Scratchbuilding the Nuclear Truck from On Your Mark --Finished.

The sun came out today and I was able to take a photo without the flash. Hopefully, this is the final version of the scratchbuild/diorama/display. (click on the photo and then select "O" for the original really, really big size).

Spent yesterday repainting the Angel, trying to get a smoother finish on the paint. Worked some more on her facial features, brightened up her dress.

Aussie Muscle

Nice work on the truck. i realise scratching something from anime leaves a lot of areas for you to fill out, so the final result is quite interesting, and something different. oh, and figures are well done too.

Thank you. It was very exciting to see how close I could come with what I had to work with (my having almost no expierience working with styrene sheet and trying to find the various accessory bits like grills, wheels, shovels, and stuff) and still make it look like it could be "real."

Nice work on the truck. i realise scratching something from anime leaves a lot of areas for you to fill out, so the final result is quite interesting, and something different. oh, and figures are well done too.

After growing increasingly disappointed with the photos of the angel figure, I decided to try and alter the face and head. Using an exacto knife (#11 blade) I trimmed away the remnants of the shirt collar on her neck. Then I carefully bent the head so that she if no longer looking downward. Now it is a level gaze, or slightly upward. I also turned the head so that she is looking slightly to her left. Then, using my scriber, I reshaped the mouth and added eyebrows. I repainted the face and neck, and added a very light tint of red to her mouth to bring out the lips.

I also noticed in the photos that the two other figures needed to have their mouths  (and in the case of the bareheaded guy, his eyes) emphasized. So I worked on them, too. No real alterations, just some dots of paint for the eyes and that red wash to bring out the lines of their mouths.

I received the Nurse figure in the mail yesterday and spent the rest of the day (and most of the night) altering, assembling, and painting her. The figure has a small amount of flash on the arms and legs (they were very thin and delicate). And I have discovered that I like resin figures much more than white metal ones. That metal is hard (reletive to resin) and I ended up leaving the shirt collar around her neck because her neck is so thin and I was afraid of cutting all the way through.

Here she is:

Here are the photos of the completed project. It really stretched my abilities and I learned a lot of new skills. Click on the photo to open a new window and then select "O" to see the full-size originals (8x10).

My next project is the diorama (which I've already started) called Homemade Spaceship in a Garage. The thread's in the Diorama forum and will involve almost as much scratchbuilding and altering as I did in this project. I'll be building the garage and little accessories from scratch, as well as altering some female figures to look like schoolgirls.

HeavyArty

Hope she comes out looking angelic.  This is the Gundam set I was thinking of.

Its currently in the on-link kit review section here.

I like that vehicle!

When I get done with my next project I'll look into picking one up.

My next project is a  Northrop HL-10 (which was the forerunner to NASA's X-38 Escape Shuttle). I found an Awatake drawing/painting of one. He has it sitting (old and a little dinged-up) in what looks like a disused garage was a couple of schoolgirl siting and lying on it reading and doing their homework. I am going to try and recreate the image as a diorama setting.

Hope she comes out looking angelic.  This is the Gundam set I was thinking of.

Its currently in the on-link kit review section here.

I found a 1/35 figure for my angel. Last night I remembered Aurora-Models (Japan). I purchase two 1/35 female figures from them last year for a satirical diarama I was doing about a local controversy over a beach front park called Jean Klock Park.

I liked the figures because they seemed unique. Pretty, well detailed, feminine and "cute." This time I picked a version of their Red Cross Nurse. The only drawback is that the figures are cast in white metal, not resin. And I will be doing much more modifying of the figure than I have ever done so far.

I will be sanding off the nurse hat, the apron below the waist, reshaping the area above the neck of the apron (the blouse and sleeves) so that the whole thing looks like she's wearing the loose-fitting white robe the angel in the video was wearing, and reshaping the back of her head and the hair above her forehead.

Here's Aurora-model's online photo of the figure:

Here is the 1/35 Coree UH-60 Pilots set, currently available on Ebay.  The female has a pony tail as well.  She is easy to make w/o the Cav hat w/some putty too.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Legend-LF0100-UH60-Helicopter-Crew-1-35th-Scale-New_W0QQitemZ260539756066QQcategoryZ1189QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BIEW%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D10%26ps%3D63

Tamiya and Tristar have a female in their Russian Army Tank Crews too.

Hope that helps.

