Modelers block

[19clive68]

☹️ hello, I've not done any modeling since after Xmas, got 2 still to finish, has anybody any suggestions on how to get rid of modelers block, thanks in advance

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

8 minutes ago, 19clive68 said:

☹️ hello, I've not done any modeling since after Xmas, got 2 still to finish, has anybody any suggestions on how to get rid of modelers block, thanks in advance

What kind of builds are they ? If airplanes try tanks, sci-fi, or cars. Sometimes a switch in type’s can break a loss of mojo. 
 

Dennis

[lasermonkey]

1 minute ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

What kind of builds are they ? If airplanes try tanks, sci-fi, or cars. Sometimes a switch in type’s can break a loss of mojo. 
 

Dennis

That’s normally what I do, though sometimes I think you just have to accept the loss of mojo and not worry about it too much and do something completely different. It almost always comes back.

[Troy Smith]

It's a hobby, not a job.  If it's not grabbing you, do something else.   That could be another hobby, or a different aspect of this hobby.  

You have found this place, and signed up and posted,  so I presume you have been quite into it, and it can fell like a job.   I get builds where they stall,  usually the more complex ones,  when you don't want to mess up the hard work done already, but get put off with it.  

 

If you have some photos, do a Work In Progress thread,  detail what you have done, and maybe why you stopped,  it's a friendly place,  you get some encouraging comments,  or offers of methods to overcome  problems,  which may help. 

 

And welcome to the site

cheers

T

[Graham Boak]

This sounds odd, but the best (as in quickest) way to break a modelling block is to sit down and do some modelling.  Not sit down and stare at the stash or the references (been there done that), but actually pick up a knife or a brush or a file and actually move something along - not necessarily the 2 awaiting.  Start a new one - you can always put it away again and get on with the others later.  Perhaps that first time only do five minutes work then go away, but do something.  Pretty well anything.  Yes, this is a good way to build up a stock of started but unfinished models, but there's an upside to everything.

 

To be honest, a three months or so break isn't something new to me, and I don't think that I'm alone.  It happens sometimes.  It's that getting to the bench that's so difficult, actually doing something that works the magic.  If this mood continues, and you can't bring yourself to sit down at the bench, then buy a good reference book.  That'll set the modelling urge stirring.

[FalkeEins]

8 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

This sounds odd, but the best (as in quickest) way to break a modelling block is to sit down and do some modelling...actually pick up a knife or a brush or a file and actually move something along

 

this is what I do. Just sit down and glue two two parts together.  Say that's day 1 somewhere in a kit build.  Then do 3 parts on day 2 and so on.  A good day is 5 parts stuck together.  Or just stick with two parts per day but aim to that every day or every other day.  The classic S.M.A.R.T goals.  (specific, measureable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) Just recently though I can't be asked to pick up the airbrush, strip it down, clean it, re-assemble it....so picked up a paint brush instead... virtually no prep required - just paint. The new Tempest is coming along slowly but surely

[Jon Bryon]

My method is simply to do at least 30 minutes of modelling a day regardless of whether I want to or not. There's always a podcast I want to listen to, and that means even if I'm not in the mood for modelling, I've got sufficient motivation to sit at the desk and I might as well get on with some whilst listening.

 

Jon

[Nigel Bunker]

9 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Sometimes a switch in type’s can break a loss of mojo. 

I agree with this. Go to your model shop and buy a type of kit you'd never usually build. If you build aircraft, try an AFV, a car, sci fi or whatever takes your fancy. Follow the instructions and build it, no after market, no research books, no spending hours on the internet studying it. Having a model quickly built and on the shelf always helps me to regain my mojo.

[stevej60]

We all get it and all the previous comments are proven methods to cure it(I've probably tried every one) I usually just leave it a week or two 

then you have that moment when the light bulb comes back on at you're back at the bench with a new enthusiasm!

[Paul J]

I'm going through it at the moment with just and hour or so dabbling about once a week or less.

[Guest]

It's something that obviously affects most modellers and myself at some point. I often get stuck at the final stages of finishing where there are many small, fiddly chores left to complete the model. When I lose the urge I just try to do something small each day to at least move a project forward while I spend time thinking about what I would like to start next. In the past, if I got bogged down on one particular model, I would just put it aside and start another ... 

 

Wrong! I just ended up with too many unfinished models. I now try to never have more than two on the go at the same time, preferably at different stages. When the mojo is working I can't keep off the workbench so it's very far removed from having a complete month away which has happened on several occasions. 

 

I only model aircraft and that is just a part of my lifelong interest in aviation so when not at the workbench I have an extensive library to peruse and I also embroil myself in watching box and build reviews of kits online. That usually breaks the block and stimulates a return to the bench. 

