Hi there Shipmates

Do you consider that such a thing as modelling confidence exists?

Where you start a kit full of confidence with the specfic end product in mind to a certain standard only to get into it and things go wrong (minor or major) and you get put off and despondent.

Is this one of the factors that contributes to some modellers giving up on a project half way through to start another?

Maybe things go wrong because we can lack the "modelling confidence" that we can create that end product we desired at the start hence due to this lack of confidence we create a lesser finished product?

Do we let ourselves down through a lack of self belief?

Do we say to ourselves thats an awesome model however through a lack of confidence and self doubt we consciously /sub consciously prevent ourselves from duplicating the same result.

I am still formulating my thoughts and theories on this and I wonder what others may think.

I suspect I may be like this but it is going to take a great deal of self analysis and experimentation before I reach a conclusion on myself.

Regards

Sean

Well, that is a good question.
I get that way sometimes. Usually when the reality of the build is too far off from what my initial vision was. For instance, I have an old Italeri White Scout Car that I was working on. I didn't like all of the bumps that were supposed to represent all of the screws on the body. So I cut them all off and layed out the positions of the replacements and then realized I dind't have the equipment or know-how to make all those screw heads. It is similar to the problem on the new M2 half track where they represented them as rivets instead of screws. I am inclined to scribe the slot in the tops of those because their shape good enough for me. The rivets on the Scout Car just weren't usable(IMHO). Now I have shelved that project until I either figure out a way to make the screw heads without losing my sanity or someone makes a pile of them available for sale or someone makes a gadget (I love gadgets!) that will make a reasonable job of it and will sell it to guys like me.
Yes, this lack of confidence in my ability to make the screw heads has shut down a model that I desire to have completed. Sometimes I wish I could just build out of the box, like in the old days, and not get so wrapped up in the small details..... But I can't.... If it can be improved then I must make an attempt.....
One of these days I will get it done.....

Of course it exists Sean!! The amount of stuff i never finished throughout the years because i lost confidence halfway through. but then it evolves with age, you tend to listen to yourself less when you blow a nerve.

Actually I feel like I just overblow my confidence, i usually work in the idea that i don't want to do the same thing twice and that the next project must absolutely be better than the previous. So i tend to put the bar very high concerning my abilities and that causes me a lot of stress because I have one chance over 2 of completely messing up the project.

so what i do since internet, whenever i am feeling blue about a project, i am posting some in progress pics, as the feedback is usually excellent, it usually helps me to work one week or more on the project.
Thank you MSW :-)

Ahoy Sean,

I'm like that now. I start a project knowing how I want it to look only to find myself way in over my head or not doing it perfect and I lose confidence. The model gets shelved. OCD I guess. I do it with art projects at work too.

Gator

Hi Sean, Jean-Luc, Kenny and the rest of the Crew

I would like to call it a different thing:
Expectations
When you have a model that you start, and you don't have your modeling skills well "trainned", you see a lot of models on the web, in sites like MSW, Armorama and the lot, and you will try to replicate what you see - and some times they are built by professional builders!
When a modeler is starting and he/she tryes to achieve the same result as that seen before (magazines, web, etc) and it gets a diferent result it gets demotivated.
The thing is that NOT all the models you see published are correct, even if they look great, and you can get a good model even if it isn't just like that that you have seen!
But for every modeler to feel confident, it should have the basic techniques mastered:
- Treating the parts (removing flash, sink holes, seams);
- Building (gluing the parts correctly with the proper amount/type of glue and removing gaps)
- Painting (airbrushing or paintbrushing)
- Weathering (if that is the case ,or the taste).

If a guy, like me, manages to handle this few techniques and scratchbuilding parts (for enhancement or replacement) it should be happy with the end result of his/her project!
And then, if the members of the club or webmates can had some tips for the next project, the better!

Just my two cents,

Skipper

Not so much of a problem for me.
I have no confidence that I’ll do a good job.

Actually one it comes to model building I have the same mind set as I do when I do carpentry or woodwork. Chances are its not going to come out perfect so I don’t worry about mistake. When you screw up just fix it and move on doing the best you can.

Hi Guys,

I think that's something we all suffer from. Every kit I build is a challenge, some I have no idea if they will work or not, many I've gone back to and re-worked more than once when I've figured out a solution to the problem.

The feedback helps a lot and my confidence is higher, but I still see the flaws in my work and get frustrated when I can't get the bits I want or don't know exactl how to solve a problem.

The 2 Bedfords I'm building now are my first major scratch build not including the M7 Priest which as yet isn't quite how I want t to be.

