NEWS 2022

 

 

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December 2022

SNOWY SCENE

 

We created this simple snowy scene for Shrunk Magazine using just a few of our products.

The base was painted with flock adhesive, then, while wet, sprinkled with mid green flock through a sieve. Once dry, we knocked off the excess flock and drilled holes for the conifer trees.

Using PVA glue to secure, we planted a 60mm, a 85mm & a 100mm conifer tree and left them to dry.

Next, we masked off the base and sprayed the whole model liberally with Photo Mount and sprinkled with white flock and left it a while to settle. The excess texture was knocked off, then the trees where give another coat of spray glue & more texture was applied.

The scene was left to dry for an hour or so then the excess texture was knocked off.

The Land Rover and 25mm conifer on the car roof  were then glued on using PVA glue to complete the scene

 

 

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November 2022

PVC FOAMED 'PALIGHT'

 

Foamed PVC 'Palight' or Foamex is a specialist rigid sheet material whose properties lends itself to model making.

 

• It is very strong and durable without being excessively heavy being lighter than sheet styrene and stronger than foamboard.
• It is waterproof, not affected by humidity and can stand a fair degree of heat.
• It can also be carved and sanded and is a joy to cut with a scalpel, the blades glides through the material, making intricate cuts possible.

 

Applications include: Stop motion animation sets, theatre design modelling, architectural model detail, scratch building RC body shells and wargaming scenery.

Palight sheets are available in 3 thicknesses (1.0, 2.0 & 3.0mm) and in 2 sheet sizes (301 x 603mm & 210 x 297mm)

The examples below are courtesy of David Neat and Graham Coles.

Modelmaking Guide available below.

 

 

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October 2022

ADHESIVES GUIDE

 

We carry a wide range of adhesives with the aim of matching the needs of our customers who work with a very wide range of materials.

We have been updating our website adhesives guide over the summer to reflect new materials and glues that have come on the market.

Where possible, we have suggested a number of alternative products for the same bonding combination, circumstances will make one adhesive work better than another. We always suggest that you do a test on scrap material before using the adhesive on your project.

Leman Street customers can consult the adhesives chart on display in the shop or ask a member of staff for advice.

 

 

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September 2022

FINNBOARD

 

We have added A3 sizes to our range of Finnboard sheets this month, previously only available at 700 x 1000mm.

If you are not familar with this product, it's a recycled Finnish wood pulp board that's become very popular with architectural model makers.

Finnboard lends itself to sketch modelling due to its ease of use, handelling & durability.

The quality really that sets it apart from grey board it that it can be dampened with water and formed into smooth curves (see our model making guide 'Finnboard').

We supply many of the top architectural practices, including Foster + Partners, and we are finding architectural students are fast catching on to this amazing material.

 

 

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August 2022

NEW TIMBER PRODUCTS

 

We have added some new FSC and/or PEFC certified timber products to our range this month made from beech, walnut & ash.

Beech sheets

These beech sheets have been vapourised, giving them a slightly pink hue. Beech is a close straight grained wood with a fine smooth texture that's very durable and easy to work with. They can be laser cut & used for model making, marquetry, steam bending & many other woodworking projects.

Walnut dowel

Premium quality Walnut dowel for architectural model making, engineering, animation set construction and general woodworking projects.

Ash sheets

Ash wood is typically straight grained, tough & flexible. It produces good results with hand or machine tools, responds well to steam bending & glues, stains and finishes well.

 

 

 

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July 2022

THE THORP ARCHIVE

 

Thorp Modelmakers, the oldest architectural modelmakers in Britain, has its archive stored at the Arts University Bournemouth.

4D has its history tied to Thorps as we took over the running of their studio trade counter in 1993.

We then opened a shop on Gray's Inn Road to the general public on 30th September 1994, which was officially opened by Michael Hopkins.

The first London based incarnation of New Blades, then known as the Dip Show, took place in the studio at Thorps in June 1997.

We are just a very small part in the story of Thorps Modelmakers, whose history is charted through the collection of photographs of architectural models, business documents, marketing materials and press cuttings in the archive held at Bournemouth.

The first catalogue records covering 12,000 photographs from the archive are now available to explore online.

The photographs themselves can be viewed by appointment at AUB.

Dr David Lund is curating the collection.

 

 

 

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June 2022

STANLEY HALLS MODEL

 

Arts University Bournemouth model making graduate Isabella Gilding was commissioned by The Heritage of London Trust to build a table top model of Stanley Halls in Croydon.

