I occasionally lose my modelling mojo, and it's really awful - I get in a creative rut and nothing seems appealing or worthwhile. What I do is to wait it out a while and not get too anxious about it. Then I'll look for a really simple kit, like a sub or similar, and build it without fussying too much. That usually cures my blues and gets my mojo back. And cleaning up my workspace so it's not a mess can make a huge difference, like feeling it's a fresh start.
Best scale modeling video ever? It has my vote. I keep looking at my stash and feeling bad that I just don’t feel like starting anything right now. I’ve got too many half finished builds because I force myself into it, just to get burned out halfway through, then I try to blame the model instead of the modeler.
I can totally understand this....Been an armor builder for over 30 years and have come to a point of finally being burnt out. As for now, I've given armor a break and taken up doing Gunpla and other forms of Mecha. I realize that I enjoy doing other subjects like building Gundams and taking the skills I've developed doing armor and applying some of it to Gunpla.
yep I'm in one now, looking forward to actually finishing the latest project been sitting there for a few months, kills me every time I see it sitting on the box without a turret 😩
I can't tell you how many times I've "hit that wall". There are times I'm working on 2 projects at 1 time. Then after pounding away for a few weeks non-stop it hits me and I just have to walk away for a week or so. Glad to see I'm not the only person that's feels this sometimes. Thanx Hank.
Going through this right now actually. I was working on the 1/700 Flyhawk deluxe Scharnhorst kit and I am around halfway through and just hit a wall at the end of last year. Its been about four months since I did anything model building wise. For me it was the photo etch. Always seems to be the photo etch that exhausts me. I've spent the last couple months painting some miniatures instead.
Thanks Hank. Some of your tips I already to keep involved & interested in my little happy. Last year was north africa campaign with building german equipment, then in the fall I got into star wars X-wings (x2), this year I'm building up my 1/72 scale mig fleet. Mixing it up. I also finished reading Ian Toll's trilogy of the pacific war, so for xmas I bought for myself Magic Factorys Cosair dual aircraft kit F4U-1A & -2. Their in the que, later this I imagine. Thanks for video
The Professional Modeler SHEP PAINE said it became a job to him… YES, it’s supposed to relaxing, and stimulating at the same time… I have to do different things… BUT ( there’s always a but ) Sometimes stuff doesn’t get finished… AND THE REAL WORLD IS ALWAYS CALLING Family, job, responsibilities around the house…. building models gets put on the shelf… Even being retired, I don’t always want to build…….. THIS VIDEO DID INSPIRE ME Model On CHRIS 🇺🇸
Great video topic. I get stuck in "detail indecision." I build for pleasure and relaxation, but the pull of aftermarket options (PE, resin, etc) is a constant siren song. Choosing between extreme detail and a casual, relaxed build is a struggle for me. Lately I've been leaning more towards simple box builds and leaving all of that other stuff to the "pros".
I feel your pain. Even though my models won't be seen by anyone who knows a rivet from a bolt or the correct tracks found on a panzer 2 in may 1940 I still get worried it isn't " correct". Luckily half the fun is collecting and stacking those new kits.....
I probably build a model or diorama about once or twice a year. I just do something on a model when I feel like it. In any case if you are making your own stuff like a diorama or kit bash etc you need breaks to think about how you are going to solve a problem or what technique or materials to use. Also there are always other problems in life that need addressing, like other hobbies, fixing something etc.
Very good points you made. I've utilized several of these methods to stay energized over the years. I do mostly 1/35 ww2 military kits. I usually have at least two under construction at any given time. Let's me jump around to the step I feel like continuing on a given day. I also keep a few 1/25 semi truck kits around to break the monotony. In addition i do a lot of scratch building in 1/25 scale. These projects are built from the ground up. Things such a lowboy trailers and cable excavators that have over a thousand hand made parts. Those endeavors usually take well over a year to complete but are great sideline projects. So with all of this, I seldom fall into a rut and it keeps the hobby fresh and enjoyable.
Thx for this video! It's true, Modeling can be exhausting if you have a lot of projects in mind. There were times I was generating more ideas then I could posssibly realise and it was a dead end every time. Very frustrating. So I thought : I need a structure... This will bring order and peace in my mind. This is what gave me peace in my mind: I started a chronological line where I build diorama's from highlight to highlight throughout the second world war starting from the invasion of Poland and planning to end with the battle of Berlin. Per quarter I decided what's the most interesting topics in these months. I promised to myself not to start the next one before I finished the actual one. If I don't feel like modeling, I don't start. I give myself 6 months on average per diorama project. These were the benefits: 1. I wasn't tempted to buy stuff all the time anymore 2. I could take enough time and attention to each phase in the process 3. If I didn't feel like modeling it was easier to let it go and do something else than work on a sideproject Overall it gave me peace in my head which is the most important thing in this hobby, so you can focus on the ongoing project.
Try scratch building as a change of approach. You are still making models but the challenge is fresh and you use a vast array of different skills. The satisfaction at the end is much greater than sticking some other modeller's plastic parts together out of a box too.
Been there - was building the Tamiya USS Enterprise in 1:350 and was BURNT out after weeks and weeks of bending attaching etched-brass railings/nets/radars/etc. I cracked open a nice 1:35 scale vehicle and figures and had a great few weeks of "normal" model-work.
thanks for the perspective, like any hobby, it's easy to fall into the doldrum, especially since there's the web and all the hobby sites. I often get sidetracked into thinking my builds don't measure up. When that happens, I get a cold one, chill, and remind myself I build for me and who cares...if it doesn't measure up. After all, like, who is actually gonna see my builds...and if a modeling buddy shows up I just make him see the build from 6 feet away....LOL...
