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[Lash151]

Hi...
I just wondered if anyone else suffers from the curse of aspiring to achieve perfect results in a model and then becoming disheartened because you can't produce the perfect results that you imagined... I always start a model thinking that This One is going to be perfect and then cocking something up (Usually the painting) and finding it difficult to carry on with the same enthusiasm that I started with. The thing is, I know that perfection is essentially unattainable... so at some point you have think, well thats the best I can do and move onto the next stage... But I find my eyes always drawn to some little imperfection in a paint finish or that one rung of a ladder that isn't quite straight... I suppose you have to be a bit obsessive to want to build detailed models but, hell, sometimes it works against you!!   

Anyone else feel like this??

Lee

[Netleyned]

I can't speak for anyone else but Yes I know the feeling
and I suspect most of us do.
I look at some of the posts on here and think 'Why isn't mine like that.?'
I have learnt though that the camera enhances the model at times.
I know that photos and videos of my models make them look a lot
better than they do close up with the naked eye.
All I can do is my best and most people seem to think my models are
great although I can see the bodges and coverups because It was my
mistakes that needed hiding.

Ned

[CF-FZG]

Anyone else feel like this??

Lee, I always have and I always will  

Mark.

[guitar man]

All the time, though I am only on my third model, but what you see as a major fault or  imperfection many well not, we are drawn to our own mistake because we know they are there.I am sure if we went back to our first model we would see the improvement in standard though I agree painting is my worse issue roll on the perfection


Regards TONY

[tt1]

Totally agree with all of the above, goes with the territory I think. My enthusiasm doesn't wain too much though - if anything it spurs me on to get it finished so I can try again on the next one.
         Sure my wife thinks I'm a bit of a sadist doing a hobby that can sometimes cause more pain than pleasure. Aspiration can help keep faith for betterment, better that I think than to be happy with second best. It's the old self pride thing - no one really likes to think of anything they do being a bit of a failure.
         I don't think your going to know of anyone on here who hasn't been there Lee, chin up.
                                      Regards, Tony.

[Lash151]

Thanks guys!! Sometimes, I think, its just a question of slowing down a bit!  I do find that as you progress, the parts stop being individual and become a whole model and you start to see an overall effect that is pleasing.... thats a good moment! 

[essex2visuvesi]

I know exactly the feeling
I have at least half a dozen half built kits that I start and then get stuck/mess up or are generally unhappy with

[Lash151]

I know exactly the feeling
I have at least half a dozen half built kits that I start and then get stuck/mess up or are generally unhappy with

Yes... the desire to start something else and give up on the current,imperfect model can be quite tempting but my new resolution has been to stop doing that and work through the difficulties... and actually finish them!!
Lee

[Bryan Young]

Totally agree with everyone so far. But the camera can "lie" both ways. It can show faults that you've simply missed. A small shadow can heighten defects as much as enhance them. Also, a photo concentrates the grey matter a lot more than itit does if ithe eye is looking at a larger area (such as the model as an entirety).
Another way of looking at stuff that doesn't come up to expectations is to do something to correct it. I'm referring here to the original "complaint" about paintwork.
If it doesn't meet with your expectations then you have to just acknowledge that it's you who is doing something wrong. So just re-think your methods. I'd imagine that all of us start off by producing "crud", but work out the reasons why and don't rush things. BY.

[raflaunches]

Or you could do what I do, not worry too much, if you need to touch up paint work- paint in on!  That's what they would do on the full size boat.  On my HMS Gnat, I know from the pictures that they could be very patchy in the paint work department but there was a war on so they didn't worry about if the paint work was perfect, as long as it was protected.  Unfortunately I could see this could go the other way in the modelling world and actually start matching up damage/weathering to the actual picture!

The problem is that we all want perfect models, in reality its experience from making mistakes from your previous attempts that make us better modellers.  One thing that we are continuously reminded of in the RAF is 'Learn from your own miss-takes, or even better learn from someone elses!'  I have thrown a scratch-built wooden hull against the wall because it was not perfect!
Seven years ago my modelling skills were extremely basic and we had a lot of luck that the first model we built actually worked but on the next model we learnt not use certain materials and buy some different tools.  My boats will probably never win any competition for accuracy or paint finish perfection, but to me I am happy that with each next model a noticeable improvement is seen.

Nick B

[bikerdude666]

I completely agree, it's why I have a cupboard full of half finished models. I always ruin the paintwork, looks like a child has tried painting it at pre-school.

[tt1]

Think your right in the most Brian, but just had an experience of painting which came near to being a complete disaster. Gave my Alice Upjohn superstructure the usual coats of primer and a first coat of gloss, got a few sags that needed rubbing back to primer, took "chilled out" Dave the Wizards advice to keep re-coating and the finish would build up and equalise out, he was dead right - BUT - although the second coat was a big improvement, there was 4 to 5 small bits/blemishes that I thought I could improve on, so flat down and another light coat, only a couple of unsatisfactory bits now but looking nice glossy and so much better. Wanted this model to look the bees knees though  then I remembered Russells' advice of building up the coats for a smoother deeper finish, so another light wet rub down with 1000 grit and another can, slightly warmed in water as I normally do and a really good shake. 

Started out great, then disaster, I was virtually spraying neat solvent on to the model while the paint was running down the outside of the can which I only really noticed when I felt my fingers wet with paint, the can was leaking around the neck below the nozzle to the extent that even my wife could see two different atomised vapours while I was spraying. Stopped, let it dry, and another can! it's not as good now as the previous coat and I feel cheated and a bit miffed - but hey, that's life - I'll try and polish it up.  Anyone recommend a good method / polish? or just a rub with T cut?     
                                          Regards, to all. Tony.

