Wow. Who would'a figured they'd do that?! (By "they" I mean "AK Interactive" -- which company caters, as far as I know, anyway, to all sorts of fancy and expensive top-of-the-line weathering goodies, for "serious modeler's" needs.)
I had to check out the "AK Interactive" (the maker's) web site, in sort of "pinch me, I'm dreaming" mode:
ak-interactive.com/product/how-to-make-toon-models-tutorial/There's a number (seven?) of high resolution pictures, over there, showing examples of what is inside the book. Here's the (teeny-tiny print!) text from that web site, where they describe their own book:
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"English, 156 pages.
This book explains in a simple but effective way with different levels of difficulty how to work with the Toon models (or egg models) which popularity is expanding worldwide, and establishing itself as a new trend on which several brands have set their sights. This is the first tutorial book focused on this kind of modelling, in which well known internationally modellers have participated. Both for beginners who want to start in the hobby and for veterans looking for new experiences, the toons represent a new point of view without historical ties and a testing ground for many modellers.
A lot of land to discover, the book is a different, very striking guide that will make you enjoy modelling while learning how to deal with these little ones. The tutorial covers from airplanes to tanks, also including cars and boats and, of course, figures. Try to read it, without being tempted to build one of these."
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Good call, Fletch!
I used to hang out with some ultra-serious modelers, in the 1990s, when I still lived in California. They hated toons! Heck, they hated military kits that weren't up-to-the-millisecond "accurate" ... so, to me, it's weird (but very cool) seeing any part of the "serious" (aka: "military") modeling world taking intentionally dis-proportioned kits seriously. I especially loved that text, above, where it says, "... that will make you enjoy modelling ..." and I take that to mean that some folks in the "serious" modeling world have apparently forgotten that it's a hobby; and need (some would argue) to lighten up, and learn to have some fun, again.
And I gotta admit: the company has a point that recognizable-enough toon models can be just as valid of a way to practice new-to-you weathering techniques, etc. (Even if the company is sort of tooting their own horn, in that they're showing their products being used to "do it". Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.)
I'm not buying their assertion (seen in the high-res page images) that modern-day Far East companies started this trend, and then, companies like Revell or Monogram jumped (as they seem to be implying, by showing Deals Wheels re-releases) on the bandwagon. Quoting from page 3 of the (image of pages from the) book:
"Asian brands, like Meng, Hasegawa and others, took a bet on a trend born in the Far East, that now seems to be something more than a fashion. This new, strange, type of model kits seems to have charmed western brands such as Revell or Monogram, who quickly brought the new trend to the American public."
We know better. But, hey ... what's a little revisionist model kit history, in Friendly Little Toon Model Land?!
My guess is that either they are clueless about the history, or, they are intentionally over-stating the "new trend" aspect of these kits, and under-playing the long history of them being around, mainly to get past the HUGE reservations of the kinds of (extremely talented, but also extremely uptight, at times) types of guys I hung out with, long ago and far away. It would take a LOT to get past their reluctance to "have fun," so I'm all for a bit of "distorted history" if it brings more fun to some guys who desperately need some of the goodness we toon modelers can trace back several decades, if not longer. I'm in my mid-fifties, and can still remember cutting grass at age 12, to try to collect all of the Deal's Wheels military aircraft kits I could find. And was reading Shep Paine's book about dioramas, in pre-teen hopes of making a "full interior" for my original-issue Swine Hunt.
Nit-picking aside: I'm still sorta pinching myself, that a book like that exists. (And kind of pinching myself over the price, too ... ouch!) I won't be picking it up soon, in hopes of catching it cheaper, later. But sometimes that backfires, and prices rise ... ??