I get satisfaction from knowing that I've build the kit as best I can at that moment of time, given my limited skill and experience of working with different materials. Each build adds a little more knowledge and hopefully a slightly better kit.

That's both the fun and the challenge for me I don't want the perfect kit I want as good a reprersentation of the real thing as I can manage and live with..

In my case that's a lot of trial and error - :-) :-) :-) Usually more error :-) :-) :-)

Just keep plugging away and have fun are my thoughts. If it isn't a 100% who cares as long as you've made your best effort.

I've just sawed off 2mm on the cargo tray because I underestimated the area for the spare tyre rack. Them's the breaks, when I realised the error I just wanted to trash the whole kit, but I dismantled what I'd done, made the alteration and re-build it, It's still about .5 of a mm out but that's as close as I can get it without ripping the whole thing apart and starting from fresh. Not perfect but close enough to live with.

Have fun lol, lol.

Cheers

Al

Ahoy mates,

Very interesting subject.....and if I may I will go along with Skipper on this one.

The big question is EXPECTATION.....what do you expect to achieve when
building a model.

If a novice surfs the net and lands on a site with incredible models and
expects to achieve similar results and does not.....should his confidence be
shattered? Definitely not. The person should realize that the model was built
by someone with years and years of experience or even a professional at that.

So what is the next step?

Well ask yourself a few questions and then apply the "Secret Formula"

1. Who am I building this model for.
2. Have I developed the required techniques to achieve the same result.
3. Do I plan to compete with this model and who am I up against.

Build models for yourself unless you are a professional and need the
bucks for your daily bread.

Apply your acquired knowledge and nothing will go wrong. A accident can
happen but generally nothing that can't be fixed.

Test any new techniques on scrap before attempting it on a $ 50.00 kit.

If you enter a competition do it for the fun and you will be surprized that
sometimes a nice model blows away that "perfect piece" as some call
them....I've seen it happen at major events.

To sum it all up......I say have fun, do your best and enjoy the results.

The other option is to drive yourself crazy.
:-)

Then again some of us like to inflict pain on ourselves! :-)

Seriously, use what you have learned and then if you feel that you lack
some "CONFIDENCE".......type the magic word(s):

MSW / ARMORAMA

Someone here will surely help discuss any info you may need to build
better models!

Oh yes, the "Secret Formula"...... ......well, it's a secret! :-)

Have a nice day and happy modelling!
Joe

As Dirty Harry says:
A MAN HAS TO KNOW HIS LIMITATIONS



The issue is how far have you gone to find out where they are. Mine is vision....even wearing super-googles the hand eye coodination is only what it is. The difference between a micro-surgeon and a general-surgeon. So for me it is a little scratch build (nothing like on the bolt and screw level) and photo-etched

This is a very interesting topic.

Another thing is an issue for me, complexity.

A kit like the 1/350 Trumpeter Hood is about the biggest that I can tackle in one hit. I may do some PE railing etc on it down the track now that it is completed OOB. I like to do one project at a time and not have several builds going at once.

I have built the Trumpeter Karl Morser.
I first built and weathered the tracked Mortar itself .and a year later built the two rail transporter wagons that it attach's to. The wagons are kits in their own right.

I am now 3/4 through building the Trumpeter BR52 to haul the Karl and that is a complex kit.
I only have the running gear to attach to the engine, but am finding little excuses not to get started on the final stage. Once I do get going, I enjoy the building and wonder what made me procrastinate.
I have been painting and weathering this one as I go because it composes of 5 major sub units and it woud be difficult to paint and weather the fully completed model and do it justice as a working steam train (read dirty , dusty, but well maintaned, greased and oiled and very little rust anywhere)

An AFV ,say a 1/35 Dragon Panther tank is a comfortable one project in easy time for me.

I have a terminal health conditon that will take a while, but I am lucky that my brain and motor skills are still O.K. and kitset modelling keeps me sane and takes care of that urge to fiddle with delicate items.

I also value internet modelling websites such as the Armorama community to get some interaction with the outside world and inspiration to try just that little bit harder next time and hopefully do some positive contributing of my own.

Modeling confidence does exist and I have to agree that this is an excellant thread!

I've got my Uboat waiting for me to do the CMK compartments to be done so I can get with it. The only problem is is that I haven't built anything for about a year and don't want to screw things up, so I just have to work on a few other kits that aren't "as important" to me as the Uboat. Just gotta rebuild that confidence in myself and my abilities up to where I want them.