Global Scale Modeller

Hi everyone,

Just a random thought/question for a cold Melbourne Saturday.

Is anyone else apprehensive about weathering their finished models?

I model to help with my depression and I generally put quite some time and effort into my models, as we all do, but I find myself baulking at the thought of really getting into weathering them anymore than just a basic panel liner or wash for fear of stuffing them up and ruining something that I am quite proud of?

Am I the only one who feels this way?

Sorry if you find this post long winded and somewhat rambling

Cheers

Mick

Well, I think I fall into that category; but I still consider myself quite new to this hobby. But I do have some comments that might help. First, I assume you are modeling just for yourself and not professionally or anything, right? If that's true and you get to a point where you are "quite proud of" your build, then STOP and bask in your accomplishment!

But if you do wish wish to continue, go ahead. One of two thing will happen. Either you will produce something you are even more proud of, or you'll make a mistake and then you'll either leave it, and take it as a lesson learned, or fix it, and maybe learn even more. Fixing a mistake is a fun challenge all of its own. The one thing "nice" about weathering is you can often write off a "mistake" as "yeah, I meant to do that" and you just have a more weathered model.

I've only completed 5 models since returning to the hobby as an adult. Three are WWII aircraft with varying degrees of weathering. I don't think any of them came out the way I pictured, but when I look at them now I'm proud of what I accomplished. Despite my best efforts to get others on the forum to tell me what a horrible job I've done, I can't. Each has gotten very positive comments, and I believe them to be sincere comments.

We are our own worst critics most of the time. Give things a try, they'll probably come out better than you expect. In the end, the only one you have to please is yourself. So just don't be hard on yourself!

I hope that helps!

Yes it is just you

Hahahahahaha

Hope I got ya with that one... I even if just for a second
I am the same way with weathering. Sometimes I bail and just minor panel line to keep the build clean.....especially aircraft
Unless they are being depicted as going through hell and back of war, most aircraft are very well looked after
Space and Sci Fi builds are a hoot as you can weather the snort out of them and it still looks good

I'M that way with the most of the painting process...Much prefer to just build...I don't mind priming and the base coat it's after that it peeves me.

Worrying about stuffing up is perfectly normal. I feel it throughout the modelling process. There's always the feeling that a major screw up is just around the corner.

I mitigate against this problem 2 ways. I only buy good quality kits. Fair play to the guys who buy horrible kits and turn them into masterpieces - all power to them, but I like to stack the deck in my favour. Secondly, and this is specific to weathering, I work small, using the mantra of 'if its not enough, I can add to it, if its too much I'm stuffed.'

I completely understand where you're coming from, depression wise, its an issue for me too. Half the time I don't even go near the bench, its only when I commit and get down to it that the therapeutic impact kicks in for me.

Weathering is important for me because I want my kits to look as authentic as possible. However, I am aware of my limitations, particularly when it comes to airbrushing so I try to set my goals accordingly. There's nothing wrong with being restrained in your approach, especially with aircraft, unless, like Scott said, you're going for a really beat up look. I came back to the hobby 3 years ago and have pretty much learned a whole new way of building since many of the methods I used 20 years ago are no longer in favour or have been replaced by new materials (to me anyway). I watched countless how to videos and looked at the builds of others to see how they did things. I would recommend this approach as long as you don't let it become a pressure to match what you've seen.

Model for yourself. At the end of the day its just a piece of plastic or resin etc. and we all find a level where the desire for authenticity meets the limitations of our ability. Be a bit strategic in your thinking, maybe consider a particular kit as a means of practicing new skills and methods before employing them an another kit you have a real passion for. I got back into the hobby because I saw Airfix had released the 1/24 Typhoon and I was desperate to make it. But I knew I needed practice first as I had never used an airbrush before. I bought a 1/48 Me 109 and followed Paul's build guide as a way of getting used to things before I started on the Typhoon. It worked (to an extent) but I wished I had practiced more. I'd love to build another one now but I have a stash that's already giving me a complex!

Sorry for the length of the reply but I identified with what you were saying so I felt I had a little licence. Its good to talk about this stuff among our peers. Plenty of smart people on this forum so its always great to put a question out there and get some good chat going. Best of luck with your builds mate.

digger303 wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2017 6:05 am I'M that way with the most of the painting process...Much prefer to just build...I don't mind priming and the base coat it's after that it peeves me.