Thanks for uploading these tips. My situ. Is the opposite, I'm frustrated that I can't continue (due to a temporary health issue, an unexpexted blood clot & car accident on top of Lupus lol)....2.5yrs later It's been taken care of & I'm still healing from accident, Thank The Lord I walked away but still frustrating....so decided to watch how to videos & little by little gathering tools (I have plenty of kits waiting for me) Take care /Rosemary
Sorry to hear that Rosemary. Early last year I found that I was making a lot of simple mistakes while modelling and was a bit hamfisted to the extent I wound up scrapping three new kits I was working on for a diorama. I ended up in Accident & Emergency at my local hospital one night after a very frustrating day modelling with what I thought was a really severe migraine as I'd been throwing up, my vision was all over the place all on top of a banging headache. It turned out I'd actually got a brain tumour the size of a large orange! Didn't see that one coming! The good news was that it was benign and was operable so they were able to remove it all. Eleven months on I'm still recovering slowly and building again but a lot slower than before. The best thing you can do is build something simple or work on a couple of figures, things that you can just pick up and put down when you feel like it and that you're not attached to if you make a pigs ear of it. If you make a mess of it, not a problem. It's therapy of a sort. My memory is absolutely shocking now so I have to keep going back to instructions/reference photos etc while I'm building but its working and my skills are coming back to where they were. Ease yourself back into the hobby. Hope that you're on the mend and that your recovery is smooth and full.
@@karlflavell968 Good idea about simple projects etc. Thanks. So sorry to hear about that health challange. Thank The Lord it was a benign tumor & You're picking up on your skills again...One min., one hour, one day, one week a time etc, is what I've said to Lupus Grp. Trying to Celebrate advancements in healing while letting go of set-backs! Take care
Those are overall good tips. Some of them I use by myself. Life isn't just about scale modeling hobby. Yeah, lol. Another valid tip is to check some local model show. You don't have to participate; watching is enough to get some motivation and inspiration.
I'm taking a break just now. Not because I'm bored of the hobby. I simply ran out of display space 😅 Need to switch to house DIY which I've been avoid for a year now as I've had so many projects with plastering and painting before that I wanted to switch to small scale work. Unfortunately I've used up the display space my fiancee has allowed me so need to venture and build more shelves elsewhere. Got a tiny Airfix Tiger I lined up though. Plus can't wait to get my hands on more 1/56 scale Rubicon model kits. All the best, Mr Hank!
Good topic 🍻 I have found that having two kit at the bench at same time work really good for me. One at painting stage and one at building. I always get alittle stuck when in almost at the end or a project and then i take a break and start gluing on a new kit. When its done i find that im eager to return to finish the other project aswell.
I only average about 4 to 6 kits a year, so it's hard for me to get fatigued. But I usually alternate between armor and aircraft to avoid any redundancy. When I was a lot younger and built more, I'd focus on ahistorical builds using my imagination. Once built a ME-262 with winter camo and homemade Italian WW2 insignia. Also built a Leopard 1 with DAK camo and decals. I'm now wanting to build a Leo 2 with some sort of Tiger paint scheme and Wehrmacht markings. I love ahistorical builds because it allows you to use your imagination.
Another great video, Hank. And, yes, switching between sci-fi and military models has often kept my interest & enthusiasm up to speed. I won't buy new kits just to have something new to work on (I've got several hundred in my stash), but buying after-market items to spruce up the kits I already have sometimes gets me going if I'm in a slump - BTW, thanks to your videos I've taken to dressing up tanks with all sorts of cast resin stowage (which I would never have done a few years ago) - metal gun barrels, sandbags, and stowage make the process more interesting as well as the finished model. Again, thanks for the great info, keep up the good work!
Just hit a wall today. I finished the Border Model BF-109, sat for a few and opened the next kit. As soon as i opened the book for the next model i just had the "I'm done" thought. What a coincidence that i found this video the same day.
Hi Hank! I'm in the process of trying to battle past my depression to get a kit ready for a contest in a month. It takes me most of the day to work up the gumption to get to the bench, usually around eight at night. I'm trying to get excited about this, and we'll see how it goes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!!
Definitely some worthwhile tips... been modeling for better than 45 years, and have hit this wall on more than a few occasions. I recently made the jump over to a fully rigged wooden sailing ship, am a few hundred hours into it, and not even 10%-15% done. I got to the point where I had the mentality that if I didn't stay at it day after day, it would never get done, and it was starting to feel forced... time to take a break.
Great video andgreat tips. I like to set a due date for completion, it helps keep whatever pace I choose to keep. Another tip is, take a break and completely organize the space. Throwaway material that you know you will never use. It’s a good feeling to purge. Clutter can be a Mojo killer.
I lost interest in modelling nearly five years ago. I really haven’t regained it yet having only built four kits in the past year. I just threw 25 years of kits in the bin after my dogs destroyed them when they broke one of my display cases. Not sure if I really want to start all over again.
Got a bunch of 1/72 vehicles from S-Models hanging around the house, they're incredibly cheap and surprisingly detailed yet simple enough to build in a couple of hours. Call them my "sidequests" since I pick them up when I'm stuck on a larger 1/35 model or feel like I need a little break
I started a Tacoma M9 ACE armored earth mover in January as a break from the woodworking hobby. It’s 2/3rds finished, but the incredibly frustrating task of keeping the track pads together to get them on the model has resulted in zero enthusiasm for finishing the thing! After they’re on the drive gear and idlers, I could glue them together, but it’s impossible to keep them together to get them on! Back to woodworking now!
I'm in one right now, partially cause i've just built 2 or 3 kits back to back. But also and primarily because my life is very busy for the next 5 weeks and I just don't have the time, got some cool kits on the production line that has been stopped, Tiger 1, M36, Panzer 4, M3 Stuart, Chi Ha, M48, Leopard 2, M1A1 Abrams. I also bought the Airfix 1/35 tank mystery bundle, waiting for that to arrive, quite excited for it
I’m someone who enjoys building large kits for some reason but after I started working on a 1/18 F86 Saber kinda got burnt out over it a while ago now Im going back to smaller scales for a while before I start working on it again to help get my mojo back.
