discussion Never getting anything finished.

[ColinW]

Hi guys
This tends to be my problem, I start a model, but get along a bit and lose interest.
Then it gets put away for a while before the mood strikes to look at it again.
Then repeat as before and never ends up getting finished.
I'm also finding the transition from painting miniatures to model making harder than I thought.
Yet I have a stash of models from over the years that I'd like to see built at some point, but then what I said at the beginning rears its head.
Any ideas or tips to overcome this niggling routine I can't seem to break would be great.
Thanks guys.

 

[boatman]

Hi guys
This tends to be my problem, I start a model, but get along a bit and lose interest.
Then it gets put away for a while before the mood strikes to look at it again.
Then repeat as before and never ends up getting finished.
I'm also finding the transition from painting miniatures to model making harder than I thought.
Yet I have a stash of models from over the years that I'd like to see built at some point, but then what I said at the beginning rears its head.
Any ideas or tips to overcome this niggling routine I can't seem to break would be great.
Thanks guys.

HI Colin well im not bein bigheaded here an i apolagise to anyone if they think i am but ive never had as far as i can remember a model i dint finish as i do a bit of plannin ahead on the model so it keeps me enthralled an stubboness so jen says to finish the model an i think thats what you need my freind a stubboness to say to your self right im goin to finish this model no matter what that the best solution i can offer you sir

 

[ColinW]

HI Colin well im not bein bigheaded here an i apolagise to anyone if they think i am but ive never had as far as i can remember a model i dint finish as i do a bit of plannin ahead on the model so it keeps me enthralled an stubboness so jen says to finish the model an i think thats what you need my freind a stubboness to say to your self right im goin to finish this model no matter what that the best solution i can offer you sir

I think you have a good point, it's too easy to walk away when the going gets tough isn't it.
I'll give what you say a go, and get firm with myself , and try to not listen to any excuses ,,,,,,,,, from myself :smiling:

 

[Valeron]

I'm in exactly the same situation. I have numerous builds I've started and parked for another day.

I don't have a solution at all. I haven't started anything since January now as I'm hoping a complete break will restart my mojo.

It's a strange one. I love making models but get lethargic at some point during many builds. It's the same with reading. I guess I just need to persevere and focus more.

Mike

 

[vizenz]

Well, I feel the same way sometimes. Then I put the model aside and start something else.
But is it really that bad? The whole hobby is supposed to be fun, and if you're no longer motivated to finish something, it won't be good anyway.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Colin. Why don't you sign up for one of the group builds. By doing a group build you will have been set a time scale for completion and also get involved in chit chat around a common theme, ie the build in question, which may help to keep your mojo going. Also make sure you build a model that excites you, something that you will really enjoy when finished.

 

[Gern]

You're not alone Colin. I've lost count of the number of kits I've started which have ended up in the bin or on the shelf of doom.

Don't beat yourself up about it. As Andreas said, if you're not enjoying the build any more then it's unlikely to turn out as well as you wanted. There is another thing though. Suppose you spent £20 on a kit and 10 hours building it before you got fed up or gave it up for some other reason. It's only cost you £2.00 per hour for whatever enjoyment you did get from it - and that's good value for money compared to just about any other hobby or pastime.

 

[boatman]

I think you have a good point, it's too easy to walk away when the going gets tough isn't it.
I'll give what you say a go, and get firm with myself , and try to not listen to any excuses ,,,,,,,,, from myself :smiling:

WELL Colin the goin can gets tough on all kits sooner or later an yes as has been said this hobby is suppoce to be about enjoyment but this is just my opinion but if every kit or ship i built was dead easy then i would become bored with the hobby as i like to have a challenge in the build BTBH i nearly binned this tomcat im building but the ole stubbon side won out as i thought how much this kit cost an my jen bought it it desevrses to be built so yes im havin probs on th kit due to bad fit but im sure that it will get built but havin said that im now startin on the main fusalarge an i think i will have major probs on building that but will take my time an see how it goes an plan ahead to try an get around the probs that i think will rise but thats modeling for you but i must say ive made some probs for my self due to tryin to get bits an light to work but now ive near done the nose seckion an i look at it an im pleased at how it comin on probs an all
chrisb

