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A-Wings - Phoenix Squadron


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I've just finished Bandai's little box scale A-Wings (when I should really have been finishing the Gigant), and I decided to finish them in the colours of Phoenix squadron from Rebels, which in turn are based on the original McQuarrie concept art. The markings aren't a perfect match, as the A-Wings in Rebels have a number of differences to the original ROTJ ones, as represented in the kit, but they're close enough for me.

They're built OOB as there's not a lot you could do to improve them. Now we've got the A-Wing, along with the X and Y, lets just hope we can finally complete the set with the B-Wing before too long, preferably in 1/72 as well as the box scale line

 

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Thanks for looking

 

Andy :cat:

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As always epic Andy !! At first glance I thought they were the same paint job, until I looked closer and see that panels are different among other things, which looks great.

 

What always astounds me are the "casual" opening picture for the models, which in this case I almost didn't realise are your actual models beautifully presented. I thought it was some professional A-Wing pic from the web !! 

 

Good job mate !!

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Very pretty, the dirty creamy white in particular as it complements the blue nicely.

 

One tiny nitpick on the photo edit - I think your canopy glints might need a white core to sell that they're reflections off a hard specular surface? The lighting on the A-Wing bodies is top though.

 

Will

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Thanks everyone

 

23 hours ago, Portaler said:

What always astounds me are the "casual" opening picture for the models, which in this case I almost didn't realise are your actual models beautifully presented. I thought it was some professional A-Wing pic from the web !!

Nothing complicated. Just cut out the model shots, stick them on a background and add a few overlays to blend the lighting.

 

11 hours ago, Will Vale said:

One tiny nitpick on the photo edit - I think your canopy glints might need a white core to sell that they're reflections off a hard specular surface? The lighting on the A-Wing bodies is top though.

Yes, you're right Will. The reflections were very much an afterthough, as I felt it was looking a little flat when I'd originally finished it. I just used a stock lens flare brush, which didn't really give the right effect.

 

Andy:cat:

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I'm sure this is teaching Granny to suck eggs, but I quite like making flare cores by painting a circle and then streaking it out using the blur tool, with SHIFT to keep it in a straight line. Then copy and paste to get as many star-points as I want.*

 

* Other old-skool Photoshop techniques may be available.

 

W

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What a beautiful pair of A-wings, Andy.  I love your choice of colour scheme, and the weathering is great at this small scale!

 

I agree, we need some B-Wing love from Bandai....I'm surprised that these have not received much attention so far, as the B-wing is also a deserving subject.

 

:thumbsup:

 

Barrie

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On ‎17‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 11:24 PM, Will Vale said:

I think your canopy glints might need a white core to sell that they're reflections off a hard specular surface?

I glimpsed the above and thought 'What? The glints have been painted on? Nooooooooo!'

And immediately reviewed the photos again. No, they can't have been painted on. They all vary depending on the angle. Then I read the comment again and saw 'photo edit'.

 

Oh, okay. So MAYBE the glints were put in using all that photo trickery?

 

Whether they are real glints or trickery, I think it matters not a jot. If the latter they aren't really there and there's no need to 'improve' on what isn't really there!

 

At the end of the day the pair are absolutely stunning in all respects.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

....

Having read subsequent comments I find that the glints were 'faked'.

And I use the word 'faked' because that's exactly what they are. If the models were going to appear on the cover of a magazine, or in some film, or whatever, then I'd fully accept the need for the photo edit, but as this is just a modelling site, I think it's not necessary. It's by no means dishonest, either though. I don't care one way or the other, but nor do I care that the glints aren't 'as good as they could be.'

Just saying. No offence meant to any party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Badder
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Thanks guys

 

1 hour ago, Badder said:

Having read subsequent comments I find that the glints were 'faked'.

And I use the word 'faked' because that's exactly what they are. If the models were going to appear on the cover of a magazine, or in some film, or whatever, then I'd fully accept the need for the photo edit, but as this is just a modelling site, I think it's not necessary. It's by no means dishonest, either though. I don't care one way or the other, but nor do I care that the glints aren't 'as good as they could be.'

Just saying. No offence meant to any party.

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick Badder. The glints that Will was referring to are the two lens flare reflections on the respective canopies in the first shot with the planet backdrop. They were added with a photoshop brush that gives a flare effect. The engine glow was also added in that shot.

The reflections in the strait model shots are entirely natural and come from the camera lights. The glazing was painted in a gloss dark blue, and the reflections do indeed vary from one shot to another depending on the angle of the models. There are no reflections painted on, either digitally or with real paint.

I agree that there's no need to fake effects on a model shot, and it's something I never do. The composite shots, like the first one, are a different matter, and are done for artistic reasons to show a model in a hypothetical 'real' environment.

 

Andy:cat:

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