[Dave13]

I completely agree with eveyone that why it has taken 8 years form me to build my HMS Dreadnought! Well that and the finance for all the working bits 
Dave:)

[nhp651]

as with you all, I can only do my best.....and try always to do my best..........if someone else finds imperfection in my work...that is their problem, not mine.
as long as I am happy, at the time with what I have achieved, I am happy

[Norseman]

Perfection on Mayhem is a two edged sword
I look at your builds and think wow thats good
at the same time you guys show doubt ( the little qualifiers you make in a post)
Meanwhile I'm doubting if I could ever do as good as you .........

But this much is certain
If you weren't producing excellence and setting the bar then I wouldn't want to be a modeller
At the moment I'm just learning some skills and waiting for my Kalakala plans to arrive
When I start I'll do my best - if it is poop then I'll go again and again
BUT ........ when it's right I'm just gonna say so from the rooftops.

Thanks for the builds you post, and especially to those who show the odd mistake/solution

Oh and paint - now that just terrifies me

Dave

[Colin Bishop]

Oh and paint - now that just terrifies me

I have problems with painting too but I know that the root cause is my impatience. Paint needs to dry and you must ensure that you use paints that are compatible with each other. Take care and be patient and you will get the result that you want.

Colin

[bobk]

Perfection is an ideal, not an attainment.  I work on the principle to do each bit the best I can, and if I can push my limits a touch then that adds to the challenge.  No, it does not come out like many of the awesome detailed builds I've seen here, but I am realistic enough to acknowledge to myself that it came out better than I feared, and with the experience learned knowing I can improve on that aspect next time.

The enforced patience of waiting for glue or paint to dry, the applied patience of planning and building in short sessions.  Not letting the thought of "only another 300 deck planks or stanchions to go" tempt you to hurry it up.  Do a bit.  Come back to it tomorrow.  Painting large areas is not much fun, and fraught with minefields, but what I really look forward to is detailing the little bits and fine brush detailing.

I would recommend an excellent book:  Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainance.  Enjoy the quality of the journey, it is not just about another destination.

[AlisterL]

I believe I inherited my desire for perfection from my Grandfather - but missed out on any of his ability to achieve it... <sigh>

One solution is to keep your boats out in the middle of the lake where no one can get too close :)

[ayrshire andy]

All the time...even at the design stage, when the desire to refine proportions or incorporate new features or make maximum use of materials keeps me from producing even a prototype! however I am getting slightly better with age, with a bit of effort I may have managed to produce a small card model mockup by the end of the week.

I am also terribly prone to buying small RTR models and then, seeing their potential, embarking upon conversions to brushless and 'proper' proportional RC...my daughter's Hobby Engine Viper and Graupner baby Severn are undergoing surgery at the moment...my only hope is for my good lady to simultaneously confiscate my debit cards and lock me in the study with tools, projects etc. and not release me until I emerge, a gibbering wreck, with a completed sailable boat!

[sentry]

We are all always learning even after years so instead of perfect I settle for better then last one.
                                                  Regards Howard.

[brianB6]

Two things:-
I used to repaint a boat I had after every sail!  After about 20 times rubbing down and repainting I started to get the hang of it.    It never achieved a Rolls Royce finish even if it had the same number of coats, but it did get better. 
So the old adage:- Practice makes perfect. (or almost)
Why not try repainting an old boat to improve your skills?
Second, I now find that my skills are slowly deteriorating and there is NO way I can reproduce the standard I did 20 years ago.   I just try and do the best I can. 

[irishcarguy]

I too have painting problems, I can't stop when most would think it was good enough so I keep going until I ruin it. I have bought an air brush in the hope that that will help, but I still have my doubts that I will leave it alone when most would think it was a good job. Mick B.

[Circlip]

Good old chestnut that keeps returning for another roasting. Were it not for fori like this one, the only time one could compare others renderings was at exhibitions or in the various muddeling press.

  It's a hobby and a personal thing, you get out of it what you want. Some build to build, some build to experiment, some build to run. Can't think of any that cover all the bases with perfection.

 I wonder how many plumbers have become brain surgeons? Over a period of time, everyones first to last efforts will show an improvement, over fifty years ago, my first effort bounced off the fireback boiler when me dad got home, it was to be honest a gluey mess. Did that act as an inspiration to do better? Probably, but my own kid, years later learned more from me disassembling his first effort and showing it ain't a race and with a bit more patience better results could be achieved, but at what expense? It wasn't his own efforts.

  Play at WHATEVER level "Floats yer boat"

   Regards  Ian.

[Bryan Young]

Good old chestnut that keeps returning for another roasting. Were it not for fori like this one, the only time one could compare others renderings was at exhibitions or in the various muddeling press.

  It's a hobby and a personal thing, you get out of it what you want. Some build to build, some build to experiment, some build to run. Can't think of any that cover all the bases with perfection.

 I wonder how many plumbers have become brain surgeons? Over a period of time, everyones first to last efforts will show an improvement, over fifty years ago, my first effort bounced off the fireback boiler when me dad got home, it was to be honest a gluey mess. Did that act as an inspiration to do better? Probably, but my own kid, years later learned more from me disassembling his first effort and showing it ain't a race and with a bit more patience better results could be achieved, but at what expense? It wasn't his own efforts.
Good answer. Regards. BY.

  Play at WHATEVER level "Floats yer boat"

   Regards  Ian.