About Modelling4Comfort
Welcome to my modeling journey! This site documents my passion for creating miniature worlds - from historical ships to rural scenes, from english country side to cozy cabins.
The Story Behind Modelling4Comfort
I discovered the enjoyment of building models quite recently, in 2020. It goes hand in hand with searching for things to keep me focussed in retirement, after a very busy and full working career. I only started to take photos of my building steps in 2022 during the building of the SS Great Britain. In December 2025 I started to organize the individual projects in a website to create a digital show cabinet of my endeavors. I simply ran out of physical shelf space to display my work and some of the models have new custodians.
20 years ago, the name 4Comfort was crafted into the family company, and since then I had several other focusses using the 4Comfort name, most notably Gardens4Comfort.uk. Modelling4Comfort followed naturally. In essence, modelling gives me great joy and comfort. I do it for myself, it is not my desire to compete, shout out at shows, run it as a business or become a modeling guru. Modelling4Comfort is for my benefit and enjoyment, but you are welcome to share my experience and be inspired.
Each model that I build have a story associated with it and is carefully selected. It preserves a memory, or brings to life an event, technical challenge or scene that is close to my heart.
Why models?
When I discovered in 2020 building models is something that I can do indoors at odd hours, especially in the winter months, it surfaced on the radar as something to add to my activities for retirement. My main passion, gardening, does not really keep me occupied enough when it is dark and miserable out there.
My interest in building models are very specific. Although I do build the occasional kits, kits are not my focus. I love problem solving, re-using materials, and discovering new ways of doing things. My main focus is therefore scratch building - creating most of the components from scratch and where possible from re-cycled materials.
My projects to date came about from different angles:
- kit building - some of the kits I built to date was meant for others to build (Gorch Fock ship, historic Ford car, simon’s coffee shop and cathy’s flower house) and I landed building it for them. In some cases the kits were presents (Bookshop memories).
- commissions - in a few cases I had a requested to build something as commissioned work (SS Great Britain, doll house bunker, and caravaning)
- technical challenge - in most cases the models provide ample opportunity for a challenge, but some is selected specifically to explore technical skills (Henrhyd Falls - South Wales, cabin in the woods and bamboo river lookout)
- passion for plants - many models feature plants, trees, flowers and nature scenes and some was selected specifically to celebrate this passion (plant displays, english country garden, country house)
- restorations - I did a few restorations and planning to do more (hand carved spitfire)
Each project is an opportunity to learn something new, try a different technique, or push creative boundaries.
My Modeling Background
Childhood
I watched while my older brother built fixed line balsawood petrol driven model planes, but cannot remember that I built any for myself - I was simply not good enough for it. I do remember building some kites with tissue paper and bamboo.
Working life
My studies, career and work focus were a million miles away from handy work. I did however develop over time a keen interest with DIY projects in and around the house, built up a good selection of tools and regard myself as reasonably good at handy work. I have always struggled with attention to detail, and doing things to perfection.
How modelling started
In many respects, my journey to modelling is unlike other modelers: I did not start young, did not built up skills by selecting simple kits such as aircraft, cars, and ships to assemble, and did not see myself as being creative or have a flare for art. It all started with trying to solve a problem I created for my grandson (buying a model for him way beyond his skill level), and with me being very anxious about what I am going to do in the winter months when I am retired and cannot go out into the garden.
What happened
In the past 5 years I discovered a new me. I can have attention to detail; I see color in a completely new perspective; I am creative; I love working with alls sorts of materials; I am improving every time. I am looking forward to the remaining few years.
The Builds section elaborates and logs the build of some of the projects and I intend to get better at the logging. The Techniques section documents some of my discoveries, methods and journeys, show the evolution of skills and highlights elements for others to learn from and adapt.
Why Share Online?
Documentation & Memory
Projects take months or even years to complete. By documenting them online, I create a permanent record of the process - photos of stages that would otherwise be lost, notes about techniques that worked (or didn’t), and a timeline of how skills evolve. A digital showcase is more convenient and easier to access that a dusty old shelf at the back of the room. The showcase and record is mainly for my own benefit, but you are welcome to share it.
Community & Learning
The modeling community is incredibly generous with knowledge. I research and discover things all the time by tapping into the community. This site is my way of giving back - sharing what I’ve learned so others can benefit, avoid my mistakes, and perhaps feel inspired to try something new. It also keeps my friends and family informed.
Accountability & Motivation
Public documentation creates gentle accountability. I need to think through what I am doing, remember to record it, and keep going. When progress is visible, it motivates me and I put more thought into it.
The Technical Side
Website Technology
This site extensively made use of Go-Pilot to build with:
- Jekyll - Static site generator for fast, secure pages
- GitHub Pages - Free hosting with version control
- Markdown - Simple, clean content writing
- Custom CSS/JavaScript - Responsive design and image galleries
- ImageMagick - Photo optimization and green screen processing
Everything is open source on GitHub, and the Publishing Guide documents the workflow for anyone interested in a similar setup.
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Contact & Community
Questions or Comments?
While formal contact isn’t set up yet, you can:
- Watch the GitHub repository to follow updates
- Enable GitHub Utterances comments (instructions in site config) for discussions on posts
- Reference this work if you find techniques useful in your own projects
Sharing & Attribution
All content on this site is shared freely for educational purposes. If you use these techniques or reference this work:
- Attribution is appreciated but not required
- Share your own results - I’d love to see what others create!
- Adapt and improve - take these methods further
Thank You
Thank you for visiting and taking an interest in these projects. Whether you’re a fellow modeler, someone curious about the hobby, or just browsing, I hope you find something here that inspires, informs, or simply entertains.
Site Navigation
- Home - Latest updates and featured projects
- Projects Gallery - View all diorama projects
- Build Logs - Follow projects in progress
- Techniques - Detailed how-to guides
- GitHub Repository - Source code and version history
This site is a living document, updated regularly as projects progress and new techniques are documented. Last updated: December 2025
Modelling4Comfort