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INTRODUCTION 91

PEDESTALS, SUN DIALS, GATE PIERS, BALUSTERS 93

IMITATIONS OF LAWNS, GRASS, ETC. 94

WATER, ROCKS, AND GROTTOES 94

WALKS, DRIVES, FLOWER BEDS, TREES, AND SHRUBS 95

A GLOSSARY, CONTAINING THE METHOD OF WORKING VARIOUS DETAILS 97 NOT HITHERTO DESCRIBED

TO THE READER. FINIS. 111

THE ART

ARCHITECTURAL MODELLING

IN PAPER.

INTRODUCTION.

We have mention made of models as early as 1546, when San Gallo , either himself constructed, or caused to be, a model of his proposed designs for that magnificent structure, in order that the whole might be carried out in the same spirit in the event of his death. On this latter event occurring, the immortal Michael Angelo Buonarotti undertook the important office of architect to St. Peter's. One of his first tasks was to set aside the model of his predecessor, which had occupied many years in constructing, at a cost of many thousand pounds, while he constructed himself, at a trifling expense and in a few days, another model of his intended work. Numerous other instances of the practical utility of this branch of art might be cited, but the author deems it unnecessary, its importance being at once obvious; and this little work, though devoid of all technicalities, too frequently the fault of works of this description, yet is intended shall be eminently practical. To a large and increasing body, the architectural assistants, it is hoped that this little hand-book will prove to be acceptable; and though written principally for the professional man, it is hoped it may not prove utterly useless or uninteresting to others, who though not members of the architectural profession may yet possess sufficient taste and skill to wish to perpetuate

A DESIGN IN PAPER.

The most useful tint of this paper is the one already described, as it can be easily tinted to represent bricks or rubble, &c., should it be necessary,--for instance, in a building where the quoins, dressings, &c., were in stone, the rest in random rubble or brick, it would enable you to mark them with a HHH pencil, and tint before your work was made up. I have constructed several models in pure white Bristol board, but it is a tedious hard material to work in, though the result is very fine.

Other requisites are sheets of mica or talc, to be procured at the ironmonger's, and used for windows, skylights, &c.; pieces of soft deal or beech wood, to form any small detail such as pinnacles to barge boards, &c., that it may not be advisable or possible to form in paper; wire, lead, cord, velvet, and numerous other nick-nacks, which will occur to the modeller as his work proceeds, and which will hereafter, in their place, be carefully described.

The first thing the artist must procure must be a board of fine, close-grained wood, free from knots, to prepare and cut the several parts of his work upon. The best for this cutting-board is beech, sycamore, or pear-tree wood; it should be, at the least, one and a-half inch thick, by twelve inches broad, and about eighteen inches in length. I should prefer it even thicker than stated, as continual planing of the surface to erase the marks of the knife soon reduces its thickness. Let it be squared perfectly every way to allow the T square to work accurately along its edge. As before stated, care must be taken, when the surface has become too much cut up, to have it re-planed, or otherwise the knife is apt to follow the marks in the board, and cut the paper irregularly upon the under side. The size of board mentioned will be found most useful for all ordinary purposes; should the work be of very large dimensions, of course another must be procured, proportionally larger. Two or three boards of close-grained deal will also be found of service for cutting obliquely, &c., &c.

THE MODELLING PRESS.

C Bottom piece 18 inches by 12 inches by 2 inches. B B Uprights 12 do. -- 4 do. -- 1 1/2 do. A Cross beam 15 do. -- 4 do. -- 2 1/4 do. The screw 1 3/8 ths inch in diameter.

This square is formed like the ordinary drawing-squares, with the exception that the blade A is made of steel; this is firmly screwed to a stock of hard wood, which has on each side of the blade a small piece at C C cut out; the object of this is to allow the knife to cut completely to the edge of the paper. The advantage, in fact, the necessity for a steel blade, will be obvious; were it of wood, the pressure of the knife along its edge would indent, or cut it. This square will be found adapted for every description of large and small work, but should the cardboard be of great thickness it is apt to stir, and by so doing cause irregularity of line. To remedy this an instrument is used, called an adjusting straight-edge. A is a straight ruler of flat brass, or of steel, like the blade of the T-square. It is contrived to move to and from the surface of the board upon the upright screws, B B, while a dovetail groove is fitted with a piece of brass to run along it, to allow of the horizontal movement of the ruler. The paper is placed upon the board, the straight-edge adjusted to the line; the straight-edge being then firmly screwed down upon it by means of the two small thumb-screws, 3 3, it is rendered immoveable during the progress of the work, this will be better understood from the annexed engraving.