[19clive68]

Thanks to everyone for the advice, think I'll try them all, probably alot of the problem is work related, (working 2 much) think a few wk /ends off are in order soon  thanks again folks 👋👍

[Skodadriver]

As others have said, it happens to most of us.

 

I have been modelling for well over 50 years and around this time last year I had the worst modeller's block I've ever suffered. I had a complete mojo failure to the point that I came within a whisker of quitting the hobby completely. I found myself hopelessly bogged down in stalled, messed up or otherwise unfinished builds. There was a bit more to it than that but my apparent inability to finish anything was the root cause. I'm lucky that my wife is supportive and after I'd taken time out she suggested doing a "blitzbuild", a simple, easy, straightforward model so that I could remind myself what finishing something felt like. That was excellent advice. After I'd broken my duck in this way I reviewed all my outstanding builds and ruthlessly binned everything I knew I wasn't going to finish. It was cathartic and allowed me effectively to wipe the slate clean and start again.

 

Hope that's some help.

 

Dave G 🇺🇦

[Tojo72]

Watch a war movie

Read a military book.

Peruse others builds.

Attend a show.

Maybe a simple build.

 

But most important,don't force it,if it ain't there wait for it.Trying to force yourself to the bench is counterproductive,it becomes work,not a hobby and mistakes will be made.

Edited March 27, 2022 by Tojo72

[Nigel Bunker]

Modellers block reminds me of the scoring drought often suffered by forwards in football when they couldn't buy a goal, let alone score one. I remember when this came up on the 'Saint & Greavsie show' when Ian St John asked Jimmy Greaves if he'd suffered from a scoring drought to which Greaves replied that he had, and it was the worst fifteen minutes of his life.😆 (If you don't know who Ian St John & Jimmy Greaves were, ask your granddad😉).

 

Anyway, if you have modellers block, try what I suggested in my previous post or wait for it to pass, which it will.

[Mr T]

It's long while since I have suffered from modellers block, but I recall it was mainly work related, I just didn't have enough enthusiasm to get on with a model. It didn't help that I was bringing work home with me. 

Being retired, I don't feel the pressure so much and like others, modelling is, a good accompaniment to listening to something. Don't overthink it and I am sure it will pass. Modern life puts a lot if pressure on people to perform in every aspect of life. 

[fatfingers]

When i've suffered it in the past i try to ignore it and not pressure myself. Then, when i feel up to building i do something different, which in my case is usually Games Workshop related. 👍

 

Regards,

 

Steve

[Mark Harmsworth]

Take some pictures of your work in progress, or a previous build, and post it on Britmodeller. You'll get some good feedback and that might inspire. I know it helps me.

Mark

 

[IanHx]

Start another kit ? 

[19clive68]

Thanks to everyone who offered advice, much appreciated and very helpful, hopefully get back into it soon, glad that people are keen to offer their help 👍

[jackroadkill]

You're certainly not on your own; I seem to have developed an irrational fear of airbrushing lately.  I've been trying to do some pre-shading and black-basing all week but keep finding reasons not to do it.

[Filler]

I’ve not been able to face the bench myself for a while. It started for me with a bad colour match that left me having to try different paints on a test bed. I really hate airbrushing at the best of times, but this certainly derailed me. Then a week or two later Russia actually invaded Ukraine and it knocked me for six and modelling war planes became something I couldn’t possibly even contemplate. I’m starting to get over that and function better again, so modelling is starting to get its appeal back. The problem then is that it’s back to the darn airbrush. If there was no such thing as airbrushes and paint brushes was the only way, then my output would probably have been ten times what it has.

[GrahamS]

I’m really struggling with modeller’s block - I’ve been working on a 22” Eagle Transporter for, what, five years and it’s been sat on my bench for about 18 months untouched. The wife even bought me an Airfix Victor when it came out, I bought the new Vulcan but I just can’t get myself into gear and do anything. 
 

Graham

[Seahawk]

13 hours ago, GrahamS said:

The wife even bought me an Airfix Victor when it came out,

 

Has she got a sister?

[Troy Smith]

On 03/04/2022 at 19:52, Filler said:

If there was no such thing as airbrushes and paint brushes was the only way, then my output would probably have been ten times what it has.

WE still have a Matchbox group build on, and they came in multi colour no need to paint plastic   

And there are those Gundam kits that don't need painting.

 

Or make something as a classic old solid desk model,  I picked up some Screwfix Zinc galvanising spray paint, and it erm, looks like metal as it has a load of zinc in it... I mean it's still painting but it's a build complete model and then spray in one overall go...  I mention this as I was given a solid metal Meteor and it looks neat. 

Also, sort of thing is a good use for some old basic raised panel line kit, sand the detail off, assemble, put on stand,  spray, put on desk, pretend your an Air Commodore or the head of BA...

 

Its a variation on do something different idea....