Experiment (02)

It seems there are two ways to scratchbuild a model. One is that favoured by people like this or this:

1: Get lots of bits of brass, whitemetal and similar.
2: Solder together creating something that could be polished and used as a trophy for minor sporting events.
3: Paint it with airbrush to the perfect tone for the prototype and then weather it as it was running on the 6th of june 1932, just after half past nine when the fireman spilt his tea down the cab side.
4: Finish in three days and move onto next project.

Now I admire these people, even aspire make models like theirs, one day, perhaps, but I reside firmly in the other end of the spectrum where methods are more along the lines of:

1: Spray odd collection of margarine pot and other miscellaneous bits with primer.
2: Paint dark grey undercoat.
3: Realise leaving paint for several months does not improve consistency, or finish.
4: Ignore and add orange top coat.
5: Discover orange top coat doesn’t cover poor finish of undercoat very well.
6: Add a second coat and hope for the best.
7: Decide to leave it a bit then add weathering.

That’ll work: a dark wash* to give vertical stains, followed by a couple of attacks of the dry brushing to bring out a few highlights and I’ll have a slightly menacing steam powered exploration tractor. Perhaps.

It would appear I’m the modelmaking equivalent of the kid in school sports who always trips over the football or kicks it into the wrong goal**, so it’s somewhat encouraging to note that even this person has less than successful days as well.

What unfinished models do you have lurking in the loft? Come on, own up.

*Probably not using the same paint as the undercoat, assuming I remember.
**come to think if it, that was me too…

Advertisement