11bee Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 At some point in the last year or two, I decided it wasn't worth it to superdetail parts of my kit that no one will ever see. For example, check this awesome scratch-built interior out: Pretty ugly, right? I just added some basic structures (in some case only two dimensional) and some color. However, once the fuselage of my Tracker was sealed up, the only view into the cabin was through the starboard crew access door. Given that the direct view was obstructed by the engine nacelle, you could only see into this area from one direction. I figured that some basic objects and a few bits of color would be sufficient to make the interior look "busy" if anyone ever took my US-2B off the shelf and looked inside the access door. This is about all you will see: I probably could have skipped adding anything and just painted the interior black and called it a day. I saw someone else replicate the entire aft cabin of their Tracker, in outstanding detail. Not a single switch or feature was missed. However, once the fuselage was sealed up, all that hard work was gone forever. So I am curious, how many folks out there sweat the details like that guy did? For that matter, how many folks super-detail wheel wells and then put the model on a shelf, never to be moved again? Is it worth it to super-detail parts of a kit no one will ever see or just keep it basic and simple, focusing all your time and energy on the visible parts of your model? I know at the end of the day, you will know all that fine work is there but is it really worth it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 For the most part, no. Granted you will know it's there and will have the satisfaction of that but when the area is sealed, what then? You can tell people that it's there but how many will believe it unless they can see it for themselves. After a while you might even forget that you did all that work or at least regret it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CorsairMan Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I used to. Now I don't. If it can't be seen then I will invest more time on another part of that build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I have eventually learned speaking of myself and my already slow pace: 1.Super detailed, perfect kit 2. finished build Pick one. Not every run has to be a marathon, and not every build has to be super detailed. I shook AMS when I realized that some of my favorite kits on my shelves were not inherently the best I had built in technical terms. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Par429 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Hey- The answer of course is: It Depends. It depends what you are trying to achieve with any given project. Sometimes you want a quick build to put on the shelf, so no. Sometimes it's more of a bucket list project. Then it's yes and it doesn't matter what can be seen. Sometimes you may want to try a new technique, etc, etc. So most of my models have a different level of detail. Phil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 If it can't be seen, then there's no point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) I enjoy detailing a cockpit or flight station, that is where most folks/non modelers are going to look first. I'll pop in a resin cockpit or at least a nice ejection seat if it's a modern jet. And I do have a decent stock of decal sheets depicting dials, instrument faces and placards. I will detail aft areas if they are view able, such as the back end of one of the P-3s I built. I figured, if the door is going to be open I need to show some details But I only went left and right as far as you could see...I would like to scratch build an entire P-3 interior but that would have to be built as a cut away. I'm currently working on a C-2 that I spent way too much time detailing the back end on. I added details to the immediate aft ramp area, that's fine, it's pretty visible. But I also spent a day or two putting seat belts on the passenger seats...all of them, when just the first two rows would have been plenty. Oh well...I had fun doing it...? I typically leave wheel wells alone unless it it an older kit that is completely devoid of details. I wouldn't ever bother with aftermarket resin wheel wells. Edited September 28, 2015 by 82Whitey51 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nspreitler Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I will go all out on a kit every once in a while, but for the most part I work on the exterior, good paint, weathering, and what can be seen. Nobody is going to look in the wheel wells, or in an area hidden in a fuselage so I typically don't worry about that too much. I have done kits with lots of time spent on the interior that won't be seen, but those often end up as shelf of doom projects. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aurora Mark Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Much like others have said, if it can be seen, I'll throw everything I can at it. In the past, if it's an area that can offer a lot of interest and detail with the interior portions, but visible through a small window, I'd put lights in, or open up an extra hatch to get into there. Otherwise, no, if it can't be seen, it's not bothered with. Cheers, Mark. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 My thoughts on this, well I build for building's sake, not for display only. Meaning that while yes, I do like to have finished builds to display and perhaps show people, but the main reason I build models is the journey and learning experience of the building. So sure, I'll sometimes try to add some detail that can't be seen when finished but it's just because I might like what that detail is and want to try to figure out how to do it. I mean, if building models is only about having a shelf display piece then why not skip the building all together and just buy a die cast or pre-built kit. At least that's my personal feeling. In no way am I saying it's wrong to not detail or to build out of the box. Not at all, it's what you desire that matters. