beeman Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Making it as a modeller will be when others seek your advice and welcome your input without you having to shove it down their throat. Sounds cynical but there are plenty of people out there (in all walks of life not just modellers) who are self appointed experts and will give their opinion very freely especially when it is not wanted. Could not agree more but when advice is sought , given, perhaps being obtained after previous variations and failed attempts, and one sees the advice seekers still go down a similar path that was not successful , it might make some say 'bu**er it. why bother. In some instances the old adages 'old heads on young shoulders', and 'learn by your mistakes' might apply.Beeman. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 How do you know if you've made it as a railway modeller? Your feet are 2.83mm further apart. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 9, 2012 How do you know if you've made it as a railway modeller? Your feet are 2.83mm further apart. Did you mean 2.33 ? or are you gauge widening 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC Jack Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 When you are happy with what you have made. Jack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwit Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Personally I don't worry about 'making it', I work to my own standards, which I constantly strive to improve, and see no need to compare my work to others. That way lies disappointment! Its a hobby, not a competition. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 How do you know if you're made it as a railway modeller? When you get home from a visit to Hattons, with a bagfull of shiny new boxes, having spent just that bit more than you should have done, after "smuggling" said boxes into the loft without "the powers that be" seeing them - Phew, MADE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!! Brit15 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) There are so many different aspects to this hobby that I can't see how you could ever come up with criteria for judging people's work that aren't comparing apples and oranges. I see railway modelling as a combination of art, craft and technical (operation is in their somewhere as well) and the danger is that a competitive or even a peer referenced approach would lead to an "approved" idea of "good" modelling probably based on achieving photographic realism rather than interpretation. This could lead to us being a bit like the organisers of the Paris Salon who refused to accept the likes of Monet and while I think most of us know really good modelling when we see it it comes in so many guises that trying to define it would be almost impossible. In various fields, the work I've received awards or commendations for has never been what I know to be my best. Edited March 9, 2012 by Pacific231G 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Bigcheeseplant Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Never sure if I made it, but it gave me a warm feeling when I had my first article published in MRJ, knowing that it was going into MRJ made me raise my game and push myself to do the best I could. David 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dikitriki Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Easy......When Andy Y gives you a 'Like This' Richard 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted March 9, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 9, 2012 I used to have a similar q&a when I taught Bass guitar to budding John Entwistles and Mark Kings, and my response was always the same: Be comfortable with the level you are at the moment, but always be looking for ways to move up to the next... In other words, there is ALWAYS going to be someone who does it better, faster, bigger, is more accurate, prototypical etc. etc. but you mustn't think that because this is the case your efforts don't have credence; they do. If you never achieve Magazine Cover status, or be heralded as the next Big Thing in your chosen area, it doesn't mean you are a failure or that what you have done is worthless or has no value. Everyone, without exception, started with the basics and their journey will be different to yours; don't try to be them 'cos there's no way you can travel the same path, and even if you did the result wouldn't be the same 'cos we're all individuals... If people would stop treating every artistic effort with an X-Factor mentality there would be far fewer artists/modellers dropping out of creative arts due to lack of applause... Encouraging those modellers who have just started out and don't know how to wire electrofrog points or scratchbuild a station platform is important to them as an individual and the hobby as a whole; thankfully there are plenty of people on this site who are much further along on their modelling journey who accept that modeller's attempts as valid and show them how to keep improving... I don't believe there is an ultimate "IT" to be attained as that would mean the person arriving at "IT" would then have nothing to improve on and have achieved perfection, which I would humbly suggest is impossible, and if a group of people begin to dictate what "IT" should be they immediately send out the signal that all those who haven't reached "IT" are failing in some way thus creating a heirarchy among those the group consider to be close to "IT" and introducing an arbitrary system of grading people's efforts which will always be unfair... Sorry; rant over, it's just that I've seen so many musicians sink into depression and give up because they didn't get to play Wembley and make the cover of Rolling Stone, and would hate anyone here to go down a parallel route in railway modelling... Back to reading topics and (occasional) modelling... David 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 9, 2012 Who cares ? Enjoy the hobby as YOU see fit, if others enjoy your stuff, great, if not, then whose loss is it ? 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 And remember what ever 'it' is this week; 'it' will probably be something or someone else next week... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about." (Oscar Wilde) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 How do you know if you've made it as a railway modeller? There's no bits left in the kit box................. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) When your shirts get recognised, even if you dont! Edited March 10, 2012 by BlackRat 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 There's no bits left in the kit box................. That's only 'cos you mislaid 'em! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Then theres always this as a measure: Received in the post today, I'd forgotten it had been filmed! Somehow doubt its the start of a Holywood modelling career though. Back to constant improvement methinks. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Having my first article published, and being invited to shows such as Manchester, Expo EM, Railex etc. A good barometer too for the constant improvment in standards! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 How about having your letter to MRJ quoted in a subsequent MRJ in a letter from Pennine? Yeah, it was before I knew you 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart-AU Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 HI.. Selling your layout to a new club starting up after you're showed it for the first time at it's only showing.. It wasn't my best work but I was happy it went to a good home. I think it when you do your best to improve the skill you build up over the years and pass them on to others. Plus all the freinds you meet along the way.. Stuart-AU Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 How do you know if you've made it as a railway modeller? When you can build a S**** B****** kit and it looks like what the kit box says it is..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 : When Buckjumper name-checked me in BRM, he started with "I blame..." and he did already know me... . Oh well, if we're gonna start name dropping... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 But I am with Beast on this: if you enjoyed doing it, what does anyone else's opinion matter? Because recognition by your peers is important to people, you and Beast excepted. People like to be told that their work is good, they don't like to be told that what they do is cr*p. See Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Jol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 11, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2012 Well I'm never satisfied with my own modeling and that either drives me on to better things or pulling my hair out! For me "making it" is more about the good feeling you get inside from finding out the stupid distances people have travelled to see you / the layout (and are not disappointed) or when you're able to help someone or that you've inspired someone with what you've done. I'm not a lover of the celebrity culture. People should be recognised for achievements not for their name or associations. I've had numerous mag articles published, helped update a book, been all over the country with layouts and won stuff but in my mind those things are all byproducts of an enjoyable hobby not the reason for it. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I didn't say that recognition was the only reason for modelling, but it is important to most people, even those that are happy in their own skin. To consider the opinions of others as irrelevant could be seen as arrogant. As I said in an earlier posting, I shall never regard myself as having "made it", because I know that I can always do better. That doesn't mean that I might not be happy in my own skin. Likewise, I do appreciate it when someone says "that's well done". Jol 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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