HeavyArty

Looking pretty good.  For a female figure in 1/35, check out Verlinden, they have a few female soldiers.  Also, Coree made a helicopter pilot set that has a nice female in a flight suit.  There is also a Sci-Fi figure set in 1/35 in the Mech-type line that goes with a hovertank (or something like that) that has a couple females in it.

Good luck.

Ilooked at the Verlinden figures and they just aren't what I'm looking for. The female soldiers don't look very "feminine" and with their uniforms you can't rreally tell that they're women. Their civilian female figures aren't what I need, either.

I think I am going to buy a set of Hasagawa's Ma.k "Figure Set A" and replace my 1/35 police guys with two of the male figures from that. At least, that way, the figures will be all the same scale.

Looking pretty good.  For a female figure in 1/35, check out Verlinden, they have a few female soldiers.  Also, Coree made a helicopter pilot set that has a nice female in a flight suit.  There is also a Sci-Fi figure set in 1/35 in the Mech-type line that goes with a hovertank (or something like that) that has a couple females in it.

Good luck.

I got the Ma.k figure in the mail yesterday. I had been hoping that since women are usually a little smaller than men that the heights wouldn't be too far off (1/20 for the Ma.K and 1/35 for the two soldier figures). But I guess I have to work on my ability to visualize other scales.

That didn't stop me from building her, though. I assembled and painted her, spending the evening shading in the shadows of the folds in the clothing. Then I realized that the wings I had already made were too small. So I got out the Play-doh and made two more; this time from scratch, without a mold. I baked them in the oven and then this morning I sealed them, painted them, and then glued them onto the Ma.K figure.

Here it is.

I am, however, having trouble finding a suitable female figure in 1/35 scale. The ones from Legend are all "pin-up" poses and nudes. A 1/32 scale female figure "might" work, but might also be too big if I place her next to the other figures. "G" scale figures are also out, since they are almost the same scale as the Ma.K figure I have.

Any suggestions from out there?

Well, the epoxy didn't work and I broke the mold trying to get the hardened angel out. After gluing the mold back together using super glue, I thought about the problem for awhile and then tried Play-doh . I baked it in the oven at 200 degrees until it was completely dried out.

Believe it or not, it worked. The Play-doh shrank a little while it was in the oven and came out of the mold easily. I sprayed it with with a clear enamel sealer and then gave it several coats of thinned acrylic titanium white and then picked out the feather details with aircraft gray mixed with some flat white. I'll be picking out the lines of the feathers with a 5mm mechanical pencil (with the tip of the lead rubbed to an even finer point).

Here's a photo of the results:

The wings are 1.5 inches long.

05Warrior

Wow! This is an excellent build!! It looks outstanding!!

Thanks. I appreciate the compliment!

Wow! This is an excellent build!! It looks outstanding!!

The second set of Hornet heads arrived from Ultracast today (along with the set of six hands). Things went really well and painted three of the heads, all of the hands, and then selected the ones to go one that other figure (the Warriors "European General").

Here are the results.

I also received a little crafty-type clay mold to make angel wings. After trying various papers, tissues, and Bristol Board, I decided to risk the clay mold and use an epoxy. It is sitting on a shelf now, curing. All I need now is my Ma.K female soldier 'B' figure to get here and this project will enter its final phase of contruction.

Jim Barton

Fantastic!

Thank you. I was hoping for  feedback but was getting the feeling I was posting just for myself.

The fun thing about this build is: six months ago I wouldn't have been able to do it; I have deteriorated so much. I am really proud of what I have accomplished, building this truck and painting and detailing it and the figures.

Fantastic!

Did more work on detailing the sidekick figure.

I got the Hornet head set from Ultracast. I was so impressed that I ordered a second set and will be replacing the head on the other figure.

On the "sidekick" figure, He's the one in the helmet.

I purchased a 1/36 Warrior figure and put on a Hornet head. I messed around with my Dremel and altered his stance to make it more casual. This morning I realized that he was leaning over too far so I shimmed up the base. His cigarette was more difficult. All the wire I tried was too thick and made it look like he was smoking a cigar. I ended up coating a piece of sewing thread with superglue, letting it dry, and then gluing it onto the figure's face. After the glue has set, I used a very small pair of scissors to trim it to what looked like the correct length.

Since taking this photo, I realized that I had scuffed-up the face a little when adding the shading to the folds in the uniform. I have since repainted the scuff marks and added the little gold insignia on his helmet.

