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Iron Painter 8 Round 6 (Final!): "Last One Standing"

Started by Bexley, February 25, 2012, 09:24:22 PM

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Malachi Constant

Very nice!  First thought was "oh no, she needs a neck" ... then read thru and see that's on the list ... expression and all look great ... don't think I'd fiddle with the hair vs helmet thing ... not seeing your concern there.  -- Dallas
-- Dallas Mallerich  (Just a freakin' newbie who stumbled into the place)
Email me on the "Contact Us" page at www.BoulderValleyModels.com

Bexley

Well, if you look where the top of her head would be, it's in about the middle of the helmet. I know those things have a liner in them, but it'd be about 3 inches thick the way it sits on her head currently. I want the helmet to sit a bit lower than it is. I think it'll help her look younger, too, as the helmet is supposed to look too big on her.
CounterClockwise

Bexley Andrajack

Ray Dunakin

Nice! I agree, the helmet needs to sit lower on her head.

Really like the rips in the clothing.
Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World

marc_reusser

Coming along very nicely.

IMO, I do feel the helmet is sitting too far up on her head...might look better if it appeared to bee a bit too big...so almost coming down over her eyes. (A Russian or Polish style helmet might work better for this effect, as they had the highter front and lower sides).  Another cool helmet option might be those old tight leather ones with the aviator type goggles...could use a WW2 American tanker helmet, or if you want something wierder/more apocalyptic...the padded Russian Tanker helmets...(there is actually a Russian woman tanker figure with one of those helmets on).
I am an unreliable witness to my own existence.

In the corners of my mind there is a circus....

M-Works

Andi Little

Quote from: marc_reusser on March 02, 2012, 01:50:54 AM
Coming along very nicely.

IMO, I do feel the helmet is sitting too far up on her head...might look better if it appeared to bee a bit too big...so almost coming down over her eyes. (A Russian or Polish style helmet might work better for this effect, as they had the highter front and lower sides).  Another cool helmet option might be those old tight leather ones with the aviator type goggles...could use a WW2 American tanker helmet, or if you want something wierder/more apocalyptic...the padded Russian Tanker helmets...(there is actually a Russian woman tanker figure with one of those helmets on).


Actually - "What he said". .........................Marc's summary pretty much reflects my own thinking on this, but I didn't feel qualified enough to say so; but, Yup' - that 'bout covers it!
KBO..................... Andi.

Bexley

I like the aviator helmet idea, but with only a little more than three days to finish this up, I'm going to stick with what I've got.
CounterClockwise

Bexley Andrajack

Bexley

#21
Updates are likely to be sparse (or non existent) until Monday night or Tuesday. It's crunch time to get this thing done. I'll still take photos as I go, I just probably won't get them online until after it's finished.

I stayed late at work Thursday, to use the shop so I could make the base. I drew up three ovals in Adobe Illustrator for the base, and printed them out- one for the outside dimensions, one for the size of an inset styrene slug, and one for the router template to cut an inside pocket. I used the router template oval to cut a hole in a piece of 3/4" MDF, which I then used (with a template bushing) to rout an 1/8" deep oval pocket in a piece of 3/4" thick bocote. (I'd rather have used cocobolo, but I couldn't find a piece 3/4" thick on short notice.) I then used the exterior sized oval to cut out the base itself, which was 1/2" larger all around. This gives me an oval base with a raised 1/2" lip all the way around. I used the remaining printout to cut a 1/8" thick styrene oval, which fits into the rim. I also ran a roundover bit around the whole thing. Though, I only had a 1/2" diameter bit, and I wanted to leave at least a 1/4" of rim, so it has sort of a bullnose profile to it.

The reason for all that work is so that I can sand, seal, and lacquer the base separately from the diorama, which will be built up on the styrene slug. Then, when it's all done, I just drop it into the base with some 5 minute epoxy.

