A Summer Structure Challenge in Three Parts

[ezdays]

OK, here’s the deal. We’re going to have a structure building challenge that we hope will suite everyone at every level of skill or modeling preferences. This one is all about structures. When we talk about structures, we’re not just talking buildings. Houses and factories are fine, but also think other things; water or oil tanks, bridges, boat docks or grain elevators are just a few examples of what you can build. In order to keep things fair, we are limiting participation to two categories only. If you choose the kitbuild challenge, you can enter the kitbash one as well, but not the scratchbuild. If you enter the scratchbuild, you can also enter the kitbash, but not the kitbuild. The reasoning here is to keep the different skill levels apart and to let everyone complete at the level they feel is challenging to them, or at their preferred method of construction.

Kitbuild challenge will be as follows:

• Just build a kit using only the parts in the box for the structure only. You may paint and weather the structure and make cosmetic changes, but you cannot add anything that does not come with the kit. You can add other details such as scenery around the structure. This will allow you to do from a "let it look like the picture on the box", to "I built it like the instructions says, but I've enhanced it with weathering, different paint and scenery". The choice is yours.

Kitbash challenge will be as follows:

• Take any structure kit and make it into something different, or even take two or more kits and combine them for something else. You can use parts from other kits, but mainly, you must use your imagination. We cannot define this any more than that, the rest is up to you to figure out.

Scratchbuilt challenge will be as follows:

1. Get a photograph of a structure, any structure, then scratchbuild a model of that structure. The idea is to come as close to the real thing as you can. The picture of the original structure does not have to be taken by you, but you must also post a picture of it, or a link to it if you found it somewhere on the Net. The surrounding scenery and details, such as people, vehicles and trees need not be the same.
   
2. Or, you can just build something from your own imagination from scratch. Again, any structure will do and it can be any scale, just not full-scale…

The rules:

1. Pick the one or two challenges you’d like to enter, but you cannot enter both the kitbuild and scratchbuild together. This challenge is open to all registered members here.
   
2. Let us know here which challenges you are going to enter. We will keep things open so you can enter at any time before the end of the challenge, but it would be nice to know ahead of time who is going to be competing and where. This is the thread where we will keep track of these things, so I'll post a summary of who has entered which categories.
   
3. Start a new thread (or threads) as follows:
   • (your Screename’s) kitbuild ’09 summer challenge
     
   • (your Screenname’s) kitbash ’09 summer challenge
     
   • Or (your Screenname’s) scratchbuild ’09 summer challenge
4. Document your progress in pictures. Remember, we like lots of pictures. If you’re not skilled with a camera, either give it a try or get someone else to take the pictures. Just as long as you are the one that’s doing the work, we don't care who takes the pictures.
   
5. The contest will begin the first day of Summer, June 21, and end the first day of Fall, September 22. That gives us all about three weeks from now to prepare and three months to actually work on and complete the projects.
   
6. You may start working on your projects anytime, but the challenges don't officially start until the first day of Summer. The idea is that everyone has at least three months to complete their challenges. Some may use this additional time to their advantage, other, like myself, may take this time to chill out a bit, or as some people say, "to procrastinate".

To answer a few questions ahead of time, just by definition:

• If you build a structure using Walther's modular parts and it follows one of their pre-defined plans, it is a "kit build"
  
• If you build a structure using Walther's modular parts and you dream up a unique structure, it is "kit bashing"
  
• "cosmetic changes" on kit builds can include signage changes or additions. More extensive changes such as adding roof details or lights takes it out of the realm of the intent of this challenge for kit builds, but not quite into the definition of kit bashing. I suggest these things be added after completing this challenge
  
• Scratchbuilding means that the basic or major parts of the structure is made from scratch and not kit parts. Small details such as lights, boxes, A/C units and fences to name a few can be from pre-made parts

As usual, we will award certificates for those that complete their projects and for those that get a substantial portion completed. If we have enough entrants, we will run a voting poll to declare a winner in each category. The last time we ran a similar challenge, we had quite of few people enter, we hope the same holds true this time.

[ezdays]

Official registration list for those in the challenge:

In the KITBUILD challenge, we have:

• Trucklover
  
• shaygetz
  
• TCWORLD
  
• Brakie
  
• ocalicreek
  
  
• iis612

In the KITBASH challenge are:

• Trucklover
  
• ezdays
  
• MasonJar
  
• e-paw
  
• Nachoman
  
• TCWORLD
  
• ocalicreek

In the SCRATCHBUILD challenge are the following:

• eightyeightfan1
  
• ezdays
  
• e-paw
  
• cnw1961
  
• tv_man
  
• ngauger
  
• Lester Perry
  
• nkp_174
  
• Green_Elite_Cab

[Trucklover]

Don, you can count me in for the Kitbuild and Kitbash Challenges, i have a few structures in mind that could suit these contests well

BTW, when does this challenge officially end?

[ezdays]

Don, you can count me in for the Kitbuild and Kitbash Challenges, i have a few structures in mind that could suit these contests well

BTW, when does this challenge officially end?

Read rule #5, we're talking all summer here, no more, no less...

Oh, BTW, I'm going to enter the kitbash and scratchbuild challenges. Not quite sure what I'm going to be doing, but I'll let you know when I decide. :?

[Trucklover]

Thanks Don

[eightyeightfan1]

Put me down for scratchbuild.

[MasonJar]

Hi Don,

Please add my name to the kitbash challenge.

Andrew

[e-paw]

would any one mind if I submitted this in the scratch build (Still a work in progress) and count me in for the kit bash...
   

[ezdays]

would any one mind if I submitted this in the scratch build (Still a work in progress) and count me in for the kit bash...

The idea of these challenges is to get people to start new projects. I would think that your scratchbuild is far enough along not to qualify as "new". Sorry about that. I'll put you in the kitbash and if you have something else for the scratchbuild, let me know.

[e-paw]

No problem .. put me in for the scratch also, with a different build.

[nachoman]

I'm in. The problem is, I know what structure I want to build, but am not sure whether it will be scratched or built out of DPM or Walthers parts. I am leaning the kitbash route because I have never used those modular sections before, but I reserve the right to change my mind before it begins

[ezdays]

e-paw, I'll add you to the scrathbuild challenge.

Kevin, You're in the kitbash, if you change that, let me know.

[shaygetz]

You can put me down for a kit build. I've got a Campbell's #382 Country Barn screamin' to be released from it's tomb...

[ezdays]

You can put me down for a kit build, Kevin. I've got a Campbell's #382 Country Barn screamin' to be released from it's tomb...

You're in my friend...

[TCWORLD]

I'll do a Kitbuild, and Kitbash one over the summer as I've jsut started a new layout