Sprue Cutters #19 - The modelling gods strike

INSPIRATION!

That 'Eureka' moment. That moment of genius. That time someone put a gorilla behind a drumkit.

Inspired chocolate advertising

We all want these moments - while we're building our models, while we're painting them and while we're figuring out how to display them. The first inspired moment, though, has to be when we choose what our next subject is.

When I'm building aircraft or cars, my choiceflow is simple: Coolest wins.

It's got actual metal bits

I would love to build this Tamiya kit - the write-ups were great when it launched, and it's not too expensive (compared with the GW prices I've got used to recently). It's also a multimedia kit - metal lower parts to give it weight, and plastic uppers, with etched brass details. Heaven.

I'll probably never buy it.

You see, amongst many other things, I have a few of these:

The coolest of them all

I bought one when it came out in the 90s, and had a teenage stab at it. Not a bad effort, but painting stainless steel with a size 2 brush will never look great. I then bought a whole load of them a few years ago - one from each film, and a spare, rare BTTF2 version to keep forever (and then sell to buy a house).

I have been planning for a few years to recreate the poster from the second film - I have drawings, electronics and a big block of foam somewhere to make this:

Shivers happening right now

For the minute, though, my inspiration for 'what's next?' comes from the armies I'm working on in the 40k and Lord of the Rings universe - and they're mainly special characters.

I'm on a sort of wizard binge - I finished a Gandalf figure a couple of months ago, and I then straight away started on a Saruman figure - similar robes, but a different feel. I also started working on a different Gandalf figure. Obviously, when I finish those, I'll start on one of the two Radagast figures I have in the stash. Once the wizards are done, I'll do some Hobbits.

Similarly, I'm working on some Orks for 40k (as well as Tau and Space Wolves), and once the current WIPs are done, it's more likely to be a greenskin than anything else.

I think my choice-inspiration is often governed by the most fun thing I've already bought and stashed away. Even if it's 'important' to do a particular figure, or squad, if I'm not in the mood then it won't get done.

I think Jon's analogy of a meal menu is very fitting. I concur wholeheartedly.


Currently, there's only Jon's post listed for me to link to (but there'll be more soon, no doubt)
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