Do you detail the invisible parts of your models?

I'm a bit puzzled by this whole idea- on the one hand, I understand the satisfaction to be gained by doing this, the feeling of "I know it's there, even if no one else does".  On the other hand, I don't understand why I'd spend hours, or days, lovingly building and carefully painting something that will never see the light of day again.  I'm currently working on a (very disappointing) 1/72 Spitfire, with a canopy that precludes any worthwhile view of the cockpit, so I've done the bare minimum and no more.  When it's finished and in my cabinet, neither I, Mrs 6390, or any visitor will be able to tell the difference.  I have an Airfix Wellington in the stash, which has a lot of such interior detail - who knows whether I'll add it or not?  Still, we each see things differently, and we can each enjoy our hobby to suit ourselves - keep having fun!

^^^ HA!!!!

I detail everything...but only because i enjoy it and i need the practice.  To me its like your wife wearing lingerie under a cocktail dress.  You cant see it...but you know its there...and thats the best part LOL 

In the past, if it was there, I detailed it. Now, as the eyes and hands get worse, If it can be seen then I detail it. It looks like as they continue to get worse I'll have to ease up on what can be seen too. It's getting harder to keep doing those details. 

Jim 

Stay Safe.

A couple of years ago my wife got me a t-shirt that says "I'm a model builder, I paint the parts you can't see."

She knows me well.

Same here. If it can be seen, I'll detail to the best of my ability and and try to improve and try my best on every kit.  If the area can't be seen, I'll just paint it the interior color and then close it up. 

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.  It depends on the kit, how much will actually be visible, and if it is worth the paint to do so. 

I consider myself fortunate to get the outside visible stuff assembled and painted.

If I paid for it then, by golly, I am going to build it, paint it weather it, take photos and then close the thing. Time is never an issue here, whats the rush? 

I do it all because I know it's there. Whether you can see it later is of no value. Knowing I made it look complete is where it's at for me. I'm the only one how sees me kits built anyway.

BK

I agree with Paul its good practice with washes,chipping and if you mess up , you wont see it anyway but I fell in to that trap too many times lol as for me if you dont see it interior green it goes.

I detail the parts/areas that will be closed up once complete. I do it mainly to keep perfecting my skills, which are still a long way from where I want them! I also do it for the satisfaction of knowing what is in there, and these days, i will take pictures of the build in process. One day, you may be able to slip a fiber-optic camera attached to your cell phone to "view" these areas...

Paul

If it can be seen then yes but if completely shut unable to be seen no. Rather spend the time and effort on visible details that can be appreciated.

IIRC, the Silverplate B-29s had their lateral sighting blisters faired over and only had a small window in their center.  So any interior bits other than the cockpit and tail gun position could just be blacked out.  Just the upper sighting blister interior need be painted in the correct color.

Filling ejector pin marks under car seats can be seen as hard-core, or just a waste of time.  I used to think the former but now it's the latter.  Other people's mileage will differ.

Tojo72

No, not if there is zero ability to see it.But bottoms, insides of road wheels,cockpits,any interior that can be seen thru a hatch,yes

 

Real G

To be clear, if you "might" be able to see inside, I will paint it up properly.  An example is Monogram's B-17.

The thing that really inspired me to ponder this is Academy's B-29 Silverplate.  The kit's a standard B-29A with extra parts to make it a Silverplate aircraft.  Silverplate's had some of the windows removed, so some of the compartments go from "might" to "impossible".

Real G

I caught a friend filling ejector pin marks under his car model seats, and asked him why he was doing it.  "Because it's there" was his reply.  That was me 30 years ago.

ejector pin marks on internal areas is something I hadn't even considered.  That's on another level!

I always detail things that won't be seen...mostly just to prove I can do it.

I enjoy doing the detail work in the cockpit and engine.  I don't do the gear if the doors are glued shut.  

One look at my shelf of unfinished models- no I don't.

I like having the extra parts too.

Bill

Not anymore.  I usually just paint out unseen areas with black paint.  Life is too short and I take too long to build stuff.

To be clear, if you "might" be able to see inside, I will paint it up properly.  An example is Monogram's B-17.  I will paint the waist gunner's section, even though the waist guns have small windows.  The radio operator's compartment has to be painted because you can see through the big roof window.

I caught a friend filling ejector pin marks under his car model seats, and asked him why he was doing it.  "Because it's there" was his reply.  That was me 30 years ago.

No, not if there is zero ability to see it.But bottoms, insides of road wheels,cockpits,any interior that can be seen thru a hatch,yes

Pretty much yes.  I enjoy doing cockpits and I think about the best example of detail never seen - the Accurate Miniatures B-25B Doolittle raider I did.  Great interior detail including a 'toilet' with a magazine on top.  Very nice interior detail, never see it again but fun to paint and take pics along the way.

If the kit provides parts for those areas then yes, i will fit them and paint them up as if they would be seen. And if the AM set i have includes parts for that area, i will use them as well. Even though i secure my builds to a base and i know things like wheels wells won't be seen mkuch if at all, i still paint and weather those areas.