Great lead in Hank! I just watched 'Fury' last night for the first time in it's entirety! Awesome awesome movie! Might I add a 6th way to fight the fatigue- your pets! Don't be afraid to break up build sessions, and get away from the desk and the kit when Scruffy or Mr Mittens wants attention. I have two cats, and they constantly keep me on my toes, wanting to investigate the work bench and 'help'. Make time for you, and your animal companion- the kit will be just fine when they decide they've had enough and allow you to return to it! :)
@@SpruesNBrews hehehe can't tell ya how many times I've been in the middle of a build, or working s small part, and my cats come say 'hello' or want lap time :)
Nice tips, Hank! It is something that happens to all modelers eventually, so offering some solid suggestions to help people move past their slump was a great idea for a video.
It’s good to walk away and get involved with other projects. Use that time to think of sequences on what to do when returning to the bench. I always remind myself I’m not in a hurry.
Just start building different kits at the same time...I have a huge library of WWII books, lots of armored vehicles, so I always get ideas on something to build. I will scratch build to take some of the "kit build" monotony of the picture. Great practice on multiple techniques from building, vegatation and scenery.
Love the tips Hank but I think no. 5 is dangerous. I start out window shopping with the best of intentions to see what's on offer and then the dark side takes over and I can't resist temptation. I have a hobby shop 15% discount voucher expring April 30th and it's killing me to stay off the website. Thanks for these videos mate.
I've feeling the fatigue. I've been focusing on ww2, I decided to change up and go backwards. I'm now doing some kits from ww1. I've done Korean and Vietnam, now go to the beginning.
l found that changing from modelling !/72 and !/35 second World War AFV's to building , assembling and painting Polar lights ( old Aurora ) horror monster kits for my brother helped me regain my mojo as the subjects could,nt have been more different . A change is as good as a rest as the saying goes .
Years ago I gave up on model competition. While it got me to try new techniques, the pressure took all the fun out of the hobby. You could spend years working on something and a judge with a magnifying glass and flashlight disqualify you for a seam shadow. No fun in that. That was the first thing I did to get my motivation back. Second, was to try new things, new subjects outside my comfort zone. For the longest time I wouldn't allow myself to build anything other than 1950's naval aircraft even it it meant scratch building. It was all about the display...continuity. Once I let both of these go, the pressure was off and now I could just model. Take a brake, get a cheap kit and slap it together without paint or detail like you did when were a kid. Atlantis has a lot of the models I did as a boy in the early 1960's...great way back machine... Amazing how liberating that can be.
Well I got a modeling fatigue but it‘s with a specific model I‘m building rn. What sucks is that I already bought another model that I can‘t wait to get building. Should I finish the one I‘m working on right now or should I start building the over one? I mean if I skip the model I‘m currently working on I don’t think I would finish it later on but on the other hand I feel like I should have more fun building which I‘m currently not having.
Fortunately I haven’t had much of a slump right now,however I am doing my first aircraft,as I have only done armour for around 3 years,so I guess it will be a fun journey!Any specific tips,be sure to leave them Hank!(It’s an Airfix Gloster meteor)
Great topic. Sometimes I struggle with a kit (usually involving tank tracks ). . . and I get frustrated. I'll take a break . . .Get my motivation back. . and Im back at it cussing length-link tracks. . problem solved!
Me too . Loathe and despise individual track links not so much in 1/35 but in 1/72 . Wish the'd mould the tracks and running gear as one in this small scale as up to this point l enjoy the assembly . And don't get me started on photo esch . ln 1/72 scale it is well nigh impossible to use in my case at least . Modelling should be relaxing and fun but with these two stumbling blocks it becomes tedious , stressful and frustrating . l stick with Tamiya and Trumpeter kits as much as possible . No problems there .
My personal recommendation when in this bind. Build a simpler model which is well engineered for lower parts count and fit OOTB to recover the enjoyment vs obsessing over complexity and extreme detail which can be a slow grind in any model where that isn't moulded in in the very latest new tooling. When it comes to this, go in and pick anything Tamiya from the shelf/your stash which excites your imagination in your preferred scale FTW. Build it without PERFECTIONISM with the objective of getting the model first, completed, and then FINISHED. 'Do it now!' DONE is good enough. Voila! P.S. The simpler the paint job the better when in this mode, for obvious reasons. And buy a mask if it isn't e.g. a '44 Panzer Cloud Ambush, or there are loads of transparencies (aircraft).
Sometimes i find it helps to take a few days of just cleaning. I mean, open that container of Masters Brush Cleaner and Conditioner, and clean my brushes extra good. Take care of the airbrush. Take EVERYTHING off the desk and clean it (and carefully inspect/place any plastic you may find, as it may be a piece you thought lost to the carpet monster) Of course, ive followed some of the advice offered in this vidso, but it backfired spectacularly. See, when i first came back to this hobby, i almost exclusively built 1/24 racing cars. Then i added 48 scale ww2 aircraft. Then i did a 48 scale jet (eurofighter typhoon in case anyone is wondering).... now, im a hobby whore 😂😂..... i have 350 scale ships, 35th scale armor, 48 scale jets AND ww1 era fighters. Long and short of it is, i now add anything that piques my interest on an individual kit/subject level. The good part of that is, switching up the builds is quite easy in terms of changing views
I've been feeling like this for a while now.. Almost 2 years of starting a kit ,then put it down.. Start another one , same thing.. I've got probably 5 or 6 kits started and I just can't get into it.. I'm even having a hard time sitting through a build video.. But I'm also been going through some really bad health issues , that's most of it .. Hopefully , I'll be able to get back into it.🙏
My problem is failure to finish a kit. Must have a dozen plus kits in various building stages then, I recently got started with 3D printing and now I have a dozen or so 1/6th and 1/4th figures added to the list of things to finish. That's not counting the over 100 kits in the stash.
