Berlin Cathedral

[J.L.]

Model: Berliner Dom
Scale: 1:300
Publisher: Schreiber-Bogen 630
Designer: Przemyslaw Tabernacki

Today, I received Berliner Dom in the mail from Lighthouse Model Art. When I broke the wrap and separated the five brown card sheets from the printed pages, my breath was taken away. Tabernacki has done it again! Like his Frauenkirche Dresden and St. Michaelis in Hamburg models, this one is outstanding. The model was commissioned to commemorate the church's 100th Jubilee.

The artwork has to be seen to be believed. Just as one example, the colours and detail of the religious painting in the tympanum (the arched panel above the main door) is so beautiful.

Two things give this model top marks for me. First is the attention to shadow detail. A door or pillar may be printed two-dimensionally, but the offset of the shadow makes the feature literally pop out in the third dimension. Tracery details are meticulously picked with highlight and shadow.

Second, the colour. The patina of metal and the age of stone is realistically printed on the paper. A copper roof for example is depicted with a beautiful green colour of oxidation.

This model is stunning as flat printed sheets. I am preaching to the converted here on this site, but work like this reinforces why we model with printed paper.
J.L.

 

[CMartin]

Berliner Dom

J.L., thanks for the input.

I am only a novice, having been building card models for only the last two years, but I can relate to how you feel right now. I am an architecture enthusiast myself, and after almost a year of trying my hand with free online downloads, my first commercial model was Le Thoronet Abbey from L'instant Durable. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. For a couple of days all I could do was look at the sheets, not putting knife to paper for fear of ruin it.

Keep us posted on your progress. A construction report would be great.

Thanks again.

 

[J.L.]

Having raved about the artwork and detail of the printing of this model, I thought I would try my hand at macro photography to illustrate. Here are two shots using close-up lenses. The dime tells the story.
J.L.

 

[J.L.]

CMartin,
It sounds as though you are on the road to modelling published printed architectural models. You are in for a really nice ride! Polish and Chez Republic publishers now join French and German publishers to offer a wide range of outstanding models. The French chateaux, the German castles ...they await you!
Enjoy
J.L.

 

[CMartin]

Berlier Dom

Beautiful pictures J.L., I understand your enthusiasm. That's going to become one magnificent model. Again, keep us posted.

Thanks for the tip on Eastern European model publishers.

There's something incomprehensible aboout all this. When I built plastic models, airplanes were my forte. I was fascinated by them. However, with paper models, I am only attracted to architectural themes.

Go figure.

Regards,

Chuck

 

[J.L.]

Hi Chuck,
Your interest in paper architectual models parallels my own. Paper seems to lend itself so well to these kind of structures. The twelve models in my photo gallery on this site are all architectural. I can't get enough of them!
John

 

[CMartin]

Berliner Dom

John, you're right.

One question after re-examining your pics.
Is the artwork actual photographs of the building.? It seems the details are too precise to be merely drawings of the actual structure.

Regards,

Chuck

 

[J.L.]

Chuck,
Yes, the two sample shots above are of Tabernacki's artwork on the model. The lens of the camera was placed 2" from the surface of the printed card. Notice the scallop shelled alcove behind the statue. That's skillful work. These small photos don't really do justice to the full details depicted.
John

 

[CMartin]

Berliner Dom

Just as I thought. Incredible what Tabernacki has done with the artwork. This will be one beautiful build.

Thanks,

Chuck.