Nexus Models RED 3 X-Wing Build Log by CAPTAINCOX

Hi Guys

Small update. Managed to finish the Graphics for Biggs Helmet. If anyone is interested please fell free to use them.

Bildschirmfoto 2017-03-06 um 07.21.52.png
View attachment BIGGS DARKLIGHTER GRAPHICS.pdf
I made them in different sizes as I was not 100% sure what would fit the 1/24 scale pilot Helmet.
One of them should fit but.

BIGGS HELMET.jpg
I based the Graphics on this Replica of Biggs Helmet. I think its pretty accurate.

Cheers Guys.
 
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Hi Guys

Before going to work this morning...7:00 AM I just had to paint the Red Call sign Markings. I was applying Liquid mask yesterday night and didn't want to wait to long with the paint as that stuff can stick like mad.

Mixed me up some "Caboose" Red...well eyeballing it with Tamiya Acryllics, Matt Red, some Earth, some Yellow and some White...no idea what mix ratio I used as I made it on the fly, but looks ok I think.

IMG_4090.JPG
Did all the Weathering using Micromask from Microscale ( Now I can not Recommend this product, will come to that later). I marked the "Spots"/"Dots" and what have you using a soft LED Pecil before applying the Mask with a small brush and Sponge. I used this method on my Slave 1 build and it worked really well, that ways you can sorta control the weathering and get it close to the original...well almost. Using a LED Pencil for marking the weatherd spots also lets you correct stuff that you normally could not do using Chipping. you take your time drawing the outlines using a simple rubber eraser correcting and finally paint/dab with Liquid Mask, works for me anyway.
Then I masked up the parts with "Black Garbage bags" and Tamiya Masking Tape :)...Garbage Bags are for sure great for covering parts as they are cheap and really durable.

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The result is for me totally ok. I think when I go over those graphics with fine sandpaper/Oils and Pastels they will look the part.
The clue is really to try to make it look "Organic" and use Ref Pics for sorta getting the right look, and the RED 3 is a pretty Fracked up X-Wing if you ask me :)

Now back to that Micromask. I used this for the first time and I must say it does the job but you have to wet the surface with a paper towel and rub like HELL! to take it off, the risk is that you damage the paint job so I will not use it anymore. I used Vallejo Masking Fluid painting my Slave 1 and that just came off by rubbing it off with your finger. Ordered two bottles of the Vallejo stuff that should be here this week, will use that for the rest of the build.

Cheers Guys.
 
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Hi Guys

Spent a lot of time down in the basement Airbrushing this weekend.

IMG_0259.JPGIMG_0260.JPGIMG_0261.JPG
Almost done with all the "Markings" using Liquid Mask. Not 100% sure about some colors but I think I can adjust some of them
using Oils and Washes later. If the Colors are to Strong/Dark they tend be almost impossible to tone down later, better go lighter and then
enhance step by step, that works for me anyway.

IMG_0263.JPGIMG_0262.JPG
Still got some detail to do before starting Weathering. I will go over the whole model correcting some of the "Chipping"
with brush and paint before sealing it with Future.

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Also got me the Decals for Biggs Helmet :) Still needs some Weathering and off corse the Mustache needs to be painted :p

Cheers Guys.
 
Cheers Guys



IMG_4123.JPG
Started with some heavy weathering. Painted the Aft Engines in a sort a rusty brown, Looking at Ref pics of the Red 3 you notice that the model
have some pretty serious damage and aging. I will see how far I take that on this build...can also start too look overdone.

IMG_4124.JPG
Comparison between clean untreated paint to discoloration using Oils

IMG_4131.JPGfullsizeoutput_89a.jpeg
Applied Pastels using grays almost no black as its almost to harsh in my opinion.


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Not sure if I took it to far with the pastels, its easy to get carried away when you start to apply it, but then again the Red 3 was a pretty dirty ship.

Will start with splatter, flecks, streaks and battle damage next.

Cheers Guys.
 
Hi Guys.

IMG_4136.jpgIMG_4137.jpg
Added some battle damage and spatter to the upper wings using oils and acrylics.
Adding more and more detail slowly brings the paint job together.

kg-lucasfilm_archived-red3-reference-001.jpg
I am not sure but I might give the whole model
a light coat of a very diluted gray wash in the end. Looking at the ref pics the Original its very gray indeed.

Will spend this week going over the model inch by inch applying all the flecks and scratches and what have you.

Cheers Guys.
 
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I really admire the diligence you put into your models. How much time did you spend on painting that model up to this point? What are the drying times on the paints you use?
 
Cheers Man!.

