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This is one of a series of books by the same author looking at how to scratch build scenary, this time focusing on the Napoleonic Wars.
I like the variety of buildings that are constructed here. There is only one straightforward house, and some of the buildings use totally different construction methods (most notably the Russian Windmill and Russian Granary). One, the stone built well, isn’t actually a building at all, and gives a good example of using the same techniques to produce other types of scenary.
We get a good clear step-by-step guide to the author’s construction method. We start with a research phase, looking for a suitable building to model and producing sketch plans. We then move on to the basic framework of the model, with some surprising techniques used – Harwood’s favourite technique appears to be to build a solid core out of corrugated cardboard, then cover it with modelling clay into which the details are carved. However a range of different methods and materials are used, each with impressive results.
Once the basic structure has been created we move onto the detailing phase, and again wide range of techniques are used, with some details carved into the clay, others added by sticking on some impressively tiny parts (a mix of home made and purchased). Perhaps the most painstaking process on any of these models was the creation of a tile roof from individually shaped plastic tiles! However other techniques don’t look quite as time consuming.
Finally we get a detailed painting guide for each model, with some surprisingly vivid base colours being toned down carefully to produce the impressive final results.
This is an excellent guide to scratch building models, and has certainly inspired me to try something with some spare card!
Chapters
Section One: Working in Different Scales
1.1 – 15mm Russian Windmill
1.2 – 28/30mm Two-Storey French House
1.3 – 20mm La Belle Alliance
Section Two: Quick and East
2.1 – 28/30mm French Pigeonnier
2.2 – 28/30mm Stone Built Well
2.3 – 28/30mm Russian Granary
Section Three: Detailed, Step-by-Step Tutorials
3.1 – 28/30mm Die Kleine Backerei
3.2 – 28/30mm Hungarian Chapel
3.3 – 28/30mm Peninsular Diorama
Author: Tony Harwood
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 160
Publisher: Pen & Sword History
Year: 2019