themodelmaker

I am back from my trip to Barcelona. I was lucky to get the narrow window of oportunity when Dublin airport was not closed because of volcanic activity in Iceland.
It was busy 6 days, many things to see. I spent whole day in Porta Ventura theme park, lots of great rides, almost no queues, not bad shows and nice sets and decorations ( but not as good as in Disneyland Paris). I went to many museums looking for models in all of them. Great collection of plaster models can be find in La Pedrera designed by Antoni Gaudi. They beautifully explain shapes and construction of his masterpieces. In Sagrada Familia you can see fragments of gigantic maquette of the  temple and smaller models explaining its details. Many people is working on its renovation because Gaudi’s workshop was destroyed during revolution. I like the idea of designing with models, it was more sculptural process.

I went to the small chocolate museum, with big sweet sculptures of people, buildings and characters from asterix, lucky lucke and other comics and animated movies. I found there this chocolate model of house from movie “Up” and I was really surprised with its low quality when you compare it to other exhibits. It was smaller and without name of the artist, so I presume it was made by museum staff on one of the workshops. I decided to take a photo of it anyways.

This reminded me about my little figurines waiting for paint. Russell was almost ready before my departure so expect photos soon.

Bartholomew church model is almost ready. It needs some paint in few places, base with surrounding and display case.

Here you have few pictures of my finished scale model of Carl’s little flying victorian house from new Disney Pixar animation Up.

Here you have few pictures of my finished scale model of Carl’s little flying victorian house from new Disney Pixar animation Up.

Here you have few pictures of my finished scale model of Carl’s little flying victorian house from new Disney Pixar animation Up.

I was asked how to make curved wall at jubilee church. There is many ways to achieve this, but I will describe how I did it. This is modified version of vacuum forming without vacuum.  If you have vacuum table its brilliant, if not, this shape is easy enough so you don’t need it.

I couldn’t find a ball with radius I needed so I had to make my mould from scratch. First of all I cut cardboard arches with necessary radius smaller by 5mm. I only needed to make a section of the sphere. This was my quite rigid construction. I stuck few layers of paper (I used old newspaper and PVA glue) on cardboard frame to make a surface. Then I Added  5mm layer of air drying clay. When it was hard, I sanded it to get the smooth surface. I often checked it with stencil to check the curvature. After few hours I was happy with my mould.

Then I prepared 2 timber frames and many paper clips. I placed sheet of styrene between them and joined with paper clips. Frames need to be rigid enough to hold melted styrene in place when pushed against the mould. Put it for few minutes to the oven. I watched closely if its getting soft. I took it out the oven and quickly pressed on mould. Always use gloves at this stage !!! It hardened in few seconds and it will kept the shape. I needed 2 copies for each wall.

My walls are thicker than styrene I could buy in my hobby shop. I needed to add this thickness. I cut the rough shape of the wall and stuck it on my mould with 2 sided tape. That will be bottom surface of my wall. I glued few narrow stripes of styrene on the perimeter and few in the middle, creating sort of mesh. I glued another layer of thermoformed styrene on top of it. I cut it to the right shape and sanded edges. This way I had thick wall with smooth surfaces on both sides. I had to repeat the process 3 times.

It was very time consuming process. Now I would rather use rapid prototyping technology. It would be much faster and precise. The shells would be 3d printed from plastic material with exact shape and dimensions as in 3d software.

The cost of desktop rapid prototyping machine is dropping and getting more affordable. That’s why many 3d printing services are available for hobbyists. The one I tested myself is Shapeways.com . They have several rapid prototyping printers in their machine shop and their growing design community is very helpful to explain the techniques of creating perfect, non-manifold model. With shape like this It would be very easy to create it in blender and 3d print it.  Easy and clean way.I was asked how to make curved wall at jubilee church. There is many ways to achieve this, but I will describe how I did it. This is modified version of vacuum forming without vacuum.  If you have vacuum table its brilliant, if not, this shape is easy enough so you don’t need it.

I couldn’t find a ball with radius I needed so I had to make my mould from scratch. First of all I cut cardboard arches with necessary radius smaller by 5mm. I only needed to make a section of the sphere. This was my quite rigid construction. I stuck few layers of paper (I used old newspaper and PVA glue) on cardboard frame to make a surface. Then I Added  5mm layer of air drying clay. When it was hard, I sanded it to get the smooth surface. I often checked it with stencil to check the curvature. After few hours I was happy with my mould.

Then I prepared 2 timber frames and many paper clips. I placed sheet of styrene between them and joined with paper clips. Frames need to be rigid enough to hold melted styrene in place when pushed against the mould. Put it for few minutes to the oven. I watched closely if its getting soft. I took it out the oven and quickly pressed on mould. Always use gloves at this stage !!! It hardened in few seconds and it will kept the shape. I needed 2 copies for each wall.

