The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project - NOW OPEN SOURCE!!!
- Thread starter DaveG
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Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
It's not built to a particular scale but rather matches the size and scale of the original ILM model. Based on the ladder rungs though I'd say it's around 1/12 scale (1"=1'). An X-Wing at that scale would be about 42 inches long!
It's not built to a particular scale but rather matches the size and scale of the original ILM model. Based on the ladder rungs though I'd say it's around 1/12 scale (1"=1'). An X-Wing at that scale would be about 42 inches long!
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
Ahoy mateys! We're awash in, uh, WASH!
I love washes, they do such a great job of bringing out surface detail and texture. I prefer using oil-based paints for my washes, they flow, puddle and dry so nicely. And you've got a good bit of time to work them before they dry. Water based paint washes look great when wet but tend to dry splotchy. Although I've been hearing good things about water based clay washes. Going to have to try them out.
The wash for the laser tower was made from artists oil paints. The kind that comes in tubes. For this wash I used a mixture of Ivory Black and Burnt Umber to create a brownish black, which is a great overall weathering color for almost anything. The paint was thinned done with oderless mineral spirits but was still fairly concentrated, as washes go. The nice thing about artist's oils is you can apply them really heavy and then wipe most of it off, leaving paint mostly in the corners and recesses.
When using oil based washes it's a good idea to pre-moisten the surface of the model with thinner. This helps the wash flow, and keeps it from staining the surface as much. Thant's also why I sealed the paint with Pledge floor polish yesterday. Just apply clean thinner liberally with a big brush. Then I applied the wash, again quite liberally, working it into the panel lines and around all the details. The I wiped off as much of the wash as I could with a clean cotton rag, always wiping vertically from top to bottom to create vertical streaks. At this point there is still a lot more wash on t he surface then I want, but that's the nice thing about the looong drying time of artist's oils, I can brush more clean thinner over the surface and continue to remove the wash as desired. During this process I also did some specific detailed streaking in places. Though this is really an overall wash, I'll come back and do more detail spot streaks and washes next. This wash will take several days to dry. There are fast drying artist's oil paints which are handy for detail painting but I prefer the extended working time you get with traditional oils. Who needs to be in such a hurry anyway?!
BTW, I'm shooting video of the entire painting process on this model and will be posting it someday.
Ahoy mateys! We're awash in, uh, WASH!
I love washes, they do such a great job of bringing out surface detail and texture. I prefer using oil-based paints for my washes, they flow, puddle and dry so nicely. And you've got a good bit of time to work them before they dry. Water based paint washes look great when wet but tend to dry splotchy. Although I've been hearing good things about water based clay washes. Going to have to try them out.
The wash for the laser tower was made from artists oil paints. The kind that comes in tubes. For this wash I used a mixture of Ivory Black and Burnt Umber to create a brownish black, which is a great overall weathering color for almost anything. The paint was thinned done with oderless mineral spirits but was still fairly concentrated, as washes go. The nice thing about artist's oils is you can apply them really heavy and then wipe most of it off, leaving paint mostly in the corners and recesses.
When using oil based washes it's a good idea to pre-moisten the surface of the model with thinner. This helps the wash flow, and keeps it from staining the surface as much. Thant's also why I sealed the paint with Pledge floor polish yesterday. Just apply clean thinner liberally with a big brush. Then I applied the wash, again quite liberally, working it into the panel lines and around all the details. The I wiped off as much of the wash as I could with a clean cotton rag, always wiping vertically from top to bottom to create vertical streaks. At this point there is still a lot more wash on t he surface then I want, but that's the nice thing about the looong drying time of artist's oils, I can brush more clean thinner over the surface and continue to remove the wash as desired. During this process I also did some specific detailed streaking in places. Though this is really an overall wash, I'll come back and do more detail spot streaks and washes next. This wash will take several days to dry. There are fast drying artist's oil paints which are handy for detail painting but I prefer the extended working time you get with traditional oils. Who needs to be in such a hurry anyway?!
BTW, I'm shooting video of the entire painting process on this model and will be posting it someday.
Vacformedhero
Sr Member
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
I agree this deserves to be a two seater , well done
I agree this deserves to be a two seater , well done
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
Okay, back on topic!
Today I applied some detail weathering, mostly streaks and runs, in contrasting colors. As with the washes, I used Artist's Oil Paints, but this time straight out of the tube. Color wise, i squirted out dabs of Ivory Black, Titanium White, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Raw Siena, Burnt Siena and Dark Rust on a palette and worked back and forth between those colors and blending colors. The Dark Rust (from MIG Productions) turned out to be my favorite. Don't ask me how there's rust in the vacuum of space! That was part of George Lucas' genius, hardware is so worn in space is actually rusts! (That and there's no underwear in space, but that's a topic for another forum!). Okay, maybe the Death Star is SO BIG it has it's own climate?
As far as technique, it's pretty straight forward. As with the wash, I moistened the area being worked on first with a bit of clean mineral spirits, then put a little point of paint at the top of where I wanted the streak to be and worked it down with a clean brush or rag. Since the oils take a couple days to dry there's plenty of time to play around with it, or even remove some weathering entirely with thinner if you don't like how it's going. Now I'll set it aside for a few days to dry. The next step will be dry brushing the highlights.
The weathering does look a little strong at this point but I'm trying to keep in mind where this model is going to be on display. On top of a 6 1/2 foot cabinet in a warehouse. So the turret will be quite high and under pretty diffuse lighting (lots of fluorescents).
