Models - The Challenge

Here is my challenge.

I used to make model cars. Old school hardtops, Chevelles, GTOs, Mustangs and the like. Then I was cruising the internet and I found these...

Serenity : http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=27428

BSG : http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=25801

Viper : http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=26171


And I suddenly became excited. My eyes got huge, my mind started racing about me doing this and so I decided that I am going to build some of my own. The center piece will be the Serenity, fully lit, fantastically detailed. The problem is it is going to take a lot of effort to get there. Think about it, detailed painting and texturing including rust and decal detail, wiring and LED lights, drilling holes. This is a lot of new skills that I will have to develop and knowing this I will be making some mistakes, so I rather do that on the less rare models. Not the garage kit made from a rapid prototype machine. So there will be an order to when I do the models, what skills I am developing and what I am looking to do with each one.

Here is the break down in order...

C3 Corvette - My dream car is a 68-72 C3 Corvette that I will completely strip down and rebuild to my specifications. I have a very keen mind of what I want this Corvette to look like too, and that is why I bought this model 2-3 years ago. I want to dress it up to look like my dream Corvette. The royal purple engine block, distributor, and differential. A dark green paint job and the light cream interior with purple threading. I want to make my dream car but in 1:25 scale. And in terms of detail I you to be able to see the stitching in the seats that are purple, I want it to feel like the car I dream of driving one day. In preperation for the following models I will make it with a simple led that lights up the rear lamps. I would try to do the headlights too if it weren't for the fact the car has flip up lights and on this model they are flipped down. Though maybe I could cut them and rejigger something from another kit. I will look into that.

BattleStar Galactica Viper MK II- This viper and the next model the Galactica I may do in reverse order but here is the plan. I may get a Voodoo FX lighting kit to light up the cockpit, helmet and engines of this ship. If I want to get really technical I may even try to find a lighting circuit that will make the engines flash like they are suppose to. Following some other model I have seen I want to add some piping and some battle details to the paint.

Battlestar Galactica - This is another kit after a show that I love. Heres the plan. From ACreations get the decals that are textured and have the individual plates of the galactica on it so I don't have to paint them, or they may be more detailed. Then I want to install the red running lights under the ship near the hangers, lights for the engine and lights in the hangers. As the series went on the Battlestar known as Galactica got more and more beat up and burned. I haven't decided on the level of damage yet but I do think that some damage will be required.

Firefly Serenity - I don't know what it is exactly but something about that show and movie is very comforting to me. Maybe it is the idea of Big Damn Heroes, or the way they talk, or the music, or how they are all a family, but something about that show makes me think of home. That is why the Serenity will be the centerpiece. I got this amazingly detailed kit that has various levels of customization including landing gear, shuttles docked or deployed, and arms sitting out to grasp them again. Most importantly to me, flaps on the rear engine that can be positioned at various angles. Right now, and this may change in the future but I am thinking having it in full burn position and lighting it accordingly. So the lighting will include all of the running lights and hopefully enough circuit boards to make them blink at regular intervals. A chase chip for the grav ring and lastly, a pulsing light cluster that beams light out the back like the ship would when it's fusion drives would engage. It won't have battle damage, but it will have rust between the plates. Fully piped with copper wire in place of the material in the kit and something that someone else did which is rivets on the body panels. It will be a thing of beauty.

Now I was chatting up some coworkers at the office and one of them offered the idea of making a model to fully capture the rust detail. I quite like this idea. I am imagining an old pick up painted as though it has rusted and seen better days and for practice, have it burned and battle damaged as well. This will likely be a feature after the Corvette.

Topics for next time will include modeling tools. In depth visual analysis of each model. And resources on techniques to make them. There is a plan in everything, and for these projects I will definitely need one going in

Later Days