• Modelers Alliance has updated the forum software on our website. We have migrated all post, content and user accounts but we could not migrate the passwords.
    This requires that you manually reset your password.
    Please click here, http://modelersalliance.org/forums/login to go to logon page and use the "Forgot your Password" option.

Modeling for Competition

I meant to add to the list that Terry put together an entry to the effect of "Be advised of judging", last on the list. Only to avoid the confusion at the end of judging and to be aware that, despite all efforts and quality, things can be totally opposite from one show to the next.

Back on track - know the rules .... I have attended shows here that require references and judge by IPMS rules (sort of) and others that do the speed judging thing, by selecting one club member and one volunteer for each category.
Nothing much to say about the speed judging - avoid blatant mistakes (gaps, brush strokes, glue stains), everything should line up nicely (wheels on armour for example, and cars too), no seam lines.
No silvering on decals, correct alignment and so on.

Much is to be said about weathering vs. not weathering, OOB vs. modified and so on. However, I would ask the judges / organisers prior to attending if there are ANY amendments to the rules or any changes. To sum it all up:

- read the judging guidelines
- make sure your model(s) are in the correct category
- even if there is a perfect understanding of the rules, ASK if there had been any changes.

Hope this helps

Laurence

Add to that the hope that the judges aren't biased against what yoyr entry represents nor know it alls who dismiss a model out of hand because they've never heard of it tthe way you represented it despite evidence you have that it exited as your model represents.

Some judge absoluye totally ruin the contest experience and turn odd modellers from ever entering another contest.

Cheers from Peter
 
Well my concern isn't bias judges. The goal here is making better models using their rules, but having been a judge for some time my question would be did you provide documentation? Judges may not be experts on every variation of an item on the table. While an unusual subject may get noticed as you have experienced it my not be in a good way.

Terry B)
 
References provided, text and photos. Most competitions I have entered were speed judging, no references required, nobody provides references.


Back on track. You're doing a great job with these posts Terry, keep 'em coming (y)


Laurence
 
I for one always enter contests whenever I can get to them and I judge at several whenever I go. I go into these contests knowing that I have flaws and issues that knock me out of contention, but I still love showing off my work; hearing good advice and occasionally getting a compliment or two from friends I only see at competitions. I'm not in it to win; after all I'm just a T-ball league player on a Major League field, but the fun is in spending time talking models with like-minded individuals and rubbing shoulders with the Masters.

That being said, I'll have to follow these classes when I return from the Nationals this week.
 
I joined this to learn what is a model & a contest... I have never entered a model in a contest nor have ever modeled anything great. I'm still learning and at nearly 65 it's about time, I wholly agree with what I've read here and look forward to this project. I've only discovered modeling forums since 2009 and have been learning from what I read. Now I see it is time for some Hands on, looking forward to learning from the best/worst.... that being said I do know that there are modelers out there that don't think their s*&&t stinks, and there are modelers who are very good at what they do. I'm not an expert in period, eras, type of prototypes made, how they were painted or any of that. The rules for IMPS, or judges, sometimes they have been referred to me as JMN. A brush mark or spot of dust, I have to also admit that the new digital camera's and the 35's can see a lot more than my 'ol eyes can, and when you post a model's photos on a forum you see the flaws. I get hung up in not being able to do the electronics/Magnetics the way I want, but I can see that there is a use for them. I don't have a nice dust free place to build, or an expensive down draft spray booth, I do have tools and have been picking up technics. Lots of terms I have to search for, to see what, they mean, I have been putting together models since I was a wee lad, with only myself as a judge, that being said I'm looking forward to this adventure, and want to improve what I've already started in learning again from my interjection back into modeling from about 7 years ago, when my world was changed from antique store owner back to Hobby shop owner. lots to learn and thanks Terry for letting me tag along. :notworthy
 