I got my order from Squadron and spent today painting and gluing equipment onto the Truck. I also got a soldier figure which I painted and assembled (except for the head, which I ordered from Ultracast). The head which came with the figure ended up on the other guy (whose head I messed up). This head wears a billed cap instead of a helmet, so that was another reason to put it on the other figure. (When the other head comes and I get it painted, I'll post photos of both).

Here's the equipment shots:

While I am waiting for the other figures to arrive, I started weathering some of the panels on the Nuclear Truck, using my oldtime method of charcoal pencil apllied on my fingertip.

Then I used some gray pastel powder to age the tires a little and started detailing my painted figure. I only got part of the face done before my brain disorder kicked in and my fingers wouldn't move the pencil in the direction I wanted them to. So I'm taking a break to let that part of my brain recharge. I was, however. able to add some shadows to the folds on his pants.

The Nuclear Truck is now sitting on its shelf, directly across from where I sit when I'm working on the computer. After looking at the truck for a couple of days, I decided that the contour of the front fenders wasn't right. So I got out my exacto knife and straightened the curved line I had on the bottom of both fenders. I then cut some pieces of styrene into long triangular shapes with straight edges and then glued them onto the fenders, painting them after the glue had dried. I also painted the white section of the brake drum a flat black so it wouldn't stand out and added a second windshield wiper..

Since I'm into story-types of drawings, I tend to people my models with figures. The first arrived yesterday. A 1/35 Warriors "European American General." I assembled and painted him and placed him next to the Nuclear Truck.

I have two more figures coming in the mail. One will be the guy who is wearing the sunglasses (the "general figure's" partner) and also a 1/20 resin girl soldier which was supposed to be used with models from the Ma.k series. I plan to add wings to her and use her as the Angel figure. I have no idea how the 1/20 scale figure will work with the others, but I have high hopes. Maybe she won't be placed right next to them. That might visually minimize the difference in scale. --or I'll use her in some other project. Whatever.

Here's the dioramic setting, so far.

Well, the Nuclear Truck is pretty-much finished. I added a wider rear fender and step on the driver's side, a couple of oxygen bottles in front of the door, an antenna, and hood latches (which you probably can't see in the photos, and finished the front bumper using aluminum rod with a center section made from the outer casing of some coaxial cable that I had laying around.

Here's the Truck, on the shelf with the background painting pinned-up behind it.

This has been the first "scratchbuild" that I've done where I have made all the panels, chassis and body. I still need to fill-in and smooth some of the seams around the rear of the vehicle. More weathering and pinwashes are in the works.

Yesterday I painted the truck and after that was dry, I installed the headlights, wheels, and Police Light Bar. I still have several things to make. The front bumper and the area below the driver's door looks like it needs a step and some other details.

Got both of the front fenders done and glued them on. Tomorrow morning (when the glue's dry) I'll give it a final shot of primer and then start painting it with some Polly Scale Dark Yellow (it says O&RGW Yellow on the bottle).

Last night I made several styrene panels to "marry-up" the lower hull to the upper body.

I also made a lower "chin" for the radiator. I also added one of the nuclear symbols to the insert grill (I'll be taking the insert out when I paint the radiator shell its final color).

The chin section was made from a piece of Bristol Board. Bristol board is an acid-free type of artist paper which is like poster board, only thicker. To make the chin, I used  an old brass door bumper. Its base (the square part which bolts to the floor, was about the width of the radiator. The top of the door bumper is curved like a half-dome (the rubber bumper for the door to hit against sitting underneath).

I cut a strip of Bristol Board one inch wider than I thought I would need and ran some tap water over it; making sure it was thoroughly soaked. I waited a minute or two for the board to soften, then I molded it over the metal top of the door bumper, squeezing and and slowly making it conform to the complex curves of the half-dome. Then I turned my wife's hair dryer on "low," set the hair dryer on its side on the table and held the Bristtol board and door stop in front of it until the paper dried. You have to hold the paper in place against the metal doorstop or it will straighten out as it dries.

Once it was dry enough to hold its shape, I coated it with a heavy super glue gel to give it strength and so the I could sand surface and remove some of the wrinkles. It's a good idea to prime it before sanding it. Bristol Board is usually white, and if you use a gray primer, you can see when you've sanded off the "high" spots.

After that, you just glue it onto the part, and prime it again. Then you're ready to hit it with the finsh coat of paint.

Very impressive.  Cant wait to see more.  Learning alot!