 

[Neil Merryweather]

As the guys above have said, it's supposed to be fun, so for as long as the fun lasts what's the problem?
Personally, I find the process of blogging a build on the forum helps to sustain the motivation. The comments and encouragement you get on here really makes a difference, and knowing that at least SOME other people are interested gives me an extra kick to keep going.

 

[boatman]

As the guys above have said, it's supposed to be fun, so for as long as the fun lasts what's the problem?
Personally, I find the process of blogging a build on the forum helps to sustain the motivation. The comments and encouragement you get on here really makes a difference, and knowing that at least SOME other people are interested gives me an extra kick to keep going.

HI Neil what you have said there in my opinon hits the nail on the head yes very true well said sir
chrisb

 

[ColinW]

Cheers guys
I'll take it all inboard. And yes I love doing what I do, until I hit a wall for whatever reason.
I'll continue enjoying the hobby, but I'll gee myself up a bit to carry on when that wall appears.
Cheers all

 

[Tim Marlow]

I’ve found that getting into a rhythm helps. Just doing something every day, even if it is only a few minutes of your time, helps the build go by. The build will get interesting again after a while.

 

[Jim R]

Just doing something every day, even if it is only a few minutes of your time, helps the build go by

I try to do just that. I try to get "my chores" done in the morning and after lunch get time at the bench. That may be half an hour or it may be a few hours. Doesn't always work that way of course but that's the intention.
I only have a couple of unfinished builds and they are 90% complete.

 

[PaulinKendal]

I think what we do requires a certain dogged determination. And I've a sneaking suspicion that doggedness is something all we modellers have, to some extent at least, or we wouldn't have even started on such a laborious, pernickerty, head-scratching, problem-solving pastime to begin with.

So I reckon you have what it takes to finish most (if not all) of your modelling projects, or you wouldn't be a model-maker in the first place.

I think you simply (simply? Ha!) - you simply have to tune into that determination that's in there, and push forward, past the issue that initiates the stall. (And that stall is something we all experience from time to time, you can be sure.)

Don't think of it as 'giving up' on a model - it's just a pause, nothing more.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I can only do about an hour at a time anyway. I get bored if I do more…..

 

[boatman]

I think what we do requires a certain dogged determination. And I've a sneaking suspicion that doggedness is something all we modellers have, to some extent at least, or we wouldn't have even started on such a laborious, pernickerty, head-scratching, problem-solving pastime to begin with.

So I reckon you have what it takes to finish most (if not all) of your modelling projects, or you wouldn't be a model-maker in the first place.

I think you simply (simply? Ha!) - you simply have to tune into that determination that's in there, and push forward, past the issue that initiates the stall. (And that stall is something we all experience from time to time, you can be sure.)

Don't think of it as 'giving up' on a model - it's just a pause, nothing more.

YES Paul i think you are right 100% an im my case it stubbeness but you call it determinataion but to me its the same thing as you say we would not be modelers if we dint have that drive or stubboness or will power what ever you want to call it as you say sir its in our entire bein to

even start on such a laborious, pernickerty, head-scratching, problem-solving pastime to begin with. but that bein a moddeler in my opinion an you must have the will to say i want to see this model finished

 

[Waspie]

I don’t get as much time for my models as I would like but that makes any time i do get a bonus. So far!! I haven’t struck a lack of mojo and I put that down to my first comment. As a returnee to the hobby and building kits I have a connection with has been a good motivator for me!! Let’s see how I get on with the Helix I have in the queue!!! THAT will be my test.
Let’s hope the current dry spell passes like the seasons and your back to it again.