Book excerpt: Sheperd Paine did more than anyone to elevate modeling to the level of an art form - one that includes elements of painting, sculpting, research, and storytelling. Building and painting miniature figures, armor, aircraft, and ships with equal skill, and displaying a broad scope of knowledge and interests ranging from the Napoleonic era to WWII, Paine created incredibly detailed and masterfully rendered vignettes and dioramas. This is the first book to examine all of his remarkable work, cataloging it with more than seven hundred beautiful photos, and charting the life experiences that formed these creations in an interesting, conversational format.