Where’s all the HOW TO?
Time moves on and you find that you look at some models that have been finished in a way you just love, maybe just prefer, but you think, as I often do, Wow! I would like to create a finish like that – how did he (or she) do it? (watch out – how to get the burnt metal effect accurately replicated on your F-100 coming soon to your TB!)
And therein lies the big problem with many paper-based magazines, they simply don’t have the space (or inclination) to be able to go into great detail and fully illustrate the results on display, so what happens? The editor usually chops the words and detail and I for one end up frustrated.
So, as owner and Editor of SMN I am focusing on building your Techniques Bank (TB) hugely over the coming months so that we will be able to go and find the answers we want and need to so many of the scale modelling questions that raise their head just about every time we build a model – I know that this is true for me – every time I build a model.
SMN offers solutions and answers to so many scale modelling questions in the TB with a way to go yet, but it’s building AND in many, many of the articles and reviews – our average article/review is just over 26 A4 pages – extraordinary… but you see it has to be, why? This is why:
- We need to understand HOW the author got the results they did…
- What was their thinking at the time – what problems they encountered and how they were overcome…
- A contributor has spent hours and hours building and creating the best model they can (in SMNs case at least) and how can you do justice to their work in 2 A4 pages? Maybe 4? Or on a great day 6 or even 8 A4 pages as in any of the paper scale model mags…? You can’t I’m afraid. And so the whole purpose of a review and article can be frustrated through lack of depth and content. To be frank, I read several of the current crop of model mags and I get so disappointed and frustrated at the lack of explanation; the ‘HOW TO’ that it almost becomes meaningless – for me. I do get inspiration from some of the mags, that’s a fact too, but that is so often short-lived because what I want and need – the really important bit – the HOW TO is absent.
So, that’s why SMN is bringing you answers, not more questions!
Thinking of upgrading your subscription?
I have had a few requests for info this last couple of weeks from Bronze subscribers wishing to upgrade to Silver (6 months) or Gold (12 months) subs so that they can access the huge Photo Reference Library (PRL).
Contact us and we can run you through the process quickly and simply...
Speaking of your PRL…
Set – 75 Type 96 Main Battle Tank, China
Set – 76 – Mustang, P-51D North American
A couple of crackers here – now in the Library! The first of several sets covering Chinese subjects, so watch this space for new additions. And, what can I say; the P-51 Mustang simply had to be added now. We have finally assembled a great collection of inspirational images to support all of you building North American’s finest!
Back soon…
Geoff