The Art of Architectural Modelling in Paper

by T. A. Richardson

Fig. 2.
INSIDE ANGLE.

In the inner angle (see fig. 2) no mitre is required; the end of one piece being cut square, they may be made to overlap one another. Lay the piece, whatever it may be you wish to mitre, face down upon the cutting-board; and then at a distance (equal to the whole thickness of the cardboard) from the edge draw a line; and at a short distance back from this line sufficient to let the point of the knife touch it when held slanting to the required angle, fix the adjusting straight-edge previously described; screw firmly upon it, and cut through the paper at an angle of 45°, which will, of course, be by cutting from the line on the top side of the paper, A, to the extreme edge of the underside, B (see illustration page [55]), which represents the side of a building, and the piece may be seen curling up as cut from the mitre. Great steadiness of hand, and a few trials on waste cardboard are necessary before the operator will perform this skilfully. The straight-edge holding the paper firmly, it may be cut through at two or three strokes, observing to hold the knife always at the same angle. All mitreing work finished, affix the windows at the back, placing the whole under a slight pressure.[^[2]] Then the model must be blocked up. First cut a number of squares, all sizes, from waste or other cardboard; let them be perfectly square; cut these diagonally, and they will form the blocks to hold the work together at the angles. Now take any two sides that are to be joined at the mitred angle, and fix them accurately together with gum pretty thick, so that it may dry while you hold each side in its place. When set, lay them down and work the others in a similar manner. Take now the outline plan, and having previously numbered the sides to correspond with the plan, fix them (by touching slightly their under edge with gum) to it, and when all are in their places fix, at a distance apart of an inch and half or so, above one another the previously described blocking pieces with gum not so thick in consistency. To make our meaning perfectly plain, we annex an engraving of the appearance of an internal angle when at this stage of the proceedings. A piece of wood (deal) about ½ inch thick, should now be attached to the model from one side to the other (see page [57]). This is for the purpose of fastening the model, when completed, to its stand; it may be blocked with waste pieces, such as the cuttings from doors, windows, &c., and gummed firmly. Pieces or strips of cardboard should also be gummed along in the inside, at the level of the intended gutters of the house, to rest the roof upon. All portions of the work completed, we will now assume, are fitted together and in their places. The student will now be able to form some idea of the general effect his work will have when finished; but there is yet more—much more—to be done, and work requiring a still further amount of skill, practice, and patience.

[2]. As there are many little matters during the progress of a model requiring a slight pressure, a pressure sufficient to hold the pieces in their several places till dry, I have found weights answer very well. I have pieces of square lead from one pound upwards covered with paper; and by covering, the humble brick may be usefully pressed into this service.

SKETCH SHOWING THE WAY THE BLOCKING PIECES ARE INSERTED IN AN INTERNAL ANGLE.

METHOD OF INSERTING THE WOOD STAY.
A A Cardboard angle stays.      B B B B B Wood stay by which the model is affixed to its stand by a screw passing through at C C.      D E F G Sides of model.

The two principal elevations are given to the same scale as the plan (page [41]); but in order to insure our being understood, the principal portions of the details are given to a larger scale.

The cornice next demands our attention, a detail of which is given on page [61], fig. 1, and in order to model which we proceed thus, the numbers indicating the various pieces of which it is composed. No. 2 is a piece worked of the required thickness demanded by the depth of the cornice from A to B, and the necessary projection, in a sufficient series of lengths to go entirely round the building. Now, as this is to be cut through the several thicknesses of paper required, a method must be found out to hide the different layers that would consequently be exposed to view; this is by cutting from one or two thicknesses a piece the whole length of the cornice, forming a facia, 8, and coming slightly below the depth of the other under piece to 4; thus, while at the same time it hides the layers of paper, it forms the bed of the cornice.