wonwinglo
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As an excellent alternative to Bristol board Plastikard sheet is ideal for model buildings,for those experienced with this versatile material please forgive my explanations here which are intended to guide beginners to this material.
The most extensive range of plastikard comes from Slaters who produce a variety of shapes and textures for model building purposes,they also do a liquid called 'MEK' which stands for Ethyl Keytone a volatile liquid which you should not breath the vapours.
Sheet Plastikard can be cut easily by scoring with an Olfa cutter and gently snapping at the edge,this is a bit like a glazier cuts through glass as you look in awe as the glass cuts so cleanly in the hands of an expert.
Sand up the edges with a Permagrit sanding block or you could also scrape with a craft knife to get a bevel,pre cut window apertures and as with the Bristol board place clear sheet behind tacked into place with polystyrene cement.
Use a square to build up the model and use scrap to re-inforce the corners,lightly weight any joints whilst the adhesive sets but make sure everything is square before you leave it to set.
The MEK can be used with a small paintbrush and flowed into the joints,capillery action makes sure it reaches all the corners so beware of this searching quality of MEK,otherwise things can get very messy if it gets onto your work surface.
Although the surface is shiny you can get to work with coarse grade grit paper to roughen up the surfaces ready to take paint,you can also use flock to produce stunning effects of ivory growing or foliage wrappimg itself around a building,as before if unsure study a real building to see how nature does its work on the general patina of brickwork etc,let nature be your guide to produce your miniatures.
Scenic model building is a complex but fascinating subject,dont be afraid to experiment sometimes by making a mistake you will learn something useful for another modelling technique.
Dont forget to look into the Slaters brickwork finishes such as roof tiles etc guttering can be made from plastic rod that is also available.
The most extensive range of plastikard comes from Slaters who produce a variety of shapes and textures for model building purposes,they also do a liquid called 'MEK' which stands for Ethyl Keytone a volatile liquid which you should not breath the vapours.
Sheet Plastikard can be cut easily by scoring with an Olfa cutter and gently snapping at the edge,this is a bit like a glazier cuts through glass as you look in awe as the glass cuts so cleanly in the hands of an expert.
Sand up the edges with a Permagrit sanding block or you could also scrape with a craft knife to get a bevel,pre cut window apertures and as with the Bristol board place clear sheet behind tacked into place with polystyrene cement.
Use a square to build up the model and use scrap to re-inforce the corners,lightly weight any joints whilst the adhesive sets but make sure everything is square before you leave it to set.
The MEK can be used with a small paintbrush and flowed into the joints,capillery action makes sure it reaches all the corners so beware of this searching quality of MEK,otherwise things can get very messy if it gets onto your work surface.
Although the surface is shiny you can get to work with coarse grade grit paper to roughen up the surfaces ready to take paint,you can also use flock to produce stunning effects of ivory growing or foliage wrappimg itself around a building,as before if unsure study a real building to see how nature does its work on the general patina of brickwork etc,let nature be your guide to produce your miniatures.
Scenic model building is a complex but fascinating subject,dont be afraid to experiment sometimes by making a mistake you will learn something useful for another modelling technique.
Dont forget to look into the Slaters brickwork finishes such as roof tiles etc guttering can be made from plastic rod that is also available.
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