Building and improving three Galactica models: Colonial Viper, Cylon Raider and Viper MkII

[g0rb]

Amazing work. So much attention to detail!

 

[division 6]

Wow, how did I miss this build?
Nice work on those cockpits and figures.

 

[Analyzer]

Excellent work!

 

[Moska]

Hello people. I have continued working on my models and this is the current state:

In the Viper MK-II I replaced the mouths of the guns with the mouthpieces of a pair of cheap lighters. I know that it is not the shape of the mouths of the cannons that can be seen in the series, but I decided to take that freedom because I like them more like that.



Finally, I started the paint job. In the following image you can see that I painted the entire ship white and then I made many small scratches and chipped paint effects. These effects are not painted or simulated. I really scratched the entire fuselage and chipp off the paint using a sharp tool. If the effect is excessive, a soft white layer can be given again, without completely hiding the effect.



The thrusters were painted black, several metallic shades and a little translucent blue from Tamiya.



I made the final effects of aging and impacts with black oil washes, pigments and pastel colors. This is the final result: (when making these photographs I realized that I have forgotten to place the static dischargers at the ends of the wings. I will place them later).

Thanks for looking.
Rafa

 

[korben44]

Simply stunning!

 

[enterprise0216]

Fantastic! just love it!

 

[gedmac66]

Absolutely brilliant !. Thank you for sharing

 

[Analyzer]

Excellent. I love all the little blast/impact marks. Looks more like it probably should if it flew through the debris of a blown up raider!

 

[Moska]

Thank you for your kind comments.

Excellent. I love all the little blast/impact marks. Looks more like it probably should if it flew through the debris of a blown up raider!

Analyzer, yes, that was the idea I had in mind when making those impacts. I didn't want to simulate a direct blaster impact but just what you said: Various impacts of different sizes produced when flying in a battle and colliding with the debris of explosions.

 

[Attirex]

I'm not a Galatica fan so don't usually look at related threads, but have to say the lighting, weathering, and your overall build look so delicious that I want to take a big ole bite out of that ship. Outstanding.

How did you make the blast/impact weathering effects?

 

[GF]

Top notch work!!!! you should get the mobieus kits especially the studio scale Cylon Raider its beautiful its huge and in scale with the viper.

Mark (AP)

 

[Moska]

How did you make the blast/impact weathering effects?

Hi Attirex.
Thank you very much for your kind comment.

I'm not a big fan of Battlestar Galactica either. I really like everything related to Science Fiction and, especially, spaceships and vehicles. So what motivates me to make a model is not the series or movie to which it belongs but only its design.

To simulate these impacts I follow these steps:

1- The surface on which these effects are to be carried out must be protected with matt varnish so that the effect is better and to be able to rectify if necessary.

2- The first thing I do is deposit a small amount (a dot) of black pastel color. This can be done in two ways:
a) by scraping the pastel colored pencil on sandpaper and collecting the resulting powder with the tip of a diffuser to apply it directly to the desired place.
b) Hitting directly on the model with the pastel colored pencil.
In this case, I used the second option.

3- I use a cotton swab in the following way: First I rest one end on the pastel colored point and then slide the swab in the desired direction to create the gradient stroke. This operation can be repeated as many times as deemed necessary until we are satisfied with the result. If we do not like the result, if we have deviated from the correct direction or if the stroke has been too wide, it can be rectified using a simple pencil eraser. I like to use those erasers that come in the form of a pen and can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener. In this way I can work more accurately.

4- Normally, after the previous step the black starting point will have been very faded, so you have to repaint it in pure black. Ideally, paint it in the form of a small oval. This step can be done with black paint and brush or, as I have done in this case, using a permanent black marker with a fine tip.

5- I apply brown and orange (rust) pastel powder using again a cotton swab and / or a diffuser around the point of impact and also, softer, on the gradient stroke.

6- Finally, I use some sharp tool to scratch the center of the point of impact and thus create that clearer core.

As you can see, it is quite easy and, above all, it is very reassuring to be able to rectify so easily.

