Hmm?
Since I'm new to this scratchbuilding thing, I've wondered: Do I need plans? (call them blueprints, line drawings, sketches, etc.)
I've got two ideas waiting to be modeled. The first one is that Kushan destroyer that I posted a picture of somewhere in the forums. The other one is a brand new speeder, designed in my brain for the sci-fi campaign.
Should I make plans for it? Should I just start building a part and go from there?
I guess this post is a roundabout way of asking, "What is the best way to scratchbuild something?"

YodaMan

YM - In my humble opinion, you need plans, even if simple ones sketched out on a scrap piece of paper. I feel without them, the end result will likely be disjointed, indicative of "making it up" as you go along. For some, that's great, but I subscribe to a different thought.

The best scratchbuilders (again, my opinion) are modelers who create work indistinguishable from a store-bought model kit. Aftermarket, mass-produced, metal, brass, styrofoam, whatever, all blended into a final product seamlessly. The observer shouldn't be able to tell where one ends and another begins. The better you get at this - the more "fun" the end result is for you and the observer.

That's what I aspire to when constructing and completing a model - scratchbuilt or not. But, I always think out and draw down what I intend to do with the project beforehand.

Gunnie

Guntruck, that's not a humble opinion it's the correct one as you are quite right - without plans the model WILL become disjointed and it is harder to make two sides match.

Cliff

Ym,

As Gunnie pointed out Plans or at least a sketch WILL help keep things in line. You don't
necesiarily need a Complete set. Sketches are a minimum in my eyes.

Matt

I gotta agree with the senior rank guys here. Often even a basic sketch can show possible problems or issues that you would not thought of if you had not sketched it out.

I don't do much (ie any) scratchbuilding but I always do for dios. Sketch Top, Side, Rear and Front in even humble vignette's.

I figured. Better to spend weeks revising a drawing than changing a model, right?
...RIGHT?



Instead of drawing the model, I'll do something a bit different... Will try to find the 'ol copy of Half-Life that's laying around, install the level editor, and create a rough 3-D model. I can them load up the game, see my ship, and take pictures of it!

Untill then, I'll doodle to get the basic shape down. Instead of the copmuter modeling, I may just use random objects to create a 'mock-up'.

If you couldn't tell, I can't draw. Sadly, I used to be able to, before I discovered computer games...

YodaMan

Ym,

It's like riding a Bike............. You don't forget......
I'm a draftsman Use a computer @ work & a drawing Board @ home.

Matt

Yoda - for my scratchbuilding, I use Micrografx Designer, which is a drafting program. I draw everything out by hand first, scan it in, and then use Designer to scale everything and get precise dimensions and lengths. I then use a digital caliper to transfer this to actual materials.

Anal -you betcha.... you don't HAVE to get this fancy, but I've found that an hour or two at the computer saves me 4 hours with glue and goo! Shoot me a rough draft of what you are looking for, and give me the scale you need, and I'll send you back an electronic document blueprint.

I'm the KFMagee kind of guy as it comes to planning, but if you ask me "what do you really like", I'd say it's the sketching thing like envar does.... He's really a master in this sort of thing (it's a good thing it's his job )

Since I can't sketch, it's computerdrawing for me... #:-) , but I'm learning

To copy an existing vehicle on scale, a good plan will certainly help you a lot.
To build an imaginary space vehicle, you need to :
- figure out how big you want this to be in your diorama
- find reference pictures (things you have seen in a movie, in pictures,... and like to use as example
- look into your spare parts box. Maybe there are certain items you may wish to include (seats, wheels, steering wheel, dashboard items, engine parts, ... )
From these three elements, use your imagination to find what you want to build. What materials would you like to use ? A drawing can certainly help you to find out if this is really what you want to build. Saves you a lot of time and avoids dissapointments.
That doesn't mean you can't adapt or change your mind as you go along, but you need something to start from. If you feel good with software tools, you can make that an electronic drawing. I like to draw with pen and paper, on the exact scale the final result will be.
Good luck,
Jan