Galactica nameplate decal - first attempt

[Andrew C.]

Here's an idea that didn't quite work out the way I hoped:

While browsing through all the pictures of the original effects model, the idea came to me to to use a picture of the Galactica nameplate and print it out as a decal. This way, the 'original' nameplate (okay, a facsimile of it) would end up on my 4-footer.

After
1. blowing the original up to 400%
2. straightening out the perspective lines (shot was from an angle)
3. evening out the lighting (brighter on one side)
4. redithering the values (make unshaded gray areas transparent)
5. correcting minor flaws and scratches
I then made a testprint (of the 400% blow up and downsized just the print-out, without losing any resolution) on normal white paper. It is clear that the original picture is simply too small to begin with, turned out fuzzy. Dang! angry

Then stuck it onto my G with double-stick tape for a look:

 

[steveo]

I don't see anything wrong with it, it looks quite good.

 

[Treadwell]

Whoa, I wanna see more pics of that build!

 

[Andrew C.]

I don't see anything wrong with it, it looks quite good.

steveo, it looks halfway decent in the picture, but when you look at it in person it doesn't hold up so well!

Whoa, I wanna see more pics of that build!

These are not so new and are about a year old, gotta get around to shooting some new ones sometime:

This model is slightly under two/thirds length when compared to the studio scale original model. The detail on mine does not match the original, so please do not use this as reference for studio scale replicas!!! :eek

With the underside view you can see I still have a ways to go.

Greetings from Bavaria,
Andrew

 

[dilbertman]

Very colorfull.

Jim

 

[David Moeller]

Andrew,

I am in agreement with you, you should get rid of the entire model....to me:love

No, but really, in the viper thread I was going to ask you to start a new one featuring your Galactica, you have to admit, those colors are quite striking!

As to the name plate, I really don't think it looks that bad (at least in the photos) but if you are concerned about clarity, you are manipulating the image so much, you might want to consider taking what you have and recreate it in Illustrator, that way you will have the best of both worlds.

Dave

 

[phase pistol]

Excellent work!

Some people seem to use Helvetica or Arial or some such. I have found that a good match is Futura Demibold.

 

[DesTROYer8564]

Every time i visit the modeling section of the forum I am completely blown away. That is a beautiful model. I loved looking over the photos to see where the different kit parts have come from. Are they the same parts used as on the original model?

 

[GoldCylon1]

That is a great build up, studio scale or not. The colors, man that is striking, at least a bimped out version for now. As for the name plate, well dong some edit work myself the down fall about blowing it up 400% of normal you see more detail that scale that is wrong, than you do when scaled down the correct size. I think removing your 400% eyes from the now correct version your dead on. Looks great, can't wait to see more work. :thumbsup

 

[Galactifan]

Very interesting Galactica model you created. Time well spent for a great ship! AWESOME!!!

 

[Andrew C.]

Thank you for the kind words, guys!

The problem with my decal attempt is that the printout looks too good in the picture - if you could see it in person, am sure you'd agree that it is too soft. This just goes to show how much you can get away with in photography. How many models looked great on screen, and a bit disappointing up close?

Phase pistol, thanks for the great pic! Did you edit that together just for me? :eek
Looks like I might use my old Chartpak Decca Dry transfer lettering, which is in Futura Demi Bold, the same as in your info. (Bought it 20 years ago - wonder if they still make those?) The dry transfer lettering is not the right size, but might scan and enlarge it. Even better would be to have the font, will check around and see for a possible free download.

At least the decal will be good for using as a template, while creating the thing from scratch.

Dave, I have no experience with Illustrator, but always wanted to try and dabble with it. Have heard that Corel Draw is supposed to be easier than Illustrator, do you know anything about this? (And yeah, unpainted it looks like the disco version - wasn't that about 1978 too?)

Greetings all,
Andrew

 

[phase pistol]

Shux, I can do bettern' that!

http://homepage.mac.com/ktate/extra/battlestarnameplates.pdf

PDF, with text converted to paths.

In the case of Galactica, Atlantia and Pegasus, I tried to match how the text was kerned (a bit too loose in the first two, and tighter on Pegasus).

- k

 

[S. Holmes]

Shux, I can do bettern' that!

http://homepage.mac.com/ktate/extra/battlestarnameplates.pdf

PDF, with text converted to paths.

In the case of Galactica, Atlantia and Pegasus, I tried to match how the text was kerned (a bit too loose in the first two, and tighter on Pegasus).

- k

Hey.... Phase Pistol,
Could I ask if you could do a list like this with one more name added to it?

The name MILLENNIA

Gil

 

[phase pistol]

Well being the magnanimous guy I am, I made up a list with all the non-canon Battlestar names I could find, including yours. :cool

http://homepage.mac.com/ktate/extra/battlestars_noncanon.pdf

- k

 

[S. Holmes]

Well being the magnanimous guy I am, I made up a list with all the non-canon Battlestar names I could find, including yours. :cool

http://homepage.mac.com/ktate/extra/battlestars_noncanon.pdf

- k

Thank you very much sir,

Your are a gentelman and a scholar. :love

Gil

 

[phase pistol]

Your are a gentelman and a scholar. :love

Some might not agree! But thanks. :lol

And just for giggles, here are some more ship markings that just happen to be in weights of Futura.

http://homepage.mac.com/ktate/extra/battlestar_otherships.pdf

 

[Treadwell]

It seems more work was done to the model between the time the Galactica nameplate was shot and when they shot the Atlantia (and, of course, Pegasus, which would've been quite some time later).

 

[phase pistol]

Yeah you can see that the front-launchbay area was significantly less detailed, in some early shots. They added all those little panel lines at some point. And it seems like some greeblies fell off and may have been added.

It seems some stock footage was taken at a very early stage, where the front area there is pretty much blank.

Also I believe some shots were done of the miniiature with NO nameplate.

- k

 

[phase pistol]

BTW it's starting to look to me as though the nameplate lettering is RED and not black!

Or is that some sort of color contamination creating an illusion? So hard to be sure.

They plates could still be a dark gray, too. If red, they don't seem as bright sa the red stripe on the forward end of the launch bay.

 

[GoldCylon1]

I might lean towards it being a rust color or black, but clearly not red. Just look a bit foreword in the Atlantia landing bay. A very red marking in that photo.