Sara and the chainmail bikini (finished a year later!)

[Kallisti]

Just for a change, I picked up a kit at the last IPMS Farnborough meeting that is something well out of my usual range of subjects...



which when painted up is supposed to look something like this



This is an interesting kit... for more reasons that just that! Minds out of the gutter please!!! For a start its vinyl, a material I've never before used in a modelling context (no I'm not going to explain that qualification any further!)

So I'm seeking education from the wonderful modellers out there in Britmodeller land, what do you use to glue this stuff and how do you fill/sand/finish joints?
I picked up a selection of Vallejo model colour flesh tones today in preparation for this epic quest...

Edited November 12, 2013 by Kallisti

[andym]

Just for a change, I picked up a kit at the last IPMS Farnborough meeting that is something well out of my usual range of subjects...

which when painted up is supposed to look something like this

This is an interesting kit... for more reasons that just that! Minds out of the gutter please!!! For a start its vinyl, a material I've never before used in a modelling context (no I'm not going to explain that qualification any further!)

So I'm seeking education from the wonderful modellers out there in Britmodeller land, what do you use to glue this stuff and how do you fill/sand/finish joints?

I picked up a selection of Vallejo model colour flesh tones today in preparation for this epic quest...

Glue with superglue. Heating the parts up carefully using a hairdryer on a low setting makes them easier to trim and when soft the parts can be pushed tightly together to improve fit, then allowed to cool before gluing. For filling I use Humbrol filler. Others may do thigs differently though. I have this figure in the "to do" pile also.

Helpful articles here:

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/basics/lj_vinyl.htm

http://www.gremlins.com/denis_bohm/getting_started.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5931985_build-vinyl-model-kit.html

http://scifimodels.org.uk/index.php?view=i...q&Itemid=18

HTH

Andy

Edited December 28, 2011 by andym

[Shar2]

Oh, so it was you who bought it, that'll teach me to prevaricate.

I used green stuff and superglue on Alice, although she was Resin, should work on vinyl too. Don't forget to wash the parts thouroughly in soapy water before building/painting. Use a primer as well before painting the final colours.

[Azgaron]

Lovely kit you got! Love to see how it turns out!

I wonder what the AC is on her armor?

Cheers,

Håkan

[Mikey58]

Hmm,looks like she needs her toenails clipping!

Mike

[Kallisti]

Lovely kit you got! Love to see how it turns out!

I wonder what the AC is on her armor?

Cheers,

Håkan

It'll have to be magical armour with added protection from the cold and sunburn

[Deon]

i imagine she must get rather chafed buttocks from that chainmail - fashion over practicality!

[Paul RH]

Nice looking sculpt. Not the typical over the top "mammalian protruberences"

[Kallisti]

Nice looking sculpt. Not the typical over the top "mammalian protruberences"

Yes it makes a change! So here are the "sprue" shots:

There are 8 parts for the main figure and two for the base... yes there IS a base if you can manage to drag your eyes further down...

There is some nice ahem moulding

and this is the lizard head for the base

I'm going to start with the base as this will allow me to practice fitting and gluing before messing up the lovely lady...

[philp]

Will keep an eye on this one. Got a vinyl Catwoman a few years ago that I keep wanting to start but no instructions so have not been too sure on how much to cut off of parts and then been trying to find an acrylic spray paint to prime her with as heard enamel will attack the plastic.

Also been wondering if I should fill her with plaster/newspaper to help hold shape after together.

Will be taking a look at the links Andy provided.

[Kallisti]

Will be taking a look at the links Andy provided.

Indeed, they were very useful so thank you Andy, meant to say that before

She's all scrubbed up now, got the soap and toothbrush out and gave her the once over...

I have a very bad feeling about the innuendo level of this thread...

[Moofles]

that looks bigger then i thought, shall be following this one with interest.

[Kallisti]

I made a start with the base yesterday to get used to manipulating the vinyl before starting on the girl - ahem.

The joint from the lizard's head to the body was a complex shape that needed careful trimming and didn't fit easily.

However with some careful coaxing and superglue I got it attached. Then U used Mr Disolved putty to drip into the gaps that were left and with careful application using a toothpick and wiping excess away immediately a very nice looking joint was made. How successful I won't really know until I've primed it I guess, but its thankfully quite a wrinkly bit of moulding so should look okay

Here is the rear view and you can see the joint on the left above its leg.

It looks really obvious now but I think with primer on, it will pretty much vanish into the detail.

You might have noticed some white blotches in the first pic - this is some plaster of paris overspill as the hollow base has now been filled with plaster to give it some weight and stability. I took my time as plaster of paris can get quite hot while it dries out so I didn't want to cause the vinyl to distort due to excess heat. Once everythign it dry, I'll give it another scrub with the toothbrush to clean it up for priming...

You might also notice I deliberately left a gap under the neck instead of fixing it ot the base - I thought that would add to the "depth"...

Edited December 29, 2011 by Kallisti

[Shar2]

Good start, it's looking pretty cool already. Makes me want to break out one of my other figures.

[Kallisti]

I'm looking forward to painting that rock - I love painting realistic rock outcrops, as you can tell from The Chally dio I did earlier in the year I did a bit of geology as part of my Astrophysics degree many years ago and it stuck so I want to paint authentic looking rock!

Edited December 30, 2011 by Kallisti

[Azgaron]

Good start Kallisti! Looking good so far!

Cheers,

Håkan

[Kallisti]

Now the base has been primed, you can't see the join!

[philp]

What primer did you use?

[Kallisti]

Tamiya grey from the rattle can. I tried painting it last night using water-based artists acrylics and they did not go on at all well! It was almost as if there were no primer at all! So I washed it off, tried it thoroughly and gave it a second coat of primer. Today now the primer should have cured, I used my normal tamiya acrylics on the rocks and they adhered with no problem.

Just done a burnt umber wash using the artist acrylics that thats worked fine so I think it was just trying to use the water-based acrylics directly over the primer that was the problem. I'l post pictures when the rocks are developing more...

Edited December 30, 2011 by Kallisti

[philp]

Thanks, I am working on the Green Lantern figure and want to do things a little different so will go with more of a grey and black look to the rock base instead of the suggested brown and thinking of doing the robot in Brass instead of aluminum.

Looking forward to how you do the rocks for some hints,

[Paul RH]

I also didn´t think it was as big as it is. looking good so far

[Kallisti]

Some rock painting done and now putting some colour on the lizard - initial thin green coat to get in the hollows

Then a brighter green coat to give it some sheen.

You can see the rocks in these photos, not as pleased about how they turned out - its several layers of brown and tan to give a sandstone-like appearance. Its gone a bit too red really. I'm pleased with the darker cracks and gullies, but overall its a bit too red. There will need to be some tidying up done around the feet where the green wash has pooled at its feet. This will need to be cleaned up later. I'll do this once the lizard is done and can go back to sorting out the rocks.

Still a work in progress however...

[Azgaron]

Looking good so far! I think the stones will turn out great when done!

Cheers,

Håkan

[Kallisti]

I was unhappy with the green of the previous coat - it was a bit to "bright" so I redid it with a decent coat of Nato Green - yes its a NATO Dragon!

Now to work on the mouth and toenails - er claws...

[Kallisti]

I think I can call the base done now, lots of painting, washing and highlighting to get to this stage...

The lizard's got a real snarl on his face!

I've added a few sprigs of lichen to give it some more texture. The rock has turned out rather well, better than I expected.

So that was the "easy" part done, now for her ladyship...