HEY DOOG! NOT DEEP ENOUGH? -- SEE THIS!

Just kind of curious... looking to fing the original post that Doog's comment came from. One thing that I've found about constructive criticism is that you can take it or leave it. I dont' know if that's the intended tone to your response to Doog, but that's what I am sensing.

I feel that simply posting the picture would have gotten the message across. No need to be so defensive towards a guy that, not only knows how to make convincing dios and vignettes, but who took the time to write out a reasonable assessment of what he saw when looking at your diorama. Which, I must say, looks great. 

Steve

ps- if it is this picture that you are trying to accurately represent, then you might conside throwing some snow on them tracks. That's what I noticed. 

OK Steve, here it is and after this -I'm done and I will,as you've said,"leave it."

If not Baking soda, What do I use for snow?

I only intended to convey another option for snow material and that's it. I appreciate constructive criticism but I disagree with the observation and that's my right.  I did this scene a long time ago and I used the accompanying photo as a starting point for the idea. Now, you can  like it or not but as far as I'm concerned , it's done as close to what I saw and interpreted as to what I saw in the photo ,then I added my own jazz and there it is. 

As I've said ," I reject your reality and replace it with MINE." When it comes to an interpretation of reality , who's got the final word as to what reality is? I intended  no slight to the DOOG. I appreciate that he has built some stuff and so have I... We may "see" things differently or maybe the same but we may interpret them differently and  that's life and art, ain't it?

ps- WHY? Didn't you read what I said about the real photo? In my scene I visualized the vehicle slowly driving into position and stopping to fire. Why do you need more snow? Is it because that's what you'd like? That's my point exactly! You make your own the way you want it!!!

This subject is done. OVER AND OUT!

AND REMEMBER,

Al, I agree with you 100% that your photo is accurate to what you portrayed. If you find it satisfying and are happy with it, don't let my well-intended suggestion darken your day! It ain't no big thang!

Having said that however, I still stand by my recommendation as an artistic suggestion that I myself personally would use, in order to convey the weight of the vehicle and to help get that feeling of a big, thundering brute of a vehicle across to the observer.

When people ask me about what I think makes a successful model or dio, I will always FIRST say that accuracy is of course important, but unlike a photo where the "reality" is frozen in blatant evidence and can be considered as definitive "proof", the modeler's work and depiction of the scene is necessarily open to criticism and debate over the "accuracy" and/or artistic merit--I mean that IS after all, what contests and awards are based on, if we want to consider just one forum for public input and judgment?

I am also, however, relating what I myself have been told by others as constructive criticism  in order to better my own builds, and it was in the spirit of "pass it on" that I posted my comments to you. It's certainly your right to "reject my reality" (??!!) as you see fit.

Having done very well in some pretty competitive contests, and having also judged many of the same, when I make a recommendation such as I did on this dio, I am making it based upon what I have heard stated from judges, and from what I have observed and overheard to have "made an impression" on the observers. "Artistic" seems to trump "Accurate" almost every time when the two are on an even keel. If you find this basis for my comments to be burdensome or misinterpret the benevolent intention my recommendation, then please, ignore it!

And it was in this regard that I made the post. I certainly wasn't being dogmatic, and you are free to take it or leave it! I was only trying to help you to improve what I saw as something which would have been an improvement in your depiction, but you are free to disregard it at your pleasure! In NO WAY was I imputing that your dio wasn't "good enough!!!!

Check your PM's Al. 

the doog wrote:

I certainly wasn't being dogmatic

Y'mean doogmatic?...  

Al, I stand by your right to defend your model, albeit a little too viscious a defense for my taste. You mention art like you have a grasp of the concept... it's the art of receiving construction criticism with grace that I am discussing, not your model.

My suggestion in the p.s. was based on your own criteria for how you represented the tank= it's in the picture. More simply put- if you don't want snow on the tracks, I don't really care. I don't need it. The dio sits on your wall, not mine. I'm am drawing my observation from the same photo as you. It's not that I think it should be there, but it's that I see it there in the very picture that you "needed" to use as your "accuracy shield". Yeah, sure, I think that snow on the tracks would make it look realistic. Again, I don't really care. However, you give me the right to make these suggestions simply by putting your model pictures on this public forum. And I stand by my, and Doog's or anyone else's, privilege to make suggestions for what we believe would make dios look more realistic. That is, after all, why we post our work here, no? For that type of feedback? 

When you say, "I reject your reality, and blah blah blah", you might just be being funny. But, blithe or not,  that attitude immediately shuts down those who took the time to stop, look and comment on you model. Whether or not you agree with the submission, I think that you should be thanking the person instead of dismissing them. That's my point.

The "this conversation is OVER" sentiment to your last remark leaves me with that impression that you want no debate over your project. Not really the spirit of this particular forum, IMHO, but fine.

As I've said, I like your dio. But, I've learned. So I'll treat this, and your subsequent posts, as I would treat a Model Maniac post... deaf ears. Except that MM doesn't cut heads off when suggestions or observations are made.

Steve