This is my first completed armor model in over 3 years. Basically OOTB, added the stowage rack from strip and angle styrene, added jerrycans, chain and homemade Aircraft ID Flag. Painted with MM Enamels, Tamiya Acrylics and weathered with artist's oils.

Took it to a Hobbytown Model contest, and didn't place. Did I do something wrong? I know there are a few problems with it, but I am pleased overall... what does anyone else think?

I think its a great model, and you should be pleased. Not placing could say more about the quality of the other, winning vehicles, and not really suggesting you have done something wrong.

I hate nit-picking this and feel its almost wrong, but if its any help for future competitions, it might be worth suggesting some things that could be improved upon. My first impression is the very monotone grey colour ... the vehicle, the jerry cans, the field modification stowage rack, the jack, the rear stowage boxes, the padlock on the front stowage box, etc. A little variation would add a lot, as well as adding more depth like fading the middle of large panels slightly. Another thing thats prominent is the edge of the grill in the first pic ... the sheet attachment point is not cleaned off properly. The identification flag appears quite stiff .. floating at one corner andnot showing any releaf over the details under it. All these things loose points. Was there any explanation afterwards on how the points were awarded/deducted ... any other feedback??

On the other hand, there are things that are excellent ..decals, wooden handles on the tools, the dusting effect on the running gear, solid build, etc. Its not all doom and gloom then. For a first model in three years, this is very good and with a little extra effort and practise, you´ll get there.

I echo Plasticbattle's statement, it's a very nice and clean model. But maybe too clean.

This is the way I like to build my models, free from weathering. I have nothing against it, I just like them to look like what you would see in a museum. The problem is everyone can finish them this way and most 'critics/judges' like them to look more in a used state, like on a battlefield.

I wouldn't set my expectations too high for the competition is steep and my hats are off to those who can. Next time, take a look at what the winning models look like to get an idea of what the judges like.

Other than that, you did a great job on the Stug!


Jeff

The lens does pick up on things that I sometimes miss with the naked eye. I thought I had cleaned off that flash...Grrrr.... I do see the monotone thing, with the jerrycans etc..but again...there really is more color variation than the photo shows. (I promise! LOL)

That being said, my photography skills are much worse than my modeling skills, and these pics don't really do the model justice. The winning models were good clean builds, compared to some of the great work I have seen here, actually quite "vanilla" if you get my meaning. There wasn't much use of (for lack of a better term) advanced armor modeling techniques. No chipping...Not much weathering, No filters that I could see, and in several cases, no washes or drybrushing. That is what I couldn't figure out. The majority were basic OOTB, a couple pieces of PE here and there, but nothing that caught my eye as a fantastic model. All very good, but nothing that really jumped out. (at least in the Armor category...there were some cars and airplanes that were STELLAR)




That is the thing... it seemed as if the judges weren't paying attention to the same things that other armor modelers would...paint chips, dents, dings, rust streaks etc....

my wife was with, and made the comment..."they seem amateurish" I know one's wife is supposed to be supportive no matter what, but mine tells it like it is..(lucky me?)

Well, regardless...I have 6 months until the next one...and I am pleased with the results (of my efforts) So onto the next project I guess....

Far be it from me to criticize; I have only in the past year traken up modeling after a 20 year hiatus, but in the short expanse of this year, I have read ALOT on weathering, detailing etcetera, and the only thing that comes to my mind is it's really clean, and might need a little more wear and tear on the wheels. I'm actually entering my first contest in two weeks, but honestly? I dont see why you were excluded.

It's a really nice build, don't take the judges decision to heart. Just because they are judges doesn't mean they are perfect! Perhaps as mentioned they simply prefer dirty models or ones with camouflage, they could have let this blind them to how good a build actually is. Keep us the good work and sooner or later you'll get the respect you deserve!

James

I wouldnt worry too much about not placing in the comp, as long as your happy with how it turned out then thats all that should matter, placing or winning would just have been a great bonus!
I also echo Frank's and Jeff's comments about it looking maybe too clean but that is all down to the viewers personal opinions and the current trend in finishing which seems to be that every model must have mud and dirt spattered around in varying amounts rather than just a slight level of dust and wear which your is an excellent example of.

