Hints and tips for an Absolute Beginner

[SteveC]

Hello All,

Having only recently started modelling (14 models built to date) and having just joined this forum I was wondering if any of you more experienced modellers have any advice or tips to pass on.

Probably the single most important thing I have learnt to date is the need for patience. Allowing time for the glue to set properly, paint to dry thoroughly and not rushing to instantly put mistakes right and making them worse seem to be my biggest failings at the moment.

So, don't be shy, I'm all ears (or more correctly eyes) as I look forward to reading all your replies!

Regards,

Steve

[bluesteel]

Hello Steve,

For specifics, you are probably just as well off browsing the various sections within this Modelling Techniques area when you come across something you feel you need a little help with.

But in general, go at your own pace, see every build as a learning experience and make a note of your successes and failures as you go (and like everyone here you'll have many failures as well as successes). I find posting steps of my builds here on the forum very useful as I can go back and reference it in the future, and there are always people willing to make helpful suggestions when issues crop up.

If you haven't already got some, invest in:

Tamiya Masking tape (I think Revell are now making an equivalent) simply finding this a when I returned to the hobby many years ago was revelation.

Klear (Future and/or it's new formula alternative) floor polish for its many uses on paint and clear parts - again another 'revelation product' for me.

Bluetack which is great for holding things in place, for masking when you don't want too hard demarcation lines (you will need a spray for that), and even nose weight.

Superglue (and Superglue remover!) to cement resin and metal parts to plastic when you start to experiment with more advanced models.

Kristal Klear (or a PVA based alternative) to fill in those pesky small windows which always fall out after glueing as it dries clear (another product I wouldn't be without).

Possibly also a good set of hand drills are always useful, along with a small stock of plastic card and rod (maybe metal rod too) for those occasions when you need to replace small broken or missing parts and when you finally succumb to the need to scratch build detail - which is always sooner than you think.

Don't be in too much of a hurry to get an Airbrush is you haven't already one. Get some good brushes and learn good 'hairy stick' technique. You will find many on the forum who's hand painting work is hard to distinguish from airbrush work. If you need to get even cover on a large surface, consider 'rattle can' paint sprays as an intermediate step.

But basically just do what you think is right for you, and remember the prime purpose is to enjoy the hobby

[MerlinJones]

At the top of the Workbench Forum, there's a list of tools you might find useful...but don't be daft enough to go out and buy
everything at once.

At the top of the Index Board, there's a Modelling FAQ section you might find useful.

...And then we have a Search engine, to help you find more specific bits of info.

Whilst you may feel a personal pressure to play catch-up with the rest of us, resist this. A supply of plastic card and rod may be useful...or it may not. Take each build as it comes and acquire the stuff just for that particular build, including paints. You'll soon find your supplies growing.

...And don't throw anything away from old kits. Keep all 'optional pieces' and unused decals and start now to keep them into some sort of order.

Julian is well on cue re the airbrush. Don't! Not yet, anyways...learn how to use the Hairy Stick better, first. I've seen too many would-be modellers, encouraged by the users of the splatterbrush, fail in their attempts to become airbrushers and lose their modelling mojo along the way.

Regards,
Bruce

[JohnRatzenberger]

A good thing is to open a build thread -- either in the Workbench or in the type-kit forums and work along, asking questions as you go ....

Follow threads by other modelers and ask questions. Usually "why did you ..." or "how did you..." are appropriate, particularly "why", which, IMHO, is more important that "what" or "how" ....

[AndrewR]

And remember, most of us are on here to have fun, regardless of the standard of modelling. Just try to make each model a little bit better than the last one. Ask lots of questions

Cheers

Andrew

[MerlinJones]

So, don't be shy, I'm all ears (or more correctly eyes) as I look forward to reading all your replies!

So, to summarise, we ain't going to throw out a load of random hints and tips and you've got to be the one who is not shy and to do a little, light reading in advance.

Regards,
Bruce