NEWS

 

 

 

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March 2025

APMM CONFERENCE

 

Join Association of Profesional Model Makers in Denver this October for a hands-on model-making experience designed to enhance your skills and expand your professional network.

Over four days, attend expert-led workshops, gain insights from Industry experts, and tour professional model shops to see tools and workflows in action.

Beyond the learning, connect with like-minded professionals from around the world. While online networking has its place, nothing beats in-person collaboration for forming friendships, strategic partnerships, and career opportunities.

Invest in yourself—join us in the Mile High City for this exclusive model-making gathering!

 

• Workshops - taking place over 2 days over four time slots with multiple presentations going on simultaneously.
• Tours - visit local model shops, a chance to learn about tools, equipment, processes, materials and network.
• Activities - join your fellow model making professionals while you unwind over a drink.
• Sponsorship - a variety of sponsorship levels are available for companies and individuals who wish to support the conference.
• Venue - Sheraton Denver West hotel situated close to the light rail stop allowing easy access to Denver International Airport.

 

The conference is open to APMM members & non members alike.

There's also opportunities for vendors to share products & services, students to participate in portfolio reviews & explore potential employers. Visit the conference Registration for further details.

 

 

 

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March 2025

FINNBOARD SKETCH MODELLING CARD

 

Finnboard is a versatile, easy to use alternative to grey board that we champion for many reasons:

 

• Recycled - made from leftovers from timber production.
• Sustainable - sourced from sustainably managed forests.
• Economic - our packs start at only £3.00
• Natural beige colour - much more attractive than grey board.
• Smooth surface - aids cutting & surface marking.
• Excellent flatness - aids precise cutting and scribing.
• Lighter in than grey board - makes models more manageable.
• Can be laser cut & engraved - some scorching may occur.

 

One of finnboards greatest assets is its ability to be formed into perfect curves. Simply dampen the surface, secure around a former & allow to dry.

 

We introduced finnboard to the architectural students at the University of Bath. It proved very popular & it's now their go to sketch modelling card.

 

 

 

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JANUARY 2025

TREE SIZE GUIDE

 

Choosing the correct sized model trees for your architectural model is vital to give the observer a sense of scale. If the trees are out of scale, too small for instance, the buildings will appear much taller than intended.

In a natural situation, it is suggested that this is the percentage distribution of trees around the average height of a mature tree (about 18m / 60ft):

 

 

For instance, if you choose 100 trees for a 1:150 model, you could pick: 10 x 35mm trees, 35 x 60mm trees, 40 x 85mm trees, 10 x 125mm trees & 5 x 150mm trees.

The rule of thumb is 75% of the trees should be 25 - 50% below the average height, represented by the red zone on the Tree Size Guide below.

So, for a 1:150 model, most trees should be 60 - 100mm tall, as in our Tree Bundles.

Details of the actual tree heights at each scale can be found our PDF Tree Size Guide