Forced perspective kits are a rarity in the world of model building. Sankei has bucked convention with its new Miniatuart forced perspective kit of a Savoia aircraft in front of its hangar. The aircraft itself is conventionally proportioned, but the hangar is in forced perspective. The walls of the hangar decrease in width going towards the back of the building.
The scene is inspired by Porco Rosso, an animated 1992 adventure film produced by Studio Ghibli. According to the Ghibli fandom page, “The plot revolves around an Italian World War I ex-fighter ace, now living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing air pirates in the Adriatic Sea. However, an unusual curse has transformed him to an anthropomorphic pig. Once called Marco Pagot, he is now known to the world as ‘Porco Rosso’, which in Italian is Crimson Pig.”
The tiny kit is described by Sankei as a paper craft book and comes in a 6cm (2 3/8”) square box. It goes together with basic hobby tools: a craft knife, scissors, adhesive, pins, and coloured pens. This is an innovative product that will hopefully inspire other kit manufacturers to delve into the world of forced perspective.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to incorporate forced perspective into your modelling work, check out Forced Perspective Dioramas in paperback on Amazon and in e-book format on Apple Books. . The book begins with the history of forced perspective and its use in various art forms. It then explains the principles of forced perspective and presents practical applications, using case studies of actual dioramas ranging from basic to advanced.
-Ivar