When entering a contest, do you pick your subject to gain an edge?

I am looking at the chilecon 3  categories to decide what categories THAT I LIKE but are less popular to build in. Just got a nice email from head judge answering a number of questions. I see a locomotive in the near future and perhaps a sci fi kit.

Agreed with the comments to get out and help judge. It really helps you identify a good build from a great one while setting personal goals higher.

Having judged a few categories at our local club's event the past few years I declined to enter a model of my own. This year I hope to enter a model outside of my comfort zone in the automotive category. Obviously I will not be allowed to judge that category, with everything else on the go that day I will be happy to help judge two or three other categories.  

I have been a judge at a couple of contests, once in aircraft (which I build) and last year in ships.  I learned many things both times I participated.  We never tried to judge to models based on accuracy, just on technique.  I am anxious to enter a kit when I finally get around to completing one.  If I win, so much the better, I am more interested in the comments the judges and others will make so I can improve my own work.  I would recommend getting into judging though, as it is a wonderful learning experience.

John

My friend judged for many years and sometimes got into arguments with fellow judges that favored a buddy's entry over someone else's better built and detailed model.  So with that said, if I win great, if not then there's next time. So don't enter with the idea of winning but have fun at the event, look at the displays, check out the vendors and have a good time. If at the end of the day you won something, then it makes it that much sweeter.

One of the things that bothers me is the lack of certain categories in local shows. I build a lot of civil aircraft, and sometimes the categories break the aircraft down into which war it fought in. I have had to enter civil aircraft outside the aircraft category, in the "misc"  category with the really oddball subjects :-(

I love to do something different usually and this usually means I'm looking for a category that is not represented with very many subjects,  and it is fun to win in those categories.  But we won't mention that fact that I love to model FW190's but that is a small portion of what I like to do.

after forty years of modeling I've only been going to contests for the last 4 years  I find it really inspires me to do better on any project I'm working on and it's fun to get off the work bench and converse with people of like mind.

John

I believe the reason for the contest portion of a show is incentive for modelers to bring their models for everyone to see. I've always said that without models being shown, there'd be no show. It would just be a swap meet. I've been to some of those and the turn out isn't nearly as good as an actual model show.

As far as judging contest models, I prefer the ones that give you feedback on what you did that was good or bad. Yes, I build for my own enjoyment, but like a game of golf, I'd like to get better as I go along.

I'm in BlackSheepTwoOneFour's camp.  I don't believe in model contests - but I always like to look at other people's models - and get their comments on mine.

I did another post a day or two ago in the thread labeled "contest models."  I'll let what I wrote there stand as my opinion on the subject.  Not that my opinions are worth more than anybody else's.

I'm in agreement with Cadet Chuck. I build to decompress and to relax. In the end, it's the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment of getting the modle finished. I could care less what the judges say. Never been to a show but would be interesting to go to one for the heck of it.

It's now been 32 years since I first judged and a bit over a month since the last time I did. You could say I have some experience.

What we observe as spectators and what we get tired of seeing as spectators is not what a judge is looking at. Observe how often if a show has a "People's Choice" the model that takes that is BIG and COLORFUL and SPLASHY but doesn't place well in its class. Those qualities are not what I'm looking at when I'm judging. An uncommon  50's era natural metal fighter with lots of colorful decals is not a guaranteed win over a lo-viz F/A-18. If ALL else were completely equal, the natural metal might have the upper hand (in my mind) because getting that perfect is more challenging that an equally well painted lo-viz scheme.

it's was said earlier and need constant repeating...get your basics down and you have a fighting chance to win. Mess up on your basics and all the accurizing, documentation and after market bells and whistles won't amount to a PFFFFTTTTTRRR in a hurricane. As a judge, I'm not counting ow many Shernans or A-10's are in a class, I'm looking at how well each model is constructed, painted, and decalled. Heavy weathering is a consideration only in the event of a tie and MUST be consistent. Accurizing, after market and scratchbuilt details can hurt as well as help depending on how well they are done. Putting a more accurate intakes on an F-4 won't help a whit if they are not blended well to the kit and are not even side to side. PE rails on a ship aren't going to help if they are bent and have paint missing on them showing the bare brass.  A car with a fully plumbed and wired engine bay will not do well if you've neglected to fill the seam on the transmission housing or forgot to add the drive shaft.

Most of us who've been doing this for a while ultimately build for ourselves. That doesn't preclude taking our best, or even adequate, efforts to a contest to see how others view our work, since we are all Rembrandts and da Vincis in our own minds. Yes, accept that you may not do well, especially in a traditional 1-2-3 contest where you are being judged against what shows up. This is not so much an issue in AMPS/figure style event where you are judged against a standard.

