PART I (due to 20 picture limit)
Hey everyone. A weekend has passed and it was a productive one!!!
First of all thanks you to everyone who posted and liked!
Thanks Analyzer and Hoplitespear - great reference. I think I might have to try and replicate that top detail to some extent, although the sunken part with the radiators is going to be tricky without cutting a big hole in the hull.
I wish I’d noticed this before I printed it all out and stuck it together! Having said that at least I haven’t started painting yet. I need to decide whether to try to 3D model and print a replacement top part, or build it from styrene. I was hoping to be able to just add styrene bits on top, but I think I'll need to grind back the existing raised part first, or it will all stick up too high.
Thank you for the nice comments, and in this post you see 'my rendition' of the top part of the hull.
Guys according to Chiang, the modellers put a life pod on the Crest during the design stage and it went like this,
"there was great detail in the finished exterior model that Jon really liked. And one day, he asked what it was. 'that's a life pod.' He goes, "well, we don't have a scene for that. Let's just finish it anyway because we may eventually" Chiang - Page 37 of The Art of Star Wars - The Mandalorian.
Plus Hopli, your print is looking good watching with interest
Thanks!! I hope you'll enjoy it. And I adjusted my top with the 'life pod' in mind.
Ok here we go!
We got to the point where I was adding detail to the engines. What I did this weekend:
-Added more detail to the engines
-Detailed the nozzles on the inside.
-Primered the engines and sanded them trough four grits.
-Made two diffuse rings for the exhaust
-Put final black primer on the Engines ready for top coat
-Chopped up the top hull
-Rebuild the top hull (about 25% done)
Nozzle detail: Again my own rendition I like the four pistons on the inside, and the upright fins. Gives it more texture for when the lights will be off.
First reaction after primer was: damn those build lines ARE visible. But it greatly depends on the orientation. If you hold the piece vertically under an LED its very visible. When holding it horizontal in the orientation the model will be they almost disappear.
Either way I decided to give it a very good sanding with my 4 sanding sponges, and leave that as the 'finished project'. I want as much of the 'printed look' gone as possible but not planning on spending weeks on end to get them all gone.
Two exhaust diffuse rings that go on the outer spacing. These will cover up some orange 3mm LED's in the near future.
Made them from pot lids.
People can say what they want about 'games workshop citadel black primer' ... it is expensive but it covers and finishes like a boss.
Build lines are still visible with camera flash. But IRL they feel mostly gone and are not distracting or catching the eye at all.
I got the two Tamiya paints suggested in Analyzer's post. The gunmetal and aluminum ones. (TS-17 & TS38) I will probably finish the engines completely as soon as I have my LED's. To test paint, weathering etc...