model making

[Kim]

Enjoying all his talk about models and model making. Basically, I think he's gathering as much information as possible to create his world and I like seeing how that works. I'm a little over the whole Dinotopia explanations but realize that it is an example of something he worked on so thoroughly that the process is really what is important. Just not a big dinosaur fan. I am fascinated though by the amount of research that goes into a big project like that. The more there is the more you can believe the world you are creating too. I like the idea of making maquettes and sculpey figures. We have a doll house shop in our neighborhood and I was thinking it would be a good place to get scaled down stuff that I could build on. (Besides, I get really pulled into the whole miniature world thing. Loved "The Borrowers" when I was a kid.) Do any of you work this way, using small models, already? It's getting me thinking a bit more creatively about my still lifes too. He and the other illustrators I've been listening to are really spurring me on to think more creatively. I've been so absorbed in learning the classical way, it's been a while since I stretched my imagination muscles. Feels good.

[Todd]

Hey Kim. I haven't done my own models because it is time consuming, but i have done painting excercizes with playmobil people before where you set them up and see how the sun falls on them?-those are those little figures kids play with. great thing about them is that they are usually solid colors, so you can see very easily shadows and light and how they change in color depending on how you light them.....also another fun thing is to set them up and take pictures of them with your phone, print them out and paint from that.(since the light will be still for you.

[Kim]

Ha, I love that idea! Basic colors... I have to make a trip to the toy store now! ;0) They have some lovely ones here called Speelwinkels that have many clever kids toys. Some better than others. They also have big "fairs" sometimes where they sell all kinds of miniature doll house things. I like the idea of setting up your own scenarios and painting from them. On a side note, last time I was in a Toys-'R-Us store I was sadly disappointed to find that Lincoln Logs had become plastic. I loved my wooden ones when I was a kid. Tinker Toys went the same road. Sad, sad, sad...

[Todd]

yes, i agree!! what the hell is up with plastic lincoln logs???? stupid. I know green, trees and all, but still, if you are going to have a product with the word "logs" in it, it better have some actual wood come with it
!

[Kim]

Exactly, Todd! I did think about the tree thing, and that is a way valid point but my thing is, why replace it by plastic to fill our land with???