I was the same for ages and it never felt like anything ever progressed, so now my rule is to only allow myself to work on one model at a time and hey Presto, I got through my part finished backlog quite quickly (for me).
I get in a modeling rut from time to time. Lately I find myself trying to conjur up something "contemporary" for the living room. A scratchbuilt what, I dont know. But something tasteful. All that airbrushing and building experience could surely be aimed at something, no? How many olive drab, camo, airframe aluminum things can one rehash in one's modeling lifetime?
Usually what get me back in the modelling mood is buying a new kit(I knooooow). I have plenty of modern US vehicles so I bought a set of tankers and painted them in the ACU pattern. I distributed them amongst some of my builds.
Easy to slip into the trap of watching videos about modelling without actually doing any modelling . This l have found in recent months as well as buying kits and accumulating them without getting around to assembling them . Easy to lose your mojo but more difficult to get it back . Being retired l thought having the time to model when l wanted would inspire me to model more but oddly enough the opposite is true .Very strange .
Kinda been having this with my C-47 and I finally got it painted but then I found the invasion stripes were a bit to rough. I can’t bring myself to paint them again and I just want to build my IS-2.
Im in a scale modeling slump and found this video on accident from your restoration of old builds video and went to your profile and found this. I been building those metal earth models while in the slump and havnt built a plastic styrene scake model in going on 9 months lol but im starting to get the itch again and bring out a few model car builds thst have been in limbo for last year or two and just need final assembly and a few pieces painted here and there and they would be done lol
My problem is I deep dive into a hobby and immediately lose interest in all my other hobbies. I invest all my time and energy into it until I inevitably burn myself out of it. What I am left with is a horrible feeling of guilt and a bench full of expensive tools and kits etc that will sit and gather dust or get sold off once something else comes along or a spark from a previous hobby reignites. It then goes full circle and when I eventually come back to it, it's like I have to start again from scratch. I really wish I knew how to divide my time equally between the hobbies that I love to avoid this abandonment. I hate that I'm at this place now with scale modelling, right when just about every kit that I've ever dreamed of is about to be released. I'm hoping that this is just temporary for me.
I normally build large scale aircraft that are more complex and take several months to complete. What I do to combat fatigue is to find a simple, fun, easy to complete projects that are quick and easy to build and NOT airplanes....something that is out of the norm of what I usually work on.
To me, it's going on and off... But in general, I can say, if I am feeling good, I will create (do the models), and also if I feel low or drained I do not like to force myself to build something, because I know it will be just wasted.
I had a problem with a certain hobby shop clerk who actually complained about me taking "to long" on a project. He was always asking me when I was going to get it done. Sorry but I build on my timeline NOT his.
Andy's Hobby Headquarters is a really good place to get kits and supplies online. They have some of the best customer service I have ever dealt with. Michigan Toy Soldiers is another good one.
No offence, Hank, but my tip would be to lay off the modelling RUclips channels for a while. They are professional modellers, and I'm not, so if you are struggling with a build, watching someone make it look easy isn't good for the soul. The only videos I've watched recently, apart from this one, have been the Sherman series, which has been excellent. Thanks!
Great insight here! As the famous quote goes "Comparison is the thief of Joy". Watching a perfect 30 min video build of a model that took me 3 months (and still looks worse) is super discouraging.
Indeed true but like everything in life, take things in moderation. I sometime like to go back to old projects and revamp specific model like I did with several old airfix model form the 70’s. No pressure just fun experimenting And do spend sometime on scalemates and your stash or wish list Happy modeling mates
Actually, I GO to professional site to see how they tackle a kit, paint figures, weather a kit, talk about supplies, review kits- I might not be building, but I can watch someone else build! :)
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I occasionally lose my modelling mojo, and it's really awful - I get in a creative rut and nothing seems appealing or worthwhile. What I do is to wait it out a while and not get too anxious about it. Then I'll look for a really simple kit, like a sub or similar, and build it without fussying too much. That usually cures my blues and gets my mojo back. And cleaning up my workspace so it's not a mess can make a huge difference, like feeling it's a fresh start.
Best scale modeling video ever? It has my vote. I keep looking at my stash and feeling bad that I just don’t feel like starting anything right now. I’ve got too many half finished builds because I force myself into it, just to get burned out halfway through, then I try to blame the model instead of the modeler.
I can totally understand this....Been an armor builder for over 30 years and have come to a point of finally being burnt out. As for now, I've given armor a break and taken up doing Gunpla and other forms of Mecha. I realize that I enjoy doing other subjects like building Gundams and taking the skills I've developed doing armor and applying some of it to Gunpla.
yep I'm in one now, looking forward to actually finishing the latest project been sitting there for a few months, kills me every time I see it sitting on the box without a turret 😩
I can't tell you how many times I've "hit that wall". There are times I'm working on 2 projects at 1 time. Then after pounding away for a few weeks non-stop it hits me and I just have to walk away for a week or so. Glad to see I'm not the only person that's feels this sometimes. Thanx Hank.
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it
Going through this right now actually. I was working on the 1/700 Flyhawk deluxe Scharnhorst kit and I am around halfway through and just hit a wall at the end of last year. Its been about four months since I did anything model building wise. For me it was the photo etch. Always seems to be the photo etch that exhausts me. I've spent the last couple months painting some miniatures instead.
Thanks Hank. Some of your tips I already to keep involved & interested in my little happy. Last year was north africa campaign with building german equipment, then in the fall I got into star wars X-wings (x2), this year I'm building up my 1/72 scale mig fleet. Mixing it up. I also finished reading Ian Toll's trilogy of the pacific war, so for xmas I bought for myself Magic Factorys Cosair dual aircraft kit F4U-1A & -2. Their in the que, later this I imagine.
