Recently, Potemkin_Prod posted a request for information. He wanted a good, cheap physical model, to use as a prop in his fan films, and several people replied, suggesting he download and build a paper model, and then provided him with a few links to paper model sites.
As a kid, I'd really been a fan of papercraft, and I've recently seen a few cool paper models, so I was a bit intrigued, and followed the links provided.
I spent the next couple of days browsing model sites, as well as following the links on those sites to yet other paper modeling sites, and so on, and so on. You know; actually surfing the links.
I can barely express how amazed I was by what all I found.
For instance, I found a model of the Discovery from "2001: A Space Odyssey", which is gorgeous, is roughly 4 feet in length, very detailed, and in overall appearance easily rivals the expensive resin kits I've seen. Only this model was absolutely free!!!
Sure, there are paper models that cost money, but there are plenty of site with really high quality models (like the Discovery) that are absolutely free to download.
Free is a good thing.
It fits my budget, which is frightfully modest.
The point is: I think I've found a new hobby, and (for a change) one that's affordable. Sure, there's a little investment required. Ya gotta buy a few reams of card-stock, stock up on ink for your printer, invest in some fresh X-acto blades, and plenty of White glue and tape, etc. but all those costs are pretty damn modest as hobbies go. And that initial investment give you enough material to complete dozens, if not hundreds of individual projects.
How cool is that?
Better still, the same software that I used to "flatten out" 3D meshes to make texture maps, can also be used to generate patterns for paper models, so I can eventually realize many of my own Lightwave meshes as physical models.
Anyway... as a relative newby to the hobby, I was wondering if there are other fans of paper models here, and if they'd share their experiences, suggestions, photos of finished models, favorite download sites, etc.
As a kid, I'd really been a fan of papercraft, and I've recently seen a few cool paper models, so I was a bit intrigued, and followed the links provided.
I spent the next couple of days browsing model sites, as well as following the links on those sites to yet other paper modeling sites, and so on, and so on. You know; actually surfing the links.
I can barely express how amazed I was by what all I found.
For instance, I found a model of the Discovery from "2001: A Space Odyssey", which is gorgeous, is roughly 4 feet in length, very detailed, and in overall appearance easily rivals the expensive resin kits I've seen. Only this model was absolutely free!!!
Sure, there are paper models that cost money, but there are plenty of site with really high quality models (like the Discovery) that are absolutely free to download.
Free is a good thing.
It fits my budget, which is frightfully modest.
The point is: I think I've found a new hobby, and (for a change) one that's affordable. Sure, there's a little investment required. Ya gotta buy a few reams of card-stock, stock up on ink for your printer, invest in some fresh X-acto blades, and plenty of White glue and tape, etc. but all those costs are pretty damn modest as hobbies go. And that initial investment give you enough material to complete dozens, if not hundreds of individual projects.
How cool is that?
Better still, the same software that I used to "flatten out" 3D meshes to make texture maps, can also be used to generate patterns for paper models, so I can eventually realize many of my own Lightwave meshes as physical models.
Anyway... as a relative newby to the hobby, I was wondering if there are other fans of paper models here, and if they'd share their experiences, suggestions, photos of finished models, favorite download sites, etc.
