That looks like marble..... A marble Star Destroyer.... that might be one of the coolest ideas that I've ever heard of -blinks- You're raising a very creative child Dras,

He's also a Freaking Ninja when it comes to getting into my hobby supplies...

because the tray of supplies was on top of my computer tower, which was on top of my desk, which he couldn't directly access as the chair had been tipped on its side...

He retrieved a half-full carton of kitty litter as a stepstool, dragged it halfway through the house to the desk location, before using it to clamber to the desk proper...

That it downright terrifying, Just when you think everything's all in order, creativity provides another way. Never sure what the texture is like but that's still pretty awesome.

Oh, the Mon Cals are pretty great -laughs- I'm not sure how to add that in without sounding sarcastic (I'm not, but even I can't read that and not picture a Cheshire grin), and there is no segue into that one aside from 'he left his creative streak on that one too'.

Unfortunately, the texture is a little thick - you can see in parts where the ivory topcoat actually strings over the gaps.

I've tried now to glaze the colour back, and I think I could correct the colour if not for the texture...

... So now it'll wait until I get another Commission, so I can buy some stripping agent, as I'm all out.

Will just have to suck it up and use it as-is at the Store Champs if I have to...

Unfortunately, the texture is a little thick - you can see in parts where the ivory topcoat actually strings over the gaps.

I've tried now to glaze the colour back, and I think I could correct the colour if not for the texture...

... So now it'll wait until I get another Commission, so I can buy some stripping agent, as I'm all out.

Will just have to suck it up and use it as-is at the Store Champs if I have to...

Whats a quote on a set of R&V's?

Whats a quote on a set of R&V's?

Sending a contact req. to your Skype, as I can't message you in-forums, mate

Kid drybrushes better at two than I did at twenty...indeed, the force is strong with this one.

...


So when the Charlie-Foxtrot hits... (And its not a True Charlie until the Brass is involved - and my Wife has seen the pictures, ergo, involved...)

You gotta do. SO I thought, y'know what, let's Document what I can try to do to fix this Sucker, Step by Step...



AN Improvement:





Its still not great, but it is an improvement...

I did what is known to some restoration parlance as a "texture abatement glaze". In most normal person terms, its a Glaze that is fairly thick texture wise, but still fairly transparent colour wise. This was to retint the surface colour back to something closer to the original, as well as start to fill some of those texture lines on the surface.

In this case, the original colour was Administratum Grey, so I utilised that colour again. I also used Acrylic Medium and Vallejo Drying Retarder (Water Based) in a 1:4:1 Ratio as displayed... So lots of Medium, little colour, little retardant.

I think took the whole tray into the Bathroom while I was giving the kiddo some Water Playtime there... The main reason for that is the absolute huge spike in humidity the bathroom has. Where I normally paint it is very dry - topping out at 10% humidity on a rainy day, it seems... As well as being cold as all hell.

So the massive humidity spike as well as the retardant meant that I could smooth over the whole thing... Smooth over and then continue to work it to glaze that surface without it immediately wanting to fill all of the gaps on the model like a wash...

It was about as successful as it could be... Its kind of like pouring a filling floor polish over a wooden surface and then buffing it smooth - only you keep buffing with the brush. The worst parts of the drybrush are at least identifyable now - I'll be hitting any hangovers with the hobby knife, and then re-washing it - probably with a 5:10:1 mix of Nuln Oil, Water, and Dishwashing liquid... Just so that gives me ULTIMATE flow into these recesses, as some of them are rather weak and half-filled now...

Next pictures after I get the time for that...

NEXT Step. Happened quicker than I thought. Mostly because he was Distracted by Cars on the TV.

I was looking at it, staring at it, and I decided to make one tiny change.

I went with Badab Black instead of Nuln Oil because its a little thicker - it can be purposed as both a Wash and a Glaze, whereas Nuln Oil's formula is thinner and thus more Wash-like.

Badab also has almost a bit of a grainy texture to it, which would pick out some more off the details a little better...

Its still wet in this photo, but we're starting to get the SD back to a dirty grey, which is fine - then I can try to add the whiter lighter drybrushings, as 90% of the time I run an ISD, its an ISD-1, and "White but Old" will suit...

Of course, soon it'll need a name, too.

-- FIRST -- Drybrush pass.. Probably 1 of 10 or so.


In this case, it was a small Drybrush (equivelant of GW's "Medium" Drybrush), and the colour chosen was Reaper Linen White.

