MASTER SCALE MODELLING by José Brito

[Fran]

 

  MASTER SCALE MODELLING

By

JOSÉ BRITO

 

 

Publish by Vallejo

ISBN: 978-84-09-20559-2

Price tag:  €TBA (plus shipping)

Available at late November/Early December

 

 

José Brito is a fantastic person and great modeler, in a category that, for me, is one of the complete and beautiful of modelling – Dioramas and this book is a long and hard work by the author.

 

When I got the package (a very early example posted directly by the author to me), I was quite surprise. It weight a ton…

 

When I opened, I saw the beautiful cover and the size of it… it is HUGE!!

 

 

 

The soft cover is very well design and very attractive with a sentence that is what this book is all about:

“The Ultimate guide for painting and weathering with Vallejo water based acrylics”.

 

On the back, a small "history" of the book itself and how the idea started.

 

 

Most of us, modeler, are accustomed to work with lacquers/enamel/oils to paint, and specially to weathering models, but this book wants to give to all modelers (expert/intermediate or novice) a new look to water based products and what you can do with them.

 

For that, this book has 552 pages, in very good impressed color and high quality satin paper.

Opening the book and checking the INDEX, you can see that this book is in fact the ultimate guide of modelling. Everything is here, especially for diorama modeler and AFV modeler… But the aircraft modeler is not put aside as you got a 1:32 HK  B-25H full build article, besides all the techniques and ideas that be use on aircraft modelling and aircraft dioramas.

 

 

As general items and basic guide (even thought, with good tips), you got:

 

1. Tools (every tools is here and with explanation and picture for the tool and how to use it – The author shows in simple step-by-step pics how to use the tools and simultaneity he shows for what they are for 20 pages. It´s quite a learning curve this chapter even for a long-term modeler, like myself having already 30 years in modelling world)
2. Vallejo Materials
3. Modelling Materials (here, there are the following sub-sections):
   1. Aftermarkets;
   2. Balsa foam
   3. Bases
   4. Cork
   5. Glues
   6. Isolation foam
   7. Lead foil and aluminum
   8. Metal profiles
   9. Plastic profiles
   10. Rocks
   11. Vegetation
   12. Wires
   13. Wood
4.  Kits (type of kits)
   1. Kits in plastic
   2. Kits in resin (and also a chapter with assembling a resin kit using a Macone Models 1:35 Mortar Artillery)
   3.  Kits in plaster
5. Workplace
6. Planning and composition
7. The base and its development
8. Research

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, the works.

 

 

Here the author show steps by steps of all the techniques used, in all modelling stages, along several works, each one better than the other.

 

“In detailing the kit chapter”, there´s several used tips that can be used in those models used (CMP C15A, Sexton II or Panzer IV/70A) or any others models.

 

A fantastic conversion is use on the “extreme kit transformation”… see for yourself.

 

 

 

In painting tips, you got a chapter of Zenith light technique and next “Decals how to”. Just everything you need to know to work with decals.

 

 

Then it is a diorama paradise with chapters of all kind for all tastes:

Starting with how any diorama should be: a story, a piece of history.

So it begins with:

“How to organize a scene to tell a story”, 

Then, working with Balsa foam and isolation foam (to design your own buildings)

 

 

Or if you want water, you get all kinds of water (riverbank; beach, war ship in rough sea, extreme rough sea…);

 

 

 

 

Concerning with terrain, you got all kind of types:

Summer

Autumn/Winter base;

Or Dry environment:

 

 

 

But that`s not all. The author also gives others possibilities like:

• Urban decay (pavement and urban infrastructures, urban decay base)
• Decayed Road
• Desert base
• How to make a small size diorama (WWI)
• How to make a large size diorama (WWI)

 

 

 

 

Also some tips of how to do a trash spot:

 

 

 

In addition, you also got several fantastic works (all dioramas) where the author shows the techniques and all kind of terrain and vehicles:

• Syrian Chaos (with a complex destroyed  building)
• Toyota Syrian;
• Europe 1946 – the war is over;
• Lanchester – World war I
• Sherman Tank (in the Pacific – Cape Gloucester 1944);
• Heavy Mortar (WWI)
• Donbass War

 

Here`s some pictures of some of those works:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enough?

Well the author did not think so…

So a fantastic 1:32 HK B-25H is made with all step-by-step. Utterly fantastic.

 

 

 

However, it is not over. Large Scale figures!!

First a how to make a base with metal and blood and then four large-scale figures made and painted step-by step from RP Models.

