With apologies offered, to David, for (potentially) pulling his "Master Class" thread off-topic, but as one of his many students over the years, I'm going to boldly take the liberty to post just the first page of one of the articles I wrote, back around 2009. I'll also include one image of what the cover of that particular back issue looks like, for some additional context as to what publication that (now long out of print) article was once published in.
Note that I had said, even back then (roughly 15 years ago), that I was well aware that I wasn't in the mainstream of hobbyists Specifically, that my motivations were often quite different. So what I'm saying, here, might not readily apply to most readers; but hopefully, it will apply to some of the folks that love studying the things David offers; and have benefited from that study time.
My point in posting what I'm posting, here, now, is that even back then, I had both thought and felt that I had actively been having very "good luck" for multiple years, at that point, in doing exactly what David Merriman had publicly said that people who were interested in the craft of building scale models should do: to pick the brains of those people who had info to share, and that were willing to share what they knew.
In my humble opinion, that's a FAR more rare combination than some folks likely believe? I say that in a wider context than "just" what Merriman offers -- how many top notch guitarists, or Luthier's, or bowling champions, or flower-planting experts (or pick many other categories) for instance, would ever spend years, sharing huge parts of what they know: asking for very little or nothing in return? Other than that some study be done? And that good questions be asked?
In closing, I'll also take the liberty of quoting some of my most-favorite parts from the glorious introduction to his awesome-but-also-somewhat-infamous "Dove" spacecraft scratch-building article, as originally posted on the CultTVman web site, from about the turn of the century ...
(quotes on)
Wouldn't you want to have the skills to achieve any subject, in model form, you wished? Would you rather not have to wait decades for your favorite SF subject to be produced as a simple kit? Hoping that some manufacturer takes on the risk of marketing such an esoteric subject at all!
(snip)
I've been to two Wonderfest events. Saw lots of talking in the halls, in the suites, in the restaurant downstairs. But, I only saw a precious few worthwhile SF vehicle models on the tables. There were a lot of talented people roaming the halls at that convention (and other competitions), why don't you take advantage? Stop those guy's who's work you respect, and suck their brains dry?
(quotes off)
To each his own, but to me, those comments have been solid gold for two decades or more.
Yes, I had long wanted to build models of things that were never likely to come out in kit form -- or if they ever did, they were likely to come in an unpleasing size or scale; or level of detailing; et cetera. Or they'd potentially need to be re-engineered to such an extent that building that same subject from scratch might be easier? Or would be something that pleased me, far more, when I was all done. After all, "correcting" someone else's kit isn't nearly as satisfying (to me) as sitting down with reference materials, and then, drawing up one's own working drawings, etc., etc., before a person's work bench gets cleared off, for the building and painting of the final model.
But as I mentioned in that SF&FM article, above ... who knows? Maybe I'm just "backwards," or I have spent far too much time living in a Mirror Universe, or something? Be advised that I am not trying to put anyone down. Nor am I trying to start a flame war. (One of David's other lessons, that I learned ages ago, was "push away from the keyboard".) I'm just speaking my mind, on a subject that interests me -- and then, I'm letting David continue posting whatever he fancies.
"Over and out". Now, back to your regularly scheduled show ... already in progress ...
Note that I had said, even back then (roughly 15 years ago), that I was well aware that I wasn't in the mainstream of hobbyists Specifically, that my motivations were often quite different. So what I'm saying, here, might not readily apply to most readers; but hopefully, it will apply to some of the folks that love studying the things David offers; and have benefited from that study time.
My point in posting what I'm posting, here, now, is that even back then, I had both thought and felt that I had actively been having very "good luck" for multiple years, at that point, in doing exactly what David Merriman had publicly said that people who were interested in the craft of building scale models should do: to pick the brains of those people who had info to share, and that were willing to share what they knew.
In my humble opinion, that's a FAR more rare combination than some folks likely believe? I say that in a wider context than "just" what Merriman offers -- how many top notch guitarists, or Luthier's, or bowling champions, or flower-planting experts (or pick many other categories) for instance, would ever spend years, sharing huge parts of what they know: asking for very little or nothing in return? Other than that some study be done? And that good questions be asked?
In closing, I'll also take the liberty of quoting some of my most-favorite parts from the glorious introduction to his awesome-but-also-somewhat-infamous "Dove" spacecraft scratch-building article, as originally posted on the CultTVman web site, from about the turn of the century ...
(quotes on)
Wouldn't you want to have the skills to achieve any subject, in model form, you wished? Would you rather not have to wait decades for your favorite SF subject to be produced as a simple kit? Hoping that some manufacturer takes on the risk of marketing such an esoteric subject at all!
(snip)
I've been to two Wonderfest events. Saw lots of talking in the halls, in the suites, in the restaurant downstairs. But, I only saw a precious few worthwhile SF vehicle models on the tables. There were a lot of talented people roaming the halls at that convention (and other competitions), why don't you take advantage? Stop those guy's who's work you respect, and suck their brains dry?
(quotes off)
To each his own, but to me, those comments have been solid gold for two decades or more.
Yes, I had long wanted to build models of things that were never likely to come out in kit form -- or if they ever did, they were likely to come in an unpleasing size or scale; or level of detailing; et cetera. Or they'd potentially need to be re-engineered to such an extent that building that same subject from scratch might be easier? Or would be something that pleased me, far more, when I was all done. After all, "correcting" someone else's kit isn't nearly as satisfying (to me) as sitting down with reference materials, and then, drawing up one's own working drawings, etc., etc., before a person's work bench gets cleared off, for the building and painting of the final model.
But as I mentioned in that SF&FM article, above ... who knows? Maybe I'm just "backwards," or I have spent far too much time living in a Mirror Universe, or something? Be advised that I am not trying to put anyone down. Nor am I trying to start a flame war. (One of David's other lessons, that I learned ages ago, was "push away from the keyboard".) I'm just speaking my mind, on a subject that interests me -- and then, I'm letting David continue posting whatever he fancies.
"Over and out". Now, back to your regularly scheduled show ... already in progress ...
