The Ambassador Class

jimpeachey · Sep 27, 2014

Its keeping me busy that for sure, lets see what a few hours today brings, still pondering over the colour scheme at the moment......................................

tek2graphics · Sep 27, 2014

So.. How long did it take to drill those windows? :confused Just curious.. Because I plan on doing the same to a enterprise D....

jimpeachey · Sep 27, 2014

Hours and hours and i havent done the secondary hull yet either which are smaller

jimpeachey · Sep 28, 2014

Ok, not quite as successful a day as i would have liked today! I finished the windows in the primary hull sections, less the ones at the rear of the bridge but they shouldn't take too long hopefully. I primed and light blocked the top saucer section. Then i had to decide on some colours. The Ambassador class seems to split people over the colour scheme because of the Blue sections. I wanted to keep the Blue but choose a base colour that doesn't make it so stark, so i got out all of my Greys, trying to find a light-ish colour that i could use. I eventually chose a colour that i like but i think it is too dark, the next lightest colour i had seems too light. Decisions, decisions. So, you can see the options but what do you all think, i definitely do not want it too light with a very stark Blue, that wont work for me at all! Getting there once i get this colour choice sorted and i'm tempted to go lighter....................

Light Blocked

Colour Choices

All primed up

This is actually my darker colour choice, not theprimer.

You can see the contrast with the lighter colour

And both colours on one section, im tempted to go for the lighter colour, what do you think?

Cadeus · Sep 28, 2014

looking good. I have done a lot of lot of research on the c. It has become a favorite of mine.

jimpeachey · Sep 28, 2014

Its a nice simple build and the lighting shouldn't be too difficult either, its just the damn colour. I think the 'Official' colours just do not do the design justice, ill sort it out im sure and i am on to my modeling expert mate for advice so i'm reasonably confident i can pull it off.

Ruddigger · Sep 28, 2014

I think that's way too dark. Have you thought about lightening up the blue instead of darkening the grey?

jimpeachey · Sep 28, 2014

It's way too dark for the classic Ambassador class but I have a couple of thoughts at the moment, lighten the grey although this seems dark i do deliberately want to deviate from the classic colouring. Lightening the blue is also an option but the blue i want to use is darker than that 'usually' used on the C, that's why i tried the lighter grey. I've got some time yet before i have to make a final decision so i'm going to mix up some colours and see what comes out. I think i would have to go too light onthe blue (almost sky blue) before this dark a grey would work. All good feedback though people so keep it coming.

Ruddigger · Sep 28, 2014

Sounds like it will have an interesting look when it's all done.

jimpeachey · Sep 28, 2014

I hope it will be 'interesting' and not rubbish lol

Ruddigger · Sep 28, 2014

Haha, I'm sure you'll knock it out if the park, each of your builds is better than the last.

Zombie_61 · Sep 28, 2014

jimpeachey said:
...I think the 'Official' colours just do not do the design justice...

I never liked the official color scheme for the Ambassador Class ships either, so I don't blame you for deviating from canon. If I ever get around to building mine, I'm planning to use different shades of gray and hopefully avoid blue altogether.

jimpeachey · Sep 28, 2014

Thanks for the comments, i think it needs the blue but just not as stark as it was 'designed to be'; ill just play around with colours and see what happens.

Angelus Lupus · Sep 29, 2014

Agreed on the blue being a bit odd for this ship. I guess maybe it was for a visual link to the Excelsior Class?
Personally I always thought a mix of the Galaxy Class colour scheme with some Constitution-refit Aztec-ing (subtle) might look good.

Zombie_61 · Sep 29, 2014

jimpeachey said:
Thanks for the comments, i think it needs the blue but just not as stark as it was 'designed to be'; ill just play around with colours and see what happens.

One of the members on Hobby Talk built an NCC-1701-C in June of 2013, and for the "blue" sections he used grays that had a bit of a bluish tone (custom mixed). In my opinion that worked out very well because the blue sections were more subdued, but you can judge for yourself.

jimpeachey · Sep 29, 2014

Im looking to use darker blues, just need to sort the base colour that will bring out the best in them. Plenty of time yet

Cadeus · Sep 30, 2014

The studio model for the C is nearly monochromatic it it's use of color for the hull. Certainly not as differentiated as the models I have seen. Remember that the Ambassador model was used several more times on screen as other vessels. Be careful which references you use. And the plating pattern is penciled in. The plastic models, though smaller, seem to exaggerate all the details that SHOULD be lessened by a smaller scale. If I ever build a small model of the C I would fill in all panel lines and at LEAST re-scribe them to a lesser effect, if not pencil them in after it's painted. (That is IF I were going for studio accuracy!) In the end, though, remember that Star Trek is, (forgive me), fantasy. Painting it the way you see it is the great expression and freedom of being an artist. You are doing a great job, so far. And I am enjoying your build.

Thanks for sharing!

jimpeachey · Oct 3, 2014

I need to sort light colours and which flash and which dont. Then i can get on and build the lighting kit.

jimpeachey · Oct 4, 2014

Just some early lighting prep today. I got these 2mm LED that are just fine for sanding down to fit into tiny holes (Nav lights on the C). I don't usually buy the resistors and the LED separate so had to put them all together and heat shrink them. Tomorrow ill sand them down and try them out. Then its back to painting and i have no idea what colour scheme to use yet, i think i'm going to go dark greys and blues, wish me luck.

jimpeachey · Oct 5, 2014

So, got more things ready for lighting today. Had to sort out which strip LED i could use, i chose a 12v Blue. Im also using single LED for nav lights etc but there isn't a lot of room inside the nacelle supports. I have a plan. Im going to (try and) use copper tape, normally used for dolls houses. Apparently you can solder to it so i am going to use that inside the pylons and run wires just inside the nacelles. There needs to be two sets of tape, one for flashers and one for static, ill sort that later. I may even use the tape inside the saucer section and just run short wires to two strips of tape all around the inside.I also coloured the Nacelle bits and pieces and the deflector dish. The base colour is going to be a tan, sounds weird but looks OK, lets see how the Blues compliment it. Ive only got the seconday hull left to drill out now seeing as i did all of the saucer navigation stuff today. I id file down one of the LED to see how they fit and they look OK. This might not turn out half bad after all That's today done, probably no more for a couple of weeks yet but ill get there