update 6th November.....1/72 RAZORCREST(from the Mandalorian)completed

[Brokeneagle]

HiGuys , back again with more models.......I didn't feel that I had enough going on .
I have decided to build my 2 Razorcrest models using the small Bandai model (about 1/350th I think) to test the paint job for its larger big brother from Revell at 1/72.

The Bandai kit is the ltd edition molded in chrome silver, so it is the perfect test bed for weathering on the siver base. The kit requires no glue and can be assembled in 1 hour. Decals are supplied for the dark canopy windows as well as the yellow body stripes, however I will paint the stripes before I start the weathering process.

At the same time I have started the prep. on the 1/72 scale version and base-coated all sprues in flat black. I am currently working on gluing the external painted parts that I can before the interior is painted. The engines have some seam lines that need to be hidden. Once the parts are glued together as far as I can go before fitting the interior, I will coat the flat black with a clear flat then a semi - gloss clear sealer.
Once the interior is painted and fitted I can start on the exterior paint and weathering.

 

[moon puppy]

This should be fun, Ian Hill's take on sci-fi.

 

[Brokeneagle]

This should be fun, Ian Hill's take on sci-fi.

Well, I'm looking forward to it for sure!

 

[Brokeneagle]

The next phase...............
This project is being driven by a chance to be really creative. The blacks are down on the large 1/72 RzCrest and its ready for the build up to dirty metal. I decided in doing this one that I wanted to get the most realistically weathered result that I could 'muster' from my armour modeling experiences and my artwork, so as the Knight Rider used to say....
"come ride with me"......... into the unknown future of experimental painting with sci-fi where anything goes to try to achieive the final result.
I have a definate image in my mind acssociated with some ideas on the paint process based around what I have seenof the finish of the ship in the show. Its not all shiny metal as a lot of people think and certainly the Revell box imagery.
I took these shots off the TV from episodes 1 and 3 to show what I am going for in detail. The colors vary due to the tone of the image on screen and the camera in my phone trying to handle it, especially the bluish shots that I had to try and color correct as much as I could. Overall the best color match is with the first 4 photos but all of the 'snaps ' clearly show the rugged and weathered apperarance of the metal plates of the ship and the multiple shades of steel, aluminium and chrome that will be needed. Black and dark browns will also play a major part with panel line enhancement and metal plate differentiation.
I can't wait to get into this one and are super excited as my creativity on metal plate weathering can go wild.

BASE COAT/PRIMER
To underpin the metal weathering I needed to start with a black primer. This base will provide all the shadows, dark patches and uneven finish for the metal plates. I also went with some airbrushed stencil patches in dirty browns made from black, dark iron and red brown acryclics *(all Tamiya). This idea may not work everywhere, especially where the metal paints are more opaque but hopefully in the darker , more 'unpainted' areas it will help.
I mean, whatever right, this is all about experimentation and what doesn't work with this may work well for another model. This is how I always discover new methods and happy accidents. The focus is the variation in the metal plates combined with subtle dirt and grime - most of the plates are not just a perfect finish so this is why I will be building most of this surface effect up with traditional dry brushing of multiple layers, combined with stippling of more solid colors and detailed brush work, finishing with oil paints and pigments.

In the beginning there was only plastic....... but what a great platform to start with. A highly detailed surface covered in panel lines and plates of varying heights.

first stage - black acrylic basecoat. I also added some plastic strip and rod to the edges to cover seam lines on the engine cowling sides.

I had some issues with my acrylic clear coat that I sealed the black with, before adding the brown. I used Vallejo acrylic matt varnish but it turned the black into a light grey when I sprayed it on with the airbrush, so I had to redo the black.
Can anyone recomend a good acrylic matt or satin varnish that can be sprayed through the airbrush without effecting the base color paint?

Black acrylic basecoat with random brown shapes.............

 

[Piet]

 

[jeaton01]

Alclad II AquaGloss works well over nmf paints, don't know about over flat black.

 

[Brokeneagle]

The dirty silver finish has begun and is well on its way. I started on the engines then moved on to the main hull.I am drybrushing and stippling Testors Modelmaster enamels(Chrome Silver, steel, Aluminium). These are applied in various shades via different length brushes and paint volumes to achieve variation over the black/brown patchy base coat.
The beginning of the dirty variation added on top is being done with very soft stippling of Burnt metal metalizer thinned down. The engine exhaust shrouds have been filtered with Burnt Iron metalizer over the black.
This is only the start with much more blending and silver work conbined with dark brown weathering. I am probably going to paint the yellow stripes even though they give you decals. I can make them much more realistic and stain them easier if they are painted. When the silver is finished I can begin the weathering of the other colors using pigments, actylic washes and oil paints.

The rough streaking and various parts of the stippled chrome have been done with paint on a piece of damaged cleaning pad, while outher parts have been done with long and short soft brushes.

 

[helios]

My god....

Amazing work so far.

 

[moon puppy]

Amazing!

