jgeratic

Tim Kidwell

Eagle,

Well done! I think Mr. Scott look fantastic. Jack's advise about the 5 o'clock shadow is spot on, although I  more often use a wash or stippling. With that said, I have a large collection of Pan Pastels and have been thinking about using them on Conan. That might be the place to do it.

Tim

--

Yup, as Tim said - you want to use a stippling motion as opposed to dragging the brush across the surface when applying powder.  This gives a grainy look like actual stubble, however again I stress being very light handed in this approach.

Here's a couple examples on 1/35 scale figures done a few years back:

regards,

Jack

Jack, wow!  Those are great looking figures!  I can see what you mean by stippling.  If you drag the brush, it would be streaky looking.  I'll practice on a light piece of plastic first, before actually hitting Mr. Scott with the brush!    Thanks!

Eagle90

shivinigh

Tim- your chest turned out really nice. I love the wood look that it has. What would you use as a varnish on that. A regular wood varnish?

Hi Shiv,

Thanks for the compliments. I'll end up sealing it with a clear acrylic matte varnish. I've used Ceramcoat in the past on other wooden models, but I'll probably end up using Vallejo this time around. 

I have to say that going with the "Venom" Spider-Man is inspired. Second, lining the suit's webbing with strip plastic is a challenge that I don't think I would have volunteered for. I'll salute you with an extra bourbon tonight. That's definitely not something you can rush, but I think it'll look one-of-a-kind when it's finished. <clapping>

And Shiv you totally get a pass from me if you don't do his back! Yes that's a great looking fig.

Jack your red looks really amazing.

Congrats on finishing Scotty, Eagle90.

I'm waiting a couple of days for the primer to cure before i get into color coats. Keeping busy finishing another GB and thinking about how to make Nemo's scuba tanks.

GMorrison

And Shiv you totally get a pass from me if you don't do his back! Yes that's a great looking fig.

Jack your red looks really amazing.

Congrats on finishing Scotty, Eagle90.

I'm waiting a couple of days for the primer to cure before i get into color coats. Keeping busy finishing another GB and thinking about how to make Nemo's scuba tanks.

Thank you G!

Eagle90

Wow! The stunning work you guys are doing is both inspiring and really (really) daunting, but since the deadline is looming ever-nearer, I figure I'd better get off my kryptonite and get going on my "Man Of Steel."

I went with what I used in the old days (for figures), oils over an acrylic base. I do basic skin tones with various proportions of titanium white and burnt sienna, then a day or so later go back and "pink it up" a little with alizarin crimson.

Here's Superman with basic flesh tones in place (but pre-crimson), eyes done in slightly-tinted acrylic gloss white, ready for the Archer eyeball decals.

Here are the Archer eyeball decals. (The first try I used blue, and they were a bit too large. I picked the next-largest size for the second try, and decided to go with hazel instead of blue, which looked a little too "cartoony.") Just to note, the eyeballs on the decal sheet are round, but here the upper and lower portions are trimmed to give a natural-looking iris.

A slightly less ashen-looking, pinker Superman, with eyeballs in place:

It has a sort of Gerry Anderson puppet-looking quality to it, I'll grant you, but I'm reasonably happy with it. I'll avoid looking at it for a day or two, then go back and see if anything in the face needs tweaking. (Any suggestions or corrections happily entertained. Jack's "mini-tutorial" on painting figures was very helpful, by the way.) The hair is also unfinished at this point, some highlights (at least) to be added.

Hearty congrats to Eagle for finishing Mr. Scott in fine style!

As "young Mr. Grace" would say, "'You've all done very well....!'" Looking forward to seeing more flash, especially from the barbarian contingent.

Guys,

Great looking work all the way around!

I have some progress to show on Dredd. Most of his body parts are cut out and ready to be primed. HOs torso had a couple of shortcomings I wanted to correct.

I shaved the chain molded onto his chest running to the badge. 

I'm going to replace it with a metal chain 'cause it'll look better. In the meantime, I am carving out a little trench I will fill with Green Stuff and sculpt the zipper. I was worried about the vinyl getting too thin, so I added a layer of Apoxie Sculpt behind it.

The shoulder pad — Tim knows the technical term — was badly warped. I applied a layer of Apoxie Sculpt to make it smooth.

I wasn't very happy with my progress on it, so I've gone a different direction. I bent a piece of styrene over the piece and super glued it in place. It's nice a smooth now, and I can attach the ridges using styrene strip with ease.

More to come next week.

Cheers, Aaron

I've decided that Nemo has Minnie Mouse hands. Like a half finger each. I'm going to raid the GI Joe scrap box for hands that actually have full length fingers and then have gloves added.

Quizzical.

Aaron its about time. I was thinking Judge Dead.

A word of, well, caution from a salt. There's chain, and then there's chain.

