New member from Canada

[stickers11]

Hello,

Just when I thought I couldn't join any more online forums or groups I find Paper Modelers! This could mean trouble if I fall behind in my household duties...
Anyway, I stumbled upon the site while looking for some feedback and hints on the Taschen Titanic model. I bought this for about 15 Euro while in Strasbourg this summer. Could not pass it up....now I realize it is 135 cm long! I really enjoyed the thread by Jerry V: Titanic, from very small to very large..

I am not entirely new to paper modeling. When I was a boy, my aunt gave me two models: one of the Budapest Operahouse, and the other of the Hungarian Parliament. Needless to say, these were very advanced models, and while I almost finished the Operahouse, the Parliament never saw a pair of scissors.
So I should have fun building the Titanic, even though it's probably not the most detailed model out there. I hope to work on it with my son.

One last thing, what is the process of scratch building a model? I know this is probably not a short answer, but maybe someone can point me to a good tread. Looks like lots of advanced software is used in some cases. Does anyone use Adobe Illustrator? Is it necessary to model in 3D first, and then work out the 2D projections?

I think I will be spending quite some time on this site. Looking forward to it.

[Vermin_King]

I'm not the one to ask about the design process on scratch building, but welcome to the forums. I'm sure someone will point you in the right direction

[Tim Crowe]

Welcome to the forum.

New members always welcome.

Tim

[Retired_for_now]

Welcome!

Scratch building in paper is like any other scratch modelling. However, if you want to take advantage of the graphics potential of printing out the model, you will need to do some design. Check out the section on design threads. You can also look at the FAQs here: Card Modeling FAQ . I don't use anything other than basic drawing software for designing. A couple of examples are:
T-37 the hard way
Magellan Venus - designing and building the old-fashioned way
Like any other project, the key is just to step up and start swinging ...

Yogi

[stickers11]

Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the links Yogi. I thought it would be trial by fire kinda stuff, but glad there are some pointers of where to get started. I've been an Adobe Illustrator user for over 15 years, so I probably do everything in that program. I guess a calculator would come in handy for working out circumferences and proportions, etc...

I guess it's not unheard of the buy or source a scale model and take measurements from there?

[silveroxide]

Welcome aboard and hope to see some of your works here. As for scratch building, I am the most unorthodox builder here. The idea pops into my head, I then start to collect information about the subject and in the old fashion way, I break out pencil and paper. And just start to build with an idea of what I want to do. Some times I will take an existing model out there, and see the potential to embellish it and go with that thought. Others here, will start with CAD programs, Sketchup, Gimp, Blender, Mesasoquia, Pepakura and other programs which are great for unfolding models. Others will chime in with some more advice, but the name of the game, is to enjoy and pass on your ideas to others. Enjoy and see you around the forums.

[Bionic Modeler]

Glad to have you. The more the merrier

[Jerry V]

Well better late then never, but welcome aboard!
I am glad you enjoyed my buildtopic of the Taschen Titanic

Jerry