Open Book Scale Model Handbook # 19 from Mr Black Publications

[Nap]

Hi everyone ,

Despite being in a high tech world I for one still appreciate the great feeling of having the printed matter in my hands with a nice cup of refreshment and I can think of no better book than the latest from the SMH series from Mr Black .

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The release was announced here and in social media by Stelios and PF member here :

http://www.planetfigure.com/posts/881203/

It hard to believe that this is the 19th and I have shared my thoughts on most here with my look at No 18 being here:

http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/scale-model-handbook-18-from-mr-black-publications.82131/

As well as being able to buy individual volumes there are some offers available from the website including the full library and WW2 packages

We also have books on:

Diorama's

A WW2 special

As well as the 2nd WW2 special featuring the artwork of MJ Kim


So lots of choices to look at .

All the volumes are supported by various manufacturers and this latest edition (19) its these who we are all grateful to



So number 19 has been well read over the last week or so many of the articles several times

Continued in next post

Nap

 

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On we go ....

Lets open the pages but before a big thanks from Stelios to the following people for their help, advice and assistance in the SMH 19

Pietro Balloni, Luca Marchetti, Alex Vallejo, Darren Parker-Mead, Man Jin Kim, Alexey Lucanev, Fernando Vallejo, Balazs Schuller, Taesung Harmms, Yannis Papadopoulos and of course the English Text Editor Ken Jones .


Presentation

As the previous volumes a satin surfaced card covers , A4 size

A total of 52 pages of which 48 are used in the articles the remainder being the supporting companys details.

Text is a really easy to read font

Colour artwork being 1st class , clear and great colour definition

Looking at the cover we see we have a wide variety of subject matter all produced by top modellers in the hobby these include:

Sergey Popovichenko
Toshihiro Sano
Qianwei Shi
Ernesto Reyes Stalhuth
Günther Sternberg
Juanma Vergara
Jason Zhou

We have a new artist in this issue so a big welcome and thanks to a modeller from Germany Günther Sternberg

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So with 7 artists we have 8 articles

1.Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen “The Red Baron” - 200mm (Alexandros Models 1/9, 8 pages)

A good start being a bust and what a result we have from Toshihiro , dealing with the model in a very interesting way needless to say my notebook was in full use ...the uniform and leatherwork being of particular note . I liked the way the pictures are a virtual SBS in their own right highlighted with the text

2. Roman Legionary 1st Century AD - 54mm (Pegaso Models 1/32, 6 pages)

Despite only painting bust I am really in awe at the next artists work , Sergey has an amazing skill at painting this time an ancient subject what to highlight well its got to be the way the cloak has been done , well shown on pictures . lots of mixes are in the text as with all articles , the weathering effects are also of interest , the author also shows the base work .

A special thank to a Dimitry Gaudin for the translation of Sergey's Russian text

3.British 8th Army in North Africa 1941-1943 - 50mm (Evolution Miniatures 1/35, 4 pages)

This is the article produced by Gunther and a really nice and easy article to read , for me its the presentation and the many mixes of the uniform colours that are included , as well as the painting of the skintones ...being slightly sunburnt due to the theatre of operations ...all picture again compliment the text , nice bit of history as well on the Tyne Tees Division badge.

A nice initial article from Gunther lets hope we see more in the future

4.Flankenfeuer Le Bourget 1870 - 120mm (Heroes & Villains Miniatures 1/16,8 pages)

For me this is one of my favourite articles and a favourite bust , , small scale but packed with details , what dis I take away from this well the uniform green colour and the information on the eye painting together with the fleshwork and the leather effect of the shako ....my notebook is on volume 3 !!!!

5.“Hell on Wheels” - 2nd US Armored Division WWII - 180mm (Young Miniatures 1/10, 2 pages)

It must be my lucky day another bust is featured , of course we know the subject from a film with painting like this I felt sure it was a photograph , the information on the US uniform colouring was useful to make a note of , despite being only 2 pages its full of pointers .

6.Francois L’ Olonnais 1634-1671 - 75mm (Pegaso Models 1/24, 10 pages)

This time we have a well known PF member presenting namely Ernesto Reyes , what a very talented man he is , love the colour use on this figure , could not resist noting the fleshwork again as well as the treatment of the patterns on the cape and the jacket ...Oh how I wish I could do this !!! and then there is of course painting of the feathers...great read again .

Big thanks to Gerson Salcedo Jaaspe for the translation of the article

7.Dwarf Veteran - 200mm (Raccoon Miniatures 1/9, 4 pages)

The 7th article is a bust and one for the fantasy painters painted by Jason we are concentrating on facial feature painting and facial hair including a beard , I loved the way the beard has been highlighted really impressive and of course the flesh details went straight to my book , its interesting to note that he uses the "Triadic" painting style , something I took away thinking about a lot about trying .

8.SS Panzer Crewman - 50mm (Evolution Miniatures 1/35, 3 pages)

The 8th and last but not least looks at 2 colours that is so difficult to achieve well and in this article the artist Juanma shows us how he does it , mixes are of course included including leather and flesh , together with great colour additions ...the end result being wonderful to look at based on a simple groundwork this again is effectively shown

Final thoughts

This series has developed into the modellers bible a mass of great articles from the top artists and with easy to read text and colour artwork throughout .

Produced by artists and an editor whose passion clearly shows through this coupled with excellent customer service and easy to do website purchasing puts Mr Black at the top of the hobby.

This is another great volume to add to the bookshelf and I have no hesitation to recommend.

For more details on this and to order ( there are other suppliers with details on website ...SK and El Greco , Historex to mention a couple in the UK .

www.mrblackpublications.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MrBlackPubications


There is also the Mr Black You Tube channel ..well worth a look

Happy reading , viewing and modelling

Nap

 

[OSS]

After looking at some of these guys it makes we want to stop modelling before I have even started some amazing pictures I mean really whose advice do you follow one minute one guy is saying do this and you think let me try that then another guy says this is the best way can get quite confusing .............

 

[OSS]

Just bought it

 

[Nap]

Just bought it

You certainly won't regret it ...enjoy the articles and try the mixes but don't be in awe everybody learns EVERYTIME they pick a brush up no matter how experienced .

Why not look at the other reviews I have done on these

Enjoy

Nap

 

[Dosani]

You certainly won't regret it ...enjoy the articles and try the mixes but don't be in awe everybody learns EVERYTIME they pick a brush up no matter how experienced .

Why not look at the other reviews I have done on these

Enjoy

Nap

Hi Napoleonpeart, saw some of your reviews and are quite interesting, wanted to inquire about the magazine : i am mostly a 35 mm figure painter, and i see Scale model handbook its mostly about 75 mm and bigger, sometimes 54 mm but usually not as small. Still i can benefit from what its taught in the articles, or maybe it will be not as beneficial to me ?

Thanks for the info

 

[Nap]

Hi Dosani

Welcome to PF

If you go to the website there are the scales that are covered in the SMH volumes , also there is the MJ Kim WW2 as well or contact Stelios the editor via website

These volumes are packed full of information and certainly would be beneficial to you

Nap

 

[Dosani]

Thanks ! Will contact Stelios too to inquire a little more. I would love to give them a try already, but as it its a little difficult to import to my country, i need to be 100% sure before doing anything hehe.