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Visual appeal or historical accuracy


Guest PetrolGator

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Guest PetrolGator

This top is rather blatantly stolen from ModelWarships, but in my defense, I'm curious how non ship guys will respond. Mind you I'm aware, "visual appeal" and "historical" accuracy can often overlap. However, in the event that you have to trade one for another, which way do you swing?

 

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I don't have the knowledge, reference material, nor frankly the desire for "accuracy". I build models. Most generally they look like what they are suppose to represent and that's fine with me.

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Depends, but I get more satisfaction from visual appeal.

 

If I'm building for a client or a museum (which is rare), then accuracy becomes quite important, and I crack my references to be sure that I get the major points right (any that can be seen). Occasionally, I go the extra mile if I feel the need. Example: I'm currently converting an F-105D to an F-105B, and I'm going the extra mile by filling the gun vents, removing the radar display from the main instrument panel, and making a few more small changes that would stick out like a sore thumb if I didn't. The big change is the new, shorter nose. The rest is just window dressing to prevent nit-pickers from carping.

 

Outside of that, I really like a model that POPS! The "Spanish school" is interesting, if often carried a bit too far. I do like post shading and using other effects for contrast and visual appeal. You have to remember that a very important component of what we do is ART. Artists paint their subjects in 2 dimensions, and use various artistic "tricks" (highlighting, etc.) to make them more appealing to the viewer. Monochromatic subjects may be technically accurate, but they're also blase' and boring. We build and paint our subjects in 3 dimensions and the same artistic tricks can be used to make our models more visually interesting. They probably need to be used in a more restrained manner, since we have one added dimension compared to a painted canvas, but the principle is the same.

 

Accuracy is fine, where needed, but I'd rather look at an interesting looking, visually appealing model than a monochromatic accurate one.

 

GIL :smiley16:

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I build what I feel like at the time I happen to be building. For instance, I like building tanks and on occasion, building a WW2 German tank. I often don't care if the tank should have zimmerit or not. If I don't feel like adding it to the surface, I won't even if I know it should have it based on the version or markings. Sometimes I will add it if it is supposed to have it. Depends on my mood, the cost and availability of the zimmerit or the ease of application, the position of the stars in the sky, etc.

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Accuracy is not important to me at all..within limits. What I mean if the pilots seats cushions were a color I don't have, I'll just get close and call it good. I won't run out and buy a bottle or blend one. Close is good. That being said, I try to get colors close but in the end, fun means so much m ore than 100% accuracy. I like to build planes that either mean something to me or have neat markings.

 

When I got back in the hobby, the accuracy bug bit me and I would buy a kit and then all the aftermarkert and then 3 books and then...etc. Never built the kit. And then a new one. I got past that to just enjoy the building and the other people in the hobby

 

But to each his own

 

Dave

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For some of my more detailed builds, all visible wiring is as accurate as I can get it, right down to the firing order of the ignition system.

 

I try to get a paint sample(usually a bottle of touchup paint) from the brand(Ferrari, Porsche, etc)

 

It's amazing to me how many people don't scratch an Antenna if the car had one.

 

Also amazing how may people don't get rid of ejector marks from the underside of the vehicle, or under the hood with cars.

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Guest PetrolGator

I tend to strive for as must historical accuracy as my resources allow. With Google Image, several reference books, and a pretty good working knowledge of WWI and WWII era ships, I do pretty well at least knowing what I'm looking at.

 

Things I'm incredibly anal about:

 

- Era appropriate weaponry/radar. AA armament changed significantly over a ship's life in WWII. Several ships lost significant sections of the superstructure to make room/lost weight for increased protection from assault. The same goes for radar. I LOVE WWII layouts simply because there were so many. It was an era of experimentation.

 

- Weathering. Most ships, and especially smaller escorts and destroyers, were absolutely beat to hell before they could get a fresh coat in port. While I appreciate "museum quality" builds, I just don't like building them. A dirty ship is a good ship.

 

- Sea scapes. Perhaps it's my former oil painting day, or maybe my time spent working offshore, but I'm VERY anal about how my water looks. I'll vary the shade/colors to appropriately reflect the sea or ocean being represented.

 

 

Lukewarm to "whatever"

 

- Complex rigging. On the RARE occasion I find an accurate diagram showing how this was actually done, I'll do it. More often than not, well, it's guesswork. I add enough to make a build look "busy" but try not to take away from the rest of the ship.

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I will worry about absolute accuracy when a 3" tall person walks over to one of my model cars and drives it off! Visual accuracy is important, numeric is not.

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I will worry about absolute accuracy when a 3" tall person walks over to one of my model cars and drives it off! Visual accuracy is important, numeric is not.

 

It is when there's a tie, and the firing order is documented, Pete! ;)

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I will worry about absolute accuracy when a 3" tall person walks over to one of my model cars and drives it off! Visual accuracy is important, numeric is not.

 

It is when there's a tie, and the firing order is documented, Pete! ;)

 

OOPs! I forgot what web site I was on. :blush:

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Guest PetrolGator

 

 

I will worry about absolute accuracy when a 3" tall person walks over to one of my model cars and drives it off! Visual accuracy is important, numeric is not.

 

It is when there's a tie, and the firing order is documented, Pete! ;)

 

OOPs! I forgot what web site I was on. :blush:

 

 

 

OK, so serious moment.

 

I built a 1/700 IJN Nagato with all the bells and whistles. I had one guy confront me and tell me that in 1944, she was painted a slightly different shade of grey, with the paint chips pulled up on his phone.

 

Mind you, I'm NOT a small guy. I was downright stunned that this dude would come up and NITPICK to me, in my face, on something that, frankly, would be unnoticeable to 99% of the population. Still, seeing as the judges were standing near by, I was pretty pissed.

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I will worry about absolute accuracy when a 3" tall person walks over to one of my model cars and drives it off! Visual accuracy is important, numeric is not.

 

It is when there's a tie, and the firing order is documented, Pete! ;)

 

OOPs! I forgot what web site I was on. :blush:

 

 

 

OK, so serious moment.

 

I built a 1/700 IJN Nagato with all the bells and whistles. I had one guy confront me and tell me that in 1944, she was painted a slightly different shade of grey, with the paint chips pulled up on his phone.

 

Mind you, I'm NOT a small guy. I was downright stunned that this dude would come up and NITPICK to me, in my face, on something that, frankly, would be unnoticeable to 99% of the population. Still, seeing as the judges were standing near by, I was pretty pissed.

 

 

I've had that done also. I will never understand the person who will time something like that for the maximum impact, trying to scuttle you chances. Not that I care all that much about trophies, but such self serving attacks are absolutely uncalled for.

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A long time ago when I didn't know better and there were fewer paint colors, I had an MG on the turret of a tank painted a bright metallic color (not silver, just bright). An "expert" told me he never saw a silver machine gun. I responded with "Well, now you have." He gave me a quizzical look and wandered away to pick other nits somewhere.

Edited by Ron Bell
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A long time ago when I didn't know better and there were fewer paint colors, I had an MG on the turret of a tank painted a bright metallic color (not silver, just bright). An "expert" told me he never saw a silver machine gun. I responded with "Well, now you have." He gave me a quizzical look and wandered away to pick other nits somewhere.

 

LOL!! Good One Ron, I'll have to remember that one. :Smile_sceptic:

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I will worry about absolute accuracy when a 3" tall person walks over to one of my model cars and drives it off! Visual accuracy is important, numeric is not.

 

It is when there's a tie, and the firing order is documented, Pete! ;)

 

OOPs! I forgot what web site I was on. :blush:

 

 

 

OK, so serious moment.

 

I built a 1/700 IJN Nagato with all the bells and whistles. I had one guy confront me and tell me that in 1944, she was painted a slightly different shade of grey, with the paint chips pulled up on his phone.

 

Mind you, I'm NOT a small guy. I was downright stunned that this dude would come up and NITPICK to me, in my face, on something that, frankly, would be unnoticeable to 99% of the population. Still, seeing as the judges were standing near by, I was pretty pissed.

 

 

Wow, I'm sorry someone did that to you. That just ain't right. I would have probably replied with something along the lines of, "Well, we know that colors on a monitor or screen are not always accurately rendered so I'm not so sure yours are as accurate as you say they are."

 

I just like to build my models. If I can make them look accurate with a touch of artistry, then I will, but I won't chop up a kit or buy a ton of aftermarket stuff just to make it look accurate. If it looks like a duck then it is a duck.

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I am a switch hitter--going for accuracy on my detailed conversion and scratchbuilt models (and sci-fi from movies) and for visual impact when doing something like an airliner in a stunning color scheme. Who is to say one mode is preferable to the other? I will admit, however, that usually a model that does not have some visual appeal to me on a table does not get the second look for the accuracy part (unless I am judging).

 

By the way, I will hear (hard to avoid) but not listen to the color police and rivet counters who always "know" more about the subject of your model than you do. I like to ask those people to show me THEIR correctly built same model.

 

Ed

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Guest PetrolGator

Whatever happened to artistic license?

 

 

The government taxed it. ;)

 

In all seriousness, agree. I like making my ships more "accurate" simply because I like the busy look of a realistic deck.

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I primarily build military subjects and usually try to give the build "visual accuracy". By that I mean correct markings, correct features, and an appropriate paint scheme. That being said, I am not anal about "dimentional accuracy". If some parts are slightly out of scale, but don't detract from the build visually - or enhance the visual appearance - then I let them slide.

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I build stuff made out of plastic. It blows up better.

Best one yet, btw the like button said I had reached my limit for the day humm never used it before so I guess its not working or I'm barred?

Anyway Like I said on MWS if you are building for yourself do what pleases you. If anyone complains turn your 1/350 16 inchers his way and yell FIRE!

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I've seen that. The rules (CH specifically) used to say one is not to politic or lobby for or against a model.

 

In my mind, if I know who does it, I bring it to my head judges attention and we have been known to disqualify said nitpicker for lobby against a given model.

 

Too bad that rule has apparently disappeared.

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