Thanks for video
The Professional Modeler
SHEP PAINE said it became a job to him…
YES, it’s supposed to relaxing, and stimulating at the same time…
I have to do different things…
BUT ( there’s always a but )
Sometimes stuff doesn’t get finished…
AND THE REAL WORLD IS ALWAYS CALLING
Family, job, responsibilities around the house….
building models gets put on the shelf…
Even being retired, I don’t always want to build……..
THIS VIDEO DID INSPIRE ME
Model On
CHRIS 🇺🇸
Great video topic.
I get stuck in "detail indecision." I build for pleasure and relaxation, but the pull of aftermarket options (PE, resin, etc) is a constant siren song. Choosing between extreme detail and a casual, relaxed build is a struggle for me.
Lately I've been leaning more towards simple box builds and leaving all of that other stuff to the "pros".
I call it detail paralysis.
You must be reading my mind! Staring 70 in the face hasn't helped...maybe an old Tamiya kit will.
I feel your pain. Even though my models won't be seen by anyone who knows a rivet from a bolt or the correct tracks found on a panzer 2 in may 1940 I still get worried it isn't " correct". Luckily half the fun is collecting and stacking those new kits.....
I probably build a model or diorama about once or twice a year. I just do something on a model when I feel like it. In any case if you are making your own stuff like a diorama or kit bash etc you need breaks to think about how you are going to solve a problem or what technique or materials to use.
Also there are always other problems in life that need addressing, like other hobbies, fixing something etc.
Very good points you made. I've utilized several of these methods to stay energized over the years. I do mostly 1/35 ww2 military kits. I usually have at least two under construction at any given time. Let's me jump around to the step I feel like continuing on a given day. I also keep a few 1/25 semi truck kits around to break the monotony. In addition i do a lot of scratch building in 1/25 scale. These projects are built from the ground up. Things such a lowboy trailers and cable excavators that have over a thousand hand made parts. Those endeavors usually take well over a year to complete but are great sideline projects. So with all of this, I seldom fall into a rut and it keeps the hobby fresh and enjoyable.
Thx for this video! It's true, Modeling can be exhausting if you have a lot of projects in mind.
There were times I was generating more ideas then I could posssibly realise and it was a dead end every time. Very frustrating.
So I thought : I need a structure... This will bring order and peace in my mind.
This is what gave me peace in my mind:
I started a chronological line where I build diorama's from highlight to highlight throughout the second world war starting from the invasion of Poland and planning to end with the battle of Berlin. Per quarter I decided what's the most interesting topics in these months.
I promised to myself not to start the next one before I finished the actual one. If I don't feel like modeling, I don't start.
I give myself 6 months on average per diorama project.
These were the benefits:
1. I wasn't tempted to buy stuff all the time anymore
2. I could take enough time and attention to each phase in the process
3. If I didn't feel like modeling it was easier to let it go and do something else than work on a sideproject
Overall it gave me peace in my head which is the most important thing in this hobby, so you can focus on the ongoing project.
Try scratch building as a change of approach. You are still making models but the challenge is fresh and you use a vast array of different skills. The satisfaction at the end is much greater than sticking some other modeller's plastic parts together out of a box too.
Been there - was building the Tamiya USS Enterprise in 1:350 and was BURNT out after weeks and weeks of bending attaching etched-brass railings/nets/radars/etc. I cracked open a nice 1:35 scale vehicle and figures and had a great few weeks of "normal" model-work.
thanks for the perspective, like any hobby, it's easy to fall into the doldrum, especially since there's the web and all the hobby sites. I often get sidetracked into thinking my builds don't measure up. When that happens, I get a cold one, chill, and remind myself I build for me and who cares...if it doesn't measure up. After all, like, who is actually gonna see my builds...and if a modeling buddy shows up I just make him see the build from 6 feet away....LOL...
Thanks for uploading these tips. My situ. Is the opposite, I'm frustrated that I can't continue (due to a temporary health issue, an unexpexted blood clot & car accident on top of Lupus lol)....2.5yrs later It's been taken care of & I'm still healing from accident, Thank The Lord I walked away but still frustrating....so decided to watch how to videos & little by little gathering tools (I have plenty of kits waiting for me) Take care
/Rosemary
I’m sorry to hear that. I will pray for you Rosemary! Be strong! 💪
@@BS-561 Thanks God Bless
Sorry to hear that Rosemary. Early last year I found that I was making a lot of simple mistakes while modelling and was a bit hamfisted to the extent I wound up scrapping three new kits I was working on for a diorama. I ended up in Accident & Emergency at my local hospital one night after a very frustrating day modelling with what I thought was a really severe migraine as I'd been throwing up, my vision was all over the place all on top of a banging headache. It turned out I'd actually got a brain tumour the size of a large orange! Didn't see that one coming! The good news was that it was benign and was operable so they were able to remove it all. Eleven months on I'm still recovering slowly and building again but a lot slower than before. The best thing you can do is build something simple or work on a couple of figures, things that you can just pick up and put down when you feel like it and that you're not attached to if you make a pigs ear of it. If you make a mess of it, not a problem. It's therapy of a sort. My memory is absolutely shocking now so I have to keep going back to instructions/reference photos etc while I'm building but its working and my skills are coming back to where they were. Ease yourself back into the hobby. Hope that you're on the mend and that your recovery is smooth and full.
