What is a modeller

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for your input and thoughts.


They have all been a great read for me

[rickoshea52]

I don't think the ability to follow instructions makes one a modeller any more than following a recipe makes you a baker or cook, there has to be some other, almost intangible, element that's sets you apart and I think it is the art of interpretation. I mean that reading the instructions and iterpreting what they mean, their sense and the modeller's knowedge of the subject and/or experience is all part of the "skill".


I recently built two ship sets of main landing gear for an A350-1000 from an instruction manual written in French, nobody can tell me that the ability to follow instructions was the only thing I needed to do to build them.

[Guest]

I don't think the ability to follow instructions makes one a modeller any more than following a recipe makes you a baker or cook, there has to be some other, almost intangible, element that's sets you apart and I think it is the art of interpretation. I mean that reading the instructions and iterpreting what they mean, their sense and the modeller's knowedge of the subject and/or experience is all part of the "skill".


I recently built two ship sets of main landing gear for an A350-1000 from an instruction manual written in French, nobody can tell me that the ability to follow instructions was the only thing I needed to do to build them.

Ok.


I just said it in short, is not just the ability to understand the drawings, is more then that, taking initiative to change the model, painting him propper, building a diorama, and creating a story. We are artist. Artists are creating a story for you if you know how to look deep in their work.


Same us as! If you know how to look, that static diorama is telling you a story enough to fill up 30 minutes in to a movie, if you, as a modeller are good enough to tell that story.   And a good scale model or diorama can tell that story to anyone, modeller or simple watcher.


This is for me the meaning of the term " modeller"!

[stona]

'Hellcat' makes a very good point above about the research that goes into a model before the glue is opened. This might not be important to all model makers, many may be happy to build OOB and take the kit manufactures' research as good enough, it often is. There is nothing wrong with that at all. I fall into a category in which the historical research and back story are as important as the model. I will try to represent the subject as accurately as possible from the chosen kit, but I fall well short of rivet counting and micrometre measuring


Cheers


Steve

[Guest]

'Hellcat' makes a very good point above about the research that goes into a model before the glue is opened. This might not be important to all model makers, many may be happy to build OOB and take the kit manufactures' research as good enough, it often is. There is nothing wrong with that at all. I fall into a category in which the historical research and back story are as important as the model. I will try to represent the subject as accurately as possible from the chosen kit, but I fall well short of rivet counting and micrometre measuring


Cheers


Steve

I tend to build out of the box.Except when it comes to ships and I do like to add detail sets to them.


I like to model as accurately as I can but I'm not worried about true accuracy.


Where I do find research is important is with large figure kits.Some kits come with painting instructions and some without.Some just show a black and white picture on the box and the majority come without any form of building instuctions.

[Guest]

The artistic element in modelling has been mentioned. There is scope for that in scale effect, washes, dry brushing, shading, real-looking detail and overall effect, the matching and enhancement provided by the background, and, especially in a dio, the appealing and natural harmony of the whole.


Here is an outstanding example by Spanner in this forum:


(Super SIG, The Mud Effect, 2016 GB ***Shaky Jake's Bait Shop***)





It's interesting, superbly realistic, complete, a gem of a model, and only the size of an outstretched hand! I truly think it is the best model I have ever seen, and it relies on a lot of artistry for its impact.

[Gern]

Don't we just take a collection of materials - whether they're exquisitely fabricated parts we merely glue together, or a collection of 'pizza bases and garage sweepings' to use Ron's words - and use them to create an object that tells a story? Even if it's a simple story such as "This is what this object looks like". Aren't we just story tellers who don't use words to create our stories?

[eddiesolo]

Something I try to be but, fail most of the time