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I've never seen a car model that looked close to real!


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  • 7 years later...
On ‎2‎/‎6‎/‎2011 at 12:31 AM, CorsairMan said:

A lot of the art in the car model is lost in pictures. The depth of the paint can be fantastic when done right but sometimes it does not translate well in pictures.

I went to a model car contest - insane how these guys could make plastic look like metal. A lot of thin coats, polishing, more paint, polishing, clear coats, polishing...

I completely agree. So I haven't built a car/truck kit in 35 plus years, but i had a 60% off coupon for Michael's and bought a  AMT 1/25 1967 Ford Mustang GT350 Shelby edition.  They were out of planes, so it was the best choice.  It'll be a nice break from aircraft for a change.  And, more importantly,  I have someone to whom I can give it that will appreciate it.  As for me, I am amazed at all y"all's models. So knock it off with the negative waves, Moriarty!

Edited by Dutch
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21 hours ago, Slartibartfast said:

Wow, that's almost 8-year old thread you rescucitated.  Yeah, yeah, I know. Negative waves...

 

I suppose it's more efficient that beginning a new thread to hash out an old discussion again.  

 

I wonder how many of us do not chase realism so much, as we do other artistic qualities.  For car modelers, I'm under the impression that they are often trying to create a near-perfect replica that is acknowledged to be an ideal replica, with flawless workmanship, instead of something that, if photographed properly, would look like a real motor vehicle.  This is the basis for ship modeling where crew, water, and weathering are not to be seen, and the ship is mounted to a block of wood instead.  This pursuit is a real challenge, especially considering how unforgiving gloss finishes, chrome, and other aspects of car modeling can be.  Occasionally aircraft modelers do this, too.

Edited by Fishwelding
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Off topic, I haven't  seen a few of the posters from back in 2011 in a long while. Time flies...

 

On topic, my hat goes off to the car modelers out there. They can make plastic look both like highly polished steel or some rusted out derelict sitting in a farmers field. Takes some serious skills in my book.

 

Happy modeling,

Don

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What I find detracts a little bit on cars and also on aircraft models. The wheels! Car/truck tires like aircraft tires always show some kind of sidewall bulge and a flat spot at the contact point. The thing is heavy after all. I have seen some stunning models that look like they are filled with helium perched on their tires like ballerinas on their toes. I always try to sand a little flat area on the bottom of my wheels. Might be a bit difficult on rubber tires of car models though.

 

Pierre

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52 minutes ago, Pierre Sacha said:

What I find detracts a little bit on cars and also on aircraft models. The wheels! Car/truck tires like aircraft tires always show some kind of sidewall bulge and a flat spot at the contact point. The thing is heavy after all. I have seen some stunning models that look like they are filled with helium perched on their tires like ballerinas on their toes. I always try to sand a little flat area on the bottom of my wheels. Might be a bit difficult on rubber tires of car models though.

 

Pierre

I agree with this. Although I did see a drag racing model where the builder actually put the twist and deflection that a dragster has coming off the line and had the front tires slightly raised from the base. It was an incredible effect that totally sold the model.

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...without the pink background...

 

...Hillclimber:

 

...and you'll never look at  a sushi tray the same way again:

 

 

 

Moral:

             Cars:  Hard.

             Bikes : Way harder.

Edited by krow113
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The three stumbling blocks to me are:

1) panel joints -- usually too wide and it's difficult to create a proper shadowed look

2) tires -- a lot of builders don't seem to go outside and look at their own car's tires to see color & wear patterns.

3) chrome -- very difficult to pull off at model scale

 

For car models with aftermarket headers (and most prop aircraft exhausts), people seem to think 304 stainless steel (typical material) rusts like iron or steel.  It doesn't. 

Edited by Slartibartfast
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Yeah...

I would say with all tge preshaded panel lines going on these days aircraft models look more and more unreal as the years drag by.

The community make very convincing looking model models.

That red Japanese jelly bean does indeed look like a jelly bean but that is for the most part how they look in real life

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow, I can't believe that this thread still exists after 8 years (Feb 5/11)!  While it was meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek and to stir up the pot on what was likely a dull day, I still haven't seen a model car that looked all that real, including the examples above.  Sorry 😉

 

Cheers,

Chuck

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I'm a total noob and all... but, I plan on giving this a shot.  I want to build my car (2014 Subaru WRX 5 door)... but, my actual car, with the chips, dings, scratches, weathered underside and roof rack and billstein suspension and all.  Maybe a summer project.  We'll see what happens. 

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2 hours ago, SinisterVampire319 said:

Is there some kind of hatred between car and aircraft modelers that I didn't know of?

 

I'm betting that there are lots of us plane builders out there that also collect and build car models.  It was car models that got me started building plastic kits way back in the 60's.    

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3 hours ago, SinisterVampire319 said:

Is there some kind of hatred between car and aircraft modelers that I didn't know of?

 

 

 

Heck no.  As mentioned, my original post was meant in fun to get things going on a slow day.  I will admit that I did mean what I said, but that was only to get to see some nice car models.  I will give the car guys kudos for a number of things they generally do better than we aircraft builders, like painting.  Some of those perfect glossy finishes are very hard to do well.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

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