Bandai Snowspeeder - First model build in 20ish years

ggathergood

New Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #1

This is my first post here so please be gentle.

So I finally decided to do some modeling after my last crappy effort about 20 years ago. That was an MCP Millennium Falcon which I painted by hand and generally made a terrible job of. That is currently in pieces awaiting some much needed attention.

After buying the R2D2 and R5D4 from Bandai I was happy with the out of the box builds I decided to plunge into the vehicles knowing that there would be a lot more effort needed and that I would need to buy all the gear that goes with it. I have read a lot on this site and others about technique and process that people go through in their builds and wanted to have a go a doing something with a reasonable finish.I'll upload some of the pics I took and try to put notes on the steps.

I will add that this is my first time using an airbrush and compressor, my first time doing weathering and washes. I have not gone for screen accuracy, just something that looks ok with some of the modelling techniques I have read about.

I consider myself a beginner even though I did model building as a kid.

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #2

This first thing I did was to use an airbrush for the first time. I was suprised at how easy it was to apply the paint. Such an amazing finish, I won't paint models with anything else.

I did the main body top and bottom plus the canopy with a mix of Tamyia XF-66 light grey and XF-2 flat white, about 4 parts white to 1 part grey. I pretty much went by eye to get a colour I was happy with. It initially had a blueish hue to the finish but I figured that would change with work later on.

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #3

I couldn't find a lot of reference on the interior of the cockpit so I kind of made it up. I did a base coat of XF-55 Deck Tan with a wash of the mix I used for the Snowspeeder body. Some of the cross pattern on the wall of the cockpit got a light wash with a dark grey XF-24, then a little bit of drybrushing to bring out some highlights.


I dotted some of the raised areas with various colours to add soem extra detail.

Then did some assembly of the cockpit and body.



Then added the seats. More of the same, base coat with Deck Tan and wash of light grey. I did the seats with a Model Master burnt sienna that I had and dry brushed over the top of that with light grey. It seemed to come out ok.

 

Unes

Active Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #4

uh, nice cockpit details.
Great job :thumbsup

 

jhazard

Sr Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #5

Wow, looks great! Welcome to the forum!

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #6

A little bit of work on the dark parts of the model. These were done with XF-24 dark grey.



I also started to have a go at the pilots, this is really hard and I am not overly happy with the progress. A friend told me that to paint figures you paint them in the same order that you get dressed, so I may have to do these again. I will put them aside and try them later I think after further research.

 

SGluedMyFingers

Well-Known Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #7

No better resource than screencaps: http://starwarsscreencaps.com/

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Sep 29, 2015

• #8

After the cockpit was put into the body I decided to have crack at doing a wash. Initially I tried a wash with some thinners and some dark grey acrylic. The results were not as good as I was hoping. While it was not bad it did not contrast enough, much to light. I tried on a couple of parts that I figured were small enough that I could fix later if I stuffed it up.


So I tried something that I had seen Adam Savage do on one of his Tested.com videos which was to do the wash with oil paints. I have some Georgian branded oils in Paynes Grey and Burnt Umber, I added a little thinner and went nuts. I covered the entire piece with the very dark wash and let it sit for ten minutes to soak in, then I wiped it away with kitchen towels.
Much better look, it really gave a grimy appearance and really got stuck in the small gaps. It did mean a much longer drying time though. It did change the overall base colour a little though.

The darker is the oil paint to show the difference in paints.

 

M

mcusanelli

Well-Known Member

• Sep 30, 2015

• #9

You are really doing an excellent job on this model! Don't be intimidated by the figures, just take your time. A very helpful book would be Shep Paine's How T Build Dioramas - Despite the title, it's the ultimate guide to building models, and he has a fantastic section on how to paint figures - He probably taught a whole generation of figure modelers how to paint. You can achieve a great deal of realism with the figures at this scale by using darker washes- not too thin - of the base colors, and then drybrushing a lighter shade when dry. For instance, paint the flesh, let it dry, and mix some burnt sienna into a bit of flesh, and thin it to the consistencey of milk so it doesn't run all over the place. Apply it to the face, let it dry. Now drybrush the face with the base color, and then with a lighter shade, by adding white. You can repeat this over and over an all the areas of the figure until you are satisfied with the results. And, the best advice, buy a couple of really good red sable brushes for the figures, with really good points - This will make the work a lot easier, and less frustrating too!

