1/6 Scale Vinyl Stormtrooper Build

[duke2k7]

Hiya guys!

Been lurking around the site for aweek or so now, and must admit, you guys got skills!!!

I'm guessing alot of you have either had professional development or work in studios cos some of the stuff blows me away (especially that Dune Ornithoper, lol).

Anyhoo, I decided to pick up a knife a thte tender age of 31 and give modelling a go, here is the result (only so far, so will update the thread)

Obviously I want to take my time with the painting - I can build stuff, I have the patience for that, I need to learn patience and skill for painting too..:confused

 

[Firespray]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

Looking good so far.

Welcome to the RPF.

 

[treker2557]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

Can't wait to see it finished! Looks good!

 

[duke2k7]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

i've been playing around with ideas about colours...

i reckon a gloss-black armour with matt-black undersuit would look ace, but i dunno whether to do a standard paint-job for my first trooper.

ideas?

 

[Twinsen]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

The standard white armor would look way better imo.

But I hate the dark-shadow-blackhole-stormtroopers sooo :lol

 

[obiwan2]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

Yeah, I've always preferred the classic white armor but it's yours so you should do whatever you would like

Nice work so far!

 

[T J]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

Looking great, good luck and welcome.:thumbsup

 

[duke2k7]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

thanks guys, with warm words like you've put so far, it does make me want to do well so i can show my models off!

Just ordered also:


Boba Fett (really considering doing him in the original pre-productio white costume)

Darth Vader

slightly off-theme, but Star Trek TOS Doctor Leonard McCoy

All vinyl kits, all relatively simple paint jobs, well with the exception of Boba.


You guys prefer the boba or jango colour scheme?

 

[duke2k7]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

just a quick update - just had delivered some 'herculite' casting material.

Filled the 'troopers legs to add some weight - feels like a really expensive item now.

waiting on white base-coat, updates to follow...

 

[duke2k7]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

right then... slight set back - supplier screwed me over with paints so still waiting on the paint to start my little 'trooper...:cry

Have also filed and cleaned all the flash from the blaster so it looks a little nicer, tried to sculpt out the detail on the fold-away handle at the front of the gun, should turn out OK.


BTW, if anyone has old vinyl model kits they dont intend on building, I'm always on the lookout for them...

Keep you all posted when the airbrush and paint arrive.

 

[SingleSeat]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

Once you're ready to paint, just remember that perfecting the surface is key to a good gloss. Work hard to seal holes and eliminate flaws. It will pay off in the end. You can take sand paper grades all the way to 1500 (auto parts store territory) if needed. An airbrush would provide the most perfect finish if you're up for that, but don't waste your time on manually brushing any armor parts on this project. If you really wanted to go full tilt, you could prime, airbrush with a flat color, polish, redo another flat color coat, lightly polish, then clear coat and polish again -- repeating the gloss clear coat if needed. That'd be closer to how a custom car is painted.

But even if you just keep it simple with a gloss pigmented paint (with no clear coat), something as mild as toothpaste can be used as a buffing agent to help your finish smooth out a tad. If this is your first time spraying a gloss colored paint, don't p-foot around with light coats of it, thereby speckling the surface. Get the paint on there so it looks glossy, but not so much that it drips (a careful balance). If you go with black armor, a silver base layer will help the gloss black pop, but you just need to make sure the silver layer is thick enough (not drippy-thick), and not a light dusty silver that might also lead to a rough finish. Airbrushing a silver is easiest, and spray cans can be unpredictable -- especially with metallics. Just take some breaths if you mess up and always always realize that anything can be fixed. That will free your mind to enjoy it and concentrate. Paint disasters can be easily stripped with Testors (Polly-S) Paint & Decal Remover. Too much glossy paint will begin to erode the definition of your trooper's parts anyway if you didn't know that already. As with all gloss colors, give them a few days to really dry and harden before you start monkeying around with the parts. Good luck.

 

[duke2k7]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

well, just a quick update...

got some primer on, need to clean him up a bit, then its gloss-time.

I'm just going to take my time and not screw him up!

 

[darth_myeek]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

Hi Duke,
I think you should change the title from
"Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread."

and make it
"1/__ Scale Stormtrooper Build."

No need to apologize for being new, and it's more descriptive for searches.

It's great that you are sharing with us. IMO :thumbsup

 

[duke2k7]

Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread.

Hi Duke,
I think you should change the title from
"Re: Sorry, it's another 'I'm a newbie first-time modeller making a model' WIP thread."

and make it
"1/__ Scale Stormtrooper Build."

No need to apologize for being new, and it's more descriptive for searches.

It's great that you are sharing with us. IMO :thumbsup

great idea - MODS!!!! OVER ERE!!!

can you please change the thread name to '1/6 Scale Vinyl Stormtrooper Build' please?

 

[d_jedi1]

It looks like your buildup is moving along nicely. I bought one of these about a year and a half back, maybe two years.. anyway, I made slight modifications and put mine on a 1:6th body.
It actually works pretty well.

Again, great job on yours.

 

[duke2k7]

I made slight modifications and put mine on a 1:6th body.
It actually works pretty well..

How'd you mean? This is a 1/6 body... did you mean a diorama or summink? Forgive me, my brain isnt working right today...

 

[Howlrunner]

great idea - MODS!!!! OVER ERE!!!

can you please change the thread name to '1/6 Scale Vinyl Stormtrooper Build' please?

You can change the title yourself - hit the "Edit" button on your first post, then select "Advanced Edit" and you can change the title.

How'd you mean? This is a 1/6 body... did you mean a diorama or summink? Forgive me, my brain isnt working right today...

I think he means that he cut out the armour pieces and then put them onto a 1/6th scale Dragon (or similar) soldier figure.


Good luck with your build - it's a nice kit to start off with. I built one in the standard Stormtrooper fashion and then modified another into a Sandtrooper:

 

[duke2k7]

wow...just...WOW!

i can get another of these bad boys pretty cheaply, so might do that - soften it up, cut the panels and then i can do whatever i like.

I did have one crazy idea:

what about a crimson trooper, with a modified helmet that looks more like an imperial guard..badass!

 

[d_jedi1]

I think he means that he cut out the armour pieces and then put them onto a 1/6th scale Dragon (or similar) soldier figure.

Yessir, that is exactly what I meant.. I had to make some minor mods/extensions to make the armor work with the body I was using but for my budget (in this case, less than $20.00) I was able to do it. I sewed my black bodysuit as well.

I documented some of the process here as well.
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o176/d_jedi1/6th scale/Stormtrooper/

 

[duke2k7]

Well, small update...

I lost a bit of my enthusiasm when the first coat of paint went on - typical orange-peel effect, but this should fill in after the second coat won't it?

Here it is anyway...:cry