1/12 Scale Character Figures
for the doll house
James Carrington
Guild of Master Craftsman Publications
ISBN# 1-86108-161-8
Trade paper back
Copyright © 2000
First published East Sussex
This is an amazing book, and Mr. Carrington’s work is museum quality standard. This volume was originally published in England. So it should be easier that some of the others to pick up.
Yes they are large scale or doll house scale in the most popular size one inch to the foot or 25mm to the 250mm. But then again ½ to the foot or most of the smaller scales can be done with in reason.
Starting with an introduction and overview, he gets down to the basics. Then setting up a work station, and materials and equipment. What it is and what it does.
A few pages about observations of people and the surrounding go a long way to improving the realism of the scene.
The body and head proportions can make or break a model, he devotes and covers the subject matter completely. Then he goes on to the basic body and head forms. Showing the various ways to adjust the positions of the figure from seated to standing and in motion.
He goes lightly in to plaster casting mould making if you, as he does makes more than one figure. As he has a number of basic types and models that can be put together and adjusted for finishing into various figures.
He devotes a full chapter to the skull and face shapes basics, and then the basic features, hands and feet and then finishing up with facial details and expressions.
As these figures are wire and padded form figures( the non exposed arm, legs and body are wrap with fiber fill and use wire skeletons for movement) are covered in the final chapter from painting and wig work to cloths as his figures are clothed in cloth.
You may never do anything as detail, but some of the techniques used in getting the hair to stay were it suggests movement can be applied to flags and other cloth based details life boat covers and traps covering hatches etc.
It is filled with drawings and photos to give the complete story of the construction to follow.
