I have an obsession with TIE Strikers. I love how the articulated model, I love how they look, and I hate how they explode into a fireball with the slightest glance love how precisely they demand you fly. I love them so much so that I decided to try messing with my models, and I think these ones are decent enough to share!

The Red/Orange/Yellow-winged one and the Silver-winged strikers are a bit different than the black and gold, which is just painted. I cut the panels out, leaving just the skeleton of the frame, and glued on thing transparent acrylic films that lets light through the wings.

Closer shots of the three:

Shimmerwing

Gilded:

Wildfire:

The painting is done a tad heavily for my tastes, but that is due to my lack of real equipment-- I'm working with sharpie paint pens, which get the job done if you don't look to closely. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks for stopping by!

The transparent panels are a really cool idea!

I love Strikers too! Strange look on yours, but nice!

Excellent idea!

If you can spare about $10, I'd suggest you go down to the game or hobby shop and buy two things: a flat black acrylic bottle of paint (Vallejo, Citadel, Army Painter, etc.) and a size 1 or 0 paint brush. You can get a variety pack of paint brushes with a variety of sizes for about $5 from most craft stores and the paint will cost at most $5. Don't get a paint tube or the cheapy $1 or $2 bottles--go to a store that sells paints for models. I suggest the kind that comes in the eye-dropper bottles. I think only Citadel & Testors come in little pots.

That will do a lot for you. You can paint the cockpit glass with it. You can water it down and paint it into the cracks and crevices of the model which will really bring it to life.

If you want to go further, buy a medium or light grey (not white!). With it you can do some highlighting by using a dry brush technique (super easy) and you can mix some gray & black to add another color to your palate.

Thanks for posting! I really enjoy seeing new people join our ranks.

Good luck!