Phase II Enterprise Study Model

These are so beautifully lit... might you show us your light set-up? I'd love to know a little more about how you're photographing this model.

--Alex
 
Thanks!

Albertese said:
These are so beautifully lit... might you show us your light set-up? I'd love to know a little more about how you're photographing this model.
Click to expand...
The setup is pretty basic, the main trick is that I generally use two or three light sources... but not aimed at the model. I bounce them off large white sheets of foamcore board. The other trick I found is to place sheets of white paper under the model to reflect light upwards to get the model lit evenly. That I found out by trial and error (mainly noticing that the underside of my models were too dark to see details in photos).

Also, because I shoot against a black sheet, I add in a number of white pieces of paper in the background so that the camera can key to them. Without them, my model all turn nearly white and are washed out in the images. Below is an example of how I place the pieces of paper to get the original image.

touch-up_example.jpg


Small update...

As of today, I've attached the carriages to the nacelles and started puttying them to fill in the openings for the support pylons (the openings were oversized so I wouldn't have to worry about how those parts came together. Here is how the model looks right now...

p2_1701_083.jpg
 
So while I finish up on the decals, I thought it would be nice to roll back the clock to the fall of 1978 and imagine what it would have been like to sit in front of our TVs watching new Star Trek episodes.

title_screen-p2.jpg

I know I would have loved it! :thumbsup


Some progress shots...

This is the last set of shots of the model before I started applying the gloss coat...


Currently the model is super glossy and doesn't photograph very well. This was right after I finished most of the decals for the primary hull...

p2_1701_085.jpg

And this is with the rest of the decals in place...


Now I just need to bring it back using some matte finish on it.
 
Wow, thanks!


Well, I hit her with a coat of matte finish, and I also (finally) glued the hangar doors in place. I also realized I hadn't taken any shots from behind in a while, so here are a couple...

 
That actually is a pretty good looking spaceship. And I, for one, really like the registry on the side of the lower hull like that. Looks great!

--Alex
 
Thanks!

I know that for me, most aspects of the design have grown on me over the years of researching it, so it is nice to hear that people who haven't been laboring over the model also like the design. I worry that I'm looking at this through a parent's eyes at this point.


Small update...

Added on a few more small parts (most of the marker lights). I still have some other things to work on, but it is getting to look pretty complete at this stage.

 
Oh wow... Your results are... I don't know if one word could convey it (maybe incredible squared). The results look just perfect to my eyes with every sub-assembly having tweaks here and there. Nice idea using the white card for black background shots. I need to try that myself.
 
Thanks a ton for that! I really appreciate it.


Update...

Few more small additions, nothing too major.

I did finally add the sensor ramps. Part of the reason this took so long was that I had made those parts a long time ago... and then lost one. I looked everywhere for it, and finally decided that it would be easier to start over with three new parts (so they all matched). So I started in on them last night and finished them this morning.

Here are a few more shots...

 
Seeing this makes me imagine what TMP, TWOK, and TSFS would all have looked like with this ship instead of the refit we did see...

I'd love to have this be the TMP ship and the 1701-A be a new build.

--Alex
 
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the encouragement.

For today, test shots of the model... mainly to get a feel for what are some good angles to shoot her from. Click the images below to enlarge.









​
 
Wait, wait, this is a prototype for a kit? I thought it was just a design exercise? How about it Shaw, are you planing to kit this thing? If so, what's the price point?

--Alex
 
Albertese said:
Wait, wait, this is a prototype for a kit? I thought it was just a design exercise? How about it Shaw, are you planing to kit this thing? If so, what's the price point?

--Alex
Click to expand...

Originally he was just doing this as a study build for himself, but given the interest that's been generated by this project (and due to some none-too-subtle prodding on the part of us who have been following this, lol) he's now considering kitting this out, either in 1/537 scale (AMT/Ertl Ent-A) or 1/350 (PL Refit E). As for a price point, he'd ballparked a 1/537 scale kit at $250.00 minimum, with a 1/350 scale kit probably being at least double that.
 
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