude...

I know how you feel. I just went thru several kits in various stages of completion and boxed up all but one. Too many projects and none being completeted. So now I intend to work on one kit at a time (yeah, right!)

The problem is that I start wondering how the new Italeri version of the M24 compares to the old one, so I built the hulls to both. Or, how does the 76.2 gun of the Alan Pz11 D compare to the Tamiya version from the Marder111. Same with the 15 Cm. howitzer of the DML Grille and the Alan Grille M. To compare "em, ya gotta build "em.

All intresting questions to me, but sure keeps the current kit from being finished.

Also, spending too much time surfing the net.

I don't see it as a 'problem". Every now and then a modeler will run into this situation. I always have several projects started, and then move on to another one.

From last June till now I have only 2 completely finished models, while half a dozen are nearly finished, waiting for painting and some final touch up.

If you lose interest in your current subject, or tempted by another subject, just pack the current one and started another. I don't see anything wrong or abnormal.

Of course, if you do that every time, very soon you wil have 20, 30 unfinished ones. Then it starts to be a problem. Like others have said, get some simpler models, and do an OOTB fast. Usually it works.

Are all of your current projects the same?

Sometimes it helps to vary what your projects are.

Instead of trying to build all Armor projects at one, try building some other type of model. That way when you get stuck, or just plain tired of what you are doing, you can go on to something different like an Aircraft or Boat model.

I also find it helps not to have all of my unfinished kits on a shelf in my work area staring me in the face. That way I can focus on my current projects without thinking too far ahead of what I am currently trying to finish.

If all else fails, get out and take a walk and clear the head!

I usually try to have three or four projects going at the same time. They are usually varied as to subject, but my usual scales (1/35 armor and 1/72 or 1/48 planes). But, when I feel that old “burned-out” feeling coming along, I have a stash of 1/144 planes I turn to. They are quick to build, and if you are careful on the painting, come out looking pretty good. I really think the satisfaction of completing something gets the juices flowing again. You might also just pick one of your projects and stay with it to completion, which may accomplish the same thing. It’s tough, but just remember, this is your hobby. Don’t overburden yourself, and make it too much like work.

Mike

I suffer from the same ailment. I have a closet full of "ongoing" projects. I have found the campaigns here to be the motivation for me to finish what I started. Of course, I did not finish my Splash diorama, but I had good intentions. The deadline makes me finish them. I know you did a great diorama for the Splash campaign; join another. The team spirit will keep you going.

Patrick

I've got quite a few half finished kits back in thier boxes........

Whatever you do....don't stop modelling or take a break from it. You'll get despondent and take up knitting or something!
Do what I did instead.
I have currently about 15 armour models on the go. I wasn't exactly bored...I just couldn't seem to finish one. So I started what was for me a pretty complicated diorama. The change from working in plastic to working in balsa wood and Dasclay was enough to build my enthusiasm back up again.
I have posted my progress in the 'Rivets Review' forum under 'First Dio Part 3'

Vinnie

Thank you all. I am glad to see that I am not the only one who has experienced this. I like some of your ideas and will give a few of them a try. I think I will be OK after all.

Wasn't there a thread about 'modelers attention defecit disorder' a while back?

Cause it's real and I have it bad!

Part of that came from having a small child and living in an appt, I could never get much unintrerrupted bench time and could not leave projects sitting out.
Now with a house and as my son is a little older, I have the freedom to leave a project out on the bench and close (and latch) the door.

I also agree with the idea of 'slammers', kits outside your usual area of interest that you build quickly and for fun.
I like retentively detailed armor projects, but for fun I build 1/72 historic a/c to hang from the ceiling of my classroom.
They provide a good break, finish quickly, and look good from 6 ft away.

Mike

I was stuck in the same boat untill last week. I found that 1. I just did not care all that much for the model I was building and 2. After much thought, I have settled on a progression of building that I can look forward to and consists of models I really enjoy. I packed up and gave away the offending kit and all of its after market goodies. I have also started going through my stash and giving away all the models I acquired just to have. I am keeping only those models I really think are interesting.
capnjock