Since Christmas I can report that it has seen extensive use as a coffee table a seat and as a stool.
Tony
The book nook was built as a Christmas gift for my daughter, for details of how the book nook was constructed see this earlier post. In this Blog post, I will show how I painted the model.....
I gave the whole model front a number of watered-down acrylic washes following the initial inspirational photo image.
Darker washes and some stippling defined the basic colours and tints.
Detail painting came next. I used acrylic paints and a wide range of different paint brushes to get the desired effect. During this period, I painted the book nook in my computer room so that I could keep referring back to the computer screen and the colour image of the gateway I used for inspiration.
The PHOSCAO poster was cut from a model railway magazine. I choose a poster with contrasting colours to add some interest to the grey/yellow facade front. White the opera poster (on the left hand wall) was cut from a magazine and weathered.
The metal bars in the upstairs window were modelled from florist's wire and painted in aged grey colours. I tried to paint the woodwork in well-aged wood colours.
Merry Christmas Holly.
Tony (Dad XXX)
My daughter had asked for a Book Nook for Christmas 2020. After lots of searching and head-scratching this is what I produced for her.
In this Blog post, I will give details of the construction.
A stout frame was built from 3mm thick plastic card.
The miniature gateway was based on an image I had found on the internet and then scaled to fit her book collection.
Blue insulating foam was used for the facade.
The doors and windows were cut out with a 'snap-off' bladed knife or 'box cutter'.
More blue foam was used to add raised detail to the door and window surrounds. These small pieces were glued in place with thick PVA glue and secured with dress-makers pins while the glue dried.
More raised detail was added following the initial image/plan.
I used DAS modelling clay and ready mixed filler to build-up the surface texture.
More filler and individual cracks were cut into the blue foam with a scalpel.
More filler and detailing.
Prior to adding the window shutters I painted the door and window opening with dark grey acrylic paint. The shutters were built from balsawood and scrap wood, detailed with plastic card.
I'll try to get images of the painting and finishing book nook uploaded tomorrow.
Tony
Art Materials;
A new Seawhite sketch pad and it wouldn't be Christmas without at least one pack of DAS!
Handy Crafts;
A book of reproductions from the vintage craft magazine Hobbies full of great projects for the New Year.
Innovation;
From Holly. A book called The Secret Life Of The Pencil and a couple of very special mechanical pencils from OHTO
Christmas Wish List;
Wizards Eye - The Art Of Frostgrave a book I had specifically requested and with some help from Sue I received a copy from Father Christmas. A great book full of fantastic illustrations - some of which I am already planning on reproducing as wargame terrain.
An Inspirational Gift;
The Auster Arrow model airplane kit. The Auster wins this years competition as the best ever Christmas gift for two reasons. Firstly; it was a gift from my grandsons - that should be enough but there is also a story to this particular model.
Back in early lockdown I would Skype Finley and Charlie and read or tell them stories. And one story in particular about how my father would make model airplanes - the flying kind, built from balsa and tissue paper inspired me to produce a short picture story-book called; Bampi and the Big Red Plane. The plane that was featured was a Red Auster Arrow and Gary has managed to find that exact model kit as a Christmas gift. So expect a sequel to the first book showing how I build my Big Red Plane.....
Tony
The following images show some of the steps in re-purposing the e-bay purchase.
Happy Advent.
Tony
Tony
