The Official Z PBL Challenge Thread

Yah, me thinkst it too!

Karin,

Thanks for the offer of a prize, but I set up this Challenge with the idea that it wasn't a contest and that no one was going to be judged for their work. That way it's fun with little or no pressure. Everyone can participate because there are no sponsors or judges that have to be excluded. Plus, you can wear any colour of socks or no socks at all before, after or during the Challenge

Beverly, I think we should award Z Points for all entrants. How about that? Cheers, Jim CCRR:unsure:

Jim,

Yes, I think awarding the same number of Z points per participant would be a wonderful idea. Getting a few extra Z points might encourage folks to create a diorama for the Z PBL Challenge, though the fame, glory and possible adoration of small furry animals are probably the best incentives of all to participate

shamoo737 wrote:

And no, you cant send us Loren as a prize.

Well John,
That would sure come as a "surprise"

Loren

PS. I have some new brake wheels to send you. These have the stem on them too, is that correct? Only these are gray this time.......picky, picky, picky.

Socalz44 wrote:

Beverly, I think we should award Z Points for all entrants. How about that? Cheers, Jim CCRR:unsure:

Jim,
Can I have some points because this morning I didn't trip over one of Karin's cats for a change?
Loren

Hi Loren, Points only for slathering peanut butter on one or more cats. Cheers, Jim CCRR:woohoo:

tealplanes wrote:

shamoo737 wrote:

And no, you cant send us Loren as a prize.

Well John,
That would sure come as a "surprise"

Loren

PS. I have some new brake wheels to send you. These have the stem on them too, is that correct? Only these are gray this time.......picky, picky, picky.

Yes I am Loren. Thats why I order from you.

Winning Loren is like getting the "White Elephant".. Great prize but then you go broke keeping him in pies and trains!
Fred

Fred,
Joe, Steve, and I are way past pies.....we're now into the full meal deal.

Lately though, Shari's has been offering a free slice of pie with each meal entree.

We're doing our own version of "eating your cake and having it too"
Loren

Beverly56 wrote:

Karin,

Thanks for the offer of a prize, but I set up this Challenge with the idea that it wasn't a contest and that no one was going to be judged for their work.

OK, whatever. I just thought it would be nice for contestants to have something to work towards and I would have been more than happy to contribute. I'm also willing to donate Z points (or a kit) to someone with a particularly great imagination as I think hard work and attention to detail in Z should be rewarded. But since this isn't my contest I'll back off.

Hi Karin,

I really hope you contribute by participating in the Z PBL Challenge
This time you can be included in all the fun because you're not a sponsor

Wow, what a week so far. Dear husband Chris is on vacation this week and all kinds of things are getting done

I've begun work on Plan A of my Z PBL Challenge. The building is based on a real 1940s diner in an old part of our city. I took photos of it last week when the temp was hovering at freezing When I later looked at the photos, I realized I would have to use the building only as a basis for the scratch build I was going to do of it.

Below is a photo of the bare bones of the structure temproarily held together with gluse stick glue. I need to refine the rounded windows and I'm not quite sure how to do it. I have some wonderful small files in various shapes to help with this job. You can see two of these files on the right. At the left, you can see greenish handled tool known in the quilting world as a rotary cutter. I've long wanted to find out how it cuts balsa and I'm telling you it cuts balsa very well This might become my tool of choice when cutting outside straight cuts as it is accurate and slices through balsa like butter. Care must be taken to use the tool gently so as not to flatten the balsa around the cut line, but this is a minor problem compared to cutting with an X-Acto type of knife or a razor blade. Inside cuts like the door and windows were all made with an X-Acto knife and sanded with the files.



I am hoping to go super small with this diorama by installing a light powered by a 9 volt battery and creating an interior for the diner. How I'm going to do that is anyone's guess at the moment

Ok I see you can send 4 pictures of the PBL challenge...but is that 4 per entry? I have one entry almost done and ideas for about 3 or 4 more entries??

Kelley,

You can have up to 4 photos per entry.

I didn't think that many folks would enter more than one diorama, but if you've got ideas for more than one , by all means keep 'em coming

Hey Bev,
Have you thought of offering prizes? I think it would generate more interest and participation. Everyone likes to work toward a reward.

I'll offer up one prize and I'll bet Karin would too.

?

Loren

Loren-- now don't be giving away Mr. Toomanytoes.
Got the STATES today FAST.
Thanks,
Fred

Fred,
Timmymanytoes is at this moment siting at our family room window starring longingly at the bird feeders just outside the window. So close yet so far.

I'll post a picture later when I get a great picture.

Since those state cars got there so fast, maybe I should be named Fast Eddie?

Loren

Hope Timmymannytoes does'nt catcth my carrier PARROT
Bosun von Chessabeak the III- Chessie for short

tealplanes wrote:

Hey Bev,
Have you thought of offering prizes? I think it would generate more interest and participation. Everyone likes to work toward a reward.

I'll offer up one prize and I'll bet Karin would too.

Hey Loren,

Thank you and Karin for your very kind gestures of offering prizes for the Z PBL Challenge

Yes, I thought long and hard while I was making up the Official RuleZ if there should be prizes or not.

My personal thoughts are that the world is a very competitive place, but we don't need to compete in all areas of our lives. Fun can be about the act of creating and sharing our creations with others, not necessarily about winning (or losing) contests. I'm not anti-competition, but the Official Z PBL Challenge RuleZ have been published (and translated) in several places throughout the Z world. I don't have the energy or inclination to change them at this point.

I'd rather spend my time encouraging folks to take hold of the Z PBL Challenge and create a Z diorama that they are personally proud of. Each person who enters the Challenge is really entering into a challenge between themselves, the Z scale medium and the constraints of a 3 1/2" diameter diorama. How, what and why a person chooses to model is as important as the decision to enter the Challenge at all.

I hope this thread will be the place where we can discuss our dioramas in the larger sense such as where our inspirations come from and what personal attachments we have with the dioramas we choose to share with the world. I hope this thread is where photos of our works in progress can be shared and where we can be ourselves in the acts of creating our personal masterpieces, however masterful they are.

I expect to see entries that are superbly crafted by the best the Z world has to offer. I expect to see novice modelers crafting their first dioramas in Z and achieving goals they never thought they'd accomplish. I also expect to see entrants who are in every category between expert and novice. To judge these various entrants by one standard is unfair I think, and may discourage novices from gaining their wings in this one Challenge, the Z PBL Challenge!

All that said, I hope to be around when you and Karin give prizes in other challenges or contests. Your prizes are always great