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Flagship Models |
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Modeling Realistic Looking Water A guide to creating water for models and Tips and Techniques for Working with Photo Etched Parts An introduction to photo etch for the beginner and novice modeler by Rusty White |
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Reviewed By Ned Barnett, #5544 |
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Cost - $8.95 each plus $1.00 US postage, $2.00 overseas postage Flagship Models 2204 Summer Way Lane Edmond, OK 73013-2815 USA Phone for orders - 405-330-6525 I have long been a fan of Rusty White’s articles in the Journal, in FineScale Modeler and in ship-modeling magazines. But I’ve never found an article to match the two new CD-ROM (pdf. format) digital magazines Rusty has produced to discuss major technique-issues in ship modeling. Both of these: Modeling Realistic Looking Water and Tips and Techniques for Working with Photo Etched Parts have now been produced by Rusty’s company, “Flagship Models.” Both are in sub-sized CD-ROM disks, and the pdf. documents are laid out, magazine style, with lots of gorgeous color photos of models (and some real ships), as well as tools and action shots demonstrating the techniques. I was excited to receive these two CDs, because the topics hold great interest to me as a ship modeler (I’m currently working on an odd-scale model of Columbus’s Nina, and a scratch-built version of Noah’s Ark), and as a diorama and display modeler. For thirty years, I’ve been trying to come up with ways to model effective water on dioramas and as bases for ship models. And, for more than a decade, I’ve been trying to build up the courage to actually try photo-etched accessories (I’ve got a lot of photo-etched sets for ships, planes, tanks and model railroad kits, but until now, I lacked the confidence to tackle them). As a result, I came to this review – in one case, as a home-grown expert, and in the other case, as the rankest novice. In both cases, I decided to try the techniques before writing this review. First, Rusty’s suggestions on water (Sculpey – a harden-when-baked modeling clay – and artist’s Gel Medium) were techniques I had not previously tried. Prior to this, my most effective large-wave technique involved the use of spackle on wood-mounted Styrofoam, painted with acrylics – and for small waves or smooth water, many multiple thin layers of Elmer’s glue (a technique I used in an IPMS/Nationals-winning figure diorama). Both of those techniques have now been retired forever. As long as you have an oven large enough for the hardwood base for the model display (and Rusty offers suggestions for what to do when the base is too long to fit), Sculpey works great. In this CD-ROM Rusty takes you step-by-step on how to prepare the base, spread the Sculpey, as well as how to mount the ship. The painting guide is also valuable. With the information in this CD-ROM monograph, you’ll have everything you need to effectively create water for use in displaying ship models. Next, Rusty de-mystifies the use of photo-etched brass, a technique that’s invaded all model realms, but which is especially important when it comes to ships. He even suggests a “starter” model – the Tamiya USS Fletcher (a World War II destroyer) because of its large scale and straight lines. Rusty walks through all the techniques needed to prepare the brass, paint it, trim it, mount it and touch up the flecked-off paint. Most important, he offers hard-won techniques that involve using a relative few simple tools (drill bits, Styrofoam egg cartons, X-Acto blades, and home-made CA glue applicators) that take most of the fear-of-failure out of using photo-etched parts. If you’re experienced with photo-etched, Rusty’s CD-ROM will probably offer you a few time-saving techniques (I quickly adopted his CA glue applicators for all uses); but if you’re new to the photo-etched field, then you are the person this was written for. As I said, I was a “ground-zero” target, and I gained a huge amount of useful information from this guide. I strongly recommend both of these – and even if you’re not a ship modeler, you’ll find his techniques extremely useful in building any models with photo-etched parts, or any model mounted on a diorama (with or without water). |
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