DISCUSS:how to make better WIP thread

[auw12]

hello guys~in the last days of 2006 i did a look-over of my threads posted in 2006,i found i made crapy WIP threads.reasonless arranging of pics,lacking introducing,important steps,bad and unsized pics and so on.i always appreciate wonderful WIP threads like what MPWR,robi,gio,hiroboy and some other masters in AF does.and also stuned by very creative and impressive WIP thread like klutzie's 36H challenge or Mr.Ping&Pong's 15,000 miles double thread(that's my thread of the year ) but there're also some very cool works without a decent WIP thread...i think WIP thread is the most important part for people to study and share,so i'd love to hear from you guys about this topic.what do you think are the factors of a decent,helpful WIP thread.what pics are necessary,what steps should be described detailed and what should be done compendiary?what kind of introductions are helpful etc.thank you very much guys!

[auw12]

em...one point,i always like to see people put the box of the model and stuff they will apply as a starting,i think that's necessary.i am always thinking of what kit this is when reading some one's thread,you know it's different among asia,europe and the US,we can seldom buy stuff like italeri,AMT etc.

[klutz_100]

I fully agree with you about WIP threads - for me they too are the most important part of AF (sorry to say, I rarely visit the completed section).

For me the perfect WIP shows and tells about the smallest details/techniques used, what went wrong and why, how problems were solved. LOTS of well lit, in-focus close up pictures sized to 640x480 and at about 50KB each.

What I like to read about is how the builder painted that difficult little part? what paint he used? what did he use to mask with? what is that metal gizmo he used for spark plugs? etc etc THE MORE DETAIL AND INFORMATION THE BETTER!!

I know from personal experience that this is time consuming and sometimes frustrating but I honestly see it as part of my "pay back" for all the help I have got out of this (and other) forum. If that extra time spent helps out someone else than that's good. Also it's a nice feeling when someone says "hey! that's cool!"

[D_LaMz]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

(sorry to say, I rarely visit the completed section).

same here

[MPWR]

I think what I'm most tired of seeing are pics and no descriptions. It's especially rampant in the Completed section, but it certainly happens in the In Progress sections as well. What's the point of posting four pics of your latest completion and not saying anything about it? If the builder can't be bothered to say anything about the model they put together, why should anyone else bother? Show and tell.

What kit did you use? How did you build it? What paint did you use? How did you paint it? What did you do to it? How long did it take you? Do you like the car? Do you like the kit? Do you like your build? What would you do different? What are you particullarly happy with? What did you learn, and how did you learn it?

And it's exactly the same with a progress thread- just way more so. The best threads are those that provide the most details. (Unless I've got it all wrong. Hey, if I'm puting too many pics and words into my build threads, somebody needs to tell me! )

[gionc]

1st: Tang my friend, I guess is a bit unfair you put a badass asshole like me is side of those cool guys LOL BTW you forgot people that're REALLY master like skylinefan, hiroaky, scalemaster, rob, phil, and (forgot??) alex, and a lot following..


2nd: Andy: I agree and, despite it cost me much and I do shitty, I do too much unuseful word and some pics more than needed but: but I dunno blame peoles that write less or nothing: what times occurred that someone ask something that you already wrote? (well to be honest happened also to me to browse AF like a comic book when kid, just watching picts LOL)

BTW: first of all, increase members photo skills. Seeing at AFMOTY entries, someone done some street on this topic. I have to work in.

Anf for me and you Tang, may be useful learn a bit more of english LOL

ciao my friend

(mooning) LOL

[CeeElle]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

sorry to say, I rarely visit the completed section

there's a completed section?



klutz, MPWR et al have pretty much summed up my thoughts, but i'll add this - one thing i'm always thankful for is when someone explains a problem they encountered and shows us their solution. for example, the rear engine cover of Tamiya's F40 doesn't line up with the body and chassis, and MPWR showed us a relatively easy way of correcting it. tips like that are worth their weight in gold.

[tigeraid]

Hmm... I'll play the other side of the coin here. It may be partially because I'm so busy with so many builds, but I tend to do a fair bit of work, then take pictures, do an update, then do some more work, etc etc... And sometimes little things I could have photographed to make the WIP "better" get done before I can take pictures. It also has to do with sitting over on this side of the room doing work, and then having to carry everything over to the photo booth, set it up, light it, set up the camera, and then take the pics. For me it's a fairly huge hassle, and I mean that in the best possible way, because I *do* enjoy taking the pics and making a WIP thread for people to interact with.

But I do agree 100% on providing more details than just the pictures. I try my best to include thoughts on the progress so far, what parts I'm using, etc etc... Mind you I also tend to put together a more concise summary of those in my COMPLETED thread (which apparently many of you don't read ) ...

Here's a suggestion: How about we come up with a common template for both WIP and COMPLETED threads, which includes things like what kit, body colour, interior colour, wheels, engine, aftermarket parts, etc etc? Worst case people can just paste it in there and put "N/A" for the things they're not sure of yet... But it would help remind those creating the threads of what to put in it.

Just a thought.

[willimo]

Making more and more rules for how to operate here will just discourage posters. While I am a big, big fan of the detailed WIPs (which I am guilty of not supporting), it shouldn't be a prerequisite. I'd rather see things with no description than not see them at all. I can always ask questions, and hope the poster replies. Detailed threads are the best, of course, but anything is better than no thread.