My walls are thicker than styrene I could buy in my hobby shop. I needed to add this thickness. I cut the rough shape of the wall and stuck it on my mould with 2 sided tape. That will be bottom surface of my wall. I glued few narrow stripes of styrene on the perimeter and few in the middle, creating sort of mesh. I glued another layer of thermoformed styrene on top of it. I cut it to the right shape and sanded edges. This way I had thick wall with smooth surfaces on both sides. I had to repeat the process 3 times.

It was very time consuming process. Now I would rather use rapid prototyping technology. It would be much faster and precise. The shells would be 3d printed from plastic material with exact shape and dimensions as in 3d software.

The cost of desktop rapid prototyping machine is dropping and getting more affordable. That’s why many 3d printing services are available for hobbyists. The one I tested myself is Shapeways.com . They have several rapid prototyping printers in their machine shop and their growing design community is very helpful to explain the techniques of creating perfect, non-manifold model. With shape like this It would be very easy to create it in blender and 3d print it.  Easy and clean way.I was asked how to make curved wall at jubilee church. There is many ways to achieve this, but I will describe how I did it. This is modified version of vacuum forming without vacuum.  If you have vacuum table its brilliant, if not, this shape is easy enough so you don’t need it.

I couldn’t find a ball with radius I needed so I had to make my mould from scratch. First of all I cut cardboard arches with necessary radius smaller by 5mm. I only needed to make a section of the sphere. This was my quite rigid construction. I stuck few layers of paper (I used old newspaper and PVA glue) on cardboard frame to make a surface. Then I Added  5mm layer of air drying clay. When it was hard, I sanded it to get the smooth surface. I often checked it with stencil to check the curvature. After few hours I was happy with my mould.

Then I prepared 2 timber frames and many paper clips. I placed sheet of styrene between them and joined with paper clips. Frames need to be rigid enough to hold melted styrene in place when pushed against the mould. Put it for few minutes to the oven. I watched closely if its getting soft. I took it out the oven and quickly pressed on mould. Always use gloves at this stage !!! It hardened in few seconds and it will kept the shape. I needed 2 copies for each wall.

My walls are thicker than styrene I could buy in my hobby shop. I needed to add this thickness. I cut the rough shape of the wall and stuck it on my mould with 2 sided tape. That will be bottom surface of my wall. I glued few narrow stripes of styrene on the perimeter and few in the middle, creating sort of mesh. I glued another layer of thermoformed styrene on top of it. I cut it to the right shape and sanded edges. This way I had thick wall with smooth surfaces on both sides. I had to repeat the process 3 times.

It was very time consuming process. Now I would rather use rapid prototyping technology. It would be much faster and precise. The shells would be 3d printed from plastic material with exact shape and dimensions as in 3d software.

The cost of desktop rapid prototyping machine is dropping and getting more affordable. That’s why many 3d printing services are available for hobbyists. The one I tested myself is Shapeways.com . They have several rapid prototyping printers in their machine shop and their growing design community is very helpful to explain the techniques of creating perfect, non-manifold model. With shape like this It would be very easy to create it in blender and 3d print it.  Easy and clean way.

It was very busy 5 days break. I visited most of main tourist spots ( Versail, Eiffel Tower, Disneyland ), but the most interesting place I would like to recommend to you modelmakers was Palais de Chaillot opposite to Eiffel Tower. I went to see its three pernament galleries.
The Galerie des Moulages, presenting life-sized fragments of French architectural masterpieces from the 12th to 18th centuries cast in plaster. It was filled with amazing details copied from the most monumental buildings in France collected in one place. But the best of all were museum quality plaster architectural models of french buildings ! I took lots of photos of this part of exhibition, you can see some of them here.

Second was the Galerie des Peintures Murales et des Vitraux (wall paintings and stained-glass windows), based on the same principle of reproducing outstanding pictorial works from historic monuments. Each piece of work was shown with little model of the original building .

There was also a huge model of castle which could very well serve as wargame table from players’ wildest dream.

Lastly the new Galerie Moderne et Contemporaine, devoted to architecture from 1850 to the present day. This was a long room full of architectural models of all kind. Unfortunately it was forbiden to take pictures in this part of museum I only managed to shot first two models and they were not the most impresive ones.

I would definetly recommend to put this museum on “to see list” for everybody who is going to Paris and is interested in architecture or models.

