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[Colin Bishop]

I can see why you were disappointed Ron, but it's a shame you've let one bad experiece put you off for life. Before I started judging at the ME I put my SS Granada, a 1:100 scale fruit ship in the Exhibition, only an 80 mile round trip. The judges ignored it.

The next year, wanting a free pass to the show, I put it in again. The only change I made was to put a row of painted model pistol caps intended to represent fire buckets on the wheelhouse roof. The judges gave it a Silver Medal. A few years later I entered a model of an Isle of Wight ferry - it was awarded a Bronze medal. That's life I suppose. My view was that it's nice to get an award but I got the most pleasure out of putting my models into a major show where they could be seen and hopefully enjoyed by the general public. I wasn't really bothered what the judges thought. I was happy with the models and that's what really mattered to me.

I do rather object to being referred to as one of "you guys". I'm a modeller, just like you and would appreciate the courtesy of being treated as such. Just because I occasionally judge doesn't mean that I have horns sprouting from my forehead and cloven hooves....

Colin

[Ron1]

A bad turn of phrase, appoligies.

[ian kennedy]

Hi,

Just a note on how the MPBA USED to select judges.

The organisation used to hold an annual judges seminar at Glen Parva in Leicester up to the mid 1990's, this was set up to give the modellers who were interested in undertaking this task proper advice and training.

This was how i trained as a judge, for two previous season's of sailing competition i would sit in on judging panels at events with recognised and qualified judges. When they thought the trainee was competent enough they would reccomend that the individual could sit in on the on the water judging, this element is to do with scale speed, rate of turn, acceleration and deceleration and the general list/trim of the model on the water.

This would then progress to observing the static element, where i would be asked certain technical questions relating to the model type being marked and give my opinions proposed marks and views, if this was not accepted by the three trained judges then i was told why and the correct reasoning for the mark would then be rationally explained to me in depth.

After this was completed, we would be proposed as a trainee judge to attend the judges examination seminar the following year.

This event was led by some excellent modellers such as  Brian King, Dave Abbot, Keith Bragg, Roger Thane, Dave Sambrook etc.....Most were MEE prize winners and first class model makers.  We would be split into groups of three or four and one of these people would ask us individually for our opinion and marks for different models and classes.

The seminar would last for one full day and at the end of the day we were graded on our understanding of type, competence and the ability to be impartial to our own preferred type of model.

The grades and certificates were issued thus;   C grade judge--- able to mark OTW with competence, B grade judge---able to mark all classes statically and OTW to national level and A grade judge---able to mark all previous to international level including NAVIGA competions.

I myself achieved a B grade at the seminar i attended in 1992 and since then i have had the pleasure of being an active judge in the northern area and at national scale finals and other events ever since, Yes it is a very interesting and sometimes also a thankless task but if i were asked to do it again i would jump at the chance.

This may give some of the judge bashers out there an insight into the dedication, understanding and the will to try and get things right that some of us have shown to our fellow modellers and the hobby as a whole, it is far to easy to be a critic we all are in some form or another as some of the participants of this thread are proving but remember that good judges have to be impartial and speaking for myself i think i try to do my best.

Ian

[Philipsparker]

As an aside, I've just weathered my Dad's Clyde Puffer:







...and I'm a bit pleased with the result.

Phil

[Tankerman]

 Phil, your weathering of the puffer is superb, it was difficult not to believe that was the real thing!
 I thought you might be interested in my efforts at weathering in another branch of the hobby of model making.

 Chris

[nhp651]

AND SO YOU SHOULD BE, Phil.
It looks great. Something I shy away from.
ummmmmmm, and looking at the loco, I think I'll give up painting all together!!! fantastic is the only word I can say to discribe that.

[ian kennedy]

I agree 100% with Neil's comments

Weathering is tricky at the best of times and these examples have got it just about spot on.

