Check out this feature on pro model maker Michael Paul Smith

[lotustt1]

In my first post I thought I would share this article I found on a modeler of the likes I have never seen. His pictures are so real you would swear your looking at the real thing. Really something. Check it out...

http://manonthemove.com/2010/02/01/under-the-hood-michael-paul-smith/#more-3427

what does everyone think?

[John E. Bowers Jr.]

I saw this posted on Camaro Z/28.com earlier. One descriptive word... Incredible! Simply show stopping work! I hope he'll hit the show circuit.

[Modelmartin]

He is a really good architectural model maker and a truly gifted photographer and a really good customer of Franklin and Danbury Mints! His work is very good. I enjoyed checking out the pics of his dioramas.

[whale392]

I agree, very presice in his builds. The only thing missing from them being truly life-like is the grit, grime, and dirt of real life. Everything is just...........too clean to be real.

[Eric Stone]

  On 2/3/2010 at 1:00 AM, whale392 said:

I agree, very presice in his builds. The only thing missing from them being truly life-like is the grit, grime, and dirt of real life. Everything is just...........too clean to be real.

It was the 40's and 50's... everything really was that clean. :D

[Bernard Kron]

You're right, he's a "pro", but in more ways than you might think. He has a company called JSS Software Solutions which "…designs, develops, and markets custom databases for the collectible/private market." (http://jsssoftware.com/index.aspx ) If you go to his website you'll see that he's a real die cast cars buff and has developed cataloging software for collectors.

On the JSS site there's a far more detailed description of his work, going some eight pages in all with full descriptions of all the various models of houses, stores, streetlamps, garages, etc. he has built. Included are interiors and photos of furniture pieces that are not shown in the Flickr slideshow. Here's the link: http://jsssoftware.c...ith/diorama.htm . And don't forget the seven more pages linked at the bottom of page 1!. It's all not to be missed.

He all hints at his background when he writes "…I had changed jobs from Advertising to Architectural Model making", so I suspect he has been and may continue to be an advertising photographer and architectural modeler. While the impact of this is to take some of the mystery out of what he has achieved, his talent is still admirable regardless.

For the whole enchilada of his astounding photographs go to his Flikr page here: http://www.flickr.co...ith/2346008881/

This is what he says about his dioramas:

"Our past is a powerful draw and in so many ways we try to capture it in order to explain it to ourselves.

What started out as an exercise in model building and photography, ended up as a dream-like reconstruction of the town I grew up in. It's not an exact recreation, but it does capture the mood of my memories. And like a dream, many of the buildings show up in different configurations throughout the photos. Or sometimes, the buildings stay put and the backgrounds change.

Visually, this is heading towards the realm of ART.

NO PHOTOSHOP WAS USED IN THESE PICTURES. IT'S ALL STRAIGHT FROM THE CAMERA.

It's the oldest trick in the special effects book: line up a model with an appropriate background and shoot.

The buildings are 1/24th scale (or 1/2 inch equals a foot). They are constructed of Gator board, styrene plastic, Sintra (a light flexible plastic that can be carved, and painted) plus numerous found objects; such as jewelry pieces, finishing washers and printed material."

[Joe Handley]

I saw this link on ChitownRC earlier tonight, he's an amazing diorama builder!