@@karlflavell968 Good idea about simple projects etc. Thanks. So sorry to hear about that health challange. Thank The Lord it was a benign tumor & You're picking up on your skills again...One min., one hour, one day, one week a time etc, is what I've said to Lupus Grp. Trying to Celebrate advancements in healing while letting go of set-backs! Take care
Those are overall good tips. Some of them I use by myself. Life isn't just about scale modeling hobby. Yeah, lol. Another valid tip is to check some local model show. You don't have to participate; watching is enough to get some motivation and inspiration.
That’s a great idea, too! Thanks!
I'm taking a break just now. Not because I'm bored of the hobby. I simply ran out of display space 😅 Need to switch to house DIY which I've been avoid for a year now as I've had so many projects with plastering and painting before that I wanted to switch to small scale work. Unfortunately I've used up the display space my fiancee has allowed me so need to venture and build more shelves elsewhere. Got a tiny Airfix Tiger I lined up though. Plus can't wait to get my hands on more 1/56 scale Rubicon model kits. All the best, Mr Hank!
Good topic 🍻
I have found that having two kit at the bench at same time work really good for me. One at painting stage and one at building.
I always get alittle stuck when in almost at the end or a project and then i take a break and start gluing on a new kit. When its done i find that im eager to return to finish the other project aswell.
I started doing just that, and it works for me!
I only average about 4 to 6 kits a year, so it's hard for me to get fatigued. But I usually alternate between armor and aircraft to avoid any redundancy. When I was a lot younger and built more, I'd focus on ahistorical builds using my imagination. Once built a ME-262 with winter camo and homemade Italian WW2 insignia. Also built a Leopard 1 with DAK camo and decals. I'm now wanting to build a Leo 2 with some sort of Tiger paint scheme and Wehrmacht markings. I love ahistorical builds because it allows you to use your imagination.
Same here! Usually use the season as inspiration, so a winter, spring, summer and autumn build
Another great video, Hank. And, yes, switching between sci-fi and military models has often kept my interest & enthusiasm up to speed. I won't buy new kits just to have something new to work on (I've got several hundred in my stash), but buying after-market items to spruce up the kits I already have sometimes gets me going if I'm in a slump - BTW, thanks to your videos I've taken to dressing up tanks with all sorts of cast resin stowage (which I would never have done a few years ago) - metal gun barrels, sandbags, and stowage make the process more interesting as well as the finished model. Again, thanks for the great info, keep up the good work!
Just hit a wall today. I finished the Border Model BF-109, sat for a few and opened the next kit. As soon as i opened the book for the next model i just had the "I'm done" thought. What a coincidence that i found this video the same day.
Hi Hank!
I'm in the process of trying to battle past my depression to get a kit ready for a contest in a month. It takes me most of the day to work up the gumption to get to the bench, usually around eight at night. I'm trying to get excited about this, and we'll see how it goes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!!
Definitely some worthwhile tips... been modeling for better than 45 years, and have hit this wall on more than a few occasions. I recently made the jump over to a fully rigged wooden sailing ship, am a few hundred hours into it, and not even 10%-15% done. I got to the point where I had the mentality that if I didn't stay at it day after day, it would never get done, and it was starting to feel forced... time to take a break.
Great video andgreat tips. I like to set a due date for completion, it helps keep whatever pace I choose to keep. Another tip is, take a break and completely organize the space. Throwaway material that you know you will never use. It’s a good feeling to purge. Clutter can be a Mojo killer.
Thanks for sharing your pinterest archive. Lot of cool stuff there.
Thankyou Hank for being so open and honest. Mojo can be a breaker
for a time. Sound advice.
I lost interest in modelling nearly five years ago. I really haven’t regained it yet having only built four kits in the past year. I just threw 25 years of kits in the bin after my dogs destroyed them when they broke one of my display cases. Not sure if I really want to start all over again.
Got a bunch of 1/72 vehicles from S-Models hanging around the house, they're incredibly cheap and surprisingly detailed yet simple enough to build in a couple of hours. Call them my "sidequests" since I pick them up when I'm stuck on a larger 1/35 model or feel like I need a little break
I started a Tacoma M9 ACE armored earth mover in January as a break from the woodworking hobby. It’s 2/3rds finished, but the incredibly frustrating task of keeping the track pads together to get them on the model has resulted in zero enthusiasm for finishing the thing! After they’re on the drive gear and idlers, I could glue them together, but it’s impossible to keep them together to get them on! Back to woodworking now!
I'm in one right now, partially cause i've just built 2 or 3 kits back to back. But also and primarily because my life is very busy for the next 5 weeks and I just don't have the time, got some cool kits on the production line that has been stopped, Tiger 1, M36, Panzer 4, M3 Stuart, Chi Ha, M48, Leopard 2, M1A1 Abrams. I also bought the Airfix 1/35 tank mystery bundle, waiting for that to arrive, quite excited for it
I’m someone who enjoys building large kits for some reason but after I started working on a 1/18 F86 Saber kinda got burnt out over it a while ago now Im going back to smaller scales for a while before I start working on it again to help get my mojo back.
Great lead in Hank! I just watched 'Fury' last night for the first time in it's entirety! Awesome awesome movie!
Might I add a 6th way to fight the fatigue- your pets! Don't be afraid to break up build sessions, and get away from the desk and the kit when Scruffy or Mr Mittens wants attention. I have two cats, and they constantly keep me on my toes, wanting to investigate the work bench and 'help'. Make time for you, and your animal companion- the kit will be just fine when they decide they've had enough and allow you to return to it! :)
Haha great point!!
@@SpruesNBrews hehehe can't tell ya how many times I've been in the middle of a build, or working s small part, and my cats come say 'hello' or want lap time :)
Been there cause I did it for work and therapy now I have been jumping around from scale to scale
Soo true Pinterest got me out of so many humps! Some of the best looking models on Pinterest.
Nice tips, Hank! It is something that happens to all modelers eventually, so offering some solid suggestions to help people move past their slump was a great idea for a video.
I've done every one on your list at one time or another. Thanks for the videos!
