For most of my life I did not think of myself as creative at all. Although I liked to draw when I was younger.

What I learned is that creativity isn’t something that you have or don’t have. It is something that you can nurture and develop. Most importantly, creativity can be a practice.

Here are the steps that I began using, and find I’m using every day, not only in my modelling work:

This is one of my card models for Bridge Street.

1959 – shopping in a Record shop

If looking at a picture you can ask yourself questions.

What do people wear? Is there color information to find about the clothing? How does the record shop designed?

3. Ask dumb questions. If you see some nice modelling ask how the result is achieved. How many of us are armchair modellers because they see excellent layouts and models on shows and say to them self: ‘I can’t do that .‘ By asking another door to start with modelling can go open. Just remember: there are no dumb questions.

I asked my questions to Peter Gently. The above picture is from one of his excellent models.

4. Practice . Just start modelling. Learn from your faults. Show your results. Get positive critics from other modellers. In this way your modelling will be better and better. And better doesn’t mean the level of modelling of other top modellers you admire. But receiving the best level you can reach at that moment. Your next model can be even better.

My Launderette on Nice Street.

I like to thank everyone for the replies I got on my (blog) entries in 2013. Helped me to stay encouraged and to become a better modeler.

Being more creative is a practice, a habit, and a process. A good way to begin is to notice how creative others are. Just see what other people make. Not only with railway modelling, but also by making good pictures, and look how other modelling disciplines create nice things. Creativity is easy – just let yourself be more childlike, curious, open, and start by exploring any of the above practices.

Next couple of months I will have less time for modelling. I have to follow a Mindfulness course. And just before Christmas my mother in law passed away in the age of 91. So there will be no weekly entry for the coming period.

The start of Northall Dock

Northall Dock at this moment.

Happy and creative modelling in 2014.

Regards,

Job