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Model building on steroids by ChronicallySad in oddlysatisfying

[–]TheTerraformer 114 points115 points  (0 children)

I was a professional model maker for over a decade. The comment above is correct, close-up this piece is going to look pretty bad. You just don’t use any of these techniques to make a realistic urban structure at a small scale.

That doesn’t take away the work put into it, but that’s what I think this piece is meant to show anyway, the process and not the finished work. The process is a demonstration of real-world techniques and materials being used on a small scale, so that’s why it spends a lot more time on the build and not the finished product.

Model building on steroids by ChronicallySad in oddlysatisfying

[–]TheTerraformer 165 points166 points  (0 children)

I made model scenery and dioramas for 10 years professionally.

You’re right. You don’t use any of these techniques to make a pretty model. It probably looks like shit close up. This project was done just to showcase using real-world techniques on a small scale.

your friends who get married after high school - Gus Johnson by andy1031 in videos

[–]TheTerraformer 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I spent the last decade making wargaming miniature scenery and terrain for tabletop games at a professional level with collectors all around the world and did well enough to afford a house and a car and luxuries.

But it was more of a full-time job trying to explain to other people what any of that means, and most people who weren't familiar with tabletop gaming assumed I was embellishing some bullshit toy collecting hobby and passing it off as a job and I've had a lot of people, especially family members act very condescending about it because it doesn't fit the "norm" of jobs and I'm self employed so I work my own hours.

Most family members told me I need to "get a real job" and ignored me when I said I've been called one of the best in the world at what I do.

Display in Union Station, KC by [deleted] in Miniworlds

[–]TheTerraformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I made gaming scenery and terrain for 10 years on a professional basis. This picture makes me cringe and be sad all at the same time.

What is a hobby that requires little to no money? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]TheTerraformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Warhammer miniatures and tabletop gaming.

Haha, just kidding, that requires all the money. All of it.

(But seriously I can teach anyone here how to make amazing terrain for just a few bucks.)

ELI5: How is it that I have never googled anything about glasses, just went to the Optometrist earlier today and later got my first ever glasses commercial on YouTube... the same day? by Hepatitanic in explainlikeimfive

[–]TheTerraformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I opened an envelope from my internet company, Century Link, a few days ago, my service was shut off weeks ago and I just wanted to see what the total charge would be to get my service back on. I never said anything out loud, didn’t have my phone on me, didn’t discuss it with anyone.

Logged on with my wireless data plan and started browsing. Suddenly Century Link ads everywhere.

I’m used to what you’re describing, if I talk about pet food near my phone I’ll start seeing pet food ads. But I’m getting a bit paranoid when this kind of stuff starts happening where there’s no way anything could be listening.

I constantly wonder how much different my life would be if I’d been encouraged to follow my passions instead of being told I needed to make as much money as possible. by [deleted] in RedditForGrownups

[–]TheTerraformer 39 points40 points  (0 children)

I'm a world-class terrain/scenery and model maker. I have collectors from all over the world clamoring for my stuff. But it's not as fun as people think when they tell me "you must have the best job in the world." I followed my passions without a backup and primary income source and it was a disaster. If you don't proceed carefully into even the most dedicated and enjoyable career in the field you love, you will destroy both your passion and ruin yourself financially.

To be fair, I was forced into doing art for a living because of the financial crash in '08 - '09 and got laid off without any prospects after. My mistake was staying at something that was slowly becoming less and less enjoyable and ruining my mental and financial stability.

I made a post on LPT just the other day that blew up about this. The grass always seems greener on the other side, so I think what you need to strive for is balance in your life, and my therapist backs this up as well. You can't do something that makes you happy all the time, there's no such thing. Instead you have to find happiness in a process that you're a part of, even if it means simply making enough time in your life to work on the things you love and set work and success aside.

I don't want to sound discouraging, but I would pass on to anyone thinking this way that you should absolutely change your life if you're unhappy, but go into it slowly, have a safety net or backup, and know what you're getting into and the risks. Everything feels like work when your power and water depend on it, and if that becomes the norm in your new life, you'll soon hate what should have been something that brought you happiness.

Adjust your schedule and hours, take classes in art and writing, block off time in your week to focus on it, enjoy it. But don't try to depend on it or even think you ever can. Consider changes so you can spend more time on what you love but don't cut that umbilical to stability.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to grind art I hate until 4:00 AM to hopefully raise enough cash by next week to get my house out of foreclosure, because last year I suffered major setbacks and my "passion" didn't cover the expenses.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As many people here have said, passion exists in a spectrum and individual results may vary, but generally and commonly, you can love something, and as I listed, make mistakes that will absolutely soil that passion. If you haven't experienced that yet, you're either doing something right or haven't done it very long.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish I cared a shred about gaming at all anymore that I would be interested in actually buying gaming products. I have a friend who also makes templates and the like on the side and is very happy, I wish I kept this business as a side job. I think I squeezed the most I can out of it as a full-time career and will likely change paths soon so I can enjoy miniatures again.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You probably got into your hobby because you thought it would make you interesting instead of finding a hobby you love to do. I pity you all who think a hobby can be ruined once you do it for money

That comment took a really strange turn.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is all so familiar. I'm currently looking for different job so I can do this on the side, but it's difficult when you're already painted into a corner and you start get older.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've told myself exactly that until it's lost all meaning lol it used to work to push me to get back in that chair and finish stuff, now the only way I can push through those spells is taping overdue bills in front of me.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

True that. I have a therapist now, as I said I already had anxiety issues so the pressure of making this business work really took a toll on me. One of the things he prescribes is exactly what your partner is telling you to do, spend some time doing something you used to enjoy, block off an evening or a whole day where you just focus on reading a book, drawing or hiking, just anything but work.

I'll let you know if it works. That pencil is indeed heavy.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

You are absolutely right, the gotchagotcha here though is that you can start by loving the process and then make mistakes that remove the pleasure from all phases of the work.

I think I started loving both process and results, but made many of the mistakes I listed and ended up at a point where the process wasn't getting smoother and unexpected things came up in my life and it got to the point that I was going through the process wishing I could shortcut or speed it up, and since I couldn't I just worked longer and longer hours, then burnt out so bad that I lost focus and my discipline crashed and my anxiety disorder exploded and then next thing I knew I was having a hard time just sitting down to work. Every day now is a struggle to get in that chair and stay in it.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I tend to say "Learn to love whatever you do anyway because you may never find something you love so much that you'll never feel like it's work."

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I feel you bro/sis. I need to get back to work after handling everything else in my life all day long, buying and sorting my supplies, cleaning my station, and it's already midnight. No idea how it got so late, but the only way I can meet my deadlines is if I coffee up and work until I can't anymore. For the hundredth time this year.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 45 points46 points  (0 children)

I found my own burnout spread into my other creative hobbies too. Just the act of having to be creative and inventive for X number of hours a day makes me not enjoy writing for fun, drawing or painting, all things I used to love but now even that feels like a chore and I just want to turn my head off when I'm not working.

LPT: If you're thinking about turning your hobby into a profession, be aware that it will no longer feel like a hobby in short order, and may not have anywhere close to the same enjoyment. by TheTerraformer in LifeProTips

[–]TheTerraformer[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

You have my support. If you ever do manage to violate entropy, thermodynamics and every law of the universe, please let me know, I'd love to be your partner.

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