SPA Modeler

If I started building for competition I’d probably have an even harder time finishing anything I start

You know, I'm probably going to go against the normal here by suggesting that to be really happy with one's hobby (what ever that is), you have to accept where you're at and forget about this constant need to improve that we're all supposed to have - and just enjoy the process of doing it.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't learn new techniques etc. (that's why I bought an airbrush after all) or that we shouldn't improve - it just shouldn't be the be all and end all.

A couple of years ago I came to the realisation that my models were never going to be awesome works of art and I was never going to be an uber modeller, because if nothing else I haven't got 10 plus hours a week/day to plough into a build, I'll be lucky if I have an hour., and even if I had, I'm just not that driven. I accepted that my models are always going to be pretty slap dash affairs, and moved on - and tbh I've had more fun with my modelling in the last two years than the 10 years previously.

Stuart, your comment really hit home for me, I am part way though a dozen builds and this is because of stumbling blocks along the way do to my skill level, I think I, as well as others, invision our models winning contests or earn a commission from a museum and that is unrealistic. If we beat ourselves up over the build in question, fun goes out the window. We should enjoy our hobby and have fun sharing on sites like this great forum.

Perfection is the enemy of Progress!

I build to make a display of aeronautical history and doing one model per year won't work for me because I don't have 3,000 years left!

“Don’t let the thing you do to decompress start messing with your head.”

Good words.

Stuart wrote:You know, I'm probably going to go against the normal here by suggesting that to be really happy with one's hobby (what ever that is), you have to accept where you're at and forget about this constant need to improve that we're all supposed to have - and just enjoy the process of doing it.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't learn new techniques etc. (that's why I bought an airbrush after all) or that we shouldn't improve - it just shouldn't be the be all and end all.

A couple of years ago I came to the realisation that my models were never going to be awesome works of art and I was never going to be an uber modeller, because if nothing else I haven't got 10 plus hours a week/day to plough into a build, I'll be lucky if I have an hour., and even if I had, I'm just not that driven. I accepted that my models are always going to be pretty slap dash affairs, and moved on - and tbh I've had more fun with my modelling in the last two years than the 10 years previously.

Wow, you couldn't have said it better! I feel the exact same way and it's why I constantly build the way I build. I do look for opportunities to improve and work on said opportunities, but I do it to see if I can master them; not make my models more competitive.

SigEp Ziggy wrote:Stuart, your comment really hit home for me, I am part way though a dozen builds and this is because of stumbling blocks along the way do to my skill level, I think I, as well as others, invision our models winning contests or earn a commission from a museum and that is unrealistic. If we beat ourselves up over the build in question, fun goes out the window. We should enjoy our hobby and have fun sharing on sites like this great forum.

I certainly never envisioned this, but I will admit I do hope to place in the contests I enter. That being said, it doesn't matter to me if I don't place. Most people are completely against entering contests because of the reasons mentioned previously. It is because they forgot the essential aspect of this hobby as expressed above. While I do build for contests (because I love entering and showing my work) I don't stress over making anything 'perfect' for competition. If it places, great! Icing on the cake! If not, oh well! At least people are able to see the latest models I completed since the last contest. And because I enjoy my hobby and don't stress about making my work competitive; I always claim my models are "locked for Fifth Place in all my categories!" (there is only First, Second and Third) Everyone loves that, and I get a lot of laughs. Despite all this, I have taken home quite a bit of hardware over the years which is fantastic; but the most fantastic thing to me is seeing all my modeling friends, seeing their work, learning new things from them, and showing off my work. That to me, is what a contest means to me.

It's too bad that so many guys who are down on contests can't see things this way; I would be thrilled to meet them face to face and see their models in person. So many I will never meet because of this attitude against contests.

Contests are cool because they advance the hobby, and allow folks to meet in-person and see each other's work. They're also cool for probably a thousand other reasons. Those were the two that jumped out at me.

Contests are cool and in my mind essential to the further development and evolution of the hobby for all those reasons.

I don't think about contests at all because I am a neurotic mess of a barely functional human being and the moment I decide to like, build "for something" (like a contest), or train "for something" like a half-marathon or a Jiu Jitsu tournament or a PL Meet, BOOM! all of a sudden I mentally logjam, I throw 110% of all my time and energy and attention into it to the point of sheer madness and I agonize over every single little detail associated with it. And time and time again that thing that I do ruins what I like doing.

It's like with my guitar playing.

I'll go plug in my Les Paul, or pick up my acoustic, and play "Hey Joe" right now. No problem. I'll sound great, too. But if you walked into my office and I tried to play it for you, right in front of you, or make a video ... it'll sound like crap and I'll have to try over and over again to not mess it up.

Oh well. It's better I just get to have these things for myself. And I can share pics of my stuff here, that's no problem. And you guys never make me feel like I have to build faster or do things I'm not comfortable with in my builds or whatever.

All that said, I don't take anything away from people who do contests. They're necessary to the hobby and I'm glad they do it.

I like the 5th place comment Mark. I enjoy contests and think they are great for the hobby - it just spooled up AMS for me, at least when it comes to IPMS contests. I loved the old TamiyaCon contests where whatever Mr Tamiya liked won, plus all the other fanfare - sure do miss those.