Shameless copying plastic kit into paper model templates

[N96HBK]

I have a bunch of models that are kinda rare as paper models. I'm gonna try this out.

[Zakopious]

A potentially valuable idea.

[spaceagent-9]

I was thinking that the furniture foam I have seen recently would compress and fill out a model nicely, especially large flimsy ones.

[Renaud]

I used this method, trying to convert a challenging Porsche, whose curved design seemed to me rather difficult to work out. I used transparent adhesive tape, enabling viewing the original model, and covered only some parts at a time. I applied several times the tape on my own skin before, being afraid the tape would be rather difficult to remove from the model afterwards, once glue upon it. Then I traced over with a drawing pencil the patterns I hoped they were the best to match the original design. The tape was easy to remove, such as an elastic skin, I had just to to take care, when putting off the tape, to begin with the parts I applied first, since the following part were fitted upon the previous one, as tiles are arranged to cover a roof. Then I could apply the skin to a sheet of paper, after having cutting it according to the seams I hoped adequate, getting the parts I needed. I did it one more time, trying to cut the skin in a different way. Using transparent adhesive tape allows both viewing the model when applied to it and gluing it on a white sheet of paper after. But as Isaac told us, the big drawback of this method is the lack of formers, you don't have any possibility to get internal bulkheads, and I have to design some from outside: I had to put a vertical sheet of hard paper right to the skin of the model, here and there, whose downside was fitted firmly to the ground, and as close to the model as I could, and added some little parts of tapes to it until I reached the skin of the model, so that I could get an external bullhead, although slightly bigger than the exact one, since it was designed from outside.
Much work for an hazardous outcome.

[Renaud]

What I found interesting was not the result itself, but how I could realize how different were the ways how you could split a 3D model and unfold it. This helps you a lot on making your mind about the process, eventually. The way how the original model is related to the render you decide is the way an artist has to work with. He makes the real thing his own.

[Karl]

We use a similar technique when making covers for aircraft.
We drape a piece of clear polythene over the aircraft, filleting it and adjusting it until it lays flush with the surface of the aircraft. It is then removed and used as a template for cutting the fabric.

[mash]

I've seen a similar technique used when copying medieval armor.
They used Aluminum foil reinforced with duct tape.
I think they used aluminum foil because it holds the shape better.
If you use heavy foil it might make it a little easier.

[kentyler]

of any shape you could carve or mold in clay