No. 1 is a section of the cutting-board, showing the groove in which the piece of brass runs. 2, The brass, to which is attached the thumb-screws, by means of a screw through the eye at B. 3 3 3, Thumb-screws, to screw down the ruler upon the paper. The brass rule should not be less than an eighth of an inch in thickness, otherwise it may bend; if steel it will do a little less.

This instrument will be found particularly useful in cutting the necessary mitres for joining together the edges of the work, or for any other work of similar description, such as the copings to walls, mouldings of every description, &c., &c. Having now described these very important instruments in a way we hope may prove perfectly intelligible, we proceed to state the requirements in those necessary ones, knives. The number of these the artist will use, is regulated more by his own fancy than anything else; but there are three shapes he will find absolutely necessary. In modelling, as in painting, there are numerous tricks and contrivances for producing various effects; and as the painter will often value a bit of old scrubby, worn-down brush, so the modeller will find various cutting instruments materially assist him, such as the broken blade of a knife, a steel pen, a bradawl, &c., &c., many of these producing effects that more elaborate instruments would have failed doing. On page 33 will be found an engraving representing three requisite varieties of knives. No. 1. This knife is long in the blade, and, as will be found in all the others, is perfectly straight on the cutting edge; this knife is used to cut straight lines in all directions through strong work, cutting oblique lines, mitres, splays, &c. No. 2. One for lighter work used in forming or modelling ornaments, or, in general, cutting work of a lighter and neater character. No. 3. This blade is used solely for cutting all descriptions of circular work, and curves of every description. It may be useful to remark that this is the only shape of blade that will cut, with clearness and sharpness, curved lines through thick cardboard. The instrument next illustrated is called a knife compass, and is extremely valuable for cutting out circular architraves, &c., &c., doing its work in a way that the hand and knife could not equal, and with the least possible trouble. See illustration, page 36. They resemble, in some respects, an ordinary pair of compasses, but of a little stronger make than the common. A is a moveable sweep of brass, to regulate the opening of the legs of the compasses, which, being opened to the requisite width, are firmly held by tightening the thumb-screw, F. B, the moveable leg to which the cutting-knife C is attached by means of a shoulder to the blade at G, and a socket at H, into which it fixes, and is secured by the screw at D. E and I are two screws working on the rod, K, on each side of the moveable bar, B.

Assuming that the student has now procured the various instruments and materials for his work, and that he has also determined upon the design he intends in paper, the next thing necessary is to give him as far as it is possible by a book copiously illustrated, an exact description of the method of proceeding. We will therefore imagine a design which is to be modelled , a Villa, in the domestic Italian style, for example; and taking it to pieces bit by bit, endeavour to raise it up again in renewed beauty and effect.

This being completed, we have now the edifice, as it were, set out. The next matter for consideration is the thickness of the walls; that is, the requisite thickness of paper we shall require. Suppose we take, as in the plan given, the outside reveal or recess back of the window frame, at four inches and a half; this would require four sheets of paper, but as it is always better to exaggerate slightly in modelling both projections and recesses, place six or even seven sheets together; paste them together in twos, putting them as pasted under the press, and afterwards, when nearly dry, paste them the full thickness required and subject them once more to the action of the press. The most convenient size of paper to work at for an ordinary-sized model will be made by doubling a sheet of the paper as first procured into four. On the paper becoming perfectly dry, the student must carefully draw each elevation of the building the full height from the ground line to the top of the blocking, being particular that every line both perpendicular and horizontal is perfectly true and square, and marking along faintly the lines for the cornice, strings, &c., &c., that may occur. This being done and the whole drawn in, of course not drawing in the window frames but merely the outline of the square of the window, the side will present the appearance shown in the accompanying elevation, and which is merely sketched and not drawn to any scale.