As for how many hours I put in...God knows, I usually try to spend like 2-3h a day after work, not every day but. Weekends I put in a bit more, 5-6h or so.
I simply use Tamiya Acrylics for the most part, that means the drying times are really fast, 30min-1h. If I use Oils with Turpentine I normally let the model sit for 24h before touching it.
All work done with Pastels I normally seal up using a Acrylic Clear coat or Future. With the Acrylic its again fast, if I use Future I let it sit for half a day or so.

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Sorta finished the Wings.
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Finished "Biggs"...he's even got the Tash :)
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R2-Q2 also getting there.

Cheers Guys.
 
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Hey CaptainCox,

What a brilliant build so far! You're paintwork is beautiful. I had a question about the technique you used to make those very small nicks/chips in the wings as indicated by the black arrows below:

Wing Detail.jpg

It almost looks like they were made using a sharp instrument or even a needle. To me, those are such a key detail in replicating an original looking ILM Red 3.

I am currently working on a Revell 1/29 scale Red 2 and I wish there were archive photos for it like there are for Red 3, it sure makes it easier when trying to achieve that look.

Thanks in advance for any help/insight you can provide on how you did that.
 
Hi Enhancer4004 and cheers!

I used Masking Fluid on this build and thats what you are seeing there...well almost that.

I painted the model with a base color...sorta off white/Gray, then I applied Masking Fluid looking at the Ref pics trying to match the location of all the flecks/damage, Then I masked of the Graphics that would be Red in this case using normal Tamyia Masking Tape. spraying the Red over the Liquid mask, Rubbed the mask off and thats what you see there, sorta random organic flecks showing the base paint. Then I applied oils and what have you for discoloration and the went back painting the dark gray dots in where I thought it would look like the damage had went through to the base coat/Material of the wing.


A Ship/Vehicle would have a primer or material color under that coat of paint.

View attachment BATTLE DAMAGE.jpg

I tried to show this in this Graphic, I think that Adam Savage even explained this in of the "One Day Builds" on tested.com. Its a technique they used at ILM on many models.
In other words its simply a paint technique to make a flat surface look like it has depth and layers of paint on it.

To be honest I think they actually worked the RED 3 with a Dremel or something of the sort, literally making real damage to that model, but as I did not want to "carve" up my model I went with this technique.

I hope I made sense just now...if not just ask me again...its late and I had a Vodka or 2 :).

Cheers.
 
Fair play. That has got to be the best Red 3 I've seen yet. You've even got the engine mismatched exhausts !!!! Beautiful job with the paintwork and that very hard to get right subtle weathering. Bravo.
 
Hi Enhancer4004 and cheers!

I used Masking Fluid on this build and thats what you are seeing there...well almost that.

I painted the model with a base color...sorta off white/Gray, then I applied Masking Fluid looking at the Ref pics trying to match the location of all the flecks/damage, Then I masked of the Graphics that would be Red in this case using normal Tamyia Masking Tape. spraying the Red over the Liquid mask, Rubbed the mask off and thats what you see there, sorta random organic flecks showing the base paint. Then I applied oils and what have you for discoloration and the went back painting the dark gray dots in where I thought it would look like the damage had went through to the base coat/Material of the wing.


A Ship/Vehicle would have a primer or material color under that coat of paint.

View attachment 718316

I tried to show this in this Graphic, I think that Adam Savage even explained this in of the "One Day Builds" on tested.com. Its a technique they used at ILM on many models.
In other words its simply a paint technique to make a flat surface look like it has depth and layers of paint on it.

To be honest I think they actually worked the RED 3 with a Dremel or something of the sort, literally making real damage to that model, but as I did not want to "carve" up my model I went with this technique.

I hope I made sense just now...if not just ask me again...its late and I had a Vodka or 2 :).

Cheers.

Thanks Captain, that's some good info there. I am amazed at how using the liquid mask with the darker grey accents added looks so convincingly like the rumored Dremel/power drill damage on ILM the originals. That Nexus is such a beautiful kit, I'd not want to risk taking a power tool to it either. I'll have to experiment with that technique on my next go around.

I'm also fascinated with how you use oils in your weathering process. I am more of a pastels guy. I suppose I feel as if I have more control with the pigments than I would with oils. I assume you are using oils and odorless spirits where you are dabbing and diluting the oils over the desired areas with the brush? And that does not cause the Tamiya colors to run apparently? Or immediately fill the panel lines? I've go so much to learn....

None the less, like CutThumb mentioned, this is probably one of the best Red 3 representations that anyone has done so far. Amazing work.

Thanks again for the info and cheers to those vodkas!
 
