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Terrain can be made from anything... So, this way may be a little brutal, but it's definitely very interesting - book carving.

In fact, this art doesn't have much in common with wargames. This was first created by the American artist Robert The and quickly gained popularity, no matter how many book lovers protested against it.

To be honest - not all books are equally valuable. You always have some old telephone books or guides which are completely useless. Also you can use a pile of old papers for making such sculptures.

But this can make your wargame table really special and atmospheric! So, why not to use this idea? You can leave the books to show or imitate a rock with no trace of its origins.

It's difficult. it takes much time, but all the hobbysts are used to it. Moreover, such sculpture can be a nice base for the diorama. Don't be afraid to find inspiration in unusual sources!

Find more at: http://warzone40k.com/books-terrain

I wouldn't ordinarily think of using a book to make terrain from (although I'll make an exception for some books - LOTR to start with).

It's only one step away from burning them, tbh.

Mind... ...blown.


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I like my terrain light though. Still, thanks for sharing a novel idea! (Hurr, hurr).

 chromedog wrote:
I wouldn't ordinarily think of using a book to make terrain from (although I'll make an exception for some books - LOTR to start with).

It's only one step away from burning them, tbh.

I wouldn't go THAT far. Generally when people burn books, it's symbolic of destroying the knowledge/story/content in the book and not just the book itself. This is the creation of art.

Besides, one can come up with plenty of useless old books. What good is a 1800s medical textbook to anyone other than a collector? What good is last year's phone book to anyone?

Its still the destruction of books. Do this with phone books? Sure. Do this with empty notebooks/sketchbooks? All for it. Find some novels or texts books? Im inclined to think your a monster for destroying them purposfully.

Having worked at a book store long ago...there are plenty of books worth destroying.

 Lance845 wrote:
Its still the destruction of books. Do this with phone books? Sure. Do this with empty notebooks/sketchbooks? All for it. Find some novels or texts books? Im inclined to think your a monster for destroying them purposfully.

Then you've never, ever, ever thrown away a book you don't need or want anymore? Ever? Regardless what kind of condition it was in?

If you have, we're arguing circumstances and not occurrence.

I donate them or sell them to half price/used book stores. I do not throw away books unless circumstance (fire, flood, mice get into a garage and chew their way into a box/through some books) makes them ruined.

I really hope that those are old soviet index books or some other non valuable stuff from that era (like the works of not that smart politicians) otherwise I would not burn a book...

 Lance845 wrote:
I donate them or sell them to half price/used book stores. I do not throw away books unless circumstance (fire, flood, mice get into a garage and chew their way into a box/through some books) makes them ruined.

Used book stores take old phone book?

(shrug) Who knew?

 Vulcan wrote:

 Lance845 wrote:
I donate them or sell them to half price/used book stores. I do not throw away books unless circumstance (fire, flood, mice get into a garage and chew their way into a box/through some books) makes them ruined.

Used book stores take old phone book?

(shrug) Who knew?

I think you should go reread my first post here. You seem to have a misunderstanding.

 Elbows wrote:
Having worked at a book store long ago...there are plenty of books worth destroying.

As I noted, the collected works of JRRT and GRRM would make good starts.

chromedog wrote:As I noted, the collected works of JRRT and GRRM would make good starts.

I was thinking more along the lines of using Twilight, but to each his own.

Why does destroying a book matter unless its rare and usefull

 Battlegrinder wrote:

chromedog wrote:As I noted, the collected works of JRRT and GRRM would make good starts.

I was thinking more along the lines of using Twilight, but to each his own.

Plenty of room in the shredder.

You can add that 50 shades of s**** series to the pile, too

 chromedog wrote:

 Battlegrinder wrote:

chromedog wrote:As I noted, the collected works of JRRT and GRRM would make good starts.

I was thinking more along the lines of using Twilight, but to each his own.

Plenty of room in the shredder.

You can add that 50 shades of s**** series to the pile, too

Want to buy some Ayn Rand books to add to the pile? I bought the whole supply. $10,000 each!

Looks fantastic though i cant really think of a game that could use such a terrain.

it would be bitchin as a display piece for some fantasy thing.

rip up a twilight book and have a setting with a blood angel, a space wolf and complete disappointment.

Ah, so that's what I did with my old 'How to Build Wargames Terrain' book!

It's just an art exhibit - pretty well done.

PS: For those concerned about destroying books...go dumpster dive behind your local Barnes and Noble. You know what bookstores do with paperbacks that don't get sold? They rip off the cover with the UPC and throw the book out. They then mail the UPC page back to the distributor for a refund (because it's cheaper to print/ship a new book than to bother shipping old ones back). All stores do this, and we used to just call them "strips". I'd grab dozens of Warhammer/Fantasy/etc. paperback novels when they reached the end of their shelf-life and were being tossed. Books are just a product like anything else - the industry doesn't treat them any better. Book stores probably toss untold millions of books into the dumpster each year.

(and yes, I know they should arrange to give them to needy people or salvation army or some such - but they don't)

Someone ought to make a miniature Great Library of Alxeandrea like this. Now that would be saying something. Not sure what exactly; some kind of ironic statement.