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aurora Mark Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 My thoughts on this, well I build for building's sake, not for display only. Meaning that while yes, I do like to have finished builds to display and perhaps show people, but the main reason I build models is the journey and learning experience of the building. So sure, I'll sometimes try to add some detail that can't be seen when finished but it's just because I might like what that detail is and want to try to figure out how to do it. I mean, if building models is only about having a shelf display piece then why not skip the building all together and just buy a die cast or pre-built kit. At least that's my personal feeling. In no way am I saying it's wrong to not detail or to build out of the box. Not at all, it's what you desire that matters. Bill Bill, I like what you wrote there. The Il-2 I'm working on is fun, and I really enjoyed going at the cockpit and gunner position. But aside from flaps and a little scratch building to make it a photo-recce aircraft it is stock, because that was about all I was looking for. The Spitfire is an Eduard venture with seeing what can be made of their model. The Aurora on the other hand, that one is special for me for a number of reasons. Flying on the aircraft, wanting to scratch build, never having done any form of vac-form kits, and seeing what I can do, all those reasons are driving me with this build. And I look forward to learning more about the aircraft I work on than I normally would have. Call it a sense of pride in the fleet, or just a childs interest in the type (I've been a fan of the CP-140/P-3 since first seeing one as a young little kid at an airshow back home)... but, this one is special. And that's why a lot of stop that would normally be in place are being pulled out. But, there is a limit to that one. As much as I'd love to build the latrine, it wont be seen, so the detail and work that would normally be put into something like that would be added somewhere else... at the end of the day though, it'll all be with a big ole grin on my face. Cheers, Mark. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Super detailing is not my main objective in building models. I have done some Eduard stuff for cockpits but some of those tiny bits frustrate me to no end. If I am building a model with open panels or doors, I close 'em up. I have gotten pretty good at getting a good fit. I don't know much about the insides of aircraft but there are hundreds of pictures of the outsides of any subject available on the web and in books. I work on trying to get the outside as correct as possible. There are some exceptions. I really like Phantoms so I will spend some extra time getting the inside correct. Each successive phantom build gets a little more detail. Outside of phantoms and mustangs most models will be close to OOB. Geoff M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
midnightprowler Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I used to, but now I usually just add basic ignition wiring, and on ragtops, I may add flocking and seat belts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) My usual approach is if it can't be seen from the outside looking in through a open door or cockpit glass, I don't bother. My latest build blog is the 1/48 scale PV-1 Ventura. Here I did go a little to far with adding the navigator/radio compartment which is right behind the cockpit door. It can be seen by looking through the cockpit glass, but I added a lot more detail then what can actually be seen. I will at times detail bomb bays and wheel wells just to add interest if those areas are void of what I consider a min. reasonable amount of detail, even if the model will have to be turned over to see it. Which doesn't happen very often. As others have said, my main goal is to present a finished display model that viewers can appreciate where the concentration is on paint, decaling, and realistic weathering, with exterior details added to further enhance the overall look. Joel Edited September 28, 2015 by Joel_W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 God is in the details Depends on my mood. I built the fuel tanks, crawl-way, chart table, &etc. for a Williams Bros 1/53 Electra. It was fun. Figured how do build the tanks with their rounded edges. Built jigs to make them regular and identical. Will put a chart on the table. But only a small bit of it will be visible through the rear cabin door. But, this is unusual. Needs to be a matter of fun or learning skills. Only doing some enhancements on my Czech Models 1/48 Grumman Goose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 If it can not be seen once finished I see little point in wasting my time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 If you enjoy doing it (detailing) then it's not a waste of time, regardless of it can all be seen in the end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
galileo1 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Yes. I add as much detail as I can even if it won't be seen. I'm a sucker for aftermarket wheel wells too. I build for my enjoyment and if I know it's there that's all it matters. The building stage is my favorite part and I try to spend as much time as I can on that as opposed to the painting and weathering steps. In fact, I've been thinking about leaving some of my builds in their unpainted form (assembled, of course) just so I can look at the resin/PE additions in their original state. Call me crazy but that's what I enjoy about this great hobby of ours. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 If it can't be seen I don't bother with it, time is precious to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plasticWerks_JL Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 I'm not a very detailed builder right now, but once I get some more practice, I'd like to tackle a really involved project with aftermarket, scratchbuilding, etc. The way i figure it, building is half of the fun, so even if it's not seen, it can be enjoyable to go a little crazy with details. One thing I thought to do was take really high-quality pics for later reference. Print them out to go on the display shelf with the kits, or even make a small build booklet. That way the details aren't lost, and you can still satisfy your AMS. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 LOL. I barely sweat the details in things that technically *can* be seen. I build mostly OOB. The only thing I've done recently beyond that is in the interior of the Monogram A-1E. I added a seat and some additional equipment to the rear area of the interior. There just all that glass to see into basically a stock empty tub... But otherwise for a cockpit all I do is some drybrushing to pop out some details. Wheel wells and landing gear get a wash to highlight some things and make everything look a bit grimy. Why? Because when I stick my finished builds on the shelf or worse, in the display cabinet, about all you can see without picking up the plane is the very top of the seat and MAYBE the some of the instrument and console panels. I'd rather spend my time on a good paint job and weathering...stuff you can see from three feet away. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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