Here is yet another of my favourite modellers – Will Pattison, a.k.a rubegoldberg – and he is in a way the most important and encouraging modeller of them all to me…
Myself and Will share the same story, although his motorcycle wipeout is far more manly and fashionable than my trip down the stairs in a pair of wellies (rain boots), but the outcome was the same and we both were injured and were affected for life.
Whereas I only lost the use of my legs and partly my left side (and most of my lower spine) Will was initially paralysed from the neck down and his journey back is a gruesome trip to read and hear about, but he’s been a real fighter and have managed to get back on his feet again!
I spent a handful of years in a wheelchair but was able to walk again after finding the right surgeon and I’ve got about 90% function back, sadly Will wasn’t so lucky and he’s had to fight A LOT more than I have. Reading about his story and listening to him talking about the struggles with life, recovery and getting back was hard – but also gave me strength to work harder myself!
Many of us modellers begin doing this as a form of therapy, and as a creative outlet by just doing things with out hands.
Will hasn’t got full use of his hands sadly and how much harder it is for him to add tiny photo etched details etc I don’t know but it’s hard enough for us with more or less full use of our hands so his patience and will strength is enormous for sure, but he is creating masterpieces despite this and the times I fight pain whilst modelling I think of Will and try to focus harder, knowing there’s always someone working harder than you – with far greater results than you, and that helps me to focus and get my shit together!
I had been following Will on youtube for quite a while before I even noticed his disabilities and I decided to find out more about him and that’s when I learned about his accident.
Ever since I’ve pushed myself to try harder with my modelling and how to overcome my disabilities. My hands work ok-ish but my pelvic and lower spine are very troublesome and I’m in constant pain 24/7, despite adequate medication, which makes it hard to do long modelling sessions – even if it’s something I love to do.
This article about Will Pattison as a featured modeller isn’t about his accident or his disabilities – it’s about his abilities and the almost magical models he’s making! (but I had to tell you about his story and how he’s been a huge inspiration to me as a modeller, something I begun as a form of therapy recovering from surgery and feeling depressed and broken…)
Apart from building amazing scale models Will is also an excellent teacher and his youtube videos are full of tips and tricks how to become a better modeller and how to solve a lot of problems. His honest reviews help us other modellers in our craft and he’s really got one of those rare pleasant voices you sometimes hear on radio and you can listen for hours to. A real gentleman in other terms – someone I’d love to hang around with if I’d been living closer to him!
I love the style, approach and finish Will has got and this is why he is one of the very best modellers in the world if you ask me, and this I’m hardly alone in saying.
Cosmonaut Figure No 2
The first work of Will I’d like to showcase is his recent work on the Derek Stenning’s EK Cosmonaut Figure No 2 (sculpted by Gene Campbell) based on his art in Born in Concrete.
Although I’m mainly a “German panzer guy” I’m fascinated by cold war Russia and that era of Russian art and architecture, so watching Will build and paint Cosmonaut #2 has been a real treat!
Will said that he fell in love with the woman that’s the cosmonaut #2 whilst building it and I 100% agree with him! I really would love to build the very same kit myself but I’m not in a position today, skill-wise, to paint it on the level it deserves so I’ve decided to look at photos of others work and be happy with that.
The layers of paint, varnish and love that’s gone into Will’s build of Cosmonaut #2 is at the very highest level so I fully understand the stress he felt when a chip of paint let go by the dreadful masking tape horror we’ve all experienced too many times, but the real skill of a modeller isn’t how well you can make something – it’s how well you can recover from a failure, and Will certainly did a fantastic job here!
Here is Will’s build review on youtube:
I haven’t got any hi-res photos of Cosmonaut #2 because I had to rip them from youtube. I want my showcase to be a surprise so I never ask for photos in advance, but I think they are good enough to show his work. For the details you’ll have to go to Will’s youtube and Facebook accounts and see the rest!
Amazing or what!!!
Thunder Models U.S. Army tractor vignette
The next work I’d like to showcase is Will’s most recent work – a small “tractor in a garage” vignette.
The vignette is based on a Thunder Models U.S. Army tractor in 1/35 scale and various details from kits and scratch built details. It depicts a tractor having a front wheel replaced and the details are beyond fantastic! As a photo it can fool anyone in thinking it’s the real deal – that’s how good it is!
Very inspiring piece and it’s a perfect vignette to study for those who want to learn the dark art of making good vignettes.
Whilst writing this featured modeller Will released a one hour long video on how he uses oil paint to finish his models and it’s a really good video!
This is a subject I’ve been trying to improve in, not just to modulate green panzer paint with yellow and turquoise but to cover almost all areas and to dare using the brush instead of the airbrush. I love to wet blend my paints in order to create gradients and oil paint is the solution to my wishes – I think…?
Anyhow, if you like the style of Michael Rinaldi then this video is going to be very useful to you!
Stunning vignette don’t you think?!
I could easily write a few thousand words about all Will’s models but I’d rather let the following photos speak for themselves.
When you’ve watched these then please visit Will’s Facebook and youtube pages and make sure you subscribe/like them in order not to miss any of his future work!
Will Pattison – you are a fantastic modeller and a huge inspiration to me and many others. I wish you the very best from the bottom of my heart and I can’t wait to see what you’ve got to show us next?!
On a personal note I perhaps understand you and what you’ve gone through – and are going through – better than most. Watching you having that first beer after finally making that 10 mile bike journey in 2013 made me cry like a baby, but I know the everyday battle and how much every little progress means and feels. I’ve lost the willpower so many times these years with constant setbacks and lack of progress, but my kids give me strength to shake it off and push harder!
On the way back from a meeting with my surgeon a couple of years ago when he told me he was going to operate and fix my pelvic bone so I could walk again I stopped and bought myself a couple of beers to celebrate (I also hadn’t had a beer since ending up in my wheelchair) and that was the best “cold one” I’ve ever had – which I assume that one back in 2013 was for you too 😉
If you for some obscure reason aren’t already following Will on social media then these two links are the next thing you do!
February 6, 2018
I just ran across Will’s YouTube channel a week ago, and it’s definitely one of my top 2 model making channels now. His work is amazing, and his reviews are waaaaayyy more thorough and informative than the usual “2 minute tease” on other channels. Dude is a bad ass.
February 8, 2018
I couldn’t agree more!
There are so many “modelling” channels which only films opening a box showing the sprues – and nothing else.
This is supposed to be a review?
I at least build my kits before I even start thinking of writing a review and that’s what I like about Will – there are no shortcuts. You’re in for a 1-2 hour long video with a thorough and honest review!
May 2, 2021
Same story was with me, I just bump into his Youtube channel accidently. I appreciate his fantastic reviews and long explanations. Keep up your great work “gangster ” 😉 ❤ big thanx and hello from Poland