I joined this to learn what is a model & a contest... I have never entered a model in a contest nor have ever modeled anything great. I'm still learning and at nearly 65 it's about time, I wholly agree with what I've read here and look forward to this project. I've only discovered modeling forums since 2009 and have been learning from what I read. Now I see it is time for some Hands on, looking forward to learning from the best/worst.... that being said I do know that there are modelers out there that don't think their s*&&t stinks, and there are modelers who are very good at what they do. I'm not an expert in period, eras, type of prototypes made, how they were painted or any of that. The rules for IMPS, or judges, sometimes they have been referred to me as JMN. A brush mark or spot of dust, I have to also admit that the new digital camera's and the 35's can see a lot more than my 'ol eyes can, and when you post a model's photos on a forum you see the flaws. I get hung up in not being able to do the electronics/Magnetics the way I want, but I can see that there is a use for them. I don't have a nice dust free place to build, or an expensive down draft spray booth, I do have tools and have been picking up technics. Lots of terms I have to search for, to see what, they mean, I have been putting together models since I was a wee lad, with only myself as a judge, that being said I'm looking forward to this adventure, and want to improve what I've already started in learning again from my interjection back into modeling from about 7 years ago, when my world was changed from antique store owner back to Hobby shop owner. lots to learn and thanks Terry for letting me tag along. :notworthy

Well the learning process should never end while you're still breathing. As far as tools go(we'll talk about that later) I don't have a paint booth either. Dust free area HA! I usually only have about 8 inches of work area at any given time. My bench is a mess! Hopefully we can ansewer some of your questions as we go along.

B)
 
I enter as many contests as I can. Each time I enter I go with the expectation that there are going to be models there that are far better than mine and all I'm interested in is how well I do. I like to hear the bystander's comments, the judges comments and my fellow modeller's comments. Sometimes I do well and other times not so well but the best thing competitions have done for me is each time I pick up my piece and head home, i'm determined to do better next time. Looking forward to this GB as well as the discussions that are going to arise from it.
 
I enter as many contests as I can. Each time I enter I go with the expectation that there are going to be models there that are far better than mine and all I'm interested in is how well I do. I like to hear the bystander's comments, the judges comments and my fellow modeller's comments. Sometimes I do well and other times not so well but the best thing competitions have done for me is each time I pick up my piece and head home, i'm determined to do better next time. Looking forward to this GB as well as the discussions that are going to arise from it.

(y) Exactly what I'm talking about. I'm no good at car models(yet), but I'm going to keep swinging.

B)
 
Contest for me are not so much about winning but more about getting feedback from my fellow modelers as to where I need to improve and also looking at other's models and getting ideas on different techniques.
 
Contest for me are not so much about winning but more about getting feedback from my fellow modelers as to where I need to improve and also looking at other's models and getting ideas on different techniques.

(y)
 
Ill be visiting my first ever model competition in September and looking at what you guys do and why is going to make me look difrently at the show than I would have otherwise I am sure.
 
I joined this to learn what is a model & a contest... I have never entered a model in a contest nor have ever modeled anything great. I'm still learning and at nearly 65 it's about time, I wholly agree with what I've read here and look forward to this project. I've only discovered modeling forums since 2009 and have been learning from what I read. Now I see it is time for some Hands on, looking forward to learning from the best/worst.... that being said I do know that there are modelers out there that don't think their s*&&t stinks, and there are modelers who are very good at what they do. I'm not an expert in period, eras, type of prototypes made, how they were painted or any of that. The rules for IMPS, or judges, sometimes they have been referred to me as JMN. A brush mark or spot of dust, I have to also admit that the new digital camera's and the 35's can see a lot more than my 'ol eyes can, and when you post a model's photos on a forum you see the flaws. I get hung up in not being able to do the electronics/Magnetics the way I want, but I can see that there is a use for them. I don't have a nice dust free place to build, or an expensive down draft spray booth, I do have tools and have been picking up technics. Lots of terms I have to search for, to see what, they mean, I have been putting together models since I was a wee lad, with only myself as a judge, that being said I'm looking forward to this adventure, and want to improve what I've already started in learning again from my interjection back into modeling from about 7 years ago, when my world was changed from antique store owner back to Hobby shop owner. lots to learn and thanks Terry for letting me tag along. :notworthy

Well the learning process should never end while you're still breathing. As far as tools go(we'll talk about that later) I don't have a paint booth either. Dust free area HA! I usually only have about 8 inches of work area at any given time. My bench is a mess! Hopefully we can ansewer some of your questions as we go along.

B)

The reason I love A forum ... where all are friends.... Sounds like we're on a level playing field as our work areas are the same .... when I lay a tool down in the pile makes it hard to find for a bit .... :rotf
 
Back
Top