Top notch work!!!! you should get the mobieus kits especially the studio scale Cylon Raider its beautiful its huge and in scale with the viper.

Hi Mark.

Thanks for your comment. I know the Moebius Cylon Raider model. I find it excellent and it is very tempting but, I didn't want to despise my old Revell kit . In addition, I start having space problems in my hobby room, so it suits me not to be seduced by the big models. I have the complete Agostini Millennium Falcon but I have not yet started its construction because I do not know where I will be able to place it. It is deliciously large.

Best regards.
Rafa

 

[Attirex]

Awesome, thanks for info, Rafa. I might try this technique at some point with my PG Falcon.

 

[Duncanator]

The cockpit looks fantastic!

 

[Moska]

Hello people.

I'm currently painting the classic Colonial Viper. The base color I have chosen is a very light gray obtained by mixing XF-2 white and XF-19 gray Tamiya acrylics (in the Viper MK-II the base color is only XF-2 white).
In this model I have tried the hairspray trick for the first time and I haven't been very satisfied, but it's logical when you try a technique for the first time. The effect of chipped paint has not been as I had imagined, but it is acceptable.


Even so, I was more satisfied after applying a thin layer of the base color over the entire model to soften the effect that seemed excessive.


The next step has been the tedious process of masking the model to paint the gray and orange/red bands. You have to be very careful and make sure that the areas you don't want to paint are perfectly covered. Otherwise you will get an unpleasant surprise when you remove the masks and discover the ease with which the aerographed paint sneaks through any small slit that has not been well covered.


Some detail images of the effects of wear on the areas of the gray bands.


The orange/red bands were very well defined.


But I tried the hairspray trick again and, after the weathering process, I think they have been a bit too “broken” and I'm wondering if I should mask them again to apply a light coat of the same color and soften the effect as I did with the base color of the fuselage.


I've designed a plates to place at the base of the display cases and a friend of mine who has a signage business has engraved these beautiful plates on aluminum.


Now I'm going to rest for a week. Upon my return I will finish painting the classic Viper and start painting on the classic Cylon Raider.

See you soon folks.
Rafa

 

[gedmac66]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences as you proceed with your incredible builds.
Could I ask how you applied the ‘hairspray’ for the chipping effect on this model please ?
I too have tried it in the past via decanting then fine brush application, but the results were..., disappointing.
The effect you’ve achieved is what I was more or less looking for - horizontal damage/scrapes caused during high speed !
Thanks in advance.

Ged.

 

[Moska]

Could I ask how you applied the ‘hairspray’ for the chipping effect on this model please ?

Hi Ged. Thank you for your comments.

I applied the hairspray trick by spraying the hairspray directly into a glass jar and then giving a coat with the airbrush in the areas of the model where I wanted to perform that effect. Next, I painted the upper color and let it dry for a few moments. Then I tried to make the chipped effect with a brush and water. I also tried it with a toothbrush but, as I said in my previous comment, I was not happy with the results I was getting. So I used my sharp tool again to manually do those chipping.

After this experience, my conclusion is that the hairspray technique is very useful to create these effects of chipping on other types of models (tanks, civil or military vehicles, machinery, etc ...), but I don't like the result in airplanes or spaceships. As you say, for these types of models I also prefer those horizontal scratches that give them life and a sense of speed.

Before applying the hairspray effect on my model, I did a test on the piece that comes in the kit as a base. As you can see in the image, the effect is very realistic, but it doesn't seem convincing to me in an airplane or spaceship, unless the intention is to represent it as if it had been abandoned for years.

Thanks for looking.
Rafa

 

[gedmac66]

Thank you Rafa.

Ged

 

[Moska]

Hi folks.

The painting work in the Colonial Viper has been completed and the model is finished. I hope you like it.

Rafa

 

[gedmac66]

Congratulations on an incredibly beautiful model !
I’ll definitely be referencing this thread when I finally get around to working on mine.
Thank you for sharing this.

Ged