This paper being ready for use, take one of the pieces cut from the windows, and mark by it the size of the window-opening, then lightly draw the frames in and cut them out, if the white paper of the under sheets should show where cut through sectionally, touch it along with a little burnt sienna or brown colour. You must now tint another sheet of the same description of paper blue or neutral, not in an even tint, but carelessly and artistically leaving bright lights; this when pasted as for the oak-paper two or three thicknesses, will form the backing to the frames. Then place the frames face down, on them gummed a sheet of mica; on that again the blue backing; the whole then to be put in the press, care being taken not exhibit too much pressure, otherwise you will have the backing bulge out. It may, perhaps, be thought that these thicknesses of paper for the frames and backing are unnecessary, and that one might serve as well; but from experience I can assert, that unless this method be adopted, that flatness the work should have, will not be obtained. It may also be as well here to caution the reader against pressing with too great a degree upon the cardboard when it is under the action of the press. If too great a pressure is given, the cardboard will become so hard as to resist all efforts of the knife to cut through it. The paper usually presses to a little less than an inch, to a scale of one-eighth of an inch to the foot; so that six thicknesses or sheets of paper will answer for four and a half of brickwork or stonework. The doors will be formed first from two thicknesses and backed with the same. This is for plainest description, but if mouldings are inserted in the panels, adopt the following:--

Footnote 1:

One thickness, two thicknesses, three thicknesses, and so forth, will be used throughout, to express the number of sheets to be pasted together.

First draw the door with the extreme size of the opening of each panel, on a two-thickness sheet; on another two-thickness sheet, draw the same panels a size smaller; on a third two-thickness sheet, draw them a size smaller still; these being cut out and placed behind one another, and finally the backing; will admirably represent mouldings: by producing three separate lines round the inside of each panel. For work to 1/8 scale no further trouble will be necessary; but if larger, the mouldings must be formed before the door is gummed together, as hereafter described for the formation of mouldings in general. The doors, windows, and backs to all openings are now ready, but cannot be yet fixed till all the necessary mitreing is completed, which mitres will be wherever an outside angle occurs thus, fig. 1.

In the inner angle 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 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 , 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. 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 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 about 1/2 inch thick, should now be attached to the model from one side to the other . 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.

Footnote 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.

The two principal elevations are given to the same scale as the plan ; 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.

The next members, Nos. 1, 3, 5, and 7, are formed, first by preparing the size and length on the square; secondly, by cutting off at any angle necessary to get as near to the mould as possible; and, lastly, forming the mould itself.

The manner of moulding being applicable to every description of either Italian or Gothic pattern, we proceed to describe it.

Nos. 1, 2, 3, &c., &c., will be found generally available and useful in the formation of all kinds of mouldings, besides numbers of other shapes that will occur to the artist. The method of using the instrument is by indenting the pattern along the edge of the cardboard, guided by means of the straight-edge. The sharp arris left from the file upon the edge of the ivory mould, had better be slightly taken off, to prevent the paper being torn in its passage.

The circular pediment over windows must be modelled on the flat, and the moulding returned at the ends. When each member is finished, they must be gummed up and bent to the required curve, over a circle of cardboard or a cylinder of wood, separately. The panels that occur form thus: Cut as before directed for doors, the extreme size of the opening, and at the back place the successive sizes and thicknesses to form the mouldings, indented into hollows or worked to rounds, &c., &c., by means of one or more of the moulding tools; to be backed last of all.

Footnote 3:

The small hair dividers, with the adjusting screw, will be found extremely useful in modelling work.

The circular architraves must be formed by cutting, with the little instrument previously described as a knife-compass , circles of different diameters and thicknesses of paper suited to the mould to be represented; gum together while in the circle, as shown below, the horizontal divisional line being marked, and the radiating lines for the insertion of the keystones. When dry cut off by the divisional line, and then the segments, by the lines at each side of the keystone. The key must be of paper sufficiently thick to allow of the highest mould of the architrave abutting against it, and either left plain, cut diamond-wise, or carved, or any other way the fancy may suggest or the design demand.

The cantalivers in tower and main cornices to be worked by preparing paper the required thickness; then procuring a piece of very thin copper or lead, mark on it with considerable accuracy the design of the cantaliver, and cut it out; you will thus have prepared a mould or templet, which you can place upon the cardboard, and by running a hard pencil round it, mark each one precisely the same in size.

