Alternatives to 'Master Modellers ' contest anyone?

[Klink]

Hi guys, I'd like to pick the collective Brains trust here...

Recently our club held its Annual and usually sparsely entered Master Modellers event as part of a meeting and as usual a few exceptionally tactless judging comments dented peoples enthusiasms to ever enter again. Then people wonder why there seems a lack of interest and entries beyond the same few.

Most people who enter are aware they are not at the master level but still would lile feedback and to see how well their models go.

I was going to raise the idea of a general modelling competition being held as well the masters one, so people of a more average skill level can have a go ans more importantly be ENCOURAGED to keep scratch/kitbuilding or even just repainting a rtr model.

I would be grateful for any suggestions or pointers you fellows might have on how a good competition that would be suitable for beginners to rub shoulders with the top mob would go together. Any clubs have something similar?

Matt

[zwilnik]

I think there's a possibly bit of the petty "need to be nasty" thing going on with judging nowadays to be a bit more like X Factor etc. and had an 'entertaining' nasty judge. Inappropriate for most competitions and more so for a creative modelling competition.

When I entered this year's N Gauge Society modelling competition with my weathered cattle truck, it was with a degree of trepidation, because it was more from the request for more entries (as there were apparently only a few) and to see if I was getting anywhere near what the serious entries were like. I was really pleased to get a commendation certificate for it as I've seen just how good the models that get Bronze awards are. I feel more encouraged to build something to try for a bronze in a future competition.

Having a non elitist modelling competition is a great idea. It can only encourage more people to get involved in the hobby and try something a bit different from just collecting RTR models.

[EtchedPixels]

I really like the NGS one. The first time I entered I won nothing but would actually have been embarrassed if I had because much of the other stuff was so much better. Last year I won one  yay!

Firstly its anonymous - so nobody knows who produced which model if it worries you. All the feedback I got however was good when I entered things, including other people asking how I'd done stuff and suggestions for how to improve bits.

[grumbeast]

I know its a bit twee, but when I give student feedback, I always try and provide 2 positives and a negative, all constructive of course.  You could formalise the judging in that way?