Chapter 3: How accurate/ detail you want your models to be? Only one right way to build it?

Chapter 3: How accurate/ detail you want your models to be? Only one right way to build it?

Many modelers would like to build their models as accurate as possible, so much so that if it is possible, make it 100% accurate in terms of details, colours, accessories, etc.

However, it is sad to say that in reality, it is quite unlikely that their dreams can be fulfilled 100%. In our view, the only way to have 100% accuracy may be to buy (if your country’s law premise) the 1:1 scale real machine.

It is easy to understand why absolute 100% accuracy is almost impossible to obtain if you are a car driver for instance. You probably would noticed that your car’s colour will fade after some time, under different lighting conditions, the colour of your car will be different perceived by your naked eyes. You may add some accessories or stickers to your car and it looks different from its original look. Therefore, same principle applies to models. Same machine will look different in different time and under different condition and not to mention same type of machine under different users.

I am not saying that you should totally forget about accuracy when you are building a model. What I mean is that if you are only focus on absolute accuracy, you may be missing many fun aspects in model building.

I think the same principle may be beneficial to new modelers as a guideline when learning skills and techniques in model building. Some experienced modelers may stress that certain way of making your model is the only “RIGHT” way to the new modelers. We hope that it is right. However, I would want to say that if there is only one right way, then we as modelers do not need to experiment and discover any new techniques in modeling at all. As we know, many current modeling techniques are discovered through experiments by many modelers, so why restrict ourselves to the mindset of “there is only one right way”? We should experiments, discover and have fun.

要模型的精确度达到和实物百分百的一样是不可能的，除非你有能力象历史上第一位伟大的实物模型收藏家――秦始皇一样，去搞1：1比例的模型――兵马俑。呵呵。

Absolute 100% accuracy is almost impossible to obtain in your models unless you can afford to buy the real thing or just like the first and greatest life size model collector in history; Emperor Qin Shi Huang in China. His collection is the 1:1 scale terracotta warriors.

第3章：你要多精确的模型呢？只有一种制作模型的正确方法吗？

许多模型玩家都希望他们所制作的模型越精确越好，如果可能的话，最好是每个细节，颜色，配件等等都是百分之百地与实物一样。

不幸的是，在现实中这种要求几乎是不可能达到的，我们认为要达到这种百分之百精确的要求，如果你所属的国家法律许可的情况下，唯一的方法是去购买1比1比例的实物。

让我来打个比方说明一下要模型达到绝对精确是不可能的事：如果你拥有一部车子，你会发觉你的车子的颜色在经过一段时间后会褪色，再不同光线底下，你所看到的颜色也不会有些不同。你也可能为你的车子添加一些额外配件或可能加上一些胶贴纸，因此车子的外观就有所改变了。这个道理也适用在模型和实物的关系上，同一样实物，在不同的光线、环境、气候和不同的使用者等条件下，看起来都不太一样，试问一下，我们怎么可能要求模型能达到绝对的百分百精确呢？

不过请大家不要误解我要表达的意思，我并不是说我们制作模型时可以完全不理会精确度，我的意思是：如果我们在制作模型时过于专注于追求模型的百分百的精确度，是否会失去了制作模型应有的一部分乐趣呢？

我想上述的道理可以成为初学者在学习制作模型技巧时的一个参考原则。有些经验老到的模型玩家可能会对初学者说某些方法才是唯一正确的制作方法，我们也希望情形是这样的，但是如果假设制作模型只有一种正确方法，那么是否意味着模型玩家就再也不需要再去尝试或发现新的制作技巧和方法了？我们都知道今天我们所掌握的模型技巧都是前辈们经过试验和尝试后才出现的，所以为什么我们要画地为牢地将自己绑死在“只有一种正确方法”的思维模式里呢？我们应该不断地去尝试，去发现新的技巧，同时享受制作模型的乐趣。

这些是我学生所制作的模型，有些是初学者的初次尝试，有几件作品在学生组的比赛中幸运地得了奖。虽然我在开始的阶段教导他们基本的技巧，但是我认为也应该鼓励他们去尝试新的制作方法和技巧，希望在将来，他们可以建立起自己的制作风格。

These are some of my students’ work, some of them are new to miniature models. Fortunately some of them managed to win prizes in a competition. Although I guided them at the beginning, however, I would want them to explore and discover new techniques as well as build up their styles in future if possible.