I am in sort of a quandry. I have reached a modelling level that I am comfortable with and do not know how to move on. My stuff has placed well in a few contests so I know I can build at least that well. My question then is, how do I continue to improve? What goals should I set? What thought processes should I develope? What sort of 'structure' should I be developing to make sure I continue to progress? Somewhat deep stuff but any suggestions you all might have will be appreciated.
capnjock

Well, for me I will search through the gallery and find someone who has work that is better than mine and I try to emulate the techniques that they use.

Another thing is to simply try different kits, try different manufacturers or mediums. If you do primarily injected plastic - move to resin, if you do AFV's try figures, if you do OOTB go with AM add ons or conversions.

Other things I do are to edge toward a rivet counter. Check out a kit and really scrutinize it as compared to a 1:1 version. Then go crazy and duplicate it.

In the diorama world it's a bit easier to improve skills because I can always go from city to rural, fall to spring, etc.

Capnjock,
Why not show us some pic's of your work, or tell us what you have been building till now, to give us an idea of how you could work on improving what you have done sofar

Cheers
Henk

A good way to start is to pick one area of your modelling range of skills that is not on a par with the others and try to improve on that one. After raising that to a level you deem higher than the level of the other skills, again pick the weakest skill and do the same again and again... it's an on-going process...

In this hobby there is ALWAYS some thing new to learn... that's what makes it much a great hobby!

I used to build kits, pretty much OOB, but with some extra detail. Took a break for a few years due to work issues.

Restarted & quickly found I didn't want to just start up where I was & do the same thing.

A couple of different things grabbed my interest & in process of looking at kits & doing some research on the prototype, I got into adding detail.

I also shifted interest more into towed arty & soft-skin vehicles. At same time, I kinda got hung-up on adding brake/hydraulic/air lines, so that has become a new area of interest/emphasis for me.

Kind of whole new world from where I was .... See if something like that doesn't help ....

John

Thank you all so very much for the input! I will merge them together and make a structured class for myself. I have one picture of where I am at the moment, BUT, I have to learn how to put it in a thread first. Just as a point of interest, I slide between WWI armor, towed arty and modern armor.
capnjock

I did manage to get a picture in my gallery. Now I will try to put it in the thread.

I did manage to get a picture in my gallery. Now I will try to put it in the thread.

One last time.

IT WORKED, IT WORKED, gosh, am I surprised! Anyway, there is an example of my handywork for all to see.
capnjock

It looks like you've mastered the basics of the hobby then.. only kidding, that looks great. You obviously know your way around the finishing touches of weathering..
But, looking at this fine model, maybe some PE or detail scratch building might be an idea. Building OOB is good, but there comes a time when scale thickness is the next step.. like the hinges on the engine deck?
So, your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to build and detail with PE or plasticard... This post will self destruct in 5 seconds..

doem doem doem doem doem doem doem doem doem.....

henk, thank you for the kind words! Yes. Iam shying away a little bit from PE. I did an Eduard airplane and it was OK but the stuff is really fiddly to me. BUT, yes, I will accept the mission at this point. Thank you for pushing me on.
capnjock

You're welcome. I think the secret of PE is two fold ( no pun intended )

1 Patience and pliers. Take your time, and use some appropriate tools. You can't fold PE with your fingers.. and you have to sit down and look at your flat brass, and imagine what it should look like when it's folded. It's very easy to get a piece wrong, and give up on it.

2 Don't feel you have to use ALL the parts on the fret.. very few modelers do... Just use those you like, and feel confident to use/fold.. just adding/replacing the mudguards ( Fenders :-) ) on a tank can make a big difference to the appearance of the end product, without going mad with tool clamps etc. I have tried toolclamps once sofar.. the least said the better.. :-)
But I will try again, and succeed next time.

Good luck
Henk

HI Capnjock...Me what I do is try out something new with every kit ...My last Sherman I used Milliput to build up the shape of the turret..My next kit will probably be a Challenger 2 and I plan on trying to reproduce the anti-skid effect using Mr Surfacer.....Same thing with finishing techniques I think I might try some chipping on this one ..I'm still trying out different methods of using pigments to get different effects..So I do something new there each time too..
Read a new article and try out some of the tricks thy used...Damn it is a great time to be a modeller.

Rick

Nice tank. You have mastered a lot.

I agree with the Henk - PE is your next step. I have to echo what he already posted. Just be patient, you are starting something new so don't expect that the first one will come out as well as the stuff you're doing now already does. We all start somewhere and we build on each previous project as we go.

You'll do fine

Thank you again! On my latest attempt, I tried 'filters' after the base coats/shading before the weathering. As, I am still in the weathering process, I am not quite sure how the end product will be. It looks promising to me. My next project is an ARV. Should be plenty of opportunities for PE and detailing on it. I hope to finish the weathering on the one I am working on in the two weeks. I will try to get a picture of it then. Thank you for your support.!!!
capnjock

Capnjock, that does look pretty good, but have you mastered the art of cables and the little stuff to, like I seen on another site, I wished I could remember where I seen it now, for I seen a lot of real good work, but this work was great.

Like I read another one saying look at others work, and you will find better, if you look long enough. Now on these cables,and things, I could of sworn nobody could have painted this good, they had to be real, but sure enough this guy had mastered it fine, and he was the first one that I had seen that truly mastered it.

Now like I said, the others will look real good,and pretty close to life like, but not as good as his, but I always look for ways to improve my skills, but I'm working on so many parts, there is no way I will ever master all.

I probably should of done like you, and do one skill at a time, but I love building more then I do painting. Maybe you might like scratch building like Henk said, have you ever tried it.

When you have people look at your model and can't tell it is a model, they think it is the real thing, then you truly mastered it.
Kerry

I think you should switch it around and concentrate on things you normally wouldnt. If doing armor is your thing work on figures then dios and implement them all together. With each project I do I try to vary things and always try to work on an area that i previously had not been doing well at. Good luck with it. Cheers Kevin

this thread is truly an inspiration for me, i am just beggining over again, gathereing models, vn era, but i will get started . never did weathering so that will be my first task ...

again thanks for the push gang..........

reb

You have a good looking Whippet there as a stand alone model. A next step might be to make your next project more "alive" by placing it on a base with some indication of how and where it was used, ground work, vegetation, barbed wire, a wall or building remains, etc. . Add a figure or two (the dark side beckons) e.g., from Model Cellar which has British WW I infantry to add scale to the vehicle.

It just so happens that I did pick up a couple of WWI figures from Model cellar a little bit ago for a diorama idea I had. A year or two down the road mabye? Thanks all again for helping to clarify my thinking and giving me that added PUSH!
capnjock