Repetition is a Key to Your Development

by Rafi Ben-Shahar

Repetition is the highway to perfection. This is at least the way I feel. Many modellers may feel a bit tepid with respect to trying new techniques and approaching the building process with bold and revolutionary methods. Here is a way that I found that may work to add satisfaction from your work.

The Learning Modeller’s Manifesto

Here is my Learning Manifesto – six practices which will speed up the development of your modelling skills.

• Rule 1. Build frequently and in quantity
  You need to build more quite a few (say 10) models a year to allow the freedom to experiment and to avoid being intimidated by the thought of ruining the one and only model that you achieve making after dry modelling spells.
• Rule 2. Pick only the best kits around
  The model must have a potential to show itself. A 1/72 Airfix model from the sixties is most likely to look very much the same no matter how revolutionary you will be.
• Rule 3. Avoid expensive models
  Try not to spend too much for a model and preferably have another in the box as a backup. It is better being able to afford many kits to experiment with than spending a fortune on that once-in-a-lifetime kit that you’ll probably never get finished anyway.
• Rule 4. Build out-of-the-box
  Use no costly aftermarket additions and no detailing beyond the elementary required. The model should be built out-of-the-box with focus on one or two new techniques in the course of the project.
• Rule 5. Have no fear
  If you’re interested in something new – just try it. Expect the worse and have no fear.
• Rule 6. Return to your favourites
  Models that you have built several times before and feel comfortable with all the glitches and flaws during the building process give you that extra opportunity to focus on improving your techniques. In other words, you should not expect any challenges with basic construction and be able to do the job with your eyes closed and hands behind your back.

An example

As frequent readers of this magazine might recall I often build models in series, applying the six practices of the manifesto. For this article, I chose the Dragon 1/48 Junkers Ju-88G Series as an example of how to perfect your work. The Dragon Junkers Ju-88 series is a favourite topic of mine because of its versatility, many available colour options, variations and most of all in that the completed models look very much like the real aircraft. It is also easily available and can be obtained at a modes cost (see rule 3)

I have built many models from the same basic kit (see also Rafi’s article Nachtjäger – FuG Installations on Early Ju-88 Variants – Ed.), which should serve as a good example of applying rules 1, 2 and 6 on my list.

The Ju-88G-1 that already shows its age (time for revamping), was built out of the box (see rule 4).

With the following Ju-88G-6 I was still very conservative albeit applying a colour scheme suggested in one reference although I was not sure that it was indeed accurate.

The third Ju-88G-7 is a representation of an aircraft tested by the Allies that appeared in the reference photographs with an FuG 240 Berlin radar. I chose to model the aircraft with its likely older FuG 220 radar (no aftermarket items and no excessive detailing). Decals were prepared from spare sheets.

Comparison between the latter two models shows that I was much bolder with the weathering process (which was intentional, see rule 5). Here I went about weathering the model even before applying the first paint coat. I took advantage of the original plastic colour, which resembles the final light RLM 76 and pre-shaded the exhaust and oil stains. As the stains accumulate over time, I weathered again and again with the application of the camouflage to replicate the appearance of stains as dirt layers. For this, I had to scratch the plastic surface and smear the stains with my fingers. Believe me, you need nerves for such a job because it does not look right up to the very end of the process (rule 5 again).

Improvement in weathering and simulating exhaust stains.

The bottom line of my reasoning is line is that lengthy superdetailing projects, fun as they might be, do not offer enough repetition to accelerate your learning curve. I believe that my manifesto does.

This article was originally published in IPMS stockholm Magazine in March 2006