vlog 25-09: Warhammer 40K Vindicator Siege Tank – All The Weathering

This turned out to be a fun experiment in weathering an all metal object. And that’s truly what it was – an experiment.

I’d like to say I knew what I was doing, in the sense of things were all thought out ahead of time. Certainly I could apply what I already knew about weathering in general. The products and methods were all things I was familiar with.

But I really just had to start with a view rooted in “I think this will work”. Which gets me to my point.

No matter how many models I’ve built, or the number of ways I’ve weathered, there is always some new ground to break. And sitting around worrying about “will I ruin the model” won’t get the job done.

Certainly I can experiment with a test model, or on hidden areas of the actual model. Yet at some point I simply had to commit to getting the job done, and start applying the experience I had, coupled with my theory of what colors and products to use, and then see if it worked.

My gut told me it would. And past experience buoyed that confidence. In the end, it turned out decent. I could have taken it further, but I felt getting those basic “reps” worked through would lay a foundation for another model in the future.

I always like to get questions, because it’s fun to get to know my fellow modelers. But I will admit I do a “silent scream” in my brain every time I read “I’m afraid I’ll ruin my model.” Because I know in most cases (most) it’s not a fear of ruining the model. Rather, it is usually rooted in:

• The fear of not meeting your own expectations
• The fear of what users on social media will say

The answer to the first one is easy. Get over it. I’m not as good as I think I am, nor as bad as I think I am. Neither are you. No model will be perfect. Can any model be improved? Yes, all day, every day, and twice on Sunday. You pick the stopping point. It’s up to you to learn the lessons, note the results, try new theories, and keep learning. I’ve always said if I ever sit back and feel like a model is perfect I need to quit the hobby. I’d either be grossly delusional or narcissistic beyond belief. Most likely both.

Now, I’m not talking about healthy self-evaluation. That is critical. But to start with a fear of not meeting your own expectations is, in my opinion, a sure sign that you’ve overinflated your own ego and it’s to your harm. I say as someone who fell victim to it myself.

So stop taking yourself so seriously and have fun.

The answer to the second one is simple.

Who cares? I mean, really… are our egos so fragile that we live for random people to tell us things are nice? Or that we feel hurt if someone says they’re not?

This gets to the heart of what I mean by “if you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong”. If you are having fun then what other people say means nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Nyet.

And before you angrily type a comment about “legitimate C&C”, I get that some people can offer really useful and helpful suggestions that can help us grow as modelers. I get that. It has helped me incredibly.

But think about it… how much of the “C&C” is really designed to be helpful? I mean, really helpful. Quite often it is more a case of “I want to show off what I know and so I will graciously bestow upon you my vast wisdom.” The ridiculous system of “social media credibility points” is so often at work.

Of course, your milage may vary. And this is my opinion.

But just do stuff. Learn from it, improve it, and make sure you’re having fun. That’s the point really.

Have fun.