Completed » Fish Sub / Paddlewheel!

[FichtenFoo]

I like your version, its a fantasy piece, but still believable in its own way.  The rippled sand is great, and the subtle details are balanced and do not overwhelm.   Perfect.

The sunken Kriegsfischkutter boat is really nice, but all that clutter and a bicycle, too?  Speaking personally, the flak gun doesn't do anything for the model.  A fishing boat is an honorable vessel and does not need a flak gun to justify building a model of one!   Again just my personal reaction.   Its a very well made model. 

Dave

Thanks! Yeah, that and all the military gear used as debris is distracting. To me that is almost laziness as it's readily available stowage stuff. More interesting would had been barrels, shoes, fishing gear, etc... I too think the flak looks way out of place. Otherwise the boat itself is awesome.

Michael, please call the mother ship and go back to your home planet with its creatively advanced modeling civilization and its highly accelerated time warp.

How do you work so fast? Do these ideas form in your mind as a whole or do you just start and don't look back?

I'm serious with the questions. It may be something akin to when I go out with my 4x5 camera. Sometimes, I cannot see an image anywhere. Other times, they pop out at me and generally on the best ones I set the camera, don't have to move it, and I get what I envisioned. Your modeling work that way?

Thanks, John

I just kind of focus and push through it, although at the moment I'm feeling a little burned out... I need some inspiration or something to get back into the mood. I think once I start painting the fish I'll feel better, I just need to sand the little rascals. I've been adding more coral and it's a sloooooow process.

I get an idea in my head, sometimes I sketch it and others like this base, I just let form on their own adding things where they seem most appropriate. I usually call it "modeling by the seat of my pants". A lot of my scratchbuilds are done that way. The ones you've seen made into kits are the winners, while I have a huge box of half-built losers that I use as filler and fodder for other builds.

With nature and natural settings, it's best to let the chips fall where they may. Otherwise it looks to produced. Nature is random and abhors a vacuum. Not sure what the latter has to do with this, but it sounds cool.  References help a great deal, but artistic license plays a huge roll as well.

[JohnP]

I guess I've had too much Six-Sigma, Kaizen and process control experience to allow myself to "go with the flow". Maybe there's some other way to release my Inner Self, shut of the CAD and build something.

Actually, I had fun making beautiful trees in 1:160 a while back and writing about it for N-Scale mag. I have been wondering how to do it in 1:48. Trees don't have rivets, do they?

Maybe you've cured me FitchenFoo, without an intervention.

John

[FichtenFoo]

Trees are fun! Try this method:

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/hardboiled-afs/

You can use the really nice "horsehair foliage" from Silflor. Noch flake foliage over bark-tinted pulled-cotton will also work. Similar to this "seaweed", but thinner, more teased and stretched out strands to build up bulk to hold the leaf flake.

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/in-progress-%C2%BB-dagobah-diorama-%C2%BB-seaweed/

[JohnP]

Hey why no photos of the Dagobah scene with a blue filter and some dry ice gasses floating around? The early Star Wars were fun to look at because those were real models from tiny to 1:1. Nice job on that diorama, brings me back to my first big screen viewing.

I have been ogling the newest and latest in scenery products. The Scenic Express catalog is a handy reference. 'Course I can still recall the delicious odor of a fresh box of Life-Like lichen on Christmas and birthdays, the steaming vat of real Maine lichen I treated once, then the miracle of ground foam. In 1:48 I should be able to enjoy the latest textures more than in 1:160 previously.

Anyway, it's your thread Fitch, thanks!

John

[FichtenFoo]

Lichen definitely has a distinct odor. Not unpleasant or anything, but earthy and distinct. I forgot until I took my bag of it out of a drawer to use some for this coral. The smell stays in the drawer, but not in the zip-lock.

Definitely try the wire trees though... they'll slice your hands a bit, but worth the effort.

[FichtenFoo]

I'M BAAAACK!

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/fish-shaped-submersible-build-up/

[finescalerr]

That is insane. I like it. Please do not seek therapy. -- Russ

[Philip Smith]

What kind of license do you need to command that? FDL?
I like the button tuck seat! Was that a stock casting or add on?

Philip

[FichtenFoo]

Thanks guys. I made the seat for the master from styrene, epoxy putty, and the same balls I used for the rivets so every kit's got one. I'm building this OOB so those waiting for the 2nd edition to be available will know what they're getting.

Oh, and I got an email from my caster and he'll be starting the 2nd ed. casts for me in a few weeks. WOO HOO!

[Ray Dunakin]

Very nice, definitely has that elegant Victorian/steampunk look.

[FichtenFoo]

Thanks! Now I'm having fun with Mr. Metal Color's buffable paints and the mounting hold for the sub to attach to the base.

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/fish-shaped-submersible-build-up/

[Malachi Constant]

Wow!  The sub interior is outrageously cool and the metal work is shaping up beautifully ...

Cheers,
Dallas

[DaKra]

Looks great.  How much of the gold finish is the paint, and how much is the actual brass? 

Dave

[FichtenFoo]

Thanks guys!

Looks great.  How much of the gold finish is the paint, and how much is the actual brass? 

Dave

I sanded away the paint and primer so that's the bare brass. There may be a hint of green primer and the bronze paint left in the very fine initial sanding scratches, but not enough to do anything more than filter the color.

[FichtenFoo]

Here's the latest progress. Engine painting and copper plating!

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/fish-shaped-submersible-build-up/