Yeah, I think it's better to not over do it. Looks good!
Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION
- Thread starter PHArchivist
- Start date
vaderdarth
Master Member
Also Rob, if a photograph is the least bit out of focus or over enlarged, it magnifies the details and may cause you to see the gap incorrectly. I think I would add strips to the bottom of the equator and that should make you quite happy with the height of the trench. 
Dave
Dave
PHArchivist
Master Member
Trip to Seattle: Mission accomplished; sort of...
I ended up with 10 or 11 shots before the got huffy with me.
Was funny really - first some 6'2" pencil-neck red-head kid approaches me, not quite sternly, but clear and matter-of-fact, blunt, saying "no photos". I played nice for a little while, then of course snapped a few more.
Then I wandered off to some other exhibits, in which Pencil-Neck actually tracked me down, this time with his 6'4" (I'm 6'5", remember) spikey-haired bleached bonde, dual stud earringed gorilla. I successfully fought back the urge to smart off about how they now brought on "the muscle"!
Its funny - these jokers get all huffy, and start into this manning up positioning crap, and act like they're taking the whole thing personal... Like me breaking the rules of the museum is a personal affront or attact on their manhood. Hilarious.
Anyway, this time they called attention to the fact that they do have security cameras (true) and if I continued they'd ask me to "check my camera" - not a chance; I'd leave before I let them have my camera! So I played by the rules from that point. I sort of dumb-founded the brain-surgeons when I asked if I could use my pen-light! They didn't really know WHAT to say, but couldn't really say "No".
In retrospect, though not recorded, the mental images I gained using the penlight (five white LEDs) was more valuable that probably the photos...
And...
This g'dam thing is EVEN MORE complicated than I ever imagined...
More later.
I ended up with 10 or 11 shots before the got huffy with me.
Was funny really - first some 6'2" pencil-neck red-head kid approaches me, not quite sternly, but clear and matter-of-fact, blunt, saying "no photos". I played nice for a little while, then of course snapped a few more.
Then I wandered off to some other exhibits, in which Pencil-Neck actually tracked me down, this time with his 6'4" (I'm 6'5", remember) spikey-haired bleached bonde, dual stud earringed gorilla. I successfully fought back the urge to smart off about how they now brought on "the muscle"!
Its funny - these jokers get all huffy, and start into this manning up positioning crap, and act like they're taking the whole thing personal... Like me breaking the rules of the museum is a personal affront or attact on their manhood. Hilarious.
Anyway, this time they called attention to the fact that they do have security cameras (true) and if I continued they'd ask me to "check my camera" - not a chance; I'd leave before I let them have my camera! So I played by the rules from that point. I sort of dumb-founded the brain-surgeons when I asked if I could use my pen-light! They didn't really know WHAT to say, but couldn't really say "No".
In retrospect, though not recorded, the mental images I gained using the penlight (five white LEDs) was more valuable that probably the photos...
And...
This g'dam thing is EVEN MORE complicated than I ever imagined...
More later.
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PHArchivist
Master Member
FACTS LEARNED:
--There are without a doubt solid blocks of silver and silver stripes on the model
--The upper blank equator band clearly raises above the surface, as the edge casts a shadow, thouh it is not much thicker than a piece of paper
--The lower blank equator band has what appears to be a scored line right where it transits into the cityscapes.
--It appears they used some form of applique, laminate or other type of suface-applied layered material; on the far left (facing the dish) where the painting stops and the clear acrylic starts, there are horizontal thin lines of light eminating from where the layers don't quite meet properly (think latitude lines), and there is scoring along the length of the latitude lines
--The south pole region has LOTS of detail lines running straight down to the pole itself, both in the light grey and the dark grey
--My "radials" off the north pole are notably too heavy in gauge
--All the "pencil lines" and markings all over the model appear to be to fine for even the sharpest pencil
--The equatorial trench is currently not evenly spaced; it is narrower on the left side than the right
--It is absoluetley clear that there was detail pieces attached to the cross-sectional edge of the upper dome that have now been removed. There is clear induication of glue residue, and paint where the gaps (previously posted about) were. The lower dome edge has an even coat of paint still on it; dirty, but even, and still there.
--You cannot tell the difference between a black speck and a light hole.
--There are without a doubt solid blocks of silver and silver stripes on the model
--The upper blank equator band clearly raises above the surface, as the edge casts a shadow, thouh it is not much thicker than a piece of paper
--The lower blank equator band has what appears to be a scored line right where it transits into the cityscapes.
--It appears they used some form of applique, laminate or other type of suface-applied layered material; on the far left (facing the dish) where the painting stops and the clear acrylic starts, there are horizontal thin lines of light eminating from where the layers don't quite meet properly (think latitude lines), and there is scoring along the length of the latitude lines
--The south pole region has LOTS of detail lines running straight down to the pole itself, both in the light grey and the dark grey
--My "radials" off the north pole are notably too heavy in gauge
--All the "pencil lines" and markings all over the model appear to be to fine for even the sharpest pencil
--The equatorial trench is currently not evenly spaced; it is narrower on the left side than the right
--It is absoluetley clear that there was detail pieces attached to the cross-sectional edge of the upper dome that have now been removed. There is clear induication of glue residue, and paint where the gaps (previously posted about) were. The lower dome edge has an even coat of paint still on it; dirty, but even, and still there.