And by all means, if you go to a contest, judge, even if you think you are not an expert on a particular type of model, i.e., aircraft or cars if you build armor.  Let me repeat, JUDGE. You can see as well as the next guy if paint is orange peeled, if decals are silvered, if running gear is crooked, if stuff isn't painted, if seams are open.   Let me repeat again: JUDGE. The club needs your help, you will see what is expected in a winning build and improve your own skills. You may make friends you didn't have before. It will also make the time from when your wallet emptied out at the vendor tables until lth awards go a bit faster and in some cases may even get you lunch for your efforts.  

The only reason I could see for doing that is if you're trophy hunting and trying to score an "easy win" rather than to be sincerely rewarded for your efforts.

I"d rather bring in a Tiger tank and put it on the table with 16 other Tiger tanks--and then walk away with a first, second, or third--but know that I made the best presentation I could. Likewise, if I lost, I"d want to take a look at the other models and learn what it was that they had beat me on.

A lot of times the judges may not know your model. Some judges judge a model because they've seen it enough times to know the difficult peculiarities of that kit and they can then see if someone has really "overcome" the deficiencies. An "oddball" model might be too unfamiliar to give you THAT particular "edge". That sword can cut both ways.

I just build stuff that interests me.  I probably wouldn't do well with an obscure build just because I can't really see myself getting into it.

I have never entered a contest and won't.  I build to please myself, not a panel of "judges."

But that's just my opinion, being an old grouch!

My two cents, ya have to have a thick skin and be proud of your product, try giving judging a try at a contest , it'll give you a greater understanding of the compation and perhaps help show why or why not your subject placed. Most of all have fun!

I have occasionally bought a kit with the idea that, wow, if built well that would make a great contest model, but only if I like the subject.  For the most part, however, I build what I like, and if it comes out well I will enter it in contests.

I've been entering contests for about 4 years now and I usually enter what i like not what I think will win until recently,  I've looked back on contests past to see where things were thin or not represented and try to find a model that I'm interested in and has a better chance of winning in that category.    

I like to build unusual stuff but not outlandish schemes.

I've also built models for a contests theme that they are promoting for the next year,  and then forgot it at home.  

John

Interesting discussion.

I agree with Falcon the unusual subjects get a second look due to their uniqueness in comparison to the popular subjects.

Rob has a good point in that bringing your best recent work is a good strategy.

Borg is correct also in that if the model does not meet the basics leave it at home.

Factor in the unknown and the predictable, you really do not know who is going to show up and what category their amazing work will be entered. This is what makes contests fun!

   The predictable is expect tight competition in 1/35 scale WWII tanks. Another Tiger or Panther may not get the full attention it deserves among several of the same.

Set you expectations to win low, if you do its a bonus as Rob said. The contest is more for the enjoyment of the event, to see others work and a day of modelling discussions and excellence. Remember the later in the day or weekend the more likely the vendors will cut you a great deal! Most of all have fun.    

I would just pick my best build to enter in a contest. With IPMS rules the basics (allignment, painting, no glue smears or seams etc) are the most important factor to make the cut.

I chose the best kits I have built recently. There's often a set number of entries that come with admission price (like 2 or 5) and I'll bring that many kits if I have that many recently built kits on hand. I won't bring more and pay the extra money. I do not enter kits in the show to win anything, I enter them to show people my work. If I win, that's just a bonus.

I would think that a person almost has to do that. Or, at least, I hope a lot of people do that.

I can't think of anything worse than going to a contest, just to see a dozen Showtime 100 Phantoms, 6 Bumblebee Skyraiders, and  18 Red-Tail Mustangs,,,,,and a dozen individual models.

I would rather see that total (48) all be different aircraft, with the same variety in Tanks and Ships.

I guess my thinking would possibly give me an edge when entering,,,,,but, there is another edge on that knife. That is that a lot of people don't know that the famous red diamonds on VMA's Skyhawks were really Dk Green for that cruise, so they might discard if from judging before it even gets looked at, thinking that the color is supposed to match the Red in the popular decal sheet. If you get that far from the well known schemes and details, you could hurt any chance you might have by being "too unique"

(and yes, accuracy is part of judging,,,,,,,it comes into play during the first cut, when they discard the Orange Yamatos and purple USN jets, etc,,,,,,,,,,the wording is something like "the model can't be a totally fanciful scheme",,,,or wording that means the same thing)

Rex

ps, here is one example of what I meant,,,,,,,,,IPMS does NOT consider paint accuracy, but does include these two sentences in the paint section of the judging criteria

"Therefore, color shade should not be used to determine a model's accuracy. Models with unusual colors or color schemes should have appropriate documentation. "

that is the catch-all that lets your Battleship be some generic gray, even if it doesn't match, but, won't let it be a Blue unless you can document it, lol