Don't Bite off More than You can Chew!!

Another great post.

I'm impressed by some of the card models I've seen but am pretty sure I don't have the personality traits needed to build them. Not to mention my favorite aspect of plastic model building is the painting.

Hi;

      In response to your comment. You can Paint paper Models! What you do Before! you ever start cutting is lay out the pages or sheets and spray both sides with Craftint or other brand or Clear fixative.

       What this does is seal the paper from moisture. Aleens still works. It just prevents the paper from being affected by Humidity and or other moisture. I have painted many as I build them just like plastic. That is building the component and if not liking the color, then spraying the clear and after it dries, painting my choice Of color or shade of drybrush.

That makes perfect sense - Initially I thought it wasn't apples and apples, as on plastic minor details are physically raised or depressed, when painting various dry-brushing techniques can really add (or detract!) to the finished models realism. And I reasoned, this wouldn't be true of smaller scale card model, like capital ships, where significant detail is printed on the paper and would be lost if painted.

But as I was writing my response, I realized if I changed the way I painted to suite the medium it could still be done. I could probably get some pretty cool effects with watercolors, applied VERY carefully of course... Hum a 3D work of art... interesting... Everything would be cheaper and less toxic too.

Hi JoeSMG;

      I have to tell you this in all truth. The sky's the limit as far as paper is concerned. You can cut out windows and add depth by putting paper or clear plastic behind. Portholes? Thats what punches are for and my punch set I got from Micro-Mark has just the right size punches!

     There is nothing you can do to paper you cannot do to plastic , Except major surgery. You can sand it carefully to make stuff fit better. No matter how careful you are you'll not always be ON The Line! That's right, On paper you cut ON the line, Not next to it!

       If you are a little off, that's what White Glue, From Hobby Lobby, and Sanding boards from the beauty supply house is for! A little gentle sanding after hardening the edge with either White Glue or if you are in a hurry C.A. and some patience will do. Everyting will fit and then some!

    As far as painting and weathering are concerned this is what I am doing. I am now, using Tamiya Acrylics and Lacquer thinner with a wee bit of retarder. Brushes great and yes, you can after sealing it with the clear I mentioned, use watercolors as dot filters too! Many kits now come with Laser cut extra sets that include doors, ladders etc. I still will use some plastic parts, But many times I cheat and create the smallest parts from plastic. Why? Well, sometimes the glue softens the paper part, so, because of it's small size it just almost is unuseable. 

Really good information and I like the sound of laser cut detail parts. If I weren't currently on year two of a 3D printing bender I might be looking at my first paper model but I'm close to the point where I can make just about any model I've ever wanted (if I'm willing to put in the design time - which I enjoy) so I'll be sticking with it for another couple of years at least. It's been taking up a huge chunk of my free time but I really enjoy it as I'm sure you do building in paper. Once you get reasonably good at something you like, it's hard to switch gears. From what I've seen and read, building with paper/card stock is a great low cost hobby limited mostly by ones imagination. Hopefully I'll get to it before my eyes give out...

Do you have any links to project or builds your proudest of? I'd love to see them.

Ha, love the old plug tobacco reference. 

Hi JoeSMG;

         It can be fun and YES, it does work your imagination in many areas. I was given a Mitsubishi "Pajero" years ago. From a local guy at a Model show. It was a downloadable model I was told. At the time My neighbor owned one. Sooo. Well after weeks of experimenting I built this model into a passable version of the car. This is where I learned my paper" Bending" skills. Never thought you could do to paper what you do to P.E.

      I am going to get a tutorial soon from a neighbor on the Photo Thing. I either forget the steps or My password. I don't normally take pictures of underway builds. because I build mostly civilian ships and NOT warships. The folks who like civilian vessels is a lot smaller group overall then others. I don't do it becaues of type. I do it because of the sheer variety of Civilian versus Military Craft. I mean, after one Iowa or Yamato, what's left!

Just ordered the HMS Alert from Ages of Sail, in 1/72. One of the things that impressed was that if you copy the part you are working so have a working paper to cut, you will still have the original, so you can screw it up, and just cut another piece if the first cut doesn't work.

So, Tanker, is it a good idea to spray the paper with a spray laquer before trying to mess things up?

And I understand waterless glues are the best to use, PVA?

According to Ages of Sail, this should be arriving Feb 8th.