modeling interest

[detail_stymied]

I am certainly guilty of jumping from hobby to hobby. first automobiles, then trains, readings from a newly discovered author, bicycle season (coming soon!!!), working on my van. since retiring four years ago, a day doesn't go by without me wondering how I ever had time to work.

i continue to be amazed at the more prolific modelers managing to turn out such stunning works in quality and quantity. over the years, i have only noticed a few names disappear from the active roles here. mainly, one of the administrator/ moderators (marc reusser) comes to mind. i certainly enjoyed the intricate and subtle nuances of his weathering techniques and the minutiae details he included.

Q: how do You sustain interest in a specific hobby facet long enough to not only become proficient, but to complete a multi-year project?

[finescalerr]

You mention bicycling season. Last I heard, Marc was spending most of his free time mountain biking. I think he still may be doing a little modeling but, for whatever reason, he no longer shares it here. Maybe he has a wider audience on Facebook or somewhere else.

I hope you are working out on your trainer or else you'll lose interest in bicycling, too. I'm on mine at least an hour a day.

Flitting from one interest to another seems to be a very common personality trait. I can't count the number of hobbyists I've seen come and go. Some jump into, for example, modeling, go at it ferociously for a while, then burn out. Others don't burn out; the novelty just wears off. Some look for recognition and, if it doesn't come fast enough, seek it elsewhere. There may be a dozen other reasons.

On the bottom line, though, I will quote one of the most talented bicycle racers and marathon runners I've ever known (and I've known many). Monty Montgomery earned a spot on the 1936 Olympic cycling team but got sick and missed the games. He continued cycling and I met him when he was 57, finally stopped racing at the velodrome, and took up running. He held every world record in his age group from the 800 meters through the marathon, except the mile, year after year for about a decade between the ages of about 60 to 70. Now for his words of wisdom:

"Slow and steady wins the race."

Think about it.

Russ

[LesTindall]

"slow and steady" - that's the key I think.  After all it is a HOBBY, in other words we do as much as we want, when we want, how we want.  Modelling goes alongside whatever else we want to do - if it gives us satisfaction then we have won!  Its not to seek recognition or churn out an incredible stream of models - its just there to be ENJOYED.   
Les

[Barney]

Well said old chap ! if its not enjoyable move on 4 scales in 1 week and then I ended up were I started !
Barney

[Ray Dunakin]

Periodically I get into a modeling slump and/or get sidetracked by some other interest. I'm going through such a slump right now, but eventually I'll get motivated again.

[TRAINS1941]

Your right Les its a hobby.  Well said.

I think everyone goes through periods when you just don't feel like modeling and the then its comes back.

Jerry

[Burl]

For me, when I got old enough to start studying railroad operations was when I got "settled".  I have always liked building things (not just RR stuff), but after its finished, what then?  If I built it to operate, I found that gave me focus.  Otherwise, I felt over whelmed, in many facets.  About 10 years ago, when I got back into model railroading, and specifically large scale, I decided I was going to model modern class III (my local shortline).  I was still tinkering with HO scale, but after a while, felt focused enough that I was comfortable selling off most of it.

The irony is: I haven't had a layout in 5 years.  Yet, I'm still building with operations in mind, tinkering with layout designs on the side.  I will eventually start another.

And changes in life have changed what draws me to modeling.  With a career, a family, and pastoring a church, I find that tinkering in the shed is a wonderful stress reliever.  In the last few years, my modeling goals have changed from getting a certain subject finished, at a certain time, to enjoying the process more.  Changes in technology, like 3d drafting & 3d printing, have certainly helped in keeping the build process interesting too.

[Lawton Maner]

     When modeling, consider applying a new technique to the model of the moment.  By trying something new things do not get stale and you widen your pool of knowledge.  In the current issue of O Scale Modeler an author used wood ash to weather wooden siding which first had been stained with conventional methods.  As soon as I can acquire some I will try it on a small shed. 
     Owning an older house with a large plot of land around it makes sure there is always something to do which puts a demand on my time.  After a day of yard work it is relaxing to sit at the bench for an hour or two. 
     I keep a rotation of about 6 projects going at a time, each different enough that if I get bored with one, another comes out for a week or so.
     

[detail_stymied]

(I didn't want to start another thread)

more scary-good inspiration:   http://www.iknowjoshuasmith.com/

[finescalerr]

He's a good modeler but it seems slightly pretentious for him to call his models "sculpture". Either that or all of us are sculptors, too, but too modest to admit it. -- Russ

[detail_stymied]

in the mid-late '80s I attended a 3 day workshop which included a number of different disciplines/ craft mediums. opening night a number of presenters gave a brief slideshow of their work and a bit of philosophy about their approach to execution.

standing next to me was an internationally known woodworker and the founder of a program at an equally prestigious "art school". after about the third introduction, he turned to me and said "artists love to talk about themselves".

to me, this falls right into line with Ben Franklin's "the more honest a man tells me he is, the faster I count the spoons".

or words to that effect.

edit: things I ponder in the same vein .... with all of the fantastic modeling available on the Web, how much do we never see? those quiet craftsmen - maybe "artists" - sure! - toiling away hour by hour, day by day, year after year, in their solitary bliss all too happy to put everything back into a box until next session as soon as the lady of the house cries "dinner is ready".

[Ray Dunakin]

Wow, that is some great modeling.

[TRAINS1941]

(I didn't want to start another thread)

more scary-good inspiration:   http://www.iknowjoshuasmith.com/

Reminds me of our own Ken Hamilton.

Jerry

[finescalerr]

... Except I like Ken's models better even though he's a big meanie for leaving the forum. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

Primarily I had to step back from the hobby somewhat involuntarily, .....being self employed work has to take priority, and what time I do have I both for health and relaxation purposes prefer to spend on the mountain bike. I did lose some interest due to burnout, and just being tired of doing SBS photos, the time it took and the disruption to the flow of work, as well as the amount of time it took away from what little bench time I could eek out. I do miss building and the camaraderie here, and I do still occasionally look in and see what everyone is doing,...but I really don't have anything to contribute....and again, available time is just very sporadic, and the trail or clients are always calling but it is great to see some of the wonderful work that still goes on here. It's good to see that Russ has continued to maintain a place for modelers of such caliber to share their work.

Cheers,