Any portions of the dressings, &c., having curves in them, had better be cut with knife No. 3; in fact, this is the only shape of blade which will leave the edge of a curved line after cutting, what is technically called "sweet."

Footnote 4:

In using this knife, care must be taken to hold it perfectly upright, nor lean it either to right or left.

The positions the cantalivers have to occupy along the cornice, must be checked along and regularly divided. Care must also be taken in gumming them in their places, as one out of place or leaning would immediately be detected by a correct eye, and mar completely the effect of the whole.

The next object we would call attention to is the Greenhouse, page 73, and state that there are two ways of modelling this very general appendage to a modern mansion. The first and the simplest method is to form the backing of blue paper behind the mica. The other, by doing away with the blue backing, and allowing the mica to remain transparent. The former method saves some amount of labour; but the latter being in our opinion the best and most artistic method, we shall proceed to describe it: First form the pilasters , and cut them in their length from A to B , from the commencement of the base mouldings to the underside of those of the cap. The way of proceeding in modelling cap and base will be readily understood from the accompanying sketch, where it will at once be seen better than we can describe. The best way to cut them is as if they were a window or opening, cutting the piece out of the centre at A, after having moulded the edge all round. Then dividing them into two along the line D L as below, fix them in their respective places. The angle ones must be double, to avoid having to mitre them. A piece of mica or thin glass cut to the size of the one side is now taken, and the pilasters and other portions, divisional bars, &c., are gummed to it, on both sides; and when with the end it is finished, let it occupy its intended position on the outline plan.

Now proceed to the roof, to be constructed really of iron and glass, to be modelled of paper and mica: First, bend round a paper or other cylinder the piece of mica for the roof, and proceed to cut a number of strips of cardboard for the ribs, which may be coloured any suitable tint.

These are then to be affixed in their places, as shown upon the drawing, some in thicker, others in thinner paper. A ledge of cardboard must be left at the back of the blocking, and also on the same level against the side of the house; this will be for the purpose of resting the roof upon. The cornice will be constructed in the manner described for the others; the pieces on the frieze C, C, C will be placed on the required thickness for the return, but the return of the cornice must be cut in it. The plinth must now be moulded, cut, and fixed; and the whole is complete.

Footnote 5:

This description is for a circular roof; that, however, in the engraving represents a flat hipped roof. The method of proceeding is the same, except that for the latter no cylinder is required.

Chimneys, those great ornaments to a house, at least they should be rendered so, but, alas! for the taste of some of our modern architects, are far more frequently the reverse, and what in able hands and with judicious treatment would prove a crowning feature and a material assistance to the design, becomes a glaring error and ruins the whole. So much for the architect: but should he fortunately possess the ability and taste to produce those necessaries to our comfort, with equal credit to himself and benefit to the design, how often do we see his work marred by the introduction of Messrs. Somebody's patent never-failing revolving smoke preventer; a hideous monster of some seven feet high, whirling and screeching upon the slightest appearance of wind. As our little Handbook has its mission to instruct in the Art of Modelling an architect's production, and as smoke-jacks are but little indebted to him for their uneasy existence, we beg to apologise for this digression, and resume our original topic. Details of the chimneys will be found upon page 81 and 83; for the body of the chimney use two thicknesses, and it will not be found necessary to mitre the join; for, if even ordinary care be taken, the union will be scarcely perceptible, while the labour will be considerably diminished. Form any strings, cornices, &c., &c., that occur, by cutting the piece flat, and then cutting the square out of the middle to admit of the shaft, slip it over the shaft or body of the chimney, till it arrives at the position required by the design, where it is at once to be secured in its place. Perhaps our meaning may be rendered clearer by the accompanying illustration. A represents the cornice prepared in the manner described, and only requiring to be fixed in its place. B, the shaft or body of the chimney over which the cornice is to be slipped till it arrives at the dotted lines; the chimneys may be fixed to the roof in the following manner: Should the chimney come on the roof lower down than the ridge, the bottom of the shaft will have to be cut to the angle required by the rake of the roof only; but should the chimney be cut into by the ridge, then the angle will follow that of the roof on both sides, diverging from the apex. For illustration of this we give the annexed sketches, page 83.

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