This gives me the BEST indication of how **** textured the surface is... In short. Its bloody textured... But, I'll use that to my advantage.

The Victories were able to be drybrushed just with the white and called it a day, but their surfaces ignored the majority of it and just edged because they were smooth.

This will probably involve building up those edges, trying to get a nice white over msot of it, and then re-correcting it back to partially grey with administratum again on the largest panels with a small drybrush and a lot of time...

And Last Shots of the Evening.

Family Photos, With and Without Flash, to show how far I actually have to go to correct the colour...

. . . WOW. . . I wish I was that good.

Still a loooooong way to go. It has to match those two. It can look a little different, in the fact that its newer than the others, but its still going to be an older model Imperial. No defensive retrofits for me.

It would be easier to get some Isopropyl, toss the whole imperial line in, scrub them back to an inch of their bare plastic, steal an airbrush from someone, and go to town so they're all be nice and "the same" (and let me correct a bunch of issues in the meantime)... But that's not an option right now. I have the supplies I have, and that'll all it'll be for the time being

. . . WOW. . . I wish I was that good.

With you, in relation to some of the things I've seen you paint... Its all going to be a matter of techniques you could learn

Use this as a learning experience somewhat... What happened to my ISD was the absolute peril of Unthinned Paint, applied thickly... As you can see, it obliterates detail.

There is a magic mix ratio between pigment and medium that lets you cover in your chosen colour. From what I remember of the Blue MC80, it jsut seemed the paint was a little thick. That's something you can correct over time - experimenting. Knowing that, sometimes, depending on the paint used, its going to be thin, so you'll need to do multiple coats, and one thick coat just will not do.

Beyond that, if you ever find yourself across the Border in Hothgary, I'd definately give people hands-on teaching. Hell, GW used to employ me to do just that, and I'd go back to that job in a second if I could work Mall hours...

Just...wow. that you were able to get it that far in an evening is amazing!

If there is any texture left when you're done, you should paint those areas as battle-scarred.

Just...wow. that you were able to get it that far in an evening is amazing!

If there is any texture left when you're done, you should paint those areas as battle-scarred.

There will be a lot of texture remaining... The trick is going to be blending those colours well so the eye doesn't pick up on the variations of colour - or rather, that the variations of colour are due to something other than texturing.

Otherwise, its just personal preference - I prefer my Empire to look old, maybe even weathered, but battle scarred means they were losing at some point

Gotta keep the imaginary crew's Morale up

Guess who has a couple of fighters to paint....

... This guy....

A "couple".

Well, y'know... I'm starting with the 16 Bases of Regular TIE Fighters and going from there...

Mold line removal is almost done on them

I got Luke's fighter wing and the Special Branch to paint

See, about an hour ago I had a hankering to go and paint up some Imperial fighters, but one look at that cured me. TIE fighter mold lines on bended wing and only one Firespray. That's just cruel

Mold lines are gone on the Imperials. Took about an hour and a Half all told... Wing corrections will happen during naptime, due to the presence of boiling water... But they'll be ready to prime by the end of the day, most probably.

I know, 100%, that my painting won't match the quality of yours unless some major changes happen in my life... But I think I make up for it in Speed and Affordability

I'd love to get some of my squadrons painted, but I don't think I have the arm strength (and more seriously, the money) to throw my squadrons from Kansas to Canada.

Depending on how much you need done, you can even toss them in a baggie in a padded envelope and send them that way...

The most I've charged thusfar for return shipping was around the $30 (CAD) mark, and that was with squadrons that were fully based on their Tees because the Commissioner asked me to spray them black at the same time and then glue the models into the Tees....

I can be a bit flexible with the Postage after all, depending on how much of a commission it is...

As always, feel free to use the link in my sig, and message me at my Facebook page, or Email... I'll negotiate where I can

I'm sure I'd have to charge a premium for that many basic TIES, a Vykes sanity fee, even then I'm not sure the concept would work as I'd still be insane to try that

Aye, the shipping to and from Canada tends to be a little weird at times. I've sent a number of things stateside and even to a Russian mate of mine and the prices can be a little weird, anywhere from $7.50 Cnd to $38 Stateside for legitimate parcels. Canada Post does seem to love that jump, but usually loose squadrons or even just 'tee only' squadrons sans base in a padded envelope shouldn't be too much at all (few dollar mark, not much more).