Sometimes the cutting mat killing all ...

[Bionic Modeler]

I promise I wont paint glue or otherwise disrepect your cutting matt. But what we with ours is our business. I don't remember anyone being appointed the tools police?

[Texman]

No need to be nasty ya'll. I understood Wilfrieds post to mean that he wishes that when
someone posts a picture of a nice build, that they not use the in work/working surface
cutting mat as the base of the picture. It is fine to do whatever you wish with your cutting
mat, but at least use a clean one for pictures. I could be wrong, it has happened.

Stop and consider the international makeup of this forum, and realize not all things will translate exactly as they are meant.

[Zakopious]

I use Chop & Chop flexible kitchen cutting boards which sell for about $3 each.

Since cost is not an obstacle, I use them for painting, gluing, punching and cutting.

If I were paying $50 for a fancy cutting mat, I would be more careful with it.

[Sidewinder81777]

My cutting mat AND computer desk (and fingers) are covered with super glue dots lol.

[southwestforests]

Originally Posted by Texman

Stop and consider the international makeup of this forum, and realize not all things will translate exactly as they are meant.

Funny that we have that exact same problem and my wife and I are from the same country!

[Mr. Hawley]

Actually I think Wilfrieds post brings up a good point. Y'all are, of course, free to do as you wish but I have also thought that there were some really neat builds that could benefit from a better presentation than a cutting mat. Just an aesthetic opinion.

[APA-168]

Hey, my presentation is crap anyways (bad camera and worse lighting) so I pretty much let the model stand for itself. It's a valid point, and I suspect a lot of people just aren't aesthetically sensitive in that way. But for myself, you'll be lucky if the mat is clear of debris, never mind paint and glue!

[Retired_for_now]

Sorry Wilfried ... lacking your photo skills and talents I just take the pictures where I work (play?). On the plus side, it does provide an automatic scale reference with the 1-inch squares, it keeps the glue off the table, and it provides a smooth working surface that I can easily scrape the glue off (use edge of steel ruler as a scraper).

If I was a better photographer ... or just not so lazy ...

Yogi (sometimes us amateurs just can't stop with the fingernails on a blackboard)

[Retired_for_now]

After a little more reflection (no pun intended).

Most of my pictures are "in progress." For these the work area is where I take the pictures and I do work on the cutting mat (sorry).



All the junk, sorry, tooling does distract from the subject so (if I actually think about it) I might do some cleanup and cropping to focus on the model.



When I finish, I try to take a clean picture but I don't do enough photography to have a dedicated mini-studio (OK, and lack the skills/interest).



Best I do is a makeshift backdrop draped from a couch ... which takes a little bit of time to set up (OK, relocate the dogs, move some lamps, find/position the blanket/fabric, take some shots, put everything away, review the pictures, redo the whole thing because I screwed up or didn't notice something, etc.).



Which gives me all the more appreciation for the POTW selectees and those of you (and you know who you are) who seem to effortlessly produce professional looking photos for every one of your posts.

Yogi

[Claus]

Well - if he means one should respect his tools. Please respect them if you like. Or abuse them - or do what ever you like. And if he means, presenting finished models on a cutting mate is not a pleasure for the eye - you don't have to look at those photos. Ignore them. But this is the problem with many of Wilfried's more philosophically posts. What is the meaning behind them? Or is there one?