The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

Wow. Awesome! We're gonna need a bigger table...

bestest,
M.

mattbacon wrote:Wow. Awesome! We're gonna need a bigger table...

bestest,
M.

Fortunately it goes UPWARDS rather than OUTWARDS so shouldn't take up too much table space! And this one is largely inspired by your good self Matt and the foam work on your MiG/Mirage Dog-Fight Double last year.

I'm rushing to get this one finished so haven't had time to achieve as smooth a finish with the foam as you got - perhaps mine was a different, cheapo brand (Polyfilla I think it was).

Here is a scan of the artwork which I've just realised I haven't actually posted yet - doh!



I've just spent ages searching for my larger Bob Ross artist's brushes (found at the top of a tall cupboard from the last time someone had a tidy up ) so I'm finally off to paint the baseboard now.
cheers
Al.

Looking very good, Al.
I doubt H&S would be too happy with us providing a step-stool, for people to step up, so that they can look down and I know we wouldn't be able to place it in the aisle, on the floor...Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Right then - quick lesson (and rebuke) for those who say "I can't paint..."; tell me what's so difficult about this:

Basics shown here - cheep poster paints from The Works, ditto stiff brushes for oil painting - you are going to bash the whatsit out of these with all of the mixing and stippling so you certainly don't want to ruin beautiful sable artist's brushes. Even DIY type decorators brushes would do.



We will work wet on wet - i.e. mix the paint as we go in the container - vermillion and yellow side by side, used neat and then mixed on the brush to give the orange shade - dip it in the verm. then straight into the yellow and just daub away on the foam.



Got to get into all the nooks and crannies so it takes a while.



Now just work some neat yellow on top while all still wet to give some highlights...



...and doing the same on the background. Remember to keep your reference close to hand so you don't stray too far off piste!



Now you can go and have some lunch while this dries. An hour later, start with the neat white for the smoke highlights. Bit of impressionist work with smaller brushes and washes to do the sky and the building (they don't warrant close inspection) and you are more or less there. Grab your rocket and stick it in the hole and voila:



Have I mentioned how hard it is to photograph this flaming thing







There is more work to be done on the kit - more decals to go on and the black/white demarcations certainly need some touching up where we had some bleeding under the masking tape, but I'm hoping people won't be looking that closely.

Cheers
Al.

Very cool.

How are you going to do the Gantry arm (think that is what is was) in the foreground of the box art?

That is so cool its sub zero. I'm sorry I will not be able to see it in the flesh.

Regards Splash

philp wrote:Very cool.

How are you going to do the Gantry arm (think that is what is was) in the foreground of the box art?

The easiest way I can - paint it on!! I didn't ever hope to reproduce all of the tubes and railings etc. with any great accurasy, so I have gone for a close approximation - hopefully people will be looking at the rocket rather than the background.



I also used up another can of expanding foam to make the white smoke for the base, which can't be seen in the box art picture - but ya just know it's there dontcha?!


I've got a bit of paintwork to correct on the Saturn V and a few small decals to apply, then she will be finished and ready for Telford. I'll try to photograph the whole of the stupid great thing and post the pics here before I go.

Oh, and also more yellow paint added to the foam and yellow streaking on the sides on the backboard, as several of the visitors to the Farnborough show said "it needs more yellow like the box picture" - good enough for me - what the public wants the public gets...

cheers
Al.

That looks fantastic sorry I will not be there to see it. I hope you have a great weekend.

Regards
Splash

It needed adding and your artistic skills were easily up the job as it looks great.

Excellent way to work it in.

Love this.

Hoping to make Telford for the 50th Anniversary next year (sounds like IPMS/USA is organizing a trip) so hopefully you all will carry through with this idea one more year and I can see them all in person and maybe, even, contribute.

Final shots before it gets packed up and shipped out tomorrow. "To Telford... and beyond!"





Cheers
Al.

Please don't put my kit next to yours.

Yours is so hot mine might melt

Regards Splash

splash wrote:Please don't put my kit next to yours.

Yours is so hot mine might melt

But yours is a fire engine and the only hope we've got!!