It's jobewalker at hot mail
Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION
- Thread starter PHArchivist
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It's jobewalker at hot mail
PHArchivist
Master Member
Anybody out there want to jet up to Seattle in the next few weeks?
Here's Dpp1978's big Death Star closeup if anyone wants to download it. This is my personal server, so download as much as you want, but please don't pass the address around.
http://tridity.org/~achernak/Prop%20and%20Model%20Stuff/Models/Star%20Wars/DS1.jpg
http://tridity.org/~achernak/Prop%20and%20Model%20Stuff/Models/Star%20Wars/DS1.jpg
OhioAstromech
Well-Known Member
It looks like the texturing was done with a sand blaster.
I always thought it was painted different shades of gray.
Scot
I always thought it was painted different shades of gray.
Scot
PHArchivist
Master Member
Slowly coming along, folks...
Good news is I've got the darn dish light proof - finally! But it will require a lot of tedious sanding to clean up a bit of paint build up.
Bad news is the color I thought was right - isn't... I bought a small can of Testor's Flat Grey Primer, and it was perfect, so I bought eight more. But the first can must have been a fluke. It was the perfect light grey, ever-so-slightly blue color I needed, but all the rest were closer to battle ship grey - too dark.
On the painting guide, I have the plastic band installed, but have come to the realization that it will never be a perfect solution. I will have to eye-ball things to a certain degree.
Good news is I've got the darn dish light proof - finally! But it will require a lot of tedious sanding to clean up a bit of paint build up.
Bad news is the color I thought was right - isn't... I bought a small can of Testor's Flat Grey Primer, and it was perfect, so I bought eight more. But the first can must have been a fluke. It was the perfect light grey, ever-so-slightly blue color I needed, but all the rest were closer to battle ship grey - too dark.
On the painting guide, I have the plastic band installed, but have come to the realization that it will never be a perfect solution. I will have to eye-ball things to a certain degree.
tgreco
Sr Member
take a look at the Krylon rattle can all purpose primer (grey of course, there's also a charcoal, so check the labels)
PHArchivist
Master Member
Big day, ladies - I've started the base coat.
Using Tamiya Light Grey Primer. Its just about perfect for the base coat. Problem is between my two local hobby shops, I only had one can. So now I'm stuck waiting on an order of five more direct from Tamiya. As such, it will be another week or so before I can finish the base coat.
Here's some progress shots for you...
The original for comparison
Using Tamiya Light Grey Primer. Its just about perfect for the base coat. Problem is between my two local hobby shops, I only had one can. So now I'm stuck waiting on an order of five more direct from Tamiya. As such, it will be another week or so before I can finish the base coat.
Here's some progress shots for you...
The original for comparison
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Fantastic! Color looks spot on to me.
vaderdarth
Master Member
very nice.
tgreco
Sr Member
The original for comparison
hey PH there's a paint you should try out
based on that original photo, where it looks a bit more blue... and the primer you used which kinda has a touch of brown to it
anyway, there's an acrylic paint color, called Dolphin Grey, it's a craft paint you can find it anywhere like Michaels and Hobby Lobby, but the shade of gray looks like an exact match to that base coat on the original. You may want to give it a look
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vaderdarth
Master Member
I think that's just the photography, you can clearly see the blue in his first Pic. The lighting is certainly not the same. 
PHArchivist
Master Member
Yeah - lighting is of course very different. My shots from the museum look even more blue.
True, the Tamiya primer doesn't really have the blue shade, but in person it doesn't have browns or beiges in it either. Not like a Gull Grey would. On the other hand, many published shots of the model (i.e. the one in Sculpting A Galaxy, or The Art of Star Wars) DO make it look more beige/Gull Grey, where as in reality it is not.
Problem is, there's no WAY I'm going to either custom-mix a color, or use any medium that has to be air-brushed. No way. Rattle cans are my only alternative, and I've heard on decent authority that is how the original was done.
Finally, I'm not too fond of the blue, anyway. I prefer the beige/grey look as in the shots mentioned above. But to be true to the original, I'm not going to use a Gull Grey, as most of that coloration on the original stems from lighting.
I think the Tamiya color is a happy medium.
True, the Tamiya primer doesn't really have the blue shade, but in person it doesn't have browns or beiges in it either. Not like a Gull Grey would. On the other hand, many published shots of the model (i.e. the one in Sculpting A Galaxy, or The Art of Star Wars) DO make it look more beige/Gull Grey, where as in reality it is not.
Problem is, there's no WAY I'm going to either custom-mix a color, or use any medium that has to be air-brushed. No way. Rattle cans are my only alternative, and I've heard on decent authority that is how the original was done.
Finally, I'm not too fond of the blue, anyway. I prefer the beige/grey look as in the shots mentioned above. But to be true to the original, I'm not going to use a Gull Grey, as most of that coloration on the original stems from lighting.
I think the Tamiya color is a happy medium.
vaderdarth
Master Member
I agree, I promise you alot of the beige tint is from dust accumulation. Anytime you have that much texture on a model, dust just gets into the cracks and crevices........no matter how well you clean the thing. Nobody in their right mind would try cleaning the original deathstar anyway due to possible damage during the process. I'd bet the original was not very brownish at all in person circa 1977.
PHArchivist
Master Member
Well... The beige tint I refer to is in the studio shots from the 70's. But yes, the original model has stains, mars, and fading present all over it. Even a hand print, I believe. Much like the Declaration of Independence!
vaderdarth
Master Member
It's like all the props in the archives............so discolored by dust and wear, that people tend to think they looked the same way in 1977. They are almost always off in color than what they used to be.
Assuming the photos you're referring to were not altered since 1977, due to fading and darkening from aging........I'd definitely go with that.
Dave
Assuming the photos you're referring to were not altered since 1977, due to fading and darkening from aging........I'd definitely go with that.
Dave
PHArchivist
Master Member
It's like all the props in the archives............so discolored by dust and wear, that people tend to think they looked the same way in 1977. They are almost always off in color than what they used to be.
Assuming the photos you're referring to were not altered since 1977, due to fading and darkening from aging........I'd definitely go with that.
Dave
That's one cool thing about my model - assuming I "do it right" and it comes out as a true-to-form replica, it will be the next best thing to a restored original.
The beige/gold tint in the books I've referred to I believe was due to the warm glow of heavy incandescent lighting used for the photography. The most recent link in this thread (from the concert program) shows this.
PHArchivist
Master Member
200 years apart! I'll try to post a shot later of what I think is a hand print on the original.
vaderdarth
Master Member
cool, never heard of a hand print on the DS before.
PHArchivist
Master Member
Here it is...
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