Review
Osprey's Modelling Scale Figures is a handy how-to manual. Known for books about military history, whether it's the uniforms of French dragoons during the Napoleonic wars, or the tactics used by Hannibal, Osprey Publishing has become a common name amongst wargamers, modelers and history buffs. Osprey is now offering more how-to books, and Modelling Scale Figures, written by Mark Bannerman, with a special foreword by renowned modeler Shep Paine, is an 80-page manual relating the ins and outs of assembling, modifying and painting miniature figure models.
Most of the modelers I know are in one of two camps: those who hate modeling figures, and those who love it. There is very little middle ground, and as one modeler put it to me, painting figures is more an art than finishing a tank. While not everyone would necessarily agree with the statement, modeling figures does require a different skill set than modeling armor or cars, and Bannerman's book takes the reader through the steps required to successfully finish a model figure.
Modelling Scale Figures offers tips and techniques valuable to both beginners as well as experienced modelers who may believe their skills have reached a plateau. Bannerman walks novices through the various types of figures available, discussing the pros and cons of plastic, resin and white-metal models. He touches on scales, tools of the trade and briefly talks about modifications and scratch-building figures. The modifying and scratch-building portions could be more expansive, but then again, an entire book could be devoted to these subjects, so the light treatment is understandable.
The real meat comes with the chapter called "Painting and Finishing." It's here that Bannerman gets into the nitty-gritty of brushes, eyewear and paint choice. Being a longtime user of acrylics for painting figures, having given up enamels after a discussion with an artist in 1987, I was interested in Bannerman's take on enamels and the use of oils. He talks about both of these mediums in detail, and convinced me to try my hand at both. I must say that the effective use of enamels still eludes me, but I am convinced that with a little more practice, oils could become a mainstay in my bag of figure-painting tricks. The biggest drawback for both these paints is the amount of time they require to dry before moving on to the next step in finishing.
In his discussions of paint, Bannerman goes over the properties of oils, enamels and acrylics, as well as how to do some fine work in each, like painting shields and tartans. He also spends time tutoring the reader in techniques to successfully finish a horse, which can be applied to other figures just as well. The book is rounded out with information about modeling small- and large-scale figures, including fantasy and World War II.
Unlike other figure modeling books on the market, Modelling Scale Figures uses full-color images throughout. This means a lot, especially since you want to be able to see the difference that shading and blending are supposed to make. Bannerman has an easygoing, conversational style that, while a little wordy at times, is accessible to everyone. Sometimes it is tough for more advanced modelers to pick up a book that goes over something that they already know. However, as I found out, Bannerman touches on some aspects of modeling that I'd forgotten or didn't know. It is these sorts of tidbits that make this book a welcome addition to my library, and should make it welcome in others.