It’s good to walk away and get involved with other projects. Use that time to think of sequences on what to do when returning to the bench. I always remind myself I’m not in a hurry.
yeah, same here, I look at the kit, think about what I spent for it- I want it last, to be enjoyable, and not 'rushed'.
I had this since 1978. Modelmaking fatigue, but god I love modelling!
The precariously balanced tiger in the thumbnail is giving me so much anxiety
Just start building different kits at the same time...I have a huge library of WWII books, lots of armored vehicles, so I always get ideas on something to build. I will scratch build to take some of the "kit build" monotony of the picture. Great practice on multiple techniques from building, vegatation and scenery.
Love the tips Hank but I think no. 5 is dangerous. I start out window shopping with the best of intentions to see what's on offer and then the dark side takes over and I can't resist temptation. I have a hobby shop 15% discount voucher expring April 30th and it's killing me to stay off the website. Thanks for these videos mate.
Tip 3 and 5 it's always worked for me
Good stuff
Instead of hobby shops, I often browse scalemates database for kits. You can filter it down pretty narrow as well if you know what you’re after.
I've feeling the fatigue. I've been focusing on ww2, I decided to change up and go backwards. I'm now doing some kits from ww1.
I've done Korean and Vietnam, now go to the beginning.
l found that changing from modelling !/72 and !/35 second World War AFV's to building , assembling and painting Polar lights ( old Aurora ) horror monster kits for my brother helped me regain my mojo as the subjects could,nt have been more different . A change is as good as a rest as the saying goes .
Definitely a fan of the RUclips inspiration to get me back to the desk and modelling. A lot of other great tips.
Years ago I gave up on model competition. While it got me to try new techniques, the pressure took all the fun out of the hobby. You could spend years working on something and a judge with a magnifying glass and flashlight disqualify you for a seam shadow. No fun in that. That was the first thing I did to get my motivation back. Second, was to try new things, new subjects outside my comfort zone. For the longest time I wouldn't allow myself to build anything other than 1950's naval aircraft even it it meant scratch building. It was all about the display...continuity. Once I let both of these go, the pressure was off and now I could just model. Take a brake, get a cheap kit and slap it together without paint or detail like you did when were a kid. Atlantis has a lot of the models I did as a boy in the early 1960's...great way back machine... Amazing how liberating that can be.
I only build models in the winter months, the dark afternoons and cold weather are condusive to doing a hobby. You won't get burnt out.
Well I got a modeling fatigue but it‘s with a specific model I‘m building rn. What sucks is that I already bought another model that I can‘t wait to get building.
Should I finish the one I‘m working on right now or should I start building the over one?
I mean if I skip the model I‘m currently working on I don’t think I would finish it later on but on the other hand I feel like I should have more fun building which I‘m currently not having.
Funny you should mention go to a museum, I do that every Thursday. If you're ever down here I'd be happy to give you a tour.
Just simply changing scales or subject helps
Fortunately I haven’t had much of a slump right now,however I am doing my first aircraft,as I have only done armour for around 3 years,so I guess it will be a fun journey!Any specific tips,be sure to leave them Hank!(It’s an Airfix Gloster meteor)
Great topic. Sometimes I struggle with a kit (usually involving tank tracks ). . . and I get frustrated. I'll take a break . . .Get my motivation back. . and Im back at it cussing length-link tracks. . problem solved!
Me too . Loathe and despise individual track links not so much in 1/35 but in 1/72 . Wish the'd mould the tracks and running gear as one in this small scale as up to this point l enjoy the assembly . And don't get me started on photo esch . ln 1/72 scale it is well nigh impossible to use in my case at least . Modelling should be relaxing and fun but with these two stumbling blocks it becomes tedious , stressful and frustrating . l stick with Tamiya and Trumpeter kits as much as possible . No problems there .
Yep just lost mine just sold 171 kits
My personal recommendation when in this bind. Build a simpler model which is well engineered for lower parts count and fit OOTB to recover the enjoyment vs obsessing over complexity and extreme detail which can be a slow grind in any model where that isn't moulded in in the very latest new tooling. When it comes to this, go in and pick anything Tamiya from the shelf/your stash which excites your imagination in your preferred scale FTW. Build it without PERFECTIONISM with the objective of getting the model first, completed, and then FINISHED. 'Do it now!' DONE is good enough. Voila! P.S. The simpler the paint job the better when in this mode, for obvious reasons. And buy a mask if it isn't e.g. a '44 Panzer Cloud Ambush, or there are loads of transparencies (aircraft).
Sometimes i find it helps to take a few days of just cleaning. I mean, open that container of Masters Brush Cleaner and Conditioner, and clean my brushes extra good. Take care of the airbrush. Take EVERYTHING off the desk and clean it (and carefully inspect/place any plastic you may find, as it may be a piece you thought lost to the carpet monster)
Of course, ive followed some of the advice offered in this vidso, but it backfired spectacularly. See, when i first came back to this hobby, i almost exclusively built 1/24 racing cars. Then i added 48 scale ww2 aircraft. Then i did a 48 scale jet (eurofighter typhoon in case anyone is wondering).... now, im a hobby whore 😂😂..... i have 350 scale ships, 35th scale armor, 48 scale jets AND ww1 era fighters.
Long and short of it is, i now add anything that piques my interest on an individual kit/subject level. The good part of that is, switching up the builds is quite easy in terms of changing views
I've been feeling like this for a while now.. Almost 2 years of starting a kit ,then put it down.. Start another one , same thing.. I've got probably 5 or 6 kits started and I just can't get into it.. I'm even having a hard time sitting through a build video.. But I'm also been going through some really bad health issues , that's most of it .. Hopefully , I'll be able to get back into it.🙏
When im suffering from burnout i go to a small scale like 1/72 with a s small part count. Also I clean my model room and i find it clears my mind.