 

[Duke Maddog]

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was the real thing! Stunning realism! I'm taking notes for when I someday get mine!

 

[jeaton01]

 

[Brokeneagle]

Chris, MP, Duke and John, thank you for the feedback. I really appreciate it.
Duke, let me know if there is anything specific you want to know during the build and I will help if I can.

 

[Brokeneagle]

More progress on the silver ............ I am steadily working on building-up the layers trying to develop the panels to have a range from dull platinum to bright silver. I have used Alcad burnt pale metal paint over black with some testors chrome drybrushed on top. The attached rings at the rear of the exhaust shrouds have been given a very light hint of burnt iron, as have the outlet rings around the mid section.
Panel lines are being built up with a very thin acrylic pin wash mix of soot black, graveyard dirt and dark earth pigments.
I have also started adding various grey shades with tamiya medium grey brushed on with only a touch of paint on the brush, almost drybrushed. Tamiya acrylics are great for this style of painting effect. I then add some more drybrushed silver over the top in very light coats to change the tone. The Tamiya medium grey gives the base a blueish tone to the panels you add it to. Another nice little trick is to polish the silver paint with a buff and use the acrylic semi drybrush application across the areas that are not polished on a polished panel. As long as the paint on the brush is not loaded muich and almost dry it will not adhear to the polished surfaces but gently adhear to the exposed flat finish places. This gives a boost to the chipped effect.
The panel edges are being shadowed with the pigment mix mentioned earlier but in a dry application, being careful to keep the effect very gentle. The darker areas accross the panels are achieved with a very dark brown oil paint mix applied very dry and super soft.
Lots more effects to go and many more panels to enhance........interior and landing gear also to be done.

 

[paddy]

Very impressive finish and a lot of fun to do is my guess. Don't know why but when i looked at this i thought, that would look really good on a NMF Liberator (B24)

 

[Brokeneagle]

Very impressive finish and a lot of fun to do is my guess. Don't know why but when i looked at this i thought, that would look really good on a NMF Liberator (B24)

Thanks Paddy. Yeah a lot of fun and a great way to develop some new tricks for the bag. I know what you mean, this would be an ideal way to finish a battle worn NMF B24.
The Razorcrest actually reminds me a little of a B24 front end, thats probably why.

 

[moon puppy]

Dig it! It really does look like a pitted and less than optimally maintained NMF, very cool!

 

[Brokeneagle]

Dig it! It really does look like a pitted and less than optimally maintained NMF, very cool!

Thanks MP. I am steadily making it a little more shiny though I do like my darker panelsmore than a straight out polished surface. The ship in the show seems to change on its finish so I will end up in between. Realistically, one entrance intoi a planets atmosphere would dull that finish right back.
I am wanting to have various panels with different degrees of shine.
I am struggling to find an acrylic clear coat that does not react with the siver enamel paint surface when I brush it on. I am not very familiar with clear gloss or satin. What should I do? Really need some help with this.
I have acrylic laquers but what is the difference between that and a typical acrylic model paint?

 

[moon puppy]

That's always been my problem with the metalizer paints Ian, get them looking good and then you put on a clear coat and it all dulls out. I'm curious to how Migs Pigment Fixer behaves with this. On my dozer I used pigments on the muffler and sealed it with the fixer. The Fixer is enamel if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Brokeneagle]

That's always been my problem with the metalizer paints Ian, get them looking good and then you put on a clear coat and it all dulls out. I'm curious to how Migs Pigment Fixer behaves with this. On my dozer I used pigments on the muffler and sealed it with the fixer. The Fixer is enamel if I'm not mistaken.

Yes, i have been fixing the panel line mix with Tamiya acrylic thinner. The fixers are just the thinners for each medium repackaged as fixitive. They may even thin it down more to make more money.
The Tamiya acrylic thinner has not reacted with the enamel metalizers.
This was always going to be experimental.......i will keep testing until something works.

 

[Brokeneagle]

Work has continued on making the silver pop in various places while keeping the overall surface randomly shiny in various degrees. I picked-up some more silvers that range from Hyper chrome to flat and dull and have been developing different finisheeds using each of then with different brush techniques. The Hyper chrome in particular is the SMS paint pen that needs to be blended off at the edges in places to mix smoothly with the testors chrome silver, which is not as bright. The sivers shine back individually at varying angles and appear brighter than in the photos. Its a very hard subject to photogragh and capture the reflective shine.
The silver has taken about 45 hrs so far, much harder than I initially thought but I am working toward a completed image in my mind that I see seperately to the TV show image but exist side by side in my minds eye.
I have laid down the yellow stripes on the sides and the top which still need more chipping in places and a slightly more orange tone, which I will achieve with a light reddish filter. In studying the TV spaceship and the painting instructions for the model, I discovered the instruction guide is incorrect, so I took some more images off the TV and went with the pattern on those. The kit gives you decals for the yellow areas but I thought that painting them would look more realistic.

I have started on the interior and have completed the landing gear and the rear loading ramp.