RMweb Premium Ray H Posted February 24, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 24, 2012 I've looked at a number of older brick built buildings over recent months trying to determine whether I should make my models from embossed materials e.g. styrene sheet or whether paper/card based buildings would suffice. The more I look the more I think that embossed materials provide a highly exaggerated effect of the miniscule difference between the surface of most motar courses and that of the brickwork. However, the printed finish on paper/card models seems unable to suggest any variance in the surface levels between the bricks and the mortar. I am old enough to remember the texture of the more absorbent paper that was used with the old fashion duplicating machines and wonder whether the type of paper surface might yield an improvement in the visual effect of card/paper based models compared with the gloss/flat finish on most current papers. Has anyone tried using different paper/card textures for card based models and, if so, was the result worth it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amdaley Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I have heard of some people using artists watercolour paper. This gives a textured finish especially for stonework. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Taylor Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I've used textured paper for printing texture sheets on and it does give nice subtle effect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubber Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I consider the recommended matt photopaper to be unsuitable, one of the few areas in which I disagree with John Wiffen. I also consider laser print-outs as unsutable, based on several sheets I had printed professionally as an experiment. Why? The major critisism levied against printed media over embossed plastic media, [where a scale-sized guinea-pig could hide succesfully in the scale depth of the mortar courses] is that there is a lack of 'texture'. If you print on dead smooth paper, or use the flattening effect of a plasticised print-out by laser printing you straightway give additional credednce to this supposed effect. Given that well-struck pointing [save special effect sculpted pointing] is no more than 1/8" deep ON ONE EDGE [i.e. not a square cornered regular trench] and runs to the brick face at the lower edge, well-printed papers are more realistic than vertical sheets of deeply inscribed plastic. I have had success in printing tiles and stone papers on 90gm/sq. m. watercolour paper, if that helps? With a little bit of texturing here and there, the mind is fooled into believing the whole model has 'texture'. O.K., I hear...but what about stone, eh? You can't do stone, especially random stone in paper, can you? Whatever you choose, enjoy your modelling, but how much is a sheet of the better quality plastic sheet now compared with a sheet of printed paper? I like to save my giggling-tokens for a drop of Scottish Laughing Water and not get high on M.E.K.! Best wishes, Doug [Aincient Cornoflako-Packeto Basher] PS A chum has recently used 'Canvas Ink-jet Paper' to great effect as a road surface to represent cobbles, and that is my next experiment.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benbow Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hi Doug For stonework I have had some success with Winsor & Newton Artist's Watercolour paper 300gsm Cold Pressed. It gives some relief to the stones as shown below on my under construction signalbox. I agree with you about laser printing, I tried it but was not at all happy. I find ink jet so long as it is sealed works best. I have had some buildings in a non insulated shed for several years now with no apparent problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubber Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hi Doug For stonework I have had some success with Winsor & Newton Artist's Watercolour paper 300gsm Cold Pressed. That's a nice effect, Ben. Sadly, I updated my 'pooter printer to an Epson SX445W to replace my ancient Epson Mk 1 [Prototype] and blasted thing will not take anything heavier than 90gm/m2, as yet I've not tried the paper out yet. This is worth remembering , the older printers could be set to 'Envelope' to print thick paper, just as they had a 'Transparancies' setting...........an old one might be a good idea if offered somewhere. Doug Doug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tel2010 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 That's a nice effect, Ben. Sadly, I updated my 'pooter printer to an Epson SX445W to replace my ancient Epson Mk 1 [Prototype] and blasted thing will not take anything heavier than 90gm/m2, as yet I've not tried the paper out yet. This is worth remembering , the older printers could be set to 'Envelope' to print thick paper, just as they had a 'Transparancies' setting...........an old one might be a good idea if offered somewhere. Doug Doug Hi Doug i have a Epson SX405 with similar problems printing on card over 90 gsm, I found a solution to the problem a little while back. Here's a link to the post, hope its of help. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48539-problem-printing-onto-thin-card/page__fromsearch__1 Tel PS for transparencies just temporarily fix a sheet of plain copy paper behind transparent sheet with masking tape.,as even with just a leader printer seems to not get a grip with the rollers to pull sheet through.Its the way it seems to me anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chubber Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hi Doug i have a Epson SX405 with similar problems printing on card over 90 gsm, I found a solution to the problem a little while back. Here's a link to the post, hope its of help. http://www.rmweb.co....__fromsearch__1 Tel PS for transparencies just temporarily fix a sheet of plain copy paper behind transparent sheet with masking tape.,as even with just a leader printer seems to not get a grip with the rollers to pull sheet through.Its the way it seems to me anyway. Tel, that's very good of you to draw my attention to that post, I tend to stay here in the quiet backwater that is card modelling! I used to fold a length of 2" wide Halfords masking tape to the leading edge of transparencies, as you have suggested, but rarely use them now. Doug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I have both HP and Canon inkjets (both 5+ years old) and find that the straight throiugh path of the Canon give much more consistent alignment results and handles most paper that I throw through it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Iceman Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The only problem i had printing heavy weight paper or envelopes: No.10, DL, C6 (90gsm-130gsm) with my SX445W when i had one can be put down to paper quality as a couple of times I had this problem ( a little gentle down pressure on the paper to assist the feeder wheels helped) But then i saw the epson PX720WD and decided to get one..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon020 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Useful thread chaps thanks. Just printed out my first card kit - the inspection pit - to get a feel for it. Canon MP210. Seems ok. Just used ordinary 80gsm paper, but will get some textured paper for further attempts. Just reading instructions and working out what to do. This does seem a sensible approach to scenic structures....just hoep that I can cope with the new techniques needed Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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