It was very busy 5 days break. I visited most of main tourist spots ( Versail, Eiffel Tower, Disneyland ), but the most interesting place I would like to recommend to you modelmakers was Palais de Chaillot opposite to Eiffel Tower. I went to see its three pernament galleries.
The Galerie des Moulages, presenting life-sized fragments of French architectural masterpieces from the 12th to 18th centuries cast in plaster. It was filled with amazing details copied from the most monumental buildings in France collected in one place. But the best of all were museum quality plaster architectural models of french buildings ! I took lots of photos of this part of exhibition, you can see some of them here.

Second was the Galerie des Peintures Murales et des Vitraux (wall paintings and stained-glass windows), based on the same principle of reproducing outstanding pictorial works from historic monuments. Each piece of work was shown with little model of the original building .

There was also a huge model of castle which could very well serve as wargame table from players’ wildest dream.

Lastly the new Galerie Moderne et Contemporaine, devoted to architecture from 1850 to the present day. This was a long room full of architectural models of all kind. Unfortunately it was forbiden to take pictures in this part of museum I only managed to shot first two models and they were not the most impresive ones.

I would definetly recommend to put this museum on “to see list” for everybody who is going to Paris and is interested in architecture or models.

It was very busy 5 days break. I visited most of main tourist spots ( Versail, Eiffel Tower, Disneyland ), but the most interesting place I would like to recommend to you modelmakers was Palais de Chaillot opposite to Eiffel Tower. I went to see its three pernament galleries.
The Galerie des Moulages, presenting life-sized fragments of French architectural masterpieces from the 12th to 18th centuries cast in plaster. It was filled with amazing details copied from the most monumental buildings in France collected in one place. But the best of all were museum quality plaster architectural models of french buildings ! I took lots of photos of this part of exhibition, you can see some of them here.

Second was the Galerie des Peintures Murales et des Vitraux (wall paintings and stained-glass windows), based on the same principle of reproducing outstanding pictorial works from historic monuments. Each piece of work was shown with little model of the original building .

There was also a huge model of castle which could very well serve as wargame table from players’ wildest dream.

Lastly the new Galerie Moderne et Contemporaine, devoted to architecture from 1850 to the present day. This was a long room full of architectural models of all kind. Unfortunately it was forbiden to take pictures in this part of museum I only managed to shot first two models and they were not the most impresive ones.

I would definetly recommend to put this museum on “to see list” for everybody who is going to Paris and is interested in architecture or models.

Night shots of Jubilee Church model.

Night shots of Jubilee Church model.

Night shots of Jubilee Church model.

This is the project I am working at the moment. It is Saint Bartholomew Church on the Clyde Road located in Balsbridge in Dublin. When I first saw this building few months ago, something captured my attention. Was it the location? Its stands on the triangular land surrounded by red brick houses converted to embassies. Hard to believe that when it was built in 1867 it was open fields.

The church was designed by an English architect, Thomas Henry Wyatt in a Gothic Revival for Sidney Herbert, of the Earls of Pembroke. The original design was never completed, the unusual octagonal tower never received its intended spire.

I am building the laser cut cardboard master in scale 1:160 (N scale). I am going to make moulds of finished pieces and cast it in resin. I will see how many copies my moulds can handle. I will offer them on eBay sometime in future. That will be very limited edition. If anyone is interested, send me an e-mail: architecturalmodelmaker@gmail.com or check this blog to see the progress.

This is the project I am working at the moment. It is Saint Bartholomew Church on the Clyde Road located in Balsbridge in Dublin. When I first saw this building few months ago, something captured my attention. Was it the location? Its stands on the triangular land surrounded by red brick houses converted to embassies. Hard to believe that when it was built in 1867 it was open fields.

The church was designed by an English architect, Thomas Henry Wyatt in a Gothic Revival for Sidney Herbert, of the Earls of Pembroke. The original design was never completed, the unusual octagonal tower never received its intended spire.

I am building the laser cut cardboard master in scale 1:160 (N scale). I am going to make moulds of finished pieces and cast it in resin. I will see how many copies my moulds can handle. I will offer them on eBay sometime in future. That will be very limited edition. If anyone is interested, send me an e-mail: architecturalmodelmaker@gmail.com or check this blog to see the progress.

This is the project I am working at the moment. It is Saint Bartholomew Church on the Clyde Road located in Balsbridge in Dublin. When I first saw this building few months ago, something captured my attention. Was it the location? Its stands on the triangular land surrounded by red brick houses converted to embassies. Hard to believe that when it was built in 1867 it was open fields.

The church was designed by an English architect, Thomas Henry Wyatt in a Gothic Revival for Sidney Herbert, of the Earls of Pembroke. The original design was never completed, the unusual octagonal tower never received its intended spire.

