Hilton and Mears: Interpretation or distillation…
In the visual arts an artist will share the inspiration - why they’ve created a piece, why they’ve ‘done’ art. They may explore their interpretation and how that influenced the result. Finally, and in passing there is often a nod to the craft. Recognising these three elements feels very exciting.
Let’s consider our own hobby, how does this play out? We may start with a comment about childhood, perhaps a fleeting mention of a memory that inspired us before launching into chapter and verse on the craft (I glued down the ballast with dilute PVA).
I think this link between why and how, interpretation perhaps, the distillation, is something that is rarely tackled, difficult to describe and easily avoided. We’re comfortable in our craft driven language, it is non personal, safe even. Recently, whilst talking to a good friend, I tried to articulate the distillation of the ‘Boston Lodge’ cameo from inspiration to the result and I was surprised, it was really hard. I realised a lot of what I do is just second nature, I haven't ever stopped to ask what I'm doing...
If we become more practiced in articulating this interpretation, this art of distillation, could it help us follow in the footsteps of artists we admire, or better, have a more thorough appreciation of the art, their art? It is through practice we improve - and become more conscious of the work we create and how others interact with it.
A decade ago, ‘The Shove’ was a sketch of an N scale layout. The sketch laid out the basic design and proportions. Fearing the magnitude of its ambitious size, I attempted a smaller version. Looking back, these first iterations are the beginning of a design and my first attempts to form a response to my understanding of what The Shove is: an attempted scale model of a feeling.
My most recent ‘Shove’ still uses the same track plan, in the original amount of space, but in a different modelling scale. This iteration represents a true representation of the original form. Each of these is an exploration revealing some of what works or doesn’t, and discovering some of what feels right. Each attempt inherits a sense of intergenerational conversation. A conversation voiced through foam and flex track to ask if this feels, instead of looks, right.
The decisions are informed by trying, exploring, a life since it started.
These thoughts on the subject of intepretation are from two different modellers. We both have the curiosity to explore this topic but in this first attempt struggled to find a common platform to begin.
That this was un-published is testament to Chris’s last statement. Our experiences to date have meant we’ve now, several months later, found a place to ‘get on the train’, and so it’s this moment that these words from the past feel poignant as a precursor to a discussion we are having today and will share soon. Until next time, more soon…
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In case you weren’t aware ‘labels' are a great way to navigate the blog. Chris and I have co-created a lot of material over the last few years, labelled 'hiltonandmears'. He has also contributed to a number of my rambles, labelled 'chris Mears'. Until next time though, more soon...
A thought provoking post. I agree that what we do is "second nature" and difficult to describe. You caused me to look up the dictionary definitions of Interpretation and Distillation, and even "Je ne sais quoi" in a search for understanding of what we do. Scientists interpret data. That makes it feel like a cold analytical process. I think we, as modellers, are after an emotional connection to the real thing. Lately I have used the phrase "distillation of the spirit of a scene" a lot in describing my 16mm scale work. It's always felt like an emotional decision, rather than analytical. I might be talking rubbish now. But you certainly gave me something to think over. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ian, glad to have been of service!
DeleteSome potted thoughts:
ReplyDeleteWhy stop at "art"? Being 3D, what insights can sculpture offer? e.g. Positive and negative space. Unfortunately there are more books available on art appreciation than understanding sculture.
Ditto photography. I am short on space, but have kept one how-to book on railway photography purely because it has some interesting ideas on composition - especially suited to cameo layouts (A Professional's Guide to Railway Photography by Roger Siviter).
In terms of art, we have the old Masters, Impressionistic, Modern and Post Modern etc. What insights can each offer? The Old Masters may be viewed as the most realistic, akin to a fine scale layout, but they were also selective, symbolic and sometimes contained hidden meanings.
Business strategy has one concept I love: 'Degrees of Freedom', essentially all of the choices open to you. Why are so many layouts oblong with blue skys, green foliage and red bricks and named after a location? (Not to mention the cliched cameos... )
Take a coach. It may be bogie, four or six wheeled; 1st, 2nd, 3rd Class, compo or brake; Big Four, BR, pre-Grouping; operational, grounded mess van or grounded station building; new, weathered or derelict; etc. etc. And the same thinking can be applied to every. Layout. Element. To create atmosphere.