--You cannot tell the difference between a black speck and a light hole.
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PHArchivist
Master Member
Great report, Rob. Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup
Clearly, the next piece of secret agent equipment you need to buy is a pen-light camera.
Man I thought about that ("Why can't this damn thing have a digi-cam built right into it!?)
In reality, the next best hope is that the museum actually TANKS, closes, Gus takes it back home, and extends an invite.
I won't be back to Seattle until after this project is done, unless the above DOES happen. :unsure
And even if I do, they'll probably have wanted posters with my picture on it: Seattle Sci-Fi Museum's Ten Most Wanted list; THIS man is armed (with a digital camera) and dangerous. :lol
PHArchivist
Master Member
Teaser:
This represents about 1/12 of the entire image
This represents about 1/12 of the entire image
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PHArchivist
Master Member
This shot shows the scoring along the latitude line, plus the edge created at the top of the blank equator band...
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PHArchivist
Master Member
Reassessment: After reviewing the pictures, mission VERY accomplished!
My threshold for disappointment/failure was five - five or fewer photos would have left my very distressed. I got ten usable images of outstanding quality, including the key areas I was seeking.
That looks perfect!
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tgreco
Sr Member
looking at the photo section you posted, they look like mechanical pencil lines to me
which makes sense, as with a mechanical pencil, your line wouldn't get thicker as the tip dulled
vaderdarth
Master Member
I was thinking the exact same thing tgreco, I used one on my Cooper SD model for some of the detail lines that got lost on the casting. Worked like a charm and were "hair" thin. Excellent information gleaned Rob.
Dave
Dave
Great pics Rob! Did you notice that there are thin strips of the bottom layer of gray showing? It looks like they did some detail masking for that 'flek-stone' surface, and not just the bigger chunks of the graphic. It's hard to believe how many layers of detailing it really has.
PHArchivist
Master Member
The more I study these shots, the more I'm thinking the fleck pattern is some form of pre-printed applique (think self-adhesive shelf paper).
Even in the second shot I posted; take a close look. There is a section of fleck pattern within the overall section of fleck pattern where the pattern varies. How is this possible unless it was another piece of something applied to the surface?
When I first saw the model in person in June 2008, I was amazed at the level of detail. Now, after studying it with a flash light, I'm even more so awed.
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PHArchivist
Master Member
Tony and Dave - tell me more about mechanical pencils. I know they are used by pros in the industry, but I've never used one, and I stil associate the term to the silly things we had in grade school.
I'm not Tony or Dave, but I can tell you that the ones you used in grade school are pretty much the same thing. You're best off buying one in a stationary store like Staples or something. They'll have a variety of mechanical pencils that can take different thicknesses of graphite sticks. I think the smallest is 0.5mm. They should also sell canisters of refill leads in different sizes. I keep several down in my workshop.
You're probably best off getting two or three different sized leads and then experimenting on a piece of styrene that you've painted a city scape speckle patern onto to see which size looks best.
You're probably best off getting two or three different sized leads and then experimenting on a piece of styrene that you've painted a city scape speckle patern onto to see which size looks best.
tgreco
Sr Member
don't know if you ever looked at Lasse's build of the death star, but that slight amount of depth you're seeing, it could be that they taped off, and did a thick primer or base coat, which also would have kept the darker color from accidentally bleeding under the tape. Then do the darker coat, then the speckle. That extra heavy base coat would have given a small amount of depth without having to worry about doing applique that conform to the sphere's curvature...
at least, that's how I would try and tackle it, cuz your earlier attempts at matching the paint speckle look spot on to me
after 30+ years, I doubt the applique, because somewhere on that sphere a corner or an edge would have to be coming up by now
they could have wound up having to fixed bleed under spots, which would explain why you're seeing the variation in pattern and extra depth
as for the mechanical pencils, get a good hard lead .5 or I think you can even find .25, but you want a good one, not the throw away cheapies
and skip the #2 you want harder then that
my best advice would be check someplace that carries drafting or art supplies
Though CAD is kinda eaten into that market quite a bit, so you may have to hunt a liitle bit to find a good set
at least, that's how I would try and tackle it, cuz your earlier attempts at matching the paint speckle look spot on to me
after 30+ years, I doubt the applique, because somewhere on that sphere a corner or an edge would have to be coming up by now
they could have wound up having to fixed bleed under spots, which would explain why you're seeing the variation in pattern and extra depth
as for the mechanical pencils, get a good hard lead .5 or I think you can even find .25, but you want a good one, not the throw away cheapies
and skip the #2 you want harder then that
my best advice would be check someplace that carries drafting or art supplies
Though CAD is kinda eaten into that market quite a bit, so you may have to hunt a liitle bit to find a good set
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PHArchivist
Master Member
Sounds good on the pencil. I had forgotten over the years about the varying lead hardness (been a while since I've taken a fill-in-the-bubble; No. 2 pencil test!). On the model, it looks strongly as if they used both lead, and ink - the jet black lines were likely a very fine-tipped marker.
On the speckling, its really hard to tell, and we'll never really now unless Ralph McQuarrie offers insight. But its all academic, as I'm settled on my approach already.
On the speckling, its really hard to tell, and we'll never really now unless Ralph McQuarrie offers insight. But its all academic, as I'm settled on my approach already.
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