U.S.S. Stalker, a Fed/Klingon Bird of Prey Variant in progress - Opinions?

[Capn Rahn]

Back in the '80s I was part of the StarFleet Command club based here in Indy. We got to start a special ops unit and sort of allowed to have a ship design of our own - as a sub-ship of the USS Katana, a Miranda class.

Anyway, this Bird-of-Prey variant study-model is based off a design I did back then.

It is still in progress and paint tests are obvious, but I would really like to get some good honest feedback on this project. remember it is a Study-Model and al the parts aren't perfectly straight or, sometimes lol, very well aligned. I hope to 3D scan these or have a person savvy in LightWave [Or whatever is the current program{s} is/are} to construct some of my 250+ study models in the computer.

So here we go! Questions welcome as well!

Thumbnails from left to right:
1) A bow/dorsal view

2) Bow/ventral w/nose art!

3) Starboard - note it only has the upper half of it's 'arse' and the guns are just the core of a weapons system that will consist of a central Klingon photon torpedo tube surrounded by a rotary phaser cannon.

4) A tad fuzzy picture of a Yellow Jacket {or WASP, still to-be-named} launch door and the tiny vessel itself with yellow base coat.

5) A refurb of the original {see 1st pic} central bay door to something a tad more familiar. Just a test fit.

6) A comin'-at-ya shot of the Carrier head{?}module to show wing arch.

7) The Carrier module from the front with the central bay test-fit refurb.

 

[MooCriket]

Not bad, not bad at all. I like the design, kind of seems like an advanced BOP prototype, or maybe something survivors of a failed mission put together after crashing their ship in a battle and merging parts from the two ships together in order to get off some distant harsh world.

Having said that, my only critique would be the color scheme. Maybe some darker colors, rust, dark green, brown would work better overall depending on what you are going for.

Again, well done and thanks for sharingthumbsup

 

[Capn Rahn]

Not bad, not bad at all. I like the design, kind of seems like an advanced BOP prototype, or maybe something survivors of a failed mission put together after crashing their ship in a battle and merging parts from the two ships together in order to get off some distant harsh world.

Having said that, my only critique would be the color scheme. Maybe some darker colors, rust, dark green, brown would work better overall depending on what you are going for.

Again, well done and thanks for sharingthumbsup

Thanks!

Pretty on the mark about the prototype idea!

LOL, the colors are really a hodgepodge of paint tests, bare white rods stock, my purple liquid putty and the various colors of the models sacrificed to the Ghods of the KitBash. I was going for colors other than the typical BOP, hence the black chrome trim base color, metallic arctic blue accents and copper trim standing in for the shield emitter framework. I'll have to finalize the color scheme once all the modules are finalized.

Thanks again for the feedback!! This is what the RPF was originally built for, folks helping out others in a spirit of brother/sister-hood. {I know bunches of FemmeGeeks out there who LOVE this stuff! :love}

More soon!

 

[Smiling Demon]

I like to design but the colors are way too strong!!
Go with the Federation grey's and gunmetals and it would look better in my opinion!

 

[Capn Rahn]

I like to design but the colors are way too strong!!
Go with the Federation grey's and gunmetals and it would look better in my opinion!

How about the color scheme of the E-E or the Defiant? It seems each era {series,:lol?} has a slightly different ethic.

 

[Smiling Demon]

How about the color scheme of the E-E or the Defiant? It seems each era {series,:lol?} has a slightly different ethic.

Well, the Ent-E and the Defiant had some color to them true, but the contrast was subtle and not over powering!!

Beauty is also in the eye of the beerholder!! :lol

 

[AbsoluteSciFi]

The overall model is fine, but as some others have said, the color scheem needs work...

I would unify the entire model with a base coat of grey- then super detail using no more than 3 colors, then weather the model using an oil/black wash, rubbing it off then your done-

This does two things: tones down the busy look of the model, and lets the detial and form of the model take over, which is what I think is what stands out here- Good design!

 

[Capn Rahn]

The overall model is fine, but as some others have said, the color scheem needs work...

I would unify the entire model with a base coat of grey- then super detail using no more than 3 colors, then weather the model using an oil/black wash, rubbing it off then your done-

This does two things: tones down the busy look of the model, and lets the detial and form of the model take over, which is what I think is what stands out here- Good design!

:lol BeerHolder, Egg-Zactly!!!

OK, I compromised - Defiant scheme: I have repainted the dorsal and leading edges in duck-egg blue;

Leaving the copper and arctic blue {the S.O.L. color :rolleyes} on the recess' and feathers intact;

Still keeping the ventral side dark, sorta how camo-uniform insignia is darkened as compared to the brightness of dress uniform insignia. Makes for a nice albedo shift when viewing a wing-over.

Accents in various shades of gray. Translucent red, blue, yellow etc. over bright chrome for intakes, field emission vents and thrusters et al.

Thanks for all of your interest and feedback!

More Pics Soon...

 

[Capn Rahn]

Update 6-27-2010

Not been feeling so hot for the past months, so not much progress. But still there is a bit.

Let me know what you think and please ask questions, it helps me to sort out the details of the design and engineering aspects.

Thanks for your help and input!

PS - Thank the Odds that this is a study model, as my painting skills BLO!

 

[NYY27]

I like the custom paint job on the BOP. Looks like BOP hot rod.

 

[MooCriket]

I agree with the above post, a BOP Hotrod. Very nicely done:cool

 

[Capn Rahn]

I agree with the above post, a BOP Hotrod. Very nicely done:cool

:lol Thanks to the both of you!

This is my idea of an Andorian entry to the BOP type of craft.

Want to know the funny thing - The nose bottom is off a Space 1999 Eagle!

Should have a contest with kit-bashes - "What other parts can you ID?"

 

[Capn Rahn]

Update close-up

Eick - paint job sucks ... new pic soon. I am glad this is just a study-model!

 

[Capn Rahn]

OK, hopefully some better detail pics of paint color tests.

What do you think about the exterior 'Faraday cage' on the warp nacelle, the main cannons {tusk looking doohickies} and the multiple sensor dishes {look for the bright blue with the neon orange dot at the center?

 

[Capn Rahn]

Update 07/07/2010

Paint tests - went Azure Blue instead of Duck Egg Blue for the topside. New bits added and Flatdeck has a cape!

 

[Capn Rahn]

Anybody?

 

[micdavis]

Sorry, paint is too busy and there are too many familiar parts for my tastes.

 

[Capn Rahn]

Sorry, paint is too busy and there are too many familiar parts for my tastes.

I can see that - from a certain perspective.

Hey, do I recog ya from T4BB? My memory was scrambled a bit last year {strokes} and I am trying to rebuild it.

 

[trekriffic]

Not my cup of tea I'm afraid from a colors standpoint but I admire the imagination and the effort displayed by the modeller.

 

[Capn Rahn]

Not my cup of tea I'm afraid from a colors standpoint but I admire the imagination and the effort displayed by the modeller.

I keep forgetting most cannot see past the 'unintended colors' of the exposed purple putty, white of the rod stock and other colors.

I need to primer them in a good base then paint - but since they are paint-tests I never thought to do a base coat.

I know which colors to 'delete' in my mind - the casual viewer doesn't, so it looks like a bleah-melange mess.

Next time I start a round of paint tests, I'll primer it in whatever base color is lightest.

EDIT

As to parts being recognizable- I'll remind you of 2 things from my primary post: 1) Work in progress 2) It is a variant of a BOP so it should be familiar - to a degree.

I thought I might get points for using a Space 1999 Hawk head {half} as the under-nose of the FlatDeck module head.