Another modeller and I were having a conversation recently and we got around to the subject of aftermarket parts and how they had revolutionized modelling. We both agreed that the range had expanded beyond belief in the last few years, and that it had raised the standards of the models which we are now building.

My friend, however, confided that he was now reaching the stage where he felt obliged to include all the latest resin and photo-etched stuff on every model he constructed. This poses the question of how far do you go when striving for complete accuracy. Some modellers will not be satisfied unless their model has everything as accurate and as complete as possible. Others will be guided by the adage - 'if you can't see it, why bother putting it in?'

At the end of the day it comes down to personal choice. Build what you want, for your own pleasure - or for the admiring comments and looks of fellow modellers, plus your own pleasure. There's nothing wrong with either attitude.

Only thing wrong with detail is if you're adding it just to please or impress others or you feel like you HAVE to add it when you'd REALLY rather not bother with it.

Detail bores me--I'm more interested in finish and overall look and sit--so I just don't bother with it anymore. I'm only in this hobby to please ME. But if you LIKE detailing, by all means go for all of it you can afford!

I like detail. I like my models to be as real as they can ( I have a ways to go but i'm working on it).  But that is just me. You don't have to spend alot of money to do it, but some little things like rivets etc. would be a real chore to make yourself. Some people don't care about detail as already mentioned and that is fine. No matter how you build there are like minded people who share your interest.If you don't like the detailing you can always build a curbside. Nothing wrong with that. I've seen some awesome curbsides.

As much as I like detail, I don't think I will be dishing out a hundred or more dollars on aftermarket parts.But if someone else does, that's fine by me. I will say this though, it is pretty impressive when someone can scratchbuild most of the parts on a highly detailed build.

You should never feel obligated to detail. Just glue the hood shut and slap anybody's fingers who try pick up your model to examin the chassis.

I definately think it is possible to have too much detail, and it happens all the time. The over use of PE, machined aluminum, and plumbing, etc often detracts from otherwise well built models. The 'clean factor' seems to go away. I have seen this from some of the more respected craftsmen in our hobby.

 A couple of years back there was a GTO drag car on the cover of the contest annual, that was praised as being a superior model. Though cleanly built by an obviously very talented modeller, the abundance of aftermarket (and perhaps scratchbuilt) details was excessive, and seriously detracted from the end result. This problem seems common at many of the larger contests and model shows.

 I think a certain amount of neatly applied detail is necessary to bring the model to life, but it seems that the more detail added, the more important it is to have all of the details in scale (which is extremely difficult to achieve). The "if it looks right, then it is right" line of thinking becomes watered down as excessive detail is added, and the engine bay (and to a lesser extent, other areas of the model) seems to become cluttered and increasingly unrealistic, and it would seem prudent to assume that realism is the ultimate goal of the super detailer.

Just my 2 cents

Bainford's exactly right.

I've also noticed--not just in cars but in aircraft as well--that you'll often see loads of detail on a model in which other, more basic areas of construction are not up to par, stuff like good paint, "silverless" decals, correct colors, correct equipment, correct sit and overall look, clean construction (no fingerprints or glue smears), removal of molding marks, and so forth. The more detail on a model, the more that poorly done "basics" stand out and kind of (IMHO) make the whole model look a bit silly.

Bainford & Snake are dead on!

To me it makes little sense to use an abundance of aftermarket parts when the basics of construction are shoddy. I've seen models laden with P.E. but only three wheels touch the surface.

In a similar vein, a late-model mustang had a single fuel line exiting from the bottom of the fuel tank. If you're going to add detail, do it accurately.

 

I like some detail, but I draw the line when it gets to be too much. I'll add some parts and try to keep the entire build under $50 in general. I'll do wires and plumbing, some PE grilles, other detail parts and make lots of my own parts either in plastic or metals.

In the end, who will appreciate it? I'll be sick of the build at some point and towards the end lose interest if it takes forever to crank out.

I was judging a show a few years back and this one car was pretty loaded up with detail parts, but the paint job was flawed in a major way. It looked as if the car was built in a dust bowl. It was a recent build, but the whole thing had this fuzz all over EVERYTHING that didn't blow off. I've seen that in a few builds and should ask them how they did it, I'm sure it wasn't intentional. That car did place, but lost out to two other cars that had less detail but were squeaky clean.

So clean beats cluttered any day of the week. Nice simple paint work speaks for itself. I too agree with the overall effect and the "gotcha" factor. An eye for artistry is something that I look for too.

Bob

 

I agree.. If you are just building to have fun and accomplish the build and put on the shelf.. then no a myriad of details is not needed. However, I do feel that "modeling" is just that. To produce the most realistic, most accurate scale depiction of the actual vehicle.. soo do all you can to put as many details and accuracies in. But always do it for you not for what others will think. I guess the possibility of having too much detail is like the possibility of having a wife that is too good looking or having too much money :)

beyondink:

I guess the possibility of having too much detail is like the possibility of having a wife that is too good looking or having too much money :)

Hmmmmm. Maybe it's like having a wife that you've ONLY worried about being good-looking or having money. Sooner or later you're gonna realize that you also should have thought about intelligence, common sense, loyalty, courage, kindness, etc.

We each have our own priorities. The trick is to accurately identify YOUR priorities and build YOUR models to satisfy them.

Yeah, it is possible to go overboard with detail. As much as I like to throw in details, I'm usually limited by my abilities (until Pfizer comes up with a medicine that will allow me to build like Juha ), so I go for the simple stuff that doesn't require money. Case in point- adding the seams for fender caps, cowl to fender seams, fender to rocker seams, etc.

Harold A. Palmer:

Case in point- adding the seams for fender caps, cowl to fender seams, fender to rocker seams, etc.

Excellent example of a "detail" that costs nothing in money and very little in time or skill, but adds worlds of realism to a model. I'll take that over photo-etched carb butterflies or stuff like that every time.

I have read,In some model books where a few of the masters perfer, a small amount of detail, like Pat C.

I say if you can accurately make the detail in scale, then go for it. Too many times I’ve seen incredible models that have one, or more, part(s) that are just too large for the rest of the model as they could not be made any smaller.

Another killer for me is Hot Rod models with every part visible. Since many 1:1 cars are built with the idea of trying to hide as many parts as possible the models that depict them should be made the same way.

plastic63:

I have read,In some model books where a few of the masters perfer, a small amount of detail, like Pat C.

Good point. Tim Boyd doesn't go overboard on detail but his builds always interest me because he uses imagination and ingenuity and executes his basics nearly perfectly.

i am half and half i will use what i have for detail. If i'm building a model i think needs more detail like interior or subwoofers or little gauges i will take the peices out of a old die-cast i got layin around or say i need a little tv to put inside i will take it out of the die-cast but i wont go spending a bunch of money (that i prolly dont have) just to get some little piece. There is curtain model that i see some thing in and i will put alot in to it effort wise but life i said i wont spend a bunch of money on it. I dont know what others think but thats my 2 cents.