Sorry I'm late, but I must have missed the call to arms. :lol:
Fascinating discussion, folks, and it's great to see everyone's view on this. I guess some have read my recent reply to Mark on his great scratch built stealth hull thread...or not. :lol:
Rob, I hear what you say about using resin, etc., as removing it from a card model type construction. There are folk who try to use paper as much as possible, I being one of them, but perhaps a bit of mixed media is okay if the end result is to our liking, or if we haven't yet discovered a technique to replicate the item by using paper alone. Whether using such techniques calls to question whether it can be considered as a "paper" model, well, I don't know, why isn't it still essentially a paper model?
Maybe it's a matter of how much other media are used other than paper to produce the model? If the modeler uses mostly paper but spins a few tricks using glue, wire and/or paint, like using PVA for instrument lenses or portholes...does that really deviate from the overall concept of building the model out of paper? In my opinion, no. If, on the other hand, the paper part is used only to form the plug, and the actual model itself is built out of resin and foam, like Rob described, well I would tend to agree you've crossed the line and the construction is too far beyond the concept of being a "paper" model. I do see the term "mixed media" used a bit to describe something that is not predominately made out of one type of material, so maybe that's the correct term to use to describe such models.
Anyway, I do try to rely upon building in paper, simply because it's a challenge to do so. The challenge is trying to rely on paper and trying different methods to get the desired effect. Like Max's use of paper planking on the ship's boats on his Cleo, which gave it a rather realistic look, compared to the skin sections the kit suggested, which would detract, in my eye, from the appearance of the model, because it just didn't look right. Using card as planking is very effective, and pretty much replicates the planking of a wooden ship's hull, whereas the sections skins give, at least to my eye, a good approximation of the older steel hulls, with the welded seams.
Anyway, I thought Mark was going to use the foam merely to give a smoother transition from one skin panel to another, but would still use paper for the exterior finish, or did I misunderstand his construction plan?
ops: It's tough getting old and losing one's memory. :lol:
Well, just my two cents worth, for what it's worth, if anything.
Nice Mussel shell boat, Philippe; it's HOW big? 15 cm??? Amazing!
Jim
