Jake McKee shares with us his thoughts on the book from AK Interactive ''Realistic Wood Effects''.

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Thanks!

This is easier to understand, and it's free!!
https://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/features/3009&page=2

Nice review.

Even with some of the better books I've found myself wondering what the hell did they do there? i feel your pain

Thanks Biggles2 I can understand that one .

I just want to add my vote for "most useless book of the Year"...

When I read this review I thought it may have been a bit harsh and decided to buy the book and give it a chance.

Well... that was a BIG mistake! The book really IS that bad! I don't understand half of what is written and I really, really did NOT learn ANYTHING... at all...


Here's another example of how things get confusing fast:

On painting vehicle tools:

Text: "We apply several coats of orange brown and we start drawing the veins"

Okay... we see a bottle in the background with the number 70981. So is that the one you use for the "several coats"? Or to draw the veins? With what did you draw the veins?? How??

The next step is just a photo... no comment...
The next step is just another photo... no comment...

In the next photo the bottle in the background changes to no. 70984 and the text says "with a brush we gently unify the look with thin strokes".
Sooo... have we changed colors?? To do what exactly?? thin strokes of what? How?? Man.... at least say SOMETHING useful...

On top of that the photos are small (and all of them fairly dark!) and detail is often not showing. So it's also neigh impossible to deduct from the pictures themselves what is going on.


Let's look at it like this: if you were to find an article of this caliber on the Internet, you most definitely would not add it to your bookmarks! Even though it would be free.

This book is now a pile of paper, and a small one at that, waiting to be binned.

I hope this prevents others from making the same mistake I did.

Cheers!
John

I agree, after the review I avoided it like the plague.
How does a large, usually reputable company put something like this out? Where are the proof readers prior to publication?? How about a "Hey Mike your from the U.S (or other English country) read this over and tell me what should be done prior to publication so all audiences understand" (Seems like for their own audience also)

Yes, indeed! It's beyond me why they didn't do that... and they very obviously didn't.

In fact, they could have just as well left it in Spanish and it would be equally "informative" to anyone that doesn't understand a single word of Spanish... since the information is pretty much totally absent anyway.

Had they done what you just suggested I'm pretty sure the book could have been a great source of both inspiration and information because the end result pictures look absolutely awesome. But it's simply impossible to understand how to got there...

Now it's just so bad it's almost funny. What WERE they thinking??

Completely agree, and if you thought this was bad check out the second volume, Panzer Crew Uniforms - absolute garbage. Nothing more than a thinnly-veiled AK catalogue advertising products that don't even exist yet without any reference to colours or techniques at all.

Up your game AK, selling us this stuff is just taking the proverbial.

Hi, Biggles,

Thanks for the link.
I tried it on the desks of my Bedford QLR: it gives a fine wood effect.
So your tip saved money! And the explanation of the technique is easy to follow and reproduce. The photos only make it even more simple!

So you earned some

That technique is great for aircraft propellers, wood paneling, and wood furniture. Not too sure it will work where distressed or weathered wood is needed.

I just want to let everyone know that an updated and corrected edition of this book is going to be released probably within a month from right now. All problems with language, grammar, etc. are all being fixed. The re-edited version will be free from flaws. And all other future AK books are being run by an "English Editor" so these mistakes don't happen again.

I like those of you above who bought this book could not wait to get my little fingers on it and gain the knowledge on how to do wood effects DAH like JohnVK and Jack McKee I have had to use my fingers instead to scratch my head and think what the F--- .I see MichaelD413 says that a revised version is coming out does that mean I can return mine and with the flaws and get "THE ENGLISH EDITOR VERSION" ln return.Yeah as if.