Cheers Guys appreciate it.
There are some pretty darn god Red 3s out there, I just tried to get as close as I could to the Ref Pics using the techniques I know.

Yes I use Turpenoid and slightly wet the surface before applying the oil. Its more or less the same technique as Fichtenfoo uses in this Video painting the 1/72 FM Falcon.
For sure the ILM guys did not use Oils at least as far as I know, but you can slowly build up and modulate colors, dirt and battle damage/Streaks that sort a simulates the Style used on many of the Star Wars Models. The good thing with oils is that if you don't like what you see you can wipe it of and start again, only thing is the pretty long drying times before applying another layer of paint. I normally wait for 24h to be sure it won't wash away or smudge.

I also use Pencil a lot for small flecks and streaks and so on, thats also a tool the guys used back then.

I feel that I can control Oils better then pastels for some reason :) Pastels are really hard to get of if you apply to much for example, but thats me.
And the Acrylics are not affected at all by Terpenoid.

Check out those vids from Fichtenfoo he really shows how to apply the oils step by step. .

In the end I think it don't matter what you use if it looks good.
 
Cheers Guys appreciate it.
There are some pretty darn god Red 3s out there, I just tried to get as close as I could to the Ref Pics using the techniques I know.

Yes I use Turpenoid and slightly wet the surface before applying the oil. Its more or less the same technique as Fichtenfoo uses in this Video painting the 1/72 FM Falcon.
For sure the ILM guys did not use Oils at least as far as I know, but you can slowly build up and modulate colors, dirt and battle damage/Streaks that sort a simulates the Style used on many of the Star Wars Models. The good thing with oils is that if you don't like what you see you can wipe it of and start again, only thing is the pretty long drying times before applying another layer of paint. I normally wait for 24h to be sure it won't wash away or smudge.

I also use Pencil a lot for small flecks and streaks and so on, thats also a tool the guys used back then.

I feel that I can control Oils better then pastels for some reason :) Pastels are really hard to get of if you apply to much for example, but thats me.
And the Acrylics are not affected at all by Terpenoid.

Check out those vids from Fichtenfoo he really shows how to apply the oils step by step. .

In the end I think it don't matter what you use if it looks good.

Hah, Oh I've watched those Fichtenfoo videos, the Falcon ones at least. That was basically the exact application I was referring to. It's good to know you can achieve the results you did using oils, I always associated that technique more to the Falcon builds. The way you can streak and blend in the subtle color tones, such as the blue like he did in those videos is brilliant. I've seen a few guys over in the DeAgostini Falcon area doing some pretty impressive stuff with oils as well. As I said, I'm just a padewan...so much to learn!

And you are correct about oils being more friendly in that regard when it comes to being able to undo things. Pastels tend to be a tad less forgiving once applied, especially when it's over a real matte finish like the Tamiya's tend to produce. One technique I've been playing with is using Windex/glass cleaner on a Q-tip to mute or even remove areas where the pastels were overdone. But of course you have to be very careful, as with anything, you can make an even bigger mess trying to "fix" something.

In my opinion, weathering, as a whole, is key. It usually makes or breaks the build. And it seems almost unfair how easy it is to go overboard with it. Knowing just when/where to stop can be the difference in a good build and an exceptional build. Also, it's not just the amount of weathering, but also the right balance of it as well. From the nose cone to the engine nozzles. Knowing exactly where to put it and how much. I've seen plenty of builds where the rear of the ship (the droid strip, engines and rear plate) is overdone and not balanced to the rest of the canopy/fuselage/nose areas. I've always preferred a real uniform look when it comes to the weathering amount and finding that balance is the art of the build to me. So far, you've nailed that with your Red 3.

And lastly, I agree, the method/technique used is irrelevant when it comes to the finished product. If it looks good, whether its washes, oils, pastels or pencils, that's all that matters.

Cheers
 
Hi Guys

I preassembled the model cause I wanted to see how it looks on display :)
Its preassembled as the Circuit Board that will control the wings and the LEDs fried for one reason or another :(
Rodolfo will ship me a new one and also an updated X-Wing mechanism, so the wings are not properly aligned and properly mounted hence the somewhat sagging engines :p

Will take better pics using a proper camera when done and a vid of the X-Wing Mechanism in action.

Anyhow thought I post anyway as I think its such a cool display with the TIE chasing from behind "Stay on Target"

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Took some pics with the LEDs in action.
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Cheers Guys.
 
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CAPTAINCOX Fantastic job! Looks amazing! Rod makes an incredible X-Wing. I liked his film version X-Wing cockpit and ordered one to upgrade the ILM cockpit in the X-Wing I already have.
 

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