The model presented a real challenge to Isabella due to the amount of elements needed to realise the model. With only 8 weeks to complete the project, Isabella had to employ a number of processes including CAD, laser cutting, laser engraving, photo etching & 3D printing, to make the deadline.

Once all the components were made, assembly could begin. Isabella worked closely with the clients during this process, with weekly updates where details could be discussed.

Finally, great care was taken over the finishing, weathering back brickwork, dry brushing the bronze busts, colouring the stained glass windows & creating marble effect on the pillars.

The final model looks fantastic with its amazing detail & studious finishing .

It can be seen on display at New Blades on June 9th at the Holborn Studios in London.

Full construction details can be found on Isabella’s website.

 

 

 

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May 2022

NEW BLADES SPONSORS

 

Next month sees the return of New Blades after a 2 years absence.

This year, more than any, we have had to rely on support from the Industry to allow the graduates to exhibit in London.

Thankfully, we were met with much enthusiasm and have received unprecedented backing from the model making community.

 

 

 

The show takes place on Thursday 9th June 2022 at the Holborn Studios in Islington and we encourage anyone with an interest in modelmaking to attend.

With a focus on graduate recruitment, it is a fantastic opportunity for any company looking for model makers to pick up contacts.

Everyone on our mailing list will receive an invitation later this month, although you will not need one to attend.

So please come along, support the graduates & see some amazing models.

 

 

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April 2022

CREATING SURFACES

 

KAPA line foamboard is a premium, high quality, lightweight foam board for model making, sketch modelling and mounting projects.

It differs from regular foamboard in that the paper covering can be carefully peeled off to use the soft foam layer beneath.

This foam layer can be easily inscribed, carved, sanded, embossed with a variety of tools to create surface textures such as brickwork or wood grain.

We created the brick wall below by scribing the surface with a pencil, colouring with acrylic paint, then ageing with grass tufts and green texture.

The next 3 surfaces were scribed with a steel rule, the end of a metal tube, for the pebble effect, and the end of a rectangular ASA profile for the blue tiled effect.

The last 3 examples were modelled by David Neat, details of which can be found in his excellent blog.

 

 

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March 2022

FLUORESCENT DISPLAY

 

A shop display of an underwater scene was created by our talented team to launch the newly stocked range of System 3 fluorescent acrylic paints.

Air Dough was used to make the anemones, starfish, urchins & the tentacle.

The paints were applied both neat and thinned with water, to create the paler washes.

They are also fully intermixable and quick drying, so the colours could be layered and contrasted.

The scene was brought to life with UV lights and is currently wowing visitors to our shop.

The Daler-Rowney System 3 fluorescent acrylic paints are available in 500ml pots or 59ml tubes.

 

 

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February 2022

IRIDESCENT DRAGONFLY

 

Our workshop had a pair of photo etched wings left over from a job from many years ago and gave them to retail staff member Anastasia.

Taking Super Sculpey, she created a body of a Royal Dragonfly with Aluminium Wire legs, to which the wings were added. After sculpting the legs with Airdough, Anastasia painted them blue-black, making the tiny spikes with thick paint.

To colour the dragonfly body, Anastasia used acrylic paint and Yellow, Green, Beige and Black Flock, stuck to the body with PVA glue, to distinguish the different coloured areas. Eye shadow was then used to add iridescent highlights. The wings were painted black, leaving only the edges the natural colour of brass, then highlighted with blue iridescent eye shadow.

The dragonfly was really brought to life with the clever use of Iridescent Film. Anastasia stuck the film to the underside of the etched wings with a thin layer of Super Glue around the perimeter.

She then took a Hot Air Gun and gently heated the Iridescent Film from the underside of the wings. This process not only secured the film across the etching, but altered the iridescence within each cell, creating a set of beautifully patterned wings.

 

 

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January 2022

SALFORD FRUIT WAGON

 

4D customer Paul Molyneux-Berry is building a Manchester Ship Canal themed model in 7mm, including a selection of wagons that would have been seen on the MSC Railway in the 1960s. These include the MSC Railway's own wagons, British Rail wagons, Private Owner wagons, and early shipping containers.

Paul came to us when he was building some open fruit rack containers as shown in the second photo below.

We etched his artwork on 0.38mm brass and let Paul's excellent modelling skills do the rest. We were particularily impressed with the level of detail Paul achieved on his finished model, especially the weathering detail on the container and wagon.

 

 

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