 

 

 

All other dioramas, step-by-step of painting 1:35 figure is given.

At this time, it`s over… well not yet, as there also chapters of sfi-ci with “detailing a sci-fi” and “Sci-fi scene”

 

 

 Moreover, it ends in the best way:

An extended gallery with lots of lots of work from the author.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the works showed in this book are from José Brito and no one else (there`s only on model not made by him but all the base and diorama/vignette scene was).

 

Conclusion

 

 

 

I have had the pleasure to be José Brito friend, over 15 years now and because of that, I`m one of the lucky person that saw almost (probably all) models/diorama that are in this book…

Well, my first impression when you look at it was, WOW!!! And I didn’t open yet.

 This is to José Brito: I´m proud of you, my friend.

The book of 552 has high-grade paper and satin finish with top quality pictures with great contrast color.

As for the price tag, no officila information was given but we suspect that it will be around 40/50€ which is a GREAT value for your money.

In sum, this book is quite outstanding. The text is quite simply, very comprehensive and an easy reading. The print quality is outstanding (great job Vallejo).

 It is a huge a systematic book, thoroughly very informative with the materials and techniques used! Perfect and on top of that, and tons and tons of inspiration!

 

José Brito is one of the best in the world in dioramas (and he shows here that is probably the most complete modeler in the world… he just can do anything with high quality.

 

The modelling world have waited far too long for a José Brito diorama book and the wait has paid off.

The modelling world got an all-new master scale modelling ultimate book!

VERY VERY Highly Recommend

 

Francisco Guedes

 

Very special thanks to my friend José Brito, for the fantastic BOOK!

To more information, check Acrylics Vallejo site here.

 

If you found this review helpful and decide to purchase this product, please tell them you read about it at Large Scale Modeller!

 

Disclaimer: all photos were taken in order to preserve and prevent all copyright.

 

 

 

 

[FME erk]

What a resource that will make . . . 

The only details missing are the price and availability  . . . 

[Fran]

29 minutes ago, FME erk said:

What a resource that will make . . . 

The only details missing are the price and availability  . . . 

Thanks for the add up... Well, we really dont know eactly but I edit the post.

So the availability will be around late November/early December in your LHS or online.

The price is almost a mystery but we would be around 40/50€.

 

Thanks

Fran

[Bomber_County]

Amazing, looks like everything you ever need to know in one book. Thanks for the review, when finances allow its definitely a must have...............

[Fran]

11 minutes ago, Bomber_County said:

Amazing, looks like everything you ever need to know in one book. 

Yes, its all there and its very comprehensive one with tons of step by step!! No secrets hide!! 

[HubertB]

Reminds me of my youth years, when I discovered in awe the Verlinden books. Looks like I may have to add a modelling book on my list for Santa ... And it’s been a long time since I bought one

Thanks for the review, Fran

Hubert

[krow113]

Lol

The Verlinden Way.

Pretty cool stuff leaving the viewer with a sepia visual tone after all of the burnt umber used!

[DocRob]

Thanks for the review Fran, the book seems to be very comprehensive and should be a nice source of how to's for AFV, dioramas and figures. 
I will not buy it though, because with that kind of assumed price tag, to  me it's to biased towards Valejo products. No wonder here, since they produce the book, but even with most of the AK books, the builders/artists use different kind of products, wich is interesting for me, as there are products within the Valejo range, which I use happily and others, where my experiences have been not too good. 
Painting and weathering has a lot to do with the used products, besides of course skills, techniques and creativity. To me focusing seemingly on only one producer is shortening the subject for one very important part. 

Cheers Rob

[Fran]

34 minutes ago, DocRob said:

Thanks for the review Fran, the book seems to be very comprehensive and should be a nice source of how to's for AFV, dioramas and figures. 
I will not buy it though, because with that kind of assumed price tag, to  me it's to biased towards Valejo products. No wonder here, since they produce the book, but even with most of the AK books, the builders/artists use different kind of products, wich is interesting for me, as there are products within the Valejo range, which I use happily and others, where my experiences have been not too good. 
Painting and weathering has a lot to do with the used products, besides of course skills, techniques and creativity. To me focusing seemingly on only one producer is shortening the subject for one very important part. 

Cheers Rob

Thanks Rob!!

I perfectly understand what you say, but the main thing is tat the goal was to use all acrylics products, in all stages of building and show thats possible. And the Only brand that has all products in acrylics is Vallejo! Its a way to show to all mdellers that even with acrylics you can do great weathering and all sort of effects.