God is in the Details
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How the Love Affair began I, like the vast majority of model builders, began model building as a boy of about 10 and faded as my interest switched from the glory of war to the beauty of girls. Now that I’ve gotten married, had kids and settled into a career, a little distraction was needed to maintain my sanity. I rediscovered modeling after finding a Monogram "Ostwind Flakpanzer" kit (pictured below) that I built as a kid on Ebay. I began to research WWII history and new model building techniques via the Internet and reference books. It has been heavenly bliss ever since! So let the games begin! Why Build? If you are going to spend time building models, it is only prudent that you do your best. Why spend hours working on pieces of fragile, light, plastic to simulate a heavy, clumsy, piece of metal if you’re not going to be elated with the results. My goal with each kit that I assemble is to be the best one that I have built to date. If it isn’t, then I’m not finished with the project until I am happy with the results. You know the old proverb "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." Some Examples Here are some photos of my earlier work. This is the Ostwind Flak Panzer by Monogram. It is pretty average in weathering and construction. As you can see, there were washes, dry brushing and other techniques used.
These are photos of some of my more current work. There are major differences in the crispness and the techniques are better executed. The model is a Pzkpfw 1B Command Tank by Italeri.
Of course there is always room for improvement. Just when I think I’ve really created a masterpiece, I click over to Missing Links and all the air goes out of my sails! Then I sit back and realize that this isn’t magic and I will not only master the techniques being used But come up with new ones! The Three Elements The one thing that all Military modelers have in common is our interest of Military History. The reasons we build are as varied as the styles of German Armour in WWII, but there are three major categories: The Historian The Historian builds to experience a little better perspective to help him visualize the vehicles that were used during that particular conflict. Reference books about actual vehicles and events feed the hunger. They are not as concerned about detail but more interested in stimulating the imagination. Modeling is a great way to experience history. The Engineer The Engineer builds for the details. Converting a kit that has wrong angles and dimensions into an exact copy of what was used in the field is Paradise. The more raw styrene plastic or brass photo etching parts on a production kit, the better. It becomes their mission to find every discrepancy and then make the corrections. These guys keep the rest of us honest! The Artist Then the Artist builds for the way they are Finished to look as they would in the field. Presentation is everything! The model should strike an emotion deep in your soul. Those of us who fall primarily in this category have to be careful not to confuse the way we want things to look with the way things are. But on the other hand, this is what starts the love affair for future modelers. I began my fascination with modeling when I walked by a hobby store as a young boy and saw a display case full of local modelers finished models. To be a Master Model Builder it takes all three aspects. Research, construction and finish The Internet The beauty of the Internet for us battle harden Modelers is that we now have an endless resource of information. Weather it be articles from Master Model Builders around the world and images of their work or a vast amount of reference information about the actual piece being assembled. Also the availability of kits, accessories and books through online Vendors fill in a lot of gaps that your local hobby shop might miss. Contest As we spend time working on our little miniature masterpieces and deriving much pleasure from the results, it’s nice to have the admiration from friends and family members to compliment us on our achievements. My wife is my biggest fan and puts up with a lot of plastic parts, tools and books that accompany any serious modeler. But there is nothing quite like building a kit with a contest in mind. It definitely puts you in a different frame of mind as you construct and finish your project. If I think that someone is going to examine my work that knows what He is looking at and appreciates the added details, I’m going to go the extra mile. It also sets a time frame on your work. So enter as many contest as you can to stimulate your creative side. If it’s not fun then why do it! The most important aspect of modeling is the pleasure it brings to each of us. There have been times that I’ve wondered….Why? Maybe I’ve gotten bored with a particular project or stumped with a certain technique. I’ve found that sometimes I need a break to restart my interest. Because it’s all pleasure, there is no time frame and this keep the stress off. If I want to work on something, I do. If not, then I don’t…. it’s pretty simple. There are few things in life that are that cut and dried. |
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