Category Archives: Philosophy

Making the Courses for the Ratlines

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I’m right in the middle of a process that requires quite a lot of patience. I’m glowing all the courses across the stage to make the Ratlines.

This process does take a lot of patience as far as the model maker goes. But I like these times because it causes you to extreme concentration and you can go into meditative State while working on the model. I suppose a similar to highway hypnosis. So during those times, I have to watch myself that I know just be going through autopilot and end up making something that I didn’t mean to create.

For example, while I was gluing the courses for the ratline, I noticed that I was getting a little closer and closer together every time so I had to really watch myself to use my 5 mm Plank Board to measure every rung.

But, I do enjoy the long creative processing periods. All right office turn on my YouTube and let it run through my classical music selections.

Funny thing about YouTube. I’m kind of now in a classical music glue. Work you playing the same thing all the time and I know every song but hard and they’re coming along with it.

Overcoming Obstacles

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One thing I found that’s interesting is that you’re often faced with obstacles while building a Model. Any Model really. Because what you’re trying to achieve wouldn’t be satisfying to yourself unless you were able to reach that certain point of perfection.

Model Groups. I belong to about 5 different ones I think? Maybe less, I have to check. Anyway, I’m really not very active in any of them. I do check in on them from time to time and see what people have posted and what others have commented on. A lot of things on there sometimes borders on the cliche, but you can often find some interesting information on there.

I just saw this one guy who over-sanded his ship down to past the Venere. It was kind of tragic. I’m waiting to see how he overcomes it. I know that over-sanding is a common mistake that a lot of us make. I did it on my first build. There’s no more disheartening feeling in the world, let me tell you. I’m curious how he overcomes this one? A lot of guys recommended he “cut” it out? Hmmm, I’m not sure you can disguise it after you do something like that. Especially if he intends to leave it wood.

Which brings me back to being able to find ways around certain problems.

When you look at any Ship, you would be able to spot imperfections with it if you look close enough. I think the most important thing is to strive to making it the most satisfactory for yourself. If you can live with it, then, you should just leave it. If you can’t live with it, then by all means… change it. That’s what I do anyway.

Just my garden today. Those are the Allums which came up after the Hyancinths. Next, the Lavendars will be coming up. Thing about those Lavendars, I didn’t even plant them, but they come up every year so I think it’s great whenever they do.

The Trance of Art

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This is the first article of my Philosophy Category. I decided to begin writing about some of the what I feel relevant to doing Art.

Have you ever lost all track of time while doing Artwork? I know I have. I seem to lose the mornings from around 4 a.m. onwards to around 10 a.m. This is the time that I spend working on my Ship off and on and I’ll watch some show on TV. Just going back and forth.

But, it’s the time during Art that’s interesting. I wonder what it is about concentration that makes you lose all sense of time?

I suppose that’s one of the reasons why I do it? I have tried to explain to people that the completed piece of art is not the point. It’s the doing of it is what’s important. Because, when you’re in the process of creating, you’re basically delving into a deeper aspect of yourself and you’re trying to tap into your central being. At least, that’s the way I feel about it.

I’m not sure how you could possibly create without tapping into this part of yourself?

I’m now wondering when I’m going to get back into Watercolor?

My ex Julie came over the other day for a visit. She stayed a couple of hours. Anyway, I showed her my artwork and I couldn’t believe that she actually wanted one of them? She not only wanted one of them, which I considered a good piece. It was one of a Lily. I guess it was pretty good. Then she wanted a set I made, a Warm Study and a Cool Study. They were both studies but apparently she liked them. Then the other one she took was a Ocean Scene, which I felt that I messed up on, but she liked it I guess. The point I’m trying to make is that other people may love your art as well.

So now, I’m into building this Ship. There’s a few things that people ask me that I wonder about.

First, they ask me when it’s going to be finished. Another one is “What are you going to do with it when you’re done?” I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked that question. Ahhh… What do you do with anything? A painting or whatever? You display it, right?

Getting back to the Subject though. I do feel that the reason I do it is because it does make me lose all track of time by allowing me to go into a trance-like state while in total concentration. I’m sure a lot of Artists feel the same way.