That's what makes the hobby so cool. I am at the other end of the spectrum, the build is just the way of getting to the painting stage, that's why I've fallen in love with armour. Aircraft are great but they have a stop start build / paint process. I love sitting down with a tank and hammering through the build phase to get to the point of priming. I've kind of found the same thing with figures too. There's probably a deep psychological reason whey we feel differently but who cares, where's the TET?

Not much more to add than the words of wisdom already on here.

Yep weathering aircraft always puts the wind up me. Armour not so much as that can be pretty much beaten up and still come out looking ok.

I'm in the same boat as Stokesy and came back to the hobby 3-4 years back, but after a few tentative builds which I didn't even bother to try and weather I got hold of a couple of relatively cheap 1/72 kits off e-bay (old airfix & matchbox) so that I could experiment and play about without worrying about trashing something that was a more expensive investment in both time and money.

It's also why I prefer to use colours straight out of the pot (thinned appropriately) because I can always go back and fix something without too much of an issue - I'm hopeless at remixing colours to get the same result twice.

Thanks for the replies gents (yes even your included in that one Scott)

The idea of getting a couple of 1/72 cheap kits is not a bad idea, the local toy store has some airfix kits in stock both aircraft and armour that I might grab a few of and go nuts on and see what happens.

I sort of only stumbled back in to the hobby after finding an old kit stashed away when trying to find something for my step son, and I had no idea how calming it would be on my depression until I had a moment and found myself at my desk just pottering around, so you could say I only build for myself

I have just got the range of Ultimate washes, so being water based I'm hoping that if I do stuff up it will be more forgiving to clean up

Again thanks for you wisdom gents (again that includes you Scott )

Fridgy wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:44 am I have just got the range of Ultimate washes, so being water based I'm hoping that if I do stuff up it will be more forgiving to clean up

Those clay based washes were an absolute revelation when I stumbled across them! I use them for quick shading on 1/72 pilots as well as the main subject.

If you want something that'll clean up completely then use them over a gloss coat - e.g. for panel line washes.

If you want to leave a grubby surface then use them over a matte coat - this is what I do for armour or a particularly dirty plane.

If you're going down the cheap aircraft route then maybe do one wing gloss and the other matte so you can see the difference in results.

Hmmm... three "if" lines... anyway - hope that helps a little

Make something that is supposed to look grubby and war beaten...then you can weather like a maniac and find your sweet spot

Cover with a gloss clear coat and you can always remove the weathering with some thinner/alcohol/water depending on you choice of washes etc. I recommend Alclad Aqua Gloss Clear for the gloss coat.

I hope your health improves, I have had my share of the black dog and still do. I can tell you if you manage to finish your models to the degree you wish then you will receive a self esteem boost that is hard to get elsewhere. Try not to get caught up in all of the micro details (one of my 'talents') and see it as self training so that mistakes are as worthwhile as the successes. It is worth the risk. You could also buy an old cheap Tamiya kit, something like the Leopard 1 and practice on that.

Ohwww absolutly not... First time I put effort into weathering I messed up my model bad. I did see though it could make a difference in a positive way so I just started practicing. When I felt confident enough I tried it again... For some reason I didn't completly mess it up
After watching loads of YouTube and trying stuff out I more or less start to approach a level that actually looks good.
The practice gave me calm just like a good build and the satisfaction of seeing myself getting a better modeller is great.

I honestly have never heard of weathering models when I was originally into the hobby. I gave a bit of weathering of the P-51D build I'm currently doing. ALL I did was to give the cockpit and engine a quick dry brush over with aluminum (such a great word) That is the extent of the weathering that I feel comfortable in going.

[youtube]ZXsQAXx_ao0[/youtube]

Oh Shia, that clip never fails to make me laugh. 0:37 to 0:45 in particular...

I'm a total newb at weathering, I've taken a couple clumsy steps here and there but never been totally happy. But I still give it a go now and then as the only way to get better is to try and fail and learn from it.

I will say that one bit of advice that's so far been more true than it deserves to be is, "if you think you need more, stop immediately."

you just need to see it as part of the process.