Okay, back on topic!
Today I applied some detail weathering, mostly streaks and runs, in contrasting colors. As with the washes, I used Artist's Oil Paints, but this time straight out of the tube. Color wise, i squirted out dabs of Ivory Black, Titanium White, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Raw Siena, Burnt Siena and Dark Rust on a palette and worked back and forth between those colors and blending colors. The Dark Rust (from MIG Productions) turned out to be my favorite. Don't ask me how there's rust in the vacuum of space! That was part of George Lucas' genius, hardware is so worn in space is actually rusts! (That and there's no underwear in space, but that's a topic for another forum!). Okay, maybe the Death Star is SO BIG it has it's own climate?
As far as technique, it's pretty straight forward. As with the wash, I moistened the area being worked on first with a bit of clean mineral spirits, then put a little point of paint at the top of where I wanted the streak to be and worked it down with a clean brush or rag. Since the oils take a couple days to dry there's plenty of time to play around with it, or even remove some weathering entirely with thinner if you don't like how it's going. Now I'll set it aside for a few days to dry. The next step will be dry brushing the highlights.
The weathering does look a little strong at this point but I'm trying to keep in mind where this model is going to be on display. On top of a 6 1/2 foot cabinet in a warehouse. So the turret will be quite high and under pretty diffuse lighting (lots of fluorescents).
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
More weathering. Some heavier oil stains on the top of the lower tower section. Done the same way with artist's oil paints.
And a completely made up detail section lower on the tower.
On to dry brushing. I used a light grey artist's oil paint (again, the slow drying time works well for this process. With this dry brushing I was trying to achieve an artificial highlight, so I concentrated mostly on the top edges of detail pieces. It's a subtle effect but lends to the overall impression.
Here is the paint work on the Laser Canons so far. I used a base coat mixed from Tamiya acrylics XF-24 Dark Grey and XF-8 Blue to give it a cool undertone. Then oversprayed with more Dark Gray. Then an oil based wash made from Testor's Rubber Enamel, one of my favorite wash colors. After that I applied selective overspray with Tamiya Nato Black and Gun Metal to give it a little metallic kick. Following an application of Satin clear varnish to seal the surface I applied an oil based 'pin wash' just to the nooks and crannies. The next step will be dry brushing highlights.
More weathering. Some heavier oil stains on the top of the lower tower section. Done the same way with artist's oil paints.
And a completely made up detail section lower on the tower.
On to dry brushing. I used a light grey artist's oil paint (again, the slow drying time works well for this process. With this dry brushing I was trying to achieve an artificial highlight, so I concentrated mostly on the top edges of detail pieces. It's a subtle effect but lends to the overall impression.
Here is the paint work on the Laser Canons so far. I used a base coat mixed from Tamiya acrylics XF-24 Dark Grey and XF-8 Blue to give it a cool undertone. Then oversprayed with more Dark Gray. Then an oil based wash made from Testor's Rubber Enamel, one of my favorite wash colors. After that I applied selective overspray with Tamiya Nato Black and Gun Metal to give it a little metallic kick. Following an application of Satin clear varnish to seal the surface I applied an oil based 'pin wash' just to the nooks and crannies. The next step will be dry brushing highlights.
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
I love the substitute you made for the tread plate. It really seems to improve it.
I love the substitute you made for the tread plate. It really seems to improve it.
MonsieurTox
Master Member
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
Are you referring to the parts at the bottom of the curved canon tracks? I thought the parts used on the Production model really didn't work very well there. On my model I used the back half of the Lunar Excursion Module from the Airfix 1/144 Saturn V.
When you look at all the various models ILM built for ANH you can definitely tell the ones they spent time and thought on, and the ones they just slapped together. The Laser Tower kinda falls in the category of the later. It seems like a lot of the kit parts were just slapped on with not a lot of thought to composition or function.
Are you referring to the parts at the bottom of the curved canon tracks? I thought the parts used on the Production model really didn't work very well there. On my model I used the back half of the Lunar Excursion Module from the Airfix 1/144 Saturn V.
When you look at all the various models ILM built for ANH you can definitely tell the ones they spent time and thought on, and the ones they just slapped together. The Laser Tower kinda falls in the category of the later. It seems like a lot of the kit parts were just slapped on with not a lot of thought to composition or function.
struschie
Active Member
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
Crazy thing - awesome weathering!
Close to the real thing (https://www.facebook.com/ThePropDen...8.1073741874.411305008934517/730055233726158/)
Crazy thing - awesome weathering!
Close to the real thing (https://www.facebook.com/ThePropDen...8.1073741874.411305008934517/730055233726158/)
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
I was thinking about the ledge/balcony part. It looks like it has millennium falcon like tread plate instead of the bandai German tank piece on the original. Love this project!
I was thinking about the ledge/balcony part. It looks like it has millennium falcon like tread plate instead of the bandai German tank piece on the original. Love this project!
Re: The (Uber) Death Star Laser Tower Project
Finishing touches...
Dry brushed the laser canons with light grey oil paint to add highlights.
Painted any of the inside surfaces of the turret that could be seen through openings flat black.
And it's important to sign and date your work!
Finishing touches...
Dry brushed the laser canons with light grey oil paint to add highlights.
Painted any of the inside surfaces of the turret that could be seen through openings flat black.
And it's important to sign and date your work!
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