 

bwize

Sr Member

• Sep 30, 2015

• #10

Your snowspeeder is looking marvelous. Love the weather job you have given to the cockpit and wells/gears. The figure are looking good as well. Can't wait to see more.

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Sep 30, 2015

• #11

So next was to paint some of the panels. I could have used the stickers provided but opted to paint. After a load of masking it was ready.

Pretty happy with the results on the top.

On the bottom I deviated from the pictures I had seen. I only did the single dark panels at the rear rather than double panels either side. I also used a different colour for the area near the vents at the front. Went with Deck Tan there as I had it spare in the airbrush. Again it came out ok.

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Sep 30, 2015

• #12

This bit was probably the most fun of the model so far. On the read engine pods I masked of the panels and sprayed them the dark grey, Then after that had dried I applied the oil paint wash. So happy with the result. The look of oily grimy spaceship was great. I was so worried about ruining the paint job but just told myself that it was nothing that couldn't be repainted.

For the interior of the engine bay I used some burnt umber and very loosely painted the interior and used a cotton bud to get rid of the excess.


The rear grill was surprisingly fun too. Initial coat was Dark grey. I did do three black areas inside the fins but the pics don't really show it. The black was basically where the engines are when attached to the model. Then a bit of dry brushing in the vents and along the edges with flat aluminum to bring out the highlights and edges.

 

rbeach84

Sr Member

• Oct 1, 2015

• #13

Looking goog, G^3. sounds like you're having fun with it...
R/ Robert

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Oct 3, 2015

• #14

Here is the underside after the oil paint wash. It came out really well. I was scared of doing the wash over such a big area but for no reason.


An here it is with the rear vents attached.
~

 

G

Gnar Gnar Jinn

Well-Known Member

• Oct 4, 2015

• #15

looking great so far!

This is the next model on my too do list.

Those oil washes are great aren't they?

Out of curiosity what colors did you use for your wash?

 

M

mcusanelli

Well-Known Member

• Oct 4, 2015

• #16

This is looking better and better, hard to believe you've been away from this so long! The weathering looks excellent!

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Oct 4, 2015

• #17

Right, it's all starting to take shape now. I opted to have one of the wing flaps up because the detail inside was interesting and I had already thrown some of the burnt umber into the cavity.

The wash on the laser gun housing came out really well, I actually went back an just dabbed a little more around there to darken it up. Some of the detail around where the rear gun is attached came out well too, looks like oil build up rather than paint.



- - - Updated - - -

Gnar Gnar Jinn said:

looking great so far!

This is the next model on my too do list.

Those oil washes are great aren't they?

Out of curiosity what colors did you use for your wash?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the encouragement. The paint I used is:

 

ggathergood

New Member

• Oct 6, 2015

• #18

I added the cannons


And then did some rust running from some of the small vents. I haven't done a lot of streaking. I have kind of decided that even though the rebels were a small outfit they would have at least tried to look after their gear a little, therefore they wouldn't have been as dirty as some models I have seen. Anyway, I am reasonable happy with this small amount of rust.

 

Mike J.

Master Member

• Oct 6, 2015

• #19

Hey, if your life depends on it, you'd better take good care of it!

This is looking very nice. I'm glad it's all going together easily for you. Nice job.


-MJ

 

Robiwon

Master Member

Gone but not forgotten.

• Oct 7, 2015

• #20

Whatever, "I've not built a model in 20 years". Nope don't believe it. Plus, first time using an airbrush and you get great results like that!?!? Nope, you are a secret master model builder trying to pull the wool over our eyes.