Jump to content

How do *you* get your mojo back?


gwana

Recommended Posts

Thanks for all the talk, folks. Just discussing it has helped me wrap my head back around things and take a different look. I'm going to compartmentalize and stop thinking about the project as a whole and instead focus on modelling - a sub-assembly, an engine, whatever.  If I can't do B until I finish A, then stop thinking about C and D, and just work on A until it's done.

 

I also need to invest in a hair dryer to speed up my paintwork, which is ironic considering my hair situation...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hair dryer is an essential tool. For me I throw out any kit that's not going well or isn't turning out like I envisioned. Anything that's stealing my enjoyment of the hobby. Sometimes it stings for a minute but then you feel the weight lifted off of you. I tossed a WNW DVII. Just wasn't feeling it and had some issues. Life is too short. Sometimes builds just don't go your way and I can accept that. I don't force it just because it cost X dollars. I guess what I am trying to say is for me it's usually things not going well that cause a loss of mojo, not that I have ever lost interest in the hobby.

 

Jay

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys,

 

My two Brexit pennies worth: my mojo has done a runner too! On its legs and halfway down the street!

 

There is an answer. Retune your modelling expectations down a bit. Accept you're not going to win gold at whatever show is in your area and build what you like, how you like, when you like. It's not a competition or a race, it's a HOBBY! That means something you like to do for yourself. No peer pressure, you're your own worst critic, you're the only one that counts here.

 

Just built the Revell 262. I decided to go out-of-the-box as far as possible, so no new IP, no resin wheels, no other do-dadds, whoop-de-doo's or hoop-la's. Added Fine Molds seat belts and E-Z Line for the aerial and a reasonable paint job and guess what? I like it. Yes, I cheated and made masks for the main insignia but that's just me.

 

Now here's the Mojo bit: I'm also building the Revell Mustang and have completely stalled. It will be my first NMF and I'm scared sh*tless as to how it will finish up. Got metal paints from AK, Vallejo and just turned up, MMPâ€s new range of metallics. So not exactly stuck for choice.

 

But in the meantime I've pulled a couple more 1/20 Maschinen Krieger SF out of the garage and I'm fiddling with them. Try to tell me I've got the colour wrong or that didn't happen and see where that gets you!

 

Regards,

(Mojo walking slowly back up the street)

 

Bruce Crosby

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gwana, agree with everything you said and quoted. I turn some AFV in 1/35 as a distraction but then spend an inordinate amount of time agonising over the shape of the turret bustle etc..........

 

To quote someone else I have now put the reference aside on a number of projects and building OOB and man did I enjoy it.......as for I have to do x,y & z before.....the only item I make sure is the cockpit in inside the fuz before buttoning up.......

 

It's a hobby enjoy.........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, Sunday rolled around and I found myself inspired to jump back in. I got some decals and instruments down in my cockpit, then decided to catch up on some paint. Thinned my color, added it to the cup, and... nothing but air. Airbrush needle is stuck. I must not have done a thorough cleanup last time.

 

So I ended up breaking down the airbrush and dropping every single piece of it on the floor at least once, spent 20 minutes looking for the tiny nozzle, and eventually painted two ammo boxes. 10 drops of paint.

 

But, for some reason, it was OK. I had a good day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I try to always change the subjects i'm building, or the type of kit. Sometimes a rather simple Revell kit OOB, sometimes a conversion, sometimes a big jet with of aftermarket, sometimes a resin kit, and so on.... I think it's less boring than always building the same kind of kit.

 

But it goes up and down. Sometimes i am at my bench, and i barely cut a few parts of the sprue in a whole day, instead i watch videos on youtube, or i read some books... Another day i can make a lot of progress on a specific build.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had been under the lost of mojo thing myself, so here is what I did.

 

  1. Made a list of the model projects I really want to do and working on selling off everything else.
  2. I don't care how many weeks or months go by, I am in no hurry to finish a project.
  3. I  take breaks of a few weeks and do not work on any model projects.
  4. On larger modelling projects I break it down into sub-assembles and treat each completed assembly as a model in it's own
  5. The hobby is for enjoyment, if it's no longer enjoyable. stop doing it.
  6. Lastly, I got rid of the shelf queen projects sitting in my workshop taking up space, I will never be working on them again so out they go.

Kirk

 

 

x2, couldn't have said it better.

 

I also like to change materials, like build something of wood, or make a display base, etc. I keep a few tank models around, too, just for a break. I recently tried learning how to paint rusted metal by buying an AK rust effects kits and testing it on an M4. Great fun!

Edited by BiggTim
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't seem to get myself back into the groove. I went to a regional IPMS show on Saturday, drove 3 hours each way, and I was sorely disappointed. I did see a few nice models on display, but I was really hoping the vendors would have a full array of stuff I could drool over and look at in person, not just admire online. I wanted inspiration and ideas, instead I saw basically a garage sale - a bunch of old kits in battered boxes, parts missing, or just junk. It was advertised as 80 vendor tables, but in reality I think it was maybe 7 or 8 vendors, and only 3 or 4 of those actually selling kits. I actually had a better time at a local show weeks ago that was 1/4 the size and got a couple of deals there that got my juices flowing.

 

I left really dejected, and it has lingered. I could have spent Saturday working on my own stuff, but I wanted to catch some excitement. Instead I got home not wanting to look at a kit and since then I haven't really wanted to bother. Between my commute and other responsibilities, I have very little time for my hobby, and I look at the thing and think "I need to do x,y, and z before I can proceed, and for that I'll need to dirty up the airbrush, clean it, paint that by hand... eh, screw it.

 

I usually do some kind of modeling work almost every single day. 

 

It might only be organizing my paints, cleaning up, etc., but I am usually doing something with this stuff all the time.

 

Every now and again I lose my mojo too.  The idea of working on anything just doesn't excite me enough to actually do it! 

 

I am just coming out of such a period now.  I have a ton of interesting and diverse kits in my stash.  I was looking it over asking which kit I would work on, and I just couldn't find anything to make me happy.

 

So how did I break myself out of the funk?  I grabbed a model (in this case, a Dragon 1/35 Jagdpanzer IV Lang) that has been sitting in my stash for a couple of years and told myself I was going to build it.

 

Once I got the first 3 steps or so under my belt, I found myself psychologically becoming interested in the build and getting immersed in all the details.  From there, the build sort of took care of itself.

 

Now the kit is pretty much all assembled, waiting for paint.

 

Long story short: grab something and WORK on it.  The "appetite comes from the eating" if you see what I mean.

 

As an aside: there are a ton of good model show videos on Youtube.  The camera will slowly move around over the various display tables, showing you dozens and dozens of kits in a few minutes.  I look at those FREQUENTLY for inspiration.

 

Many of my builds have come from seeing interesting paint schemes/subjects on those show tables, with me asking "What is that?!  That's cool!  I want to build that"!

 

These videos can be a good source of inspiration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...