Building The Death Star - PRODUCTION
- Thread starter PHArchivist
- Start date
Keep in mind how smudged and faded the original lines have gotten over the years. Yours are only looking the tiniest bit darker, but I'd be willing to bet money that's exactly how they looked when the DS was built.
man this is a feat! its looks real good man.
PHArchivist
Master Member
The latest images are the same as I posted a bit back. This one is with flash, but without flash my lines look darker.
At any rate, I tried to get a .03mm pencil today, but the retail stores don't carry that. I'd have to order on-line. I may still do so, so that I can experiment.
I'll stick with the .05mm on the cityscapes, since the lines need to stand out more so there, but on the blank grey areas, I'll wait until I can test out with a .03mm.
12Rogues
Sr Member
They make leads for mylar drafting that are more of a vinyl material. They are darker, don't smudge and last longer but they are very brittle and break easily and often.
You have to be careful when using them, because when the lead breaks in the middle of drawing a line, the mechanical pencil will usually thump down on the project surface if not careful and may scratch the paint. The benefit over inks is you can erase them with the correct eraser. I would try this on a scrap piece before trying it on the DS.
Also when I used to do pencil designs (before CAD) I used an eraser bag for regular lead drawings to reduce smudging. It's essentially a cloth bag filled with eraser dust that removes the excess lead residue that results from drawing a line with "graphite" leads. If you go over a line softly, it will remove the graphite dust without noticeable softening of the line.
For design drawings using graphite leads I usually used 2H lead .
You are doing an amazing job on this!
You have to be careful when using them, because when the lead breaks in the middle of drawing a line, the mechanical pencil will usually thump down on the project surface if not careful and may scratch the paint. The benefit over inks is you can erase them with the correct eraser. I would try this on a scrap piece before trying it on the DS.
Also when I used to do pencil designs (before CAD) I used an eraser bag for regular lead drawings to reduce smudging. It's essentially a cloth bag filled with eraser dust that removes the excess lead residue that results from drawing a line with "graphite" leads. If you go over a line softly, it will remove the graphite dust without noticeable softening of the line.
For design drawings using graphite leads I usually used 2H lead .
You are doing an amazing job on this!
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PHArchivist
Master Member
Yeah, 2H is what I'm using, pretty sure... Tried to find a harder lead in the store, but no luck.
robn1
Master Member
The soft leads tend to crumble as you draw, this makes the line broad and dark. It also tends to smudge more. The harder leads don't crumble as much, so they draw finer, lighter (gray) lines with less smudging.
A .5mm hard lead will draw a finer (thinner) line than a soft lead of the same size.
As was mentioned above, the original lines have most likely smudged/faded over time. If you draw your lines a bit finer and darker than they appear now you should be good.
A .5mm hard lead will draw a finer (thinner) line than a soft lead of the same size.
As was mentioned above, the original lines have most likely smudged/faded over time. If you draw your lines a bit finer and darker than they appear now you should be good.
PHArchivist
Master Member
Check out this image. it is cropped and reduced from an original shot taken with my 8.0mp cam; the original image being 2448x3624, 675.8 KB.
In my image there is no sign of any pencil lines. Granted I'm shooting through glass, with a strong flash washing the image.
But I do have verifiable proof there there were NOTABLE pencil lines in this area when the model was new. Perhaps they may show to the naked eye today, outside of the glass, under natural light. But NONE of my images captured the lines here, where as I clearly captured many lines elsewhere on the model.
In my image there is no sign of any pencil lines. Granted I'm shooting through glass, with a strong flash washing the image.
But I do have verifiable proof there there were NOTABLE pencil lines in this area when the model was new. Perhaps they may show to the naked eye today, outside of the glass, under natural light. But NONE of my images captured the lines here, where as I clearly captured many lines elsewhere on the model.
PHArchivist
Master Member
Dave, I need a favor. From the images below, can you manipulate the section in the second image, adjusting brightness, contrast, etcetera to see if we can extract more detail on the lines?
On my monitior, with my editing program combined with my lame editing skills, I'm not getting much.
On my monitior, with my editing program combined with my lame editing skills, I'm not getting much.
vaderdarth
Master Member
I'll give it a shot Rob. I invite everyone else to do the same. Try to lighten without losing definition.
Dave
Dave
vaderdarth
Master Member
I sent the pic to your email Rob. 
PHArchivist
Master Member
Thanks Dave - better than what I got out of it. When it first dawned on my to mess with the brightness on these, I was at work with a better monitor, and it was on another of the four images.
This helps me along though. Thanks!
This helps me along though. Thanks!
Strange question.
If the pencil lines could smudge, why did you draw them on first instead of working on the windows ? I would think all the hands-on might smudge all that hard work.
If the pencil lines could smudge, why did you draw them on first instead of working on the windows ? I would think all the hands-on might smudge all that hard work.
PHArchivist
Master Member
Good question...
Some insight to the process:
--I spend about 1 to 3 hours per 2" x 4" section of city scape.
--Both the ink and the lead can smudge
--Ink can be wiped off with a damp cloth if caught early
--Lead of course can be erased
--I DO need to be careful as the section I'm working gets filled with lines
--But after each section is complete, I hit it with a light coat of Testor's Clear Flat to seal it
PHArchivist
Master Member
Five Star Wars nerds in ONE garage gawking at a big grey ball... :rolleyes
And believe it or not no one called the Geek Police - my neigbors must be getting used to me!
We had a good time. Mike, and Mike, BrianM and Brad all dropped by to check out the beast. Is always comforting and fun to get together with like-minded folk (nice to know I'm not the only one!)...
Of course, I had to point out all my flaws, while the gentlemen graciously stroked my ego (EGO - I said ego!).
Fired up the lights on the inside for a tease on how it (may) look in a few years, when my kids graduate and I finish the mother !&%$#.
Seriously, showing off may or may not be what it is ALL about, but it IS a big part of what we do. I'd probably still dig this **** in a vacuum, but it would not be as rewarding. The opportunity to share with friends is always welcome.
:cheers to all... Thanks for coming by. I'll have cold beer next time.
And believe it or not no one called the Geek Police - my neigbors must be getting used to me!
We had a good time. Mike, and Mike, BrianM and Brad all dropped by to check out the beast. Is always comforting and fun to get together with like-minded folk (nice to know I'm not the only one!)...
Of course, I had to point out all my flaws, while the gentlemen graciously stroked my ego (EGO - I said ego!).
Fired up the lights on the inside for a tease on how it (may) look in a few years, when my kids graduate and I finish the mother !&%$#.
Seriously, showing off may or may not be what it is ALL about, but it IS a big part of what we do. I'd probably still dig this **** in a vacuum, but it would not be as rewarding. The opportunity to share with friends is always welcome.
:cheers to all... Thanks for coming by. I'll have cold beer next time.
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