I've got the groundwork about 75% done. I made a sheet of "asphalt" (more or less as in this thread, with some minor refinements to the technique) and then cut it with an X-Acto to fit the base. It only covers about 2/3 of the base, so it appears that the scene is taking place on the shoulder of the road. I mixed up some diorama muck (latex paint, dry joint compound, and sand) and spread it onto the styrene slug, smoothed it out, and laid the asphalt over it. I then added some small chunks of broken off asphalt near the shoulder, and some very fine bits I gorund up with a mortar and pestle. Once it's all dry, I'll add some paint washes to the pavement, and some pigments and a few weeds. I'll probably put a white shoulder line on the asphalt as well.

I've finished building the bike. Or, at least, I've finished assembling it as much as I intend to prior to painting. (Actually, I still need to make the stop sign front fender, but that should take only a few minutes. I've already printed out the template.) I also added an extended luggage rack, which has a seat attached for Daughter. I figured it'd be made out of what was handy, so I made a 50's style vinyl chair (the kind that's just bent metal tubing, with a vinyl padded seat and back) with no legs, which is "welded" onto the rack, which is just a piece of diamond plate. To that, I added rolled up blanket, a pack , and an ammo case, which are all tied down with rope made by twisting two lengths of fine wire. I also added two jerry cans, one on each side of the rack, hanging from ropes.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have spent so much time writing all this up without posting pictures. Maybe I'll just go back and add pictures where appropriate, once I'm finished. It's 4am and I'm tired.
CounterClockwise

Bexley Andrajack

lab-dad

Thats a hell of a teaser!
Sounds like an amazing little vignette.
I guess having a young daughter has me interested too.
Looking forward to monday.
Good luck!
Marty

Bexley

I had some time while the primer dries, so I put up the photos from last night.





The base and the styrene slug.





The asphalt, cut to fit the slug. It's discolored because I started experimenting with
some washes. It's also lighter on the edges from the torch I used to burn off the
loose strands of cheesecloth that were sticking out after I cut it.





The slug, covered with diorama muck.





Muck and asphalt.
CounterClockwise

Bexley Andrajack

Bexley

Before the primer:



Bike parts.









Dad and Daughter.
CounterClockwise

Bexley Andrajack

Rail and Tie

WOW!

Love the asphalt!!

Love the whole thing!!
Cheers!
Darryl

"Leonard, check it out. I've bought an N Gauge locomotive. Half the size of HO. Look...it fits in my mouth!"

http://www.interactionhobbies.com
http://www.facebook.com/railandtie

Bexley

Hm. I think I should have angled the repair manual up a bit more. Crap, too late to do much about it now. (Admittedly,, it'll look less like he's offering the book to someone when he's right in front of the bike, but still. It wouldn't be Iron Painter without messing something up when it's too late to fix it.)
CounterClockwise

Bexley Andrajack

marc_reusser

Great progress. Go..go..go....
I am an unreliable witness to my own existence.

In the corners of my mind there is a circus....

M-Works

Bexley

#28
I just made the deadline, with nine minutes to spare. I must be losing my touch, as I'm usually clicking upload with less than a minute.

Some final notes:

1. I will be taking better photos. Running so close to the deadline, I didn't have time to fiddle with things. (The one I'm posting here is my submissioon photo- you're only allowed one photo with a maximum width of 800px, hence the vertical filmstrip.) Also, my first time using a dark background. Colors seem to be glowing, I'm assuming I need to tinker with settings. I got a middle grey backdrop to try out as well. On the plus side, though, my home made softboxes kicked out more than enough light.

2. Not my best paintjob. Stuff came up on Sunday, and I ended up not starting until noon 2pm today. I really need to learn to keep the construction to a minimum. It's my usual problem- the idea grows and grows and suddenly "one week to build, one week to paint" becomes "12 days to build, 2 days to paint." (Or twelve hours, in this case.) That said, I think it came out well, though my photos washed out the skin tones a bit.

Either way, I'ma go have a whiskey and sleeeeeeeeep.


CounterClockwise

Bexley Andrajack

finescalerr

Most adequate.

Keep the black background; it works! Regarding the "glowing" colors, just tone down the saturation a little. You're there.

Russ