One category that needs to be explored - is kitbashing. This is an unheralded category, but with so much available in plastic, laser kits, RTR locos, RTR rolling stock - kitbashing is probably more common than scratching. Jeff Madden
On Fri, Jun 1, 2012 at 9:31 AM, Michael Eldridge <[email protected]>wrote: > ** > > > There is another side to this that, I think, never gets any press. Here > are some comments that represent lots of similar comments: > > "I build my models for me because that is what I want... In > short I don't really need justification from others for what I built." > > "I think most of us are very confortable with our abilities and choices, > and we don't need to have our egos stroked by winning contests or gaining > NMRA certificates." > > I agree in part, but there is a whole different aspect to contests than > trying to win them. As many of you know, I make my living playing and > teaching piano. I have entered several competitions knowing I didn't have a > chance of winning, and I enter my students in competitions they don't have > a chance of winning. The point is that I and they bring a piece up to the > highest standards we are capable of achieving. The contest is just an > artificial but helpful incentive, not to mention a deadline. In addition, > my students get feedback from some highly qualified, highly respected > musicians, which helps them focus on areas where they can improve > themselves as musicians. > > Sam McCoy has written at least two editorials this year in the Dispatch > that touched on incentives to finish a project that had gotten stuck. I > have lots of things that are 90% done. A contest just might spur me to get > to 100%. I've entered models twice in NASG convention contests. Second > place both times. That just makes me want to do a better job next time. > That's not ego, it's not "I have to beat everybody else," it's not I need a > certificate to stick in a drawer. "Favorite model" contests and > non-competitive displays are good in themselves, but don't generate much > helpful feedback. I greatly appreciate the contest judges who take time to > evaluate my model and write specific comments that help me do better next > time. That, for me, is the value of a competitive contest. > > Maybe if I ever finish this now burdensome PhD, I'll get my act together > and try to build a contest quality model. > > -Michael Eldridge > -Seriously contemplating a layout restart > > >
