Moebius Viper II

[spitfire23bc]

All of this has happened before.

Once again, I missed a group build deadline by miles, and am proceeding at a glacial rate.

Here's the current progress...

Stripes painted, and needing a little tidying up.

Exposed engine bits painted with Alclad Steel.

Photoetch bits added (very very fiddly, and the photos show that it was a bit of a bodged job - it doesn't look quite so rough in real life).

I quite want to build another one and light it... I reckon some LEDs in those engines would look grand! I've got some fairly ambitious plans to light the MkVII Viper and the Cylon Raider (which arrived today, looking very nice)... Watch this space...

(Also, here's hoping for a 1/32 Raptor to complete the set )

Next step on the MkII will be embarking on the decals, about which I've heard some grumbling. Hey ho, on we go.

Dan

[periklis_sale]

good progress my friend!

:clap2:

[spitfire23bc]

Decals on, now for some salt-masking and weathering.

The decals were pretty awful to put on - they're extremely brittle (several of them cracked as I lifted them off the film), and the roundels provided for placing on the painted stripes are invisible when used.

Nearly there...

Dan

Edited May 1, 2012 by spitfire23bc

[Smiffy]

Well that's looking mighty fine.

Seems almost a shame to weather it now.

[Neal]

Glad to see this is still progressing, looking good.

[spitfire23bc]

Thanks folks...

In a sudden burst of productivity, I've raced through the last few bits.

First, the salt:

After several rounds of salting and spraying with a very thin Tamiya Smoke mixture, I like the results, although the photos don't show it too well:

And finally, some chalk pastels applied around the manoeuvring thrusters, inlets and as some scorch marks:

And I'm calling it finished! Here's the Viper II, ready for inspection, with a few more photos.

Dan

[Greased Lightning]

I've never come across using salt for weathering, but what an amazing finish you get with it. I assume you use quite a coarse grain such as sea salt?

[spitfire23bc]

I've never come across using salt for weathering, but what an amazing finish you get with it. I assume you use quite a coarse grain such as sea salt?

Thanks! It's a technique I came across here. I have tried it before over a silvery finish to simulate paint chips and wear (here - it didn't go brilliantly...), but this was the first time I've tried it "post". I still need plenty more practice before my results are as good as those in the tutorial..!

I actually mostly used standard table salt. Originally I tried it with sea salt, but it ended up looking like I'd stuck salt crystals on and painted it (!). I found the trick was to spray with water, then liberally apply salt, wait for it to dry, then spray with plenty of water again. That way, the salt re-crystalises in clumps, rather than individual crystals, and you can push it around with a brush.

I then repeated that a few times to build up the layers of grime.

Dan

[Paulbo]

Very cool. That's a nice alternative use for salt weathering - I've seen it used many times to get the chipped paint effect and show silver/steel metal below, but I've never seen it used to add dirt and grime.

I'm storing that one away in the "cool techniques to remember" file.