What books or other media have made the greatest influence on your modeling?
For me it has been Kalmbachs, “How to Build Plastic Model Aircraft” and “Tips and Tricks for Scale Modeling,” also from Kalmbach. These are oldies, but they stand the test of time.
Any of the three Shepard Paine (hope I spelled his name right),books that I have. 2 how to build dios one of them is an updated one and converting armored vehicals. His work is amazing specialy given the time this was done,imagine if he was still building.I also have a few of Velindin’s books also amazing…Plus here and FSM of course. Lottsa amazing builders here (Doog, Manstien etc…) and good friends too.
John
For me are these the references i need for my current project. Here a part of my library :
Thomas
I try to cull as much information from just about anything on modeling that I read. One publucation that has had a HUGE influence on my modeling was the “Armor” magazine carried by Squadron–the Spanish modelers in there were some of those who pioneered certain model finishing techniques that I use in my modeling now, like the Oil Dot wash method, and chipping.
I’d say the several Kalmbach books I have have done the most for my modeling skills. Concord Publications and Squadron/Signal for reference. Also some of the Osprey books. The picture below my name is part of a 1/72 scale diorama I did depicting a firefight between Romans and Britons. If I remember I got the background information from one of Osprey’s “Rome’s Enemies” books.
Dave
“As goes Rome, so goes the World.” I’ll bet that diorama was cool.
Thanks dahut, my pic on the side only shows a few figures in the dio. It came out ok for someone who had never done a dio before. I used a combination of Shep Paine’s figure painting techniques along with his first edition dio book techniques, Osprey and Europa Militaria for legionary reference.
Dave
I’ve found that historical accounts, biographies, or autobiographies influence my modeling to a great degree. Often I’ll read of a figure in history, and that will really drive a desire to build their aircraft.
I’ve also found I like Brett Green’s material, both printed and online, for inspiration. He makes it seem within grasp, and always has a very positive and encouraging outlook in his style.
I have to vote for Brett Green as Great Resource, too. His series over on the Testors Workshop is especially nice.
The most influential book for me was “How to go plastic modelling” by Cris Ellis. I bought it second hand when I was 16. This book is 6 years older then I am and was outdated when I bought it. But it was my first book on modelling, it showed my that is was a “real hobby” (not just something for kids) And it really opend my eyes to things like adding details, correcting mistakes and filling seam lines.
Building models is really an art form, called “miniatures.”
The genre of minatures encompasses everything from crude simulations to exquisitly detailed reproductions. For scale modelers, the effort falls anywhere in between these extremes.
THE “Bible” for me was Shep Piane’s How to Build Dioramas… That one book was my Grail…
Now that there’s this World Wide Web thing, I don’t buy reference books anymore… Not to mention that it’s pretty rare to find anything nowadays in a book that ain’t on the 'net… As long as you kow how to search with the right keywoods, that is… You’ll be disappointed if you search under Me-109 interiors" vs Me-109 cockpits…[:D]
For entertainment and inspiration though, non-fiction books are still the way for me to get ideas, especially unit histories…
Internet.
My current builds are inspired by Clive Cussler novels.
E…
i am being honest here when i say any book with a lot of pictures does it for me words don’t do much for my building i have to see an example of something
that’s not saying i don’t like to read books with just words (war and peace or something)
it’s just you asked what influenced my model building
Spike Milligan - Adolf Hitler and my part in his downfall - taught me that no matter how absurd or frustrated I become there is always a funny side.
I agree with Jon B.: Biographies and autobiographies, history articles, also 1st person accounts, History Channel. All provide good subject matter. As far as technique: various internet sources, Mike Ashey’s Detailing Scale Model Aircraft and Basics of Ship Modeling.
Jim