Belated Introduction

Seamus107

Seamus107

Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Messages
104
Points
113

Location
Southern Maine
I joined this group in April, but have only recently posted to the Forum. I retired completely this year after forty years as a full-time, then part-time Professor of Physiology at a local medical school. I have been modeling for perhaps a dozen years, and decided early on to focus on small open boats of historical significance because of voyages they made or events they participated in. The 1/24 scale suits me just fine, and most of the boats I model end up at this scale as models 12-18 inches long. I usually add figures, which doesn’t please everyone, but I want my models to tell a story and the figures help. I have recently posted images of two of my completed models, to show my approach to this hobby. I have not done much modeling in recent months, to my surprise, but am involving myself in posts to this group as a way to restart my model work. I have a half-finished model of the James Caird sitting on my workbench, calling to me as I write this! It would be nice to know if others suffer occasionally from “modeler’s block” and how they snap themselves out of it.

James
Maine
 
Welcome aboard James. As a life long modeler I would say "modeler's block" is a common thing. For me it happens after a long stint working on a very complicated project and just getting too deep into it. A couple of solutions that may be helpful are to 1) work on more than one project at a time and alternate between them, and/or 2) after a complex project try to do a quick and easy model you could finish over the weekend (I call this a "slap and dash"). Anything to break up the routine pattern. Another thing you can do is to flood the forum with posts, like I do, trying to encourage your other modeling friends along!!!

I'm sure others have additional ideas. The main thing is to not worry about it, happens to all of us.

Sail on.
 
Welcome onboard SOS, James! We are glad you joined us! I saw your completed models and they looks absolutely great! Great workmanship! I can recall, how many times I told that it doesn't have to be a three-decker with 100+ guns to look gorgeous!! Yours is classic example!

As for the 'modeller's block', yea...most of us subject of this.., and I am sure each of us has their own cure. I agree with Mike (@mrshanks ) get something you can accomplish in a short period of time. Change the subject, build something from plastic!
 
Welcome aboard from one Jim to another - there sure are a lot of us Jims here. Hmmm, modelers block? Yep, happens all the time. As Mike said - it helps to have several other things going so that you don't get too bogged down with the one thing. Wether it's model building, painting, woodworking, etc., just something that lets you take a break so you can experience a little sense of accomplishment. It's all good. Where in Maine are you from?
 
Jim J said:
Welcome aboard from one Jim to another - there sure are a lot of us Jims here. Hmmm, modelers block? Yep, happens all the time. As Mike said - it helps to have several other things going so that you don't get too bogged down with the one thing. Wether it's model building, painting, woodworking, etc., just something that lets you take a break so you can experience a little sense of accomplishment. It's all good. Where in Maine are you from?
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I live in the greater Portland area, and belong to both the Down East Ship Model Guild in Bath, ME, and the Merrimac Valley Ship Model Club in Newburyport, MA. Both groups are now doing virtual meetings each month using Zoom.
 
The reason I asked is that I was stationed up at the top of the world - Loring AFB - back in the early 70's. I have fond rememberances of Bath, never did see much of Portland though. Glad you have found us here at SOS.
 
Jim, in your profile you can find an option labeled Location, if you make an entry it will list your info, such as city and state.

This allows others near you to see who to chat or visit with.

As for modelers block, mine lasted a decade or more, mostly because I lost contact with local ship modeling club when the hobby shop we meet at closed.

Now I have my friend at the SoS forums to greet me and keep me company.

If you get into a block, I take time to sit at computer and research and read all the grand build logs, often you can find someone who found the answer to the problems causing the blockage in progress.

Or get out a 1:1 scale ship out and go sailing, fresh wind in the face always helps, even if on a small local lake.
 
Hallo James,
also from my side a warm welcome here on board of our forum
and I repeat the wish of the others - I would like to see your work on the James Caird .....
 
Thanks for the encouragement, SoS members. I have straightened out my workbench, dusted off my tools, located the partially finished sails and rigging lines, and have promised myself to return to work on the James Caird this evening or tomorrow. One piece of advice I got was to have another project to work on if one stalls. To that end, I also plan to have Staples print out in the proper scale the Mayflower shallop plans I was able to obtain from MIT‘s collection with the blessing of Plimoth Plantation, so I can start on that project. It is, after all, the 400th anniversary of the landing at Plymouth, so a model of the shallop that helped the colonists explore the coast from Provincetown to Plymouth seems appropriate. I may start a builder’s log so this group can follow my progress, another move that will help me keep moving along. The model is more than half-finished, but the building log will still work if I first include some photos of the early step in the model’s construction before proceeding in “real time”.
 
Welcome to the crew James. I just returned to ships and modelling too. You'll find so many helpful people, excellent models,
and great reading here on SOS. I find myself reading here plenty when I dont actually want to work on my model, ie: being lazy. lol
I just justify it by the fact that Im learning from some true masters of our craft :)
 
Hi James, Welcome aboard
Your story about the boat models sounds very interesting, I would love to read more and see pictures of them.
Wishing you great success back to the hobby.
There are great people here on the site who are happy to share their amazing knowledge.
 
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