Interview with: Łukasz Orczyc

First off let’s start with the obligatory questions of how old you are, where you live, and how long have you been building models?  How long has it been since you really started to get involved in modeling on a more serious level? How old were you?
I’m 37 and live in Giżycko, Poland. I have started with models when I was in primary school so about 25 years ago. I presented my models public for the first time in 2006 when I took part in some modeling contest, so I was 29.

What is your favourite drink?
The home made fruit juice and Polish beer

What is your favourite food?
Dumplings, pasta and cakes

How active are you in the modeling community such as frequenting the boards, going to shows, entering those shows, model club meetings, group builds, etc.
My activity based on the internet mostly – I show there my finished kits the same as s-b-s tutorials I made during building stages. I try to take part in some contests. Last two years I focused on the articles for modeling magazines.

Where do you see the modeling industry to be in 10 years from right now. Where are we headed?
Maybe we will print models on 3D home printers? It could be interesting – just buy the file with the kit design, print it or rebuilding it in the computer, adding some details or changing the version. It sound strange but who knows how it will look like in 10 years?

A lot of people are going to read this interview. That includes a lot of people who own companies in the modeling industry. Now that you have their attention, without calling them out by name, tell me in broad and respectful terms what would you like to say to the people involved with the business side of the hobby? What are they doing right? What are they doing wrong? What would you like to see them do? The floor is yours…
Ughhh! Really tough work to do!
Well, dear producers! Please make your models better than now, rise the level of your products higher and higher each year! And try to design something new than next Tiger or Sherman 🙂

What are your general thoughts of what goes on in the forums?
Well, I do not have time for reading forums day by day so I leave this question without the answer.

Disagreements and debates are part of life. Having a nice healthy respectful debate with like-minded people is not necessarily a bad thing. With that being said, is there anything you’d like to say to those who can’t disagree and debate in a respectful manner on the forums and instead just try to belittle others and make them look foolish while simultaneously letting the world know just how wonderful they think they are?
OMG! I do not have time to read such discussions. It is better to build some kit!

Do you have friends who also share a passion for modeling like you do? What percentage of your friends are modelers themselves?
Of course but in my town there are only few guys who builds models in the same topics as me. But looking at my “internet friends” it is about 50% of all 🙂

What is your favorite subject to model?
Tracked and modern. But there are some wheeled vehicles that I like and probably they will be built by me in the future.

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most, how serious are you about modeling?
When 1 to 5 is a weekend modeling warrior and 10 is a model producer, I’m in 9.

How well does the term “Modeling Nerd” apply to you? You may ask yourself what I mean by “Modeling Nerd” so let’s put it this way, when you hear the term “Naked Model” , what comes to your mind first, an unpainted Sherman showing its resin and brass or a beautiful blonde woman showing her goodies?
The tempting, beautiful brunette with curly hair, dark eyes and other respectful goodies! So probably I’m not the “Modeling Nerd” 🙂

On average, how much time do you get to spend at your bench every week?
At this days I spend about 6-7 hours a day so it is 30-35 hours per week. I think is my second job.

Do you have anything to say to all the beginners out there who are inspired by your work but don’t think they’ll ever get to your level?
My level? Oh, come on I have a lot to learn to reach the level I would like to have. But for everyone who likes my works – just build models, watch the masters and try to achieve the results such as they. I did that when started.

Where do you buy most of your models, tools, paints, etc. Online? eBay? Local hobbyshop?
Mainly online but I do some shopping in my friend’s shop. Ebay is useful too especially for rare items and models.

What area of modeling have you struggled the most with in the past? PE? Painting? Weathering? etc.
I do not like to prepare the PE parts but after all I’m glad I did them for my kit. I think each model should be enriched with PE (and resin) jewellery – the same as beautiful curly haired brunette! This is why I do not left my kits naked!

In your early modeling days, was there any modeler in particular whose work you really looked up to.
I remember when I looked through Track Link, Missing Lynx, Armorama and other websites to find some inspirations for my models. I did not care about the names but I really liked the works of James Blackwell and Mirko Bayerl. Now I admire the work of Adam Wilder but there is a lot of other modelers whose work I like to watch. I save the brilliant pieces on my hard disk to have some inspiration exactly the same as couple years ago!

Every modeler has at least one part of modeling that they just plain hate to do. For me it’s cleaning up road wheels, what’s yours?
Cleaning of the plastic track links! And this is one of the reasons why I replace them for metal ones.

Now to flip things around, what is your favorite modeling task?
It depends of the model – sometimes the painting is like a candy, another time weathering makes me happy!

If a manufacturer were to come to you and ask what three models you would like to see them produce and add to their product line, what would you say?
First the Polish Rosomak (in European and Afghanistan versions), second the Polish version of BRDM-2 called Żbik and third 7TP light tank (it could be in 1/16 scale).

Now if a tool manufacturer were come to you and ask what three new tools you would want them to develop that would solve or improve a modeling problem that you and other modelers have, what would these tools be? What problem would the tools solve?
I have no idea! There are hundreds of tools available so are there any problems during making models when you have good tools? 🙂

What is you most remarkable anecdote concerning modelling?
The break in my work and the conversation with my friend (female) when I was searching for the kit for my customer: “What are you looking for?” she asked. “ I need to buy the Tiger” I answered quickly. “But you have a dog already!” she replied…

How do describe your own style?
It is really hard to find one word to sum up my style. It is easier to say that I always try to create something interesting on my models – I mean the connection between each stage of model building, painting and weathering- I do not afraid of splashing mud, dust or dirt. I love stowage so you can notice that all my models have something added. My style is defined by some tricks repeated on each kit so it is better to watch the kits (and analyse the results) than write about them.

Which factor has the most value for you in a model kit?
The uniqueness – of course I understand that it is the subjective perspective but which kit is objective?

If you must leave to an uninhabited island, which three things you take with you?
The mobile phone and two power banks!

Favourite movie?
Sons of Anarchy, Game of Thrones, Band of Brothers and James Bond movies (especially with Daniel Craig)

Favourite music? Do you use to build with music?
I like the metal music and always listen to it during model building.

What’s your next project?
I have 4 boxes now – BTR-80, Object 704, Achzarit and BMD-1. Probably in this order they will be prepared.