Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION
- Thread starter PHArchivist
- Start date
vaderdarth
Master Member
you gotta use silver man. Black is good, but silver reflects all the light back.
PHArchivist
Master Member
I'm gonna lay down one more coat of primer, then go with the silver. The composition of silver paints do block light considerably better than black. I believe it has something to do with the particulates that comprise the silver color.
PHArchivist
Master Member
You ever stick a decal or bumper sticker on a piece of glass? What does it look like from behind...?
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vaderdarth
Master Member
I'm not getting it either???
Does look like a sticker/tape application Rob, but then it could be light messing with your mind lol.
I dont know...but ive always felt there was some kind of method other than just paint used on this prop.....its just that whacky an ILM'er is bound to have tried it lol.
lee
I dont know...but ive always felt there was some kind of method other than just paint used on this prop.....its just that whacky an ILM'er is bound to have tried it lol.
lee
PHArchivist
Master Member
Dunno Brad... Guess I'm not "saying" anything; just thinking out loud. Clearly, I'm obsessed with knowing more about how the original was finished.
Mission critical to my project? No...
But I do think there are some "missing pieces" here. I think if all of a sudden we all had omniscient knowledge of how the original was built and finished, I'd bet we'd have a few surprises on our hands.
That pattern of discoloration DOES look to me (at least per my life experience) like an adhesive backing. If it is, then the "How" and the "Why" I have no idea.
But if it were just plain old paint or primer, why is it not uniform in tone?
It could be crazing from any number of chemicals to bond or clean the domes.
PHArchivist
Master Member
On to more important things... I need to make a decision about the trench.
I'm pretty sure my ration of height to depth is off. It is either too tall, or not deep enough. I'm talking a bout a millimeter or two here, but its bugging the **** out of me.
Right now, I'm running a test on the back side where I added a 1mm thick curved strip of styrene onto the lower dome edge in the trench. I'll post pics later, but in the mean time tell me what you think. Is it off a tad?
I'm pretty sure my ration of height to depth is off. It is either too tall, or not deep enough. I'm talking a bout a millimeter or two here, but its bugging the **** out of me.
Right now, I'm running a test on the back side where I added a 1mm thick curved strip of styrene onto the lower dome edge in the trench. I'll post pics later, but in the mean time tell me what you think. Is it off a tad?
I've been worried that I made the trench too tall/wide (7mm), but in this shot, take a close look. Most of the trench exhibits a large gash creating an odd illusion that the trench is more narrow than it is. The black line on the bottom is the gash (cear Plexi showing), and the black line on the top is the cross-section edge of the upper dome. Look at the trench area on the right that is fully painted. How does it compare to mine?
Newbie Doobie
Well-Known Member
Honestly,it could very well be a spot that was damaged,or mismatched,then cleaned up with mineral spirits,and repainted over. It could've been a paint run that wasn't removed very well,so it's visible from the inside,as it would never be seen! Or,it could be a light inflection from something inside the dome,and reflecting off the acrylic wall facing it. If there was a paper element to this,then it would've been noticed LONG before any of these pictures were taken! I've been a painter for twenty years,and an artist,and musician since I was ten,so I have a lot of experience making mistakes! Especially with paint! This is what happens with light colours that have been washed away with some type of solvent base,(especially gold,and silver paint),then painted over it. They obviously weren't concerned with paint adhesion,as they didn't wetsand the globe before spraying it,as this was only to be used for one movie!:unsure
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Honest opinion, id say the trench is a mm or two too high, but this is looking at a primed model, where the difference IMO would be very stark?
This is looking at the first pic, the second comparison, looks dead on to my eye!
In other words, id leave it Rob, seeing it there on your shop floor, its just...wow...no i mean...WOW!
lee
This is looking at the first pic, the second comparison, looks dead on to my eye!
In other words, id leave it Rob, seeing it there on your shop floor, its just...wow...no i mean...WOW!
lee
Seconded.
Newbie Doobie
Well-Known Member
I think that you're closer to the model that whoever shot this photo. But,without actually knowing how close,or far away they were to it,and at exactly what angle it's too hard to tell! Looking at this in your garage,I think that you nailed it perfectly!
I have to say that the trenches look to be dead on when you account for lense distortion and lighting. To really compare those two shots, you would need to recreate the lens angle and lighting. Taking that in account, they look dead on to me. You are missing the black line that exists in the trench on the filming model, but otherwise it looks outstanding.
-Adam
-Adam
PHArchivist
Master Member
I think what is going on visually is that theire acrylic was a touch thicker, creating a deeper well.
Thus the overhang of the dome edges - when seen from an above or below angle - partially occlude the full height of the trench.
Mine, being not so deep, has less over hang, hence less occlusion, and more visible trench height, when in actuality the height of mine is pretty dead on.
Thus the overhang of the dome edges - when seen from an above or below angle - partially occlude the full height of the trench.
Mine, being not so deep, has less over hang, hence less occlusion, and more visible trench height, when in actuality the height of mine is pretty dead on.
feek61
Sr Member
It may be just an aberition from the flash through the plexi dome creating a shadow. If you know the dimensions I could do a digital model and simulate the shadowing from a flash and we could know for certain.
Will
EDIT: I'm referring to the photo of the back showing the sticker looking area back on post 445. I think the trench looks great personally.
Will
EDIT: I'm referring to the photo of the back showing the sticker looking area back on post 445. I think the trench looks great personally.
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I agree. Judging by this pic...it looks like they used the black tape to darken the trench due to the unpainted side of the DS facing the light source.
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