Advanced Figure Modelling Vol 1 is it any good

[PaultheMilitaryModeller]

Hi
Anyone got this book on Figure Modelling, Advanced Figure Modelling Vol 1

Anyone got any views on it, good or bad.
I know I am not an "Advanced" figure modeller at the moment but was wondering if it was worth getting for the future.

Thanks

Paul

 

[housecarl]

Here's a review courtesy of Amazon. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Figure-Modelling-Vol-1/dp/9606740498
My advice, don't waste your money.
I purchased this 'Advanced' manual having been persuaded by the 'Pegaso Recommends' tag, and I recieved it yesterday.
This is my first review and I have been stung into action by how poor this book is. The average figure article in Military Modelling provides more precise and detailed information on modelling techniques and top tips.
The figure sculpting 'step by step' is particularly poor. A photograph of a piece of brass wire that is held in a pair of pliers becomes a fully carved hand in the next photograph without any text or photographs to describe how this transformation took place. Equally there is a sense that some tools have been posed beside the armature during the photographs rather than having been taken in action whilst carving.
The painting section equally relies on telling you what paints/ colours were used as oppossed to the techniques etc employed. At a shade over £35 this is a fairly expensive soft back book that has some very pretty photographs of quality models but on the whole it falls very very short of its title and the cover promise.
I will be listing mine on ebay or alternatively donating it to my modelling clubs Christmas raffle (in cellophane so no one has a chance to peruse, and rubbish, it before they have bought their ticket)!
But don't shoot the messenger,
Carl.

 

[Helm]

Soooo you are a fan Carl?

 

[ChaosCossack]

I also have this book. Picked it up last summer, before I found PF. Some of Carl's observations are true but I did get some useful info from it.

At the time I was 90% self taught as a figure painter and any info I got was through a few wargame style painters (read Warhammer and GW). I had almost zero experience with colour mixing and came across this book and Vallejo paints at the same time. The colour triad recipes they gave in the book gave me a good start towards getting my head around the idea of mixing and got me experimenting with mixes of my own... to that end it was a great help.

As Carl stated it is a little light on technique. probably the biggest problem is using the word "advanced" in the title but for myself, or someone just getting serious about figure painting, it had something to offer. Also true, it is pretty expensive, so if you can get it used at a better price.... that certainly wouldn't hurt.

One book can't be everything to everybody... but it helped me

Hope that helps

Colin

 

[PaultheMilitaryModeller]

Hi

Many thanks Colin & Carl, I think I shall give it a miss then, well at £35 I will unless I can pick one up at a much better price. Being new to figure modelling but not to modelling its been quite an eye opener as to how poor figure modelling books are compared to Armour and Aircraft modelling, I have 3 of the Andrea books and they are little more than a magazine, quality photos but little or no text, and look at the quality of the F.A.Q. Armour book compared to the F.A.Q. Figure book And they are both very expensive but miles apart in quality of the content. Also look at the quality and huge content of the Osprey Masterclass Series, both in the quality of the binding method and the huge number of pages all crammed with pictures and information, even Ospreys small dedicated figure books are a lot better than most of the other figure painting books, other than the one by Danilo Cartacci, which is excellent, with all the fantastic figure painters there are out there around the world you would think they could come up with something quite a bit better, instead of relying on rather old publication by the likes of Shep Paine to satisfy demand wouldn't you.

Paul

 

[housecarl]

I think I've been misunderstood.
I didn't write the review, it's just a cut and paste job from Amazon.
Carl.

 

[steve j]

bob in our club bought it recently so i had a look through it when it came it's a very nice book lots of pictures of different stages think it was mostly medieval and ancient but dont quote me on that

 

[Dave - LastCav]

Not a fan either of this particular book - really love the book by Painting Miniatures by Danilo Cartacci and the new Scale Model Handbooks.

 

[ChaosCossack]

Not a fan either of this particular book - really love the book by Painting Miniatures by Danilo Cartacci and the new Scale Model Handbooks.

I have the Cartacci book too and quite like it, more for the articles on horse painting.
The pegaso book is mostly ancients and medival subjects with a couple of Nappys and moderns but like I said, no matter the subject, the colour recipes were a great help and became the start of my ever growing database of acrylic colour triads.