So true about cleaning up the workspace!
@@malaudisa older models and fewer parts count is a great diversion, do I really need all the parts for a fully detailed ejection seat....LOL....
My problem is failure to finish a kit. Must have a dozen plus kits in various building stages then, I recently got started with 3D printing and now I have a dozen or so 1/6th and 1/4th figures added to the list of things to finish. That's not counting the over 100 kits in the stash.
I was the same for ages and it never felt like anything ever progressed, so now my rule is to only allow myself to work on one model at a time and hey Presto, I got through my part finished backlog quite quickly (for me).
I try to alternate between a simple kit like a 90’s Tamiya plane or tank (don’t need to paint until completely assembled).
Thanks for the advice, a bit demotivated at the moment. Just need to get my enthusiasm back.
excellent advice :) i felt that a lot lately
I get in a modeling rut from time to time. Lately I find myself trying to conjur up something "contemporary" for the living room. A scratchbuilt what, I dont know. But something tasteful. All that airbrushing and building experience could surely be aimed at something, no?
How many olive drab, camo, airframe aluminum things can one rehash in one's modeling lifetime?
My slump started when COVID hit and has not recovered
Another outstanding video and presentation.
Thank you very much!
Usually what get me back in the modelling mood is buying a new kit(I knooooow). I have plenty of modern US vehicles so I bought a set of tankers and painted them in the ACU pattern. I distributed them amongst some of my builds.
Hey Hank cool video we all need to find the mojo now and then, cheers liam
Great idea hank I'll have to try that
Easy to slip into the trap of watching videos about modelling without actually doing any modelling . This l have found in recent months as well as buying kits and accumulating them without getting around to assembling them . Easy to lose your mojo but more difficult to get it back . Being retired l thought having the time to model when l wanted would inspire me to model more but oddly enough the opposite is true .Very strange .
Kinda been having this with my C-47 and I finally got it painted but then I found the invasion stripes were a bit to rough. I can’t bring myself to paint them again and I just want to build my IS-2.
Some invasion stripes were done very crudely in real life. There are many images of WW2 aircraft with crooked and crudely painted invasion stripes.
„Boys, we have a delivery of 350 gallons of paint here. They want us to paint black and white stripes on our planes. You have two days. Grab a brush.“
Im in a scale modeling slump and found this video on accident from your restoration of old builds video and went to your profile and found this. I been building those metal earth models while in the slump and havnt built a plastic styrene scake model in going on 9 months lol but im starting to get the itch again and bring out a few model car builds thst have been in limbo for last year or two and just need final assembly and a few pieces painted here and there and they would be done lol
My problem is I deep dive into a hobby and immediately lose interest in all my other hobbies. I invest all my time and energy into it until I inevitably burn myself out of it. What I am left with is a horrible feeling of guilt and a bench full of expensive tools and kits etc that will sit and gather dust or get sold off once something else comes along or a spark from a previous hobby reignites. It then goes full circle and when I eventually come back to it, it's like I have to start again from scratch. I really wish I knew how to divide my time equally between the hobbies that I love to avoid this abandonment. I hate that I'm at this place now with scale modelling, right when just about every kit that I've ever dreamed of is about to be released. I'm hoping that this is just temporary for me.
dose the kits come with paint and glue
Thanks!👍
Dammm I have lost my interest that much how it was first months, idk kinda how to get it back 😅
But I hope some tips should help, Thanks!
I normally build large scale aircraft that are more complex and take several months to complete. What I do to combat fatigue is to find a simple, fun, easy to complete projects that are quick and easy to build and NOT airplanes....something that is out of the norm of what I usually work on.
Thank you
The fact that i just got museum into scale modelling and youtube recommends me this video💀
To me, it's going on and off... But in general, I can say, if I am feeling good, I will create (do the models), and also if I feel low or drained I do not like to force myself to build something, because I know it will be just wasted.
Thanks
I have a model train layout above my work bench so I switch back and forth.
I had a problem with a certain hobby shop clerk who actually complained about me taking "to long" on a project. He was always asking me when I was going to get it done. Sorry but I build on my timeline NOT his.
Thanks, what the best place to buy kits on-line, Las Vegas doesn’t have good hobby shops
Andy's Hobby Headquarters is a really good place to get kits and supplies online. They have some of the best customer service I have ever dealt with. Michigan Toy Soldiers is another good one.
Scale hobbyist and Sprue Brothers are also good
Kitlinx in Utah has been good in the past.
Quite a bit of mine come from Amazon to be honest- they have a really good range of Tamiya kits, and Revell aircraft
Hobbylinc is another good one that I buy from regularly
And for god's sake, whar ever you do, don't......
No offence, Hank, but my tip would be to lay off the modelling RUclips channels for a while. They are professional modellers, and I'm not, so if you are struggling with a build, watching someone make it look easy isn't good for the soul.
The only videos I've watched recently, apart from this one, have been the Sherman series, which has been excellent. Thanks!
Great insight here! As the famous quote goes "Comparison is the thief of Joy".
Watching a perfect 30 min video build of a model that took me 3 months (and still looks worse) is super discouraging.
I agree. Remember RUclips videos are highly edited and always seem like perfect builds. who wants to highlight their mistakes? No one I know.
Indeed true but like everything in life, take things in moderation. I sometime like to go back to old projects and revamp specific model like I did with several old airfix model form the 70’s. No pressure just fun experimenting
And do spend sometime on scalemates and your stash or wish list
Happy modeling mates
Actually, I GO to professional site to see how they tackle a kit, paint figures, weather a kit, talk about supplies, review kits- I might not be building, but I can watch someone else build! :)
Just build an egg plane and all will be ok 👍 😊
How ironic...I'm currently in a slump but I'm a seasoned vet and know this will pass.
Thanks
Thanks