Great early stug you have there. One thing that could improve it greatly is a dark wash to bring out the details. This would lighten the middle of the panels as well to give it some color diversity. Also I noticed some color choices are different from what I am used to particularly in the gear on the hull. Overall, pleasure to look at!!!

You've done and excellent job with you're Stug. Monotone is hard to work with. I've got a Panzer I Ausf B , dark gray, I'm still not sure if I'm done with the color. What you've created has got me wanting to tackle the Stug on my shelf......hmmmm.

Keep up the creations!

Cheers

Dave

Couple of thoughts. The jerry cans would have come from various sources and been painted separately, so they could all be different shades of Dunkelgrau. The overall color looks very clean but also very pale, for some reason. Panzers could appear dramatically lighter with just a light coating of road dust, but here it looks more like the paint is too light, rather than a vehicle that got dirty. Remember, Nationalist troops troops in the Spanish Civil War called the Panzer I Ausf. B's "Negrillos" (black ones) because the German paint looked so dark.
And while Dragon did nice overall work ten years ago when this kit came out, they hadn't really achieved the tool detail that we now expect. At the very least, pick up a set or two of Tamiya's Panzer IV tools, as these raised the bar for everybody. It includes two jacks with separate mounting clips (Dragon's are "old school" with the clips molded onto the jack itself), as well as all the other shovels, pry bars, c-clamps and so-on. If you want to add photoetch clasps to the plastic clips on other tools, that really helps--that's how Tristar does it on their new kits--or you can go whole-hog and file off the attachment clips and add photoetch replacements from any manufacturer you like (Eduard's Zoom German Tool Clip set is very cool, as they depict the clips using just one piece of metal instead of two or more--you fold it like an itty bitty origami, but at least you don't have to glue together two really small bits of brass).

I like it a lot

Remember the following
1.do it for yourself and bugger anyone else!!
2.if at first you don't suceed cheat!!
by the way is it 1/48th??

Chris

That's why I never bother with competitions. I have to say from the looks of the photos (a) you're much better with a camera than I am, (b) if the other models were pretty much OOB & you didn't place you're going to the wrong competitions! Personally I don't like extreme weathering, it always seem a shame to me to cover up the fine levels of moulding & detail that we get from Dragon & other nowadays. I'd have given it a prize mate!

No, 35th. My current project is a 1/48 Panzer IVJ, and I am really impressed with the scale, I think I might switch to it, for all but stuff I can't get in 1/48 (mostly light panzers and early German)




Thanks!

I am very happy with it, considering it is my first kit in about 3 years. All the winners were later war tanks with camo. That could have explained much.

Ive got a friend whose been doing this 30+ years, and he told me the same thing. Ive been looking at AMPS though, are they the same way?
We dont have a local chapter, but I've been thinking about maybe putting one together.

AMPS uses an open judging system, so they are NOT limited to 1 first, 1 second or 1 third place, or 1 gold, 1 silver 1 bronze in each category. If your model earns enough points for a bronze in that category, it doesn't matter if 1 or 20 bronzes are given out. The same goes for silver and gold. Each model is judged on it's own merits, to a set point standard, not judged against the model sitting next to it, so there really isn't any of the "I like this one better than that one" for 1st, 2nd or 3rd.
Also, the judges sit away from the public, the display room stays open, they don't have to climb over or around people, and aren't rushed to finish up, since with the AMPS system, the judging can start as soon as the models start arriving, not having to wait until entries are closed . REMEMBER they are judged to a set standard-not compared to it's neighbor. They also will most likely leave a little note or comment on what or how to improve or sharpen your skills.

In the 70s, My dad used to build HO scale Railroad Models, and he used to take them to competitions. He said that there was a score sheet that was placed at each model after judging that entrants could take home, with comments on what was good and bad on the models. When I told him about this contest, his reply was " That's stupid. how are you supposed to even know what it was judged on?"

I started researching AMPS, and there are two chapters close by, but far enough away to be inconvenient. I doubt that there is enough modelers in the immediate area to bother with starting a chapter here. It would be nice though to pop over to a convention, to see how other people do it.

Oh, and Dad's Prize winning scratchbuilt logging shop car and yarding donkey? Yeah... I was kind of clumsy as a kid... Sorry Pop!