All chain is not equal. Most cheap jewelry store chain is a quarter twist.

Dredd has a chain that's a simple Torus link. Like you'd find at Ace to lock a gate.

Nice work, Aaron! And the pics I took turned out, too. You need some moisturizer for those barren wastelands you call hands.

Pauldron. The word is pauldron.

GM - You're absolutely correct. When Aaron and I counted the chain on the model, I think it came out to be roughly 8 links per inch. Micro-Mark has 9 links per inch available, and I think he can get that from a local hobby shop here. No one wants Dredd's chain of justice to look chintzy. 

Hey Greg, nice work on Supes there, he looks pretty darn good!

Aaron: The Judge is coming along really nicely too.

Yeah,  pauldron it is- don't tell me I didn't learn anything from role-playing games...

Super, man!

I had a paint disaster. Online the copper spray of choice was Rustoleum Briallant Copper. I did a test on my primed scrap and it seemed OK, but when I blasted Nemo it spider webbed all over the place.

I'm going with Testor's Copper, but I need to find a bottle.

I am also sticking with his silly hands until I can find something better.

Great work all.

GM - that sucks, but sounds like maybe there was a resin residue effecting the sprayed on copper?

------------------------------------------

Shiv - neat work on Superman's face, to me he looks to have that vintage 40's or 50's look.  Oils is something I've never tried, not even canvas painting, but you look to have good control of the techniques.

-----------------------------------------

Aaron - good to see Dredd is still on the bench.  Amazing how much these larger figures need primping before painting.

----------------------------------------

I think I've got Red's eyes 'squared' away.  Viewing it blown up like this (actual height from chin to top of hair is only 7/8"), can see a few areas need tightening up.

The metal necklace was pretty straight forward, but looks good enough to leave as is.  Was covered in flesh colour paint, after which was added a dark brown/blue wash, followed with a dry brushing of Tamiya's metallic grey.

regards,

Jack

GM: Ack, I've had that happen with Gunze Sangyo lacquer but never with anything else. Good luck cleaning it up, I hate it when stuff like that happens.

Jack: The eyes just pretty darn perfect to me and same with the necklace. Are you still working on her face? I guess you could still add a little more highlights but she looks pretty close to done to me.  

Gamera

GM: Ack, I've had that happen with Gunze Sangyo lacquer but never with anything else. Good luck cleaning it up, I hate it when stuff like that happens.

Jack- seriously scary.

She has that "It's your ex-wife" look going on.

Just watched the Vlog- and realized only 5 weeks to go!

GMorrison

Just watched the Vlog- and realized only 5 weeks to go!

Awwww, poor guy!!!! 

Dunno if it would be the same thing or not, it's just I've noticed that if I don't thin the Gunze Sangyo lacquer just right it comes out of my airbrush with this weird spider web type consistently. The first time I sprayed a model and got this effect it looked like I had dropped the model in a bunch of spider webs. Darnest thing to figure out till I tried more thinner.   

Yeah, the deadline is coming up fast. I hope to see all our participants cross the finish line! I'll post it to the web in the morning.

Gentlemen!

A new vlog from Aaron and me!

Sorry it's taken so long to get a new one out to you guys. Expect one every week from here until the end of the GB.

P mitch - How's your recovery going?

Bish - We haven't forgotten you! Expect to be in the next installment.

Guys,

Here's my latest work. I replaced the poorly molded feathers on Dredd's shoulder eagle with strip styrene. You can also the green stuff on the chest and the carved zipper:

Here's the completed pauldron:

And while I had the Green Stuff out, I filled some more pinholes in the vinyl as well as gaps around the kneepads:

Cheers, Aaron

And now, a quick update from me before dinner ...

I made the sword belt from Verlinden lead foil. The loop buckles was made from wire shaped around a mandrel. 

Here's the belt's across Conan's back.

And then some progress on the sword. I've begun making the frog with a bit of lead foil wrapped around the blade. I wrapped the hilt with Green Stuff rolled into a thin snake. Once it's fully cured, I'll shape it and sand it smooth. The bands should give the hilt an interesting texture. Last, I'll find a suitable bauble for the pommel and call it done. 

Tim Kidwell

Gentlemen!

A new vlog from Aaron and me!

Sorry it's taken so long to get a new one out to you guys. Expect one every week from here until the end of the GB.

P mitch - How's your recovery going?

Bish - We haven't forgotten you! Expect to be in the next installment.

Tim, no worries, hopefully soon I will have some decent progress to go in. I will check it out tonight, it will help me catch up, which I have a lot to do. One of these days I will find the rigt balance between building and seeing whats going on with the site.

I see a lot of scratchbuilding going on from the Squawkies in Milwaukie...

I think that's key for large figures.

I haven't quite achieved panic level three where the to-do list comes out, but...

