The Death Star

JediMichael

Master Member
After taking a break in like this whole year, decided to get around and work on the DS. I had this model for about 7 or 8 years now. For the longest time it wasn't even painted. Then I started painting it and didn't like it. Started over. Then I found Rob's (PHArchivist) thread on google. Cried a bit, then finally decided to use his to finish mine. This model is a bit smaller than a basketball, so painting it isn't so easy. After painting the top part, still wasn't happy with things and stopped on it. Mostly, the middle section isn't smooth enough. Can't see in the pics with the tape in the way. I took the time to try and fix it much as possible and sanded down the edges so much. But this is what I'm just going to stick with.
A lot of the panels don't line up to the real model, but its pretty close. As a challenge, I'm using very little of the blue tape for the edges. So far, just middle, everything else is slowly hand painted with nothing other than my hand to make straight lines. Guess I'm weird like that. Later on if it needs fixing up, then I will.

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I'm wondering, after everything is painted, there are little lines drawn in all over the place. I tried a test with a mechanical pencil, but it scraped the paint a bit much. I would like to add the lines, but if anyone knows a good way to do that, or something better than a pencil at least.


Also, just remembered that you can see in the model that lines were already etched in, but so completely wrong. Using them to help a little, but not too much. Didn't feel like trying to sand them out.

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Yeah, I think it is probably the worst kit out there. Was only $10 and has only 8 pieces to put together that still don't fit so well. The perfect reason to to try and make it best I can.
And yes, I have actually been using that thread for my pics. Its a perfect clone of a model.
 
I agree, it's not a very well developed kit, but you are making it look better with the paint job. Are you going to use some texture paint over it to give it a little more detail?
 
I agree, it's not a very well developed kit, but you are making it look better with the paint job. Are you going to use some texture paint over it to give it a little more detail?

Yes, I am actually now testing a texture. The lighter grey was from a spray can, so after all the darker parts are done, am hoping to respray the lighter over it. I messed with the tiny hole in the nozzle to make it splatter more. Still trying to get it just right before doing the real deal. Funny how this method is kind of backwards.
 
Been working on this the past week off and on. Also got a new desk for Christmas, so now I have so much more space. Very glad at that.


I finished painting all the tiles on the surface and then added the texture. I did certain areas at a time to give some parts a different look than others. I also painted over the lines around the dish because I want to go back and redo them, as it was where I started and I know I can make it better now.










Close shot of the texture technique.



I wanted to get a shot without using the flash for a better look. Didn't take the time to get the tripod out though, so kinda blurry, but the color is more accurate.



I still have to paint the top and bottom and then add all the lines. Still much to do.
 
Been meaning to update here. So I worked on the dish a bit, but still need to do more and clean it up.
Got the bottom painted and tried adding the detail lines.



Heres the bottom upwards, looks funny weird like this. Not sure how close I am, as the pics I had weren't perfect. Only used pics Rob had of his studio scale model.



As for these lines, I don't like them. I drew them on in my car because I had to wait somewhere for like 2 hours, so I brought the models along. Maybe a bad idea.
Wasn't sure if all black lines would look good, but I don;t think they do. Tried a mechanical pencil, but the gray was too light to really see. So I already painted over this section and will try something different. Think I have a better idea now how to try it....hopfully...

 
looks better without the flash. For the dark lines, maybe try a black wash - thin the black paint way down and when you wipe it on, you can only see it in the grooves and depressions.

or perhaps a black marker (permanent)
 
While waiting for some paint to dry, thought I'd check here. Will post updates here in a bit.
So as for the black lines, I don't want to fill in the grooves, because that detail is so completely wrong, adds more detail, but wasn't really suppose to be there anyways. Still trying to figure out the best way to attack that.
And with lighting, well, thats one area I've never attempted with a model yet. Guess that seems overwhelming for now. Plus, the model is totally glued together already, and I really don't feel like ripping it back apart. I already hate how the trench looks. But I was thinking that to simulate the lights, I will probably do what I did on my star destroyer, but on an even smaller scale. Take a needle, glow-in-the-dark paint, and add tiny tiny dabs of paint on it, then when shining a blacklight over it, should look good. I already have a bigger blacklight, just need to hang it up.
 
So I was looking at Rob's DS thread and found out more towards the end that he had his dish wrong at first, which I was using for mine....so I decided to redo mine and put more effort then I ever meant to do. Much better now. The light gray "paint" is actually just primer that was good enough of a gray for me, so just used that this whole time. Even with the strips of paper on the dish, took about 5 coats to fully cover them.
Most strips were just normal paper, but the darker gray ones I wanted to be a bit thinker. Poster board was too think, so after looking around the house, I found some coupons from Joann Fabrics that ended up being perfect thinkness.



Painted up the the most tiny little brush.



Wanted to try that classic dish shot, which is quite hard to achieve. Still to much light on the surface. But I think it looks cool still.




Now for the lines.....I tried to see how a normal pencil would look. They are barley seen, depending what angle you are looking from with the light hitting it as seen in these 2 pics.
Will try to figure something else out. I only had posterboard as a ruler, so I also need something better as well.



 
Got some time to work on this some more. I bought a pencil that has a darker lead to it, but couldn't find a mechanical one, so I just got the keep sharping it kind. But because the model is already pretty small, the lines really should be very very tiny, but there not. Oh well.....At least the lines look good, not perfect, but good enough for me. I sharpen it ever other line pretty much to try and keep it small. About out of pencil already, glad the pack had 2, but might need to get more to finish this.



Did more, but flash is on, so looks a bit washed out here.
 
Got a bit more done, but haven't taken any pics yet. Biggest issue with using a pencil is smudging. So went to look for clear coat of flat spray. No stores had any, only gloss. Finally found what was called Matte at Home Depot. I asked about that and they said it was flat. After using it, I think it must be a little step above flat, but not gloss, as it does leave it with a bit of a shine, but not horrible. I think it will make taking pics a little harder now.
 
It's definitely coming on, the more detail you put onto it. For me, the dark sections are too much off a contrast against the grey background. I would be inclined to mix a more mid range gray and lightly go over the whole model. Not too much of a coat though, just something to bring both tones together.
 
Yeah, after I had painted a big part of it, I realized that it was quite to dark gray, as well as the fact that the paint was satin, not flat. But I just didn't feel like starting over again. I figure that since its not a filming model for any movie and that once done, will just sit there and collect dust....that its good enough for me. Maybe in a bunch of years I'll try tackling a better more accurate version. But for now, will keep chugging along on this.
Thanks for looking.
....and, if it weren't for this group here, I would have never even put this much detail in the first place. Probably dark gray on light gray and call it a day......(pun not really intended, but hey, it works.)
 
I need to stop staying up so late and doing this...thankfully don't work tomorrow. So I've been drawing lines, lots of lines. It really helps give that certain look the deathstar has. It does though make the already too dark gray panels even darker...oh well. I'm still quite happy.

About half of the bottom section is done so far.


Same area different angle.
 
Little bit of an update. Got the whole left side penciled in now. Pencil is about to run out, so probably won't get much done on the right side yet.
Making these lines straight is quite a challenge for sure. If you look closely, you can see a lot aren't, but close enough. If you stand back and look at it, looks about perfect.



Heres one of those things I didn't think about ahead of time. When drawing in the lines around the top, holding the ruler flat doesn't work.

So I had to bend it just right with on hand, then draw with the other. A lot of erasing to get it just right.
 
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