Defining modelling realism...
Is it art, or engineering? How do you see realism?
I've been lucky enough to pick up a Rapido SW1200RS recently, sound fitted all working at a great price (although missing air horns) and it's an interesting comparison to my own model that I mentioned at the weekend, an SW1200RS built by the teenage me from an old Athearn kit with some parts and scratch building.
The Rapido model is 'cutting edge' (for me) with DCC sound, full lighting package and a great level of detail with injection moulded, etched and cast parts - about as neat a model out of the box as you can get. Pristine, but well observed colours, not too bright, but still a toy really...
My old model should on paper be the inferior model, old fashioned parts, a finish applied by a child...
But is it? Which gives you that 'feeling' more? Which, when you squint and get down low, feels like it is a heavy lumbering powerful switcher? What makes a model realistic?
To me? Realism is an art form, and I would say I am more of an artist than engineer.
To paraphrase a friend who recently shared his thoughts with me on the subject, whilst a model might be millimetre accurate with every conceivable detail, it is the poorly detailed dimensionally proportionate, well weathered model that wins out. You can add LEDs, sound, fine etched parts - the same goes, it can be just as soul-less. It's the weathering that in your minds eye brings it to life, and weathering is an art form that cannot be copied from a drawing or learnt from a manual - it requires interpretation, it requires patience and experience and it rewards with realism.
So you can guess what's coming for the Rapido model. I've ordered some suitable horn from the USA, once that is finished it's getting weathered! More soon...
If it looks right, then it is right.
ReplyDeleteI think that's probably quite a good summary of my rambling actually! Getting something to look right is that artistic approach, in my opinion anyway.
DeleteI've long since concluded that I'm telling a story, so "Realistic" is defined by me as what fits into the story and makes it work, which may not be the same as an accurate representation of a prototype. My own finishing techniques aren't really "realistic" if looked at objectively, in fact I tend to makt things look "too" dirty, but they "work" to make a cohesive picture so I'm happy.
ReplyDeleteYour last statement Andy, is the most important. It’s the approach that works for you that is most important, however being a fan if your work I’d say you achieve realism through the story, it’s part of the same, and a such the modelling to me is an artistic interpretation of that story through your hand.
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