The kit came with a rubber band to make his scuba harness, what-the-heck tank on his chest straps, weight belt and boot straps.

Uhh-huuh.

Thin aluminum is needed. Open that Cabernet and save the capsule, Albert.

All of the lug nuts on his carapace/ helmet got carved off. Time to make some new ones, but they are slicko little fittings like Dzuz.

Oh and his scuba tanks and regulators hadn't actually been invented yet, so massive Steam Punk design required.

His rubber suit: I'm relying heavily on that excellent job done on Hans' shirt.

And the base? My sis is a deep sea diver on free weights, down to 120 feet. Asked her if she noted what the bottom looked like.

"Not so much, brother. I was looking up".

Of course in the movie they are in maybe 20 feet of water, out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Kidwell- Conan looks good. A lot of fine detail at that scale. I would strongly recommend that while you are putting him together you start learning how to paint his skin. That swore me off John Carter.

And I REALLY don't want to know why there's that big socket on the front of his loin cloth.

GMorrison

Kidwell- Conan looks good. A lot of fine detail at that scale. I would strongly recommend that while you are putting him together you start learning how to paint his skin. That swore me off John Carter.

And I REALLY don't want to know why there's that big socket on the front of his loin cloth.

Thanks!

Luckily, I'm no stranger to painting skin. Uh, I'm not sure that sounds quite right, but ... you get my meaning.

As to Conan's "depression," it has been the subject of many a quip here at the office. 

AN ANNOUNCMENT

As all of you know, Aaron and I ran the WWI Aeroplane Group Build last year and we designed mugs and made the are available to all of the participants so they could order one as a momento of the build. With this build, we'd like to do the same. However, we're debating doing the mug design or doing a "concert" T-shirt design instead, with the logo (or a modified version of it) on the front and a list of all the participants on the back.

So, we're going to turn it over to you guys - which would you rather have, a T-shirt or a mug? Just shout out your preference here in the thread and we'll tally the votes at the end of the day. If it's a tie, I guess I'll represent T-shirt and Aaron will represent mugs and we'll arm wrestle to make the final decision.

Hey Tim and Aaron,

I like both ideas, but will cast my vote for the mug.  The one for the WWI GB was awesome and I'm thinking the mug will last a lot longer than the T-shirt (I'd wear it everywhere!).  Besides, nothing better than a hot mug of Java while building!  

But..........can we have a third option?!  I think it would be awesome to see you and Aaron arm wrestle!  

But if that isn't a viable option, then I'll vote for the mug!  Thanks again for a great GB!  And all the lessons learned while building!  That's what this site and these GB's are all about! 

Eagle90

Bish

Tim, no worries, hopefully soon I will have some decent progress to go in. I will check it out tonight, it will help me catch up, which I have a lot to do. One of these days I will find the rigt balance between building and seeing whats going on with the site.

Hi Bish,

I don't think there's a balance to be found! 

Honestly, Aaron and I feel terrible about the vlog thing along with our pace on this one. But between the holidays, getting whipped by the sick stick over and over, and a torrent of deadlines for the past three months, we had precious little time to head home and sleep before coming back in.

However, here we are, pouring the coals on. I just hope we can get our compatriots back in and doing the same.

Anyone seen RuddRatt lately?

RuddRatt?

RuddRatt?

And no one better tell me their best friend's sister's boyfriend's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw RuddRatt pass out a 31 Flavors last night and that it's pretty serious.

Tim and Aaron great job on the Vlog. As for the cold I feel your pain or lack of due to frozen extremeties. Up here in Toronto it has been averaging -16 celcius guess about -5 faranhiet.

For the mug or t-shirt idea I have to put my vote for the mug. Can start a collection. It will look great beaide the WW 1 mug. No matter which wins though will you two still have the arm wrestle match and make it the final Vlog?

Hey guys those look great! Guess I'd have to go with a mug too.

I'm hoping to get in under the wire, I'm close to done on both. Unfortunately I totaled my car yesterday due to this horrible weather. I'm ok other than being bruised, sore, and really ticked off right now but I probably won't be getting much done for the foreseeable future.  

Gamera - That sucks. I know what you're going through. I've been parted from two cars like that.

Heal up. Your health is the most important thing.

That's two down with injuries. I'm thinking I might give us an extra month for completion. Make it March 31. What say you guys?

Very sorry about the wheels Gamera.

But I'm happy that you are ok. Us Californians have it easy in that regard, my friend Bill from Chicago used to get out the popcorn when it rained on the hilly streets here.

Tim an extension is your call but it seems a good idea. I could use it.

I like T shirt.

Hey Tim,

Sure sounds like some of these guys could use a break!  

Sorry to hear about all the troubles everyone is having, but glad to hear no one is seriously hurt!  We'll be thinking of ya'll!

Eagle90