The weathering on the Clyde puffer is very subtle and gives just the right amount of character, the softly, softly approach always works for me like highlighting and worn, chipped edges etc

And the railway locomotive looks superb, so realistic what are your techniques and material choices for weathering both of these models please?

Cheers

Ian

[roycv]

Hi all, very interesting topic.  my 2 penorth is about the sailing side.
Many years ago when there were few regattas over the August Bank Holiday we at St. Albans would host an RC regatta with 50 -60 RC boats in attendance.  It was a little complicated to manage but everyone got 4 goes on the course minimum during the day.
The standard of sailing was variable, but I have never forgotten 'taking' Keith Bragg around the course with me as 'judge'.  He had a single screw boat I think the Gdansk Pilot boat.  It was a pleasure and a privilege to watch his expert ship handling as he scored a clear round.

We do not seem to have regattas like this 'down south' anymore so good luck to what is going on up north.

Of course there is the other side as well.  I was taking someone round a course a few years later, he was a nice guy, just visiting and had one of the new Voith Schnieder drive units in a tug boat.
His wife stood next to me and 'nagged' me for 10 minutes, I could not believe it, so we had to rethink our rules for next time!!

Judging, as said is a thankless task, I am a Tournament Director at Bridge, sound grand but it isn't.  You certainly see another side to people though!
regards to all, and Merry Christmas, Roy

[Philipsparker]

Thanks for the comments. The Puffer was easier to weather than expected. I just drifted some well thinned Humbrol enamel (dark brown, rust & weathered black) on using my airbrush. As you say, subtle is the effect and by keeping the spray at least 12 inches away from the model, the effect builds up gradually. As long as you thin the paint well and dry it quickly then you can't go too far wrong. Just keep stepping back and taking an objective look at the model every few minutes.

I'm also a railway modeller which is where I learned this stuff although there are differences when working on something as large as a boat ! A batch of 7mm scale Porter locos has just passed through my workbench and can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45131642@N00/sets/72157611279405595/ with e brief description of the weathering on my blog at: http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2008/11/lightly-weathered-porter.html. Dig around on the blog and all my "secrets" are revealed. The Puffer will get a short write up in a few days as well.

Phil

[JohnH]

This is a great book for anyone wanting to learn about weathering techniques http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Weathering-Martyn-Welch/dp/1874103119 Although railway based, the techniques can be applied universally. I suspect that may be where some of Tankerman's techniques came from 

[Philipsparker]

It IS a good book but you still need to experiment to get the best from the information. Tankerman's excellent weathering, some of the best I've ever seen, has been applied to a 4mm scale model (I think) wheras the book covers 7mm scale. As I know to my cost, some of the methods are different between the two scales and if you employ the full monty on a smaller model the result looks overdone. I tried this in 3mm and the wagons looked terrible ! A wash of dirt was enough there to get the look I wanted.

On the puffer as the model was to be viewed from a distance most of the time I just blew dirt over with an airbrush which give a subtle effect. I suppose I could (and still might) go to town so that there is more detail in the dirt but that can wait until I've built every kit in my "pending" pile. 

[Tankerman]

 
 JohnH is right about the book that is the source of my techniques for weathering, it is an excellent book that teaches you to look a little more closely at your subject and understand the texture as well as the combination of colours that the environment can generate on a surface. Philsparker was wrong about the scale of my model, it is 7mm., which for the Model Boat fraternity is 1/43rd. scale. Whether the subject is locomotive or ship it takes time to apply a convincing weathered effect and cannot be regarded as an easy opt-out to hide a poor paint finish.

 Chris

[Philipsparker]

Philsparker was wrong about the scale of my model, it is 7mm., which for the Model Boat fraternity is 1/43rd. scale.

Sorry. I'd assumed that it was the popular, and excellent Hornby model which had been detailed up a bit more. Whatever it is a smashing model. I love the ugliness of the Q1 but you do have to weather them as I don't think they lasted in a clean state for more than about 10 minutes !

Phil

[Ghost in the shell]

here's my FIRST attempt of weathering on Nord Icelandia