I am building the laser cut cardboard master in scale 1:160 (N scale). I am going to make moulds of finished pieces and cast it in resin. I will see how many copies my moulds can handle. I will offer them on eBay sometime in future. That will be very limited edition. If anyone is interested, send me an e-mail: architecturalmodelmaker@gmail.com or check this blog to see the progress.

This is the model of house designed by finis architect Jyrki Tasa. I saw this building in many magazines and books. I like its simple form and use of wood, steel and glass.

The model is in scale 1:100. Base is 400x400mm. I used balsa, cardboart, clear styrene and plaster to form the rocks.  The window frames are made of metalic stickers from art&hobby shop. My favourite part of this model is the bottom side of the roof with its timber beams.

This is the model of house designed by finis architect Jyrki Tasa. I saw this building in many magazines and books. I like its simple form and use of wood, steel and glass.

The model is in scale 1:100. Base is 400x400mm. I used balsa, cardboart, clear styrene and plaster to form the rocks.  The window frames are made of metalic stickers from art&hobby shop. My favourite part of this model is the bottom side of the roof with its timber beams.

This is the model of house designed by finis architect Jyrki Tasa. I saw this building in many magazines and books. I like its simple form and use of wood, steel and glass.

The model is in scale 1:100. Base is 400x400mm. I used balsa, cardboart, clear styrene and plaster to form the rocks.  The window frames are made of metalic stickers from art&hobby shop. My favourite part of this model is the bottom side of the roof with its timber beams.

First model I would like to present you is Richard Meier’s Jubilee Church I made last year. Plan-form and section are extremely clear. Three circles of equal radius create three concrete shells to the south and together with a thick spine wall to the north. The west (altar) and east (organ) walls are light glazing, surrounding the bright, white set pieces for the cross and organ respectively. Natural light is the major theme, with skylights between each shell and over the main space, creating ever changing patterns within. In a contrasting, plain L plan around a sunken courtyard, is the community centre, on four levels. The centre is separated from the main church by a linear top-lit atrium.

The whole model is hand cut from styrene. That was before I bought my laser plotter. The shells were vacuum formed or rather pushed on my clay mould I prepared especially for that. At the beginning I was going to laminate it with glass fibre and resin, but I decided that styrene will be easier to cut later. Each shell contains 2 sheets of formed styrene and few stripes in the middle to add the necessary thickness. Then I sanded the edges and engraved the mesh of panels divisions. The rest is pretty straight forward. The most time consuming was engraving (panels, paving and railings).

Everything is lit with around 40 LEDs and it serves as the “mood” light in my bedroom It better than “lava lamp”.

First model I would like to present you is Richard Meier’s Jubilee Church I made last year. Plan-form and section are extremely clear. Three circles of equal radius create three concrete shells to the south and together with a thick spine wall to the north. The west (altar) and east (organ) walls are light glazing, surrounding the bright, white set pieces for the cross and organ respectively. Natural light is the major theme, with skylights between each shell and over the main space, creating ever changing patterns within. In a contrasting, plain L plan around a sunken courtyard, is the community centre, on four levels. The centre is separated from the main church by a linear top-lit atrium.

The whole model is hand cut from styrene. That was before I bought my laser plotter. The shells were vacuum formed or rather pushed on my clay mould I prepared especially for that. At the beginning I was going to laminate it with glass fibre and resin, but I decided that styrene will be easier to cut later. Each shell contains 2 sheets of formed styrene and few stripes in the middle to add the necessary thickness. Then I sanded the edges and engraved the mesh of panels divisions. The rest is pretty straight forward. The most time consuming was engraving (panels, paving and railings).

Everything is lit with around 40 LEDs and it serves as the “mood” light in my bedroom It better than “lava lamp”.

First model I would like to present you is Richard Meier’s Jubilee Church I made last year. Plan-form and section are extremely clear. Three circles of equal radius create three concrete shells to the south and together with a thick spine wall to the north. The west (altar) and east (organ) walls are light glazing, surrounding the bright, white set pieces for the cross and organ respectively. Natural light is the major theme, with skylights between each shell and over the main space, creating ever changing patterns within. In a contrasting, plain L plan around a sunken courtyard, is the community centre, on four levels. The centre is separated from the main church by a linear top-lit atrium.

The whole model is hand cut from styrene. That was before I bought my laser plotter. The shells were vacuum formed or rather pushed on my clay mould I prepared especially for that. At the beginning I was going to laminate it with glass fibre and resin, but I decided that styrene will be easier to cut later. Each shell contains 2 sheets of formed styrene and few stripes in the middle to add the necessary thickness. Then I sanded the edges and engraved the mesh of panels divisions. The rest is pretty straight forward. The most time consuming was engraving (panels, paving and railings).

Everything is lit with around 40 LEDs and it serves as the “mood” light in my bedroom It better than “lava lamp”.