Sunday, March 2, 2008

How To Build a Model

First I paint some bits. Twelve hours later add a second coat. Then spend 15 minutes worried that it isn't smooth enough. Then strip both coats and start over. The second attempt is better, but still not smooth enough...strip again and try again. After the third try, finally give up and just live with this streakiness, justifying to myself that with the canopy closed you really won't see it. Stay up that night worrying, "you might be able to see it." Try to paint the detail and instruments. Curse the world for not being able to paint a little straight line. Try to scrape some paint off with a toothpick to get a straight lines. Prick finger with toothpick. Yell at dog for being in the room to vent frustration. Give up and worry it looks like a child painted it. "Will it really matter under the closed canopy?" Stay up all night worrying that my modeling skills suck. Finally decide to stick bits together. Spill some glue on the painted bits screwing up the paint. Yell at the dog again. Obsess about if I'm going to fix it or not. After three days, decide the model will suck and press on. Stick more bits together. Find that while the dry fits were perfect, the fuselage halves now need mucho filler. Get angry. Curse modeling and think about giving up. Yell at the dog again. Apply trowels of filler. Look at the piles of filler on the model and wonder why I do this. Do a little sanding and feel my blood pressure rise. Put the kit back in the box and go to sleep. Unfinished Model 1, Jim 0. Wash, rinse and repeat for months on end...

1 comment:

Matt Tauber said...

Do not get down, Jim. You are an award-winning modeler. If you don't like the paint just tell people it simulates a rushed factory job to keep up with an accelerated wartime demand.