Self Reflections of a Paper Modeler

[CMDRTED]

the camera thing is actually good/bad and mostly ugly. yes it will show flaws . but all the flaws you see with a camera and the macro lens or as I call it SFFL (super flaw finding lens) are not reason to consider a build bad. so what if there is a .05mm smudge or a small wrinkle that you can't see with the naked eye. we view the models with the naked eye. it is good at keeping a record of your builds and progress as a builder. My philosophy at modifications to a model are; does it make a difference, can it be made easily, and most important can you see it without the SFFL.

[dhanners]

Most of the models I build I view as starting points -- there is always some detail to be added or enhanced. That doesn't reflect badly on the designer; rather, it underscores the robustness and versatility of what they've designed.

Quick case in point: Years ago, when Ken L. West released his excellent X-15A-2, I asked him about offering the shorter, pre-stretch (and much more attractive...) X-15. He said, correctly, that they were different animals and it wasn't just a matter of cutting 28 scale inches out of the X-15A-2's fuselage. He said the model couldn't be converted into the shorter version. (I've still got the emails in which we discussed it. He was pretty adamant about that.)

After building his 'A-2, I became more and more convinced Ken's design was more versatile than even he knew. Yeah, it was a matter of figuring out what to cut and where to cut it, and some parts had to be altered and/or scratchbuilt, but you can build an accurate version of the shorter X-15 out of Ken's model.

Yeah, it's nice to have the card equivalent of the styrene "shake'n'bake" model, but I believe many of us enjoy the challenge of trying to make a good design even better. For me, that's one of the attractions of the hobby.

[Woody1]

I couldn't agree more, I have been a modeler since I was 8 years old, (I am now 67) and have enjoyed building models all those years. Most of the time I was building plastic models and was obsessed with detail. As I got older and discovered paper modeling, I was so excited to try a new venue. I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of learning how to model in this new medium. I realized at an early stage, I was not going to be be able to build in paper with the same detail as I had in plastic. Once I got to that point I realized that I just wanted to model to make myself happy instead of what other people thought. Now I enjoy building a model for the process of building the model. If it has a few quirks and rough spots, so what? I had fun. Modeling is supposed to be fun, not a task. I had too many years making other people happy. It's time for me. I still build models in other media (plastic, wood & metal) but I get my greatest enjoyment from the simple pleasure of putting a few pieces of paper together and making something I feel good about.

[Isaac]

Like anything else, there are varying degrees of accomplishments. Building paper models is no different. Not all of us sing like Pavarotti, and sometimes it is better to sing in the shower when no one else is listening. However, it is fun to sing in the shower alone and so is building models.

So basically whatever floats your boat.


but.........

In my opinion there are times it is OK to share and then there are times to just keep it to yourself.

The purpose of the forum is also to learn techniques and also solicit improvements and avoiding the obvious and less obvious mistakes.


Kits in my opinion need the following:
- A good design ( preferably computer generated for good fit )
- A good assembly process and graphic instructions
- Ability of the parts to conform and be assembled
- Good cardstock for the kit material.
- A good print of the kit ( coloring )

Next comes the builder:
- Experience level ( beginner, novice, mid level, experienced, expert )
- Tools ( cutting, bending, forming, hole punch, tweezers etc.... )
- Glues and adhesives for the right parts
- Time to build ( am I in a rush, or have time to go slow and weave it into daily life ).
- Miscellaneous : place to build, lighting,

I am sure there are more pointers.


lastly for me, it is knowing what I am building and researching it. I do not build something I don't know about or what it looked in full scale. For example, some airplanes have wings that droop down ( anhedral ), So why build a model of a Mig-15 with the wing tips pointing up in a dihedral? If you see that in a kit, you should not go forward with obvious errors. If you do build it then at least point out that mistake ( or be open to others noting your error ).

and as far as improvements, those are optional and sometimes are fun. Some kits also come with parts that can't be seen when the model is finished, so it is OK to delete those. However, it is great to add features such as separate control surfaces, open canopies, landing gears, external loads........


Last point: I, like others have certain subjects and level of builds that I like. So I may scroll by some posts, or ignore ones that are of no interest to me. I also avoid folks that tend to be confrontational.


Some modelers welcome comments and learn from them ( as long as those are not posted to just flame or troll the builder ), while others are very sensitive and possessive , so that is another area to navigate thru lightly ( remember if the baby is ugly, then say something nice about the baby carriage, or say nothing at all ).


So welcome one and all.


Isaac