Dobber

Again these entire models are hand painted with brushes. weathering is down with ground pastels and pencils. Hope you all like! this really is the last one!!! I'll post more of the SV-51 when I'm further along.

Chris

On the VF-1. I did't have or know about any custom decals at the time. ALL the markings except the number and the UN SPACY on the gun pod are hand drawn on or hand painted on, including the Pukn' Dog and the UN spacy emblem!

You can also se a Roy Vf-1S strike I "was" working on I'll get around to it eventually

Chris

OK I lied!! Now that I know how to make my pictures small enough to post i'd thought I'd share a few more. Here is a size comparison next to my Custom Vf-1s. I have a display stand that I still need to varnish and then a few more valks to finish and put in formation. The VF-1s is a 1/72 hasegawa it just looks bigger because it's on a stand

Chris

Last one.

Chris

Another look.

Chris

A few more pictures

Chris

One more,

Chris

Me again, I figured out how to make the resolution smaller so here are a few more pics. I've been a little busy lately so the only differences are now the panel lines are done and the paint has been touched up, particularly around the anti-personel guns. I'm nearly finished with the vertical stabs and then I'll put the decals on, shade the panel lines and weather the whole thing.

Chris

Great job Chris!!

Wow, your brush skills are fantastic!!  Did you mask then hand brush, or did you do all those sharp corners freehand?  Truely admirable, my brush skills have gone down the crapper since I rely too much on my airbrush now - I only brush the smallest of parts  .  I break out the airbrush for even some really shamefully stupid parts - but I just can't get the paint even and thin enough on large surfaces.

Too bad to hear about your panel line problems.  There could be one of two reasons or a combination of both.  What are you brush painting with (what type of paint?) and did you apply a clear coat (with a different solvent base) to protect the paint before you panel lined?  I essentially sandwich my paints with different solvent based layers to protect each other from interacting with each other.  The Tamiya Acrylic base coat (acrylic), then a layer of ModelMaster Acryl clear-coat (which is laquer based dispite the name), then artist oil wash (thinned with low odour varsol - mineral spirits).  You see that all these three layers have a different solvent base and therefore do not interact with each other.  You can go on layering them - I usually use a clear-coat layer to seal in every step of the way.  It allows an "undo" to the previous stage should I need to strip anything away.

Looking forward to more posts.

WM Cheng,

I Use Testors My local hobby shop barely qualifies as one I prefer Acrylics and for the most part use only Model Master Acrylics. However, since all the colors aren't available in Acrylic I'll also use regular Model Master paints. I haven't tried to panel line wash on this model because I didn't want to ruin the complex paint scheme. I used a variation of masking and free hand....I have a pretty steady hand The last time I tried to wash, though, I'm pretty sure I followed those steps but from what I remember After the wash was applied I couldn't get the Excess off? Maybe it wasn't thinned enough...oh yeah I was using India ink. Also what should be used to remove the excess in your equation...more low odor varisol?

Finally can anyone tell me how to size down my pictures? I can't figure it out!!! Do I need to do something with my camera or is it down on windows? Thanks Again everyone.

Chris

Thanks Everyone! I'm a little further along now I've done most of the panel lines.but haven't really done much else I've been too busy. Overall I'm happy with it but it's the first camo job and model plane I've done in a while. Some fit problems, and paint lines are my main disappointments. I'd love to get another one and give it another try when