[tajoe]

I usually post updates as I complete different parts. Instead of showing a step by step of a motor build I will post the finished motor. I agree that it would me nice to see more detailed descriptions but wouldn't that turn the WIP into a "How To" forum? Which, by the way, I wouldn't mind seeing some new threads there. I think that if someone is going to use an "out of the orinary" building technique, or a really custom paint job that it would be nice to have a description and some detailed pictures of how it was done. I, for one, always want to learm more about how to build better models, especially body mods and lowering techniques. A template is not a bad idea for a basic starting point, but with too many builds I am not even sure what color I am going to paint until I am well into the project.

[auw12]

i totally agree with you guys and enjoy reading your comments,thanks!
hi will:i agree with you honestly,each has his way to do anything,that's great to see something different!but i think we are not talking about some rules or criterions,just discuss about how to do better in our own way,so just pick up what you need.but i do think there's something could be used for reference,like puting your box on top of your thread,pics sized to 640X480(and remember typing an "Enter" after your pic links),trying to describe what you have done and why you do this and so on,sharing the problem you got and how you solve it...i think these are helpful and valuable anyway.
gio my friend:i'm sorry i forgot the masters you mentioned,there're too many,really!!but i'm sure i didn't put a wrong name in the list (anyway you're right he's a big badass LOL)
klutzie and D LaMz:i was just like you,seldom go to the complete section,but i gradually changed,i found it's full of fun going to the complete section and watching people's complete models,i really enjoy that now!!!it's amazing to see the final result after all the effort puting in front of you,and sharing the success of someone.you can also learn a lot from the complete model no less than what you can do from the WIPs. anyway it's unfair and make no sence to ignore a complete work after you devoted your mind to its WIP thread and was waiting for its finished,right?

[bhop73]

I love a good WIP, but you guys that say you never visit the completed section are seriously missing out. I also feel it's a little insulting to the modelers that share their building techniques to not check out the finished works. I use the term "works" because to me, modeling is an art form and deserves to be viewed as such. You wouldn't watch a painter work on a painting and not want to see the finished piece would you? I just don't get it..

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by bhop73

...you guys that say you never visit the completed section are seriously missing out. I also feel it's a little insulting to the modelers that share their building techniques to not check out the finished works...

Just to be a little defensive here, I said "rarely" and not "never"
I actually just checked and in fact I have posted in about 75% of all threads on the first page of the completed forum.

What I meant to say was that while I visit the WIP section several times a day, I tend to visit the completed forum section once per week.

In effect, I look in on every WIP but I'm sure I miss some completed - but that's the way I use the forum.

I show my suport for members by posting approval/encouragement/suggestions/thanks for tips etc. during the building process which I think is more usefull and just as "nice" as a pat on the back after it's all done
I certainly don't think I am insulting anyone if I don't post in their thread as it is not possible/desirable to post everywhere - so let me say now WELL DONE to everyone whose thread I didn't post in

@ Tang - another important part of a WIP I think is typing clearly.

Use paragraphs and extra space between them to "lighten" the text and ease reading.

Avoiding long blocks of text encourages reading while long blocks (like yours above ) are hard to read through to the end. :*

[auw12]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

@ Tang - another important part of a WIP I think is typing clearly.

Use paragraphs and extra space between them to "lighten" the text and ease reading.

Avoiding long blocks of text encourages reading while long blocks (like yours above ) are hard to read through to the end. :*

thanks a lot for your kind suggestion buddy~~will follow it~~

[rallymaster]

Hello,

excellent subject here, thanks !

Well, what I personaly try to put or how I put it in a WIP to make it interesting...?

- introducing the build: talking about the model is normal, but I think that introducing a bit the car too may people understand our personnal interest to the model. Why this car, Why this driver, Why this rally (for my part) etc ?

- showing the progress the closest possible: each part or almost each part could have its meaning in the model, especially what is scratch built.

- good pics: not easy for everyone, we are modellers ! seriously I personnaly use a Canon EOS 300 D, with the autofocus close up pics are almost impossible to get perfect... But I try to, better will be the pics, higher will be the lust to follow the thread...

- Good explanations: I may have to check my own thread about that but "I painted the part" is less interesting than "How I painted the part" even if some of these things are so evident...

- updating often: of course it's easier to say than to do, but I think that keeping attention depends on how often you update a thread.
I take only one example: Sean Stratos Thread: following such a detailled thread day after day or almost take all its sens, according to me the most detailled are given the most often the thread should be updated, simply to really feel progressing with the build. What would you feel if someone is detailling a full engine and give updates all 2 weeks ? you may feel you're missing something...
Of course on the other hand updating for each bolt you put would be too much !

- Answering questions : That's important, if you expect people to follow your work answer all questions the most precisely possible.
I personnaly let threads fall down because I was never answered... What' the interest in a thread if you get no interest when reacting to ?

- lot of pics but not too much : I don't have a very performing Internet band, so when the thread contents too much pics I sometimes let it fall down...
no need to put 36 pics of the front right or the exhaust.
Prefer checking you posted at least one pic of all the car sides and sens !
I sometimes have seen 8 or 9 pics of a sens view, and nothing about another sens view... (especially in completed section that's rigt, but sometimes in WIP section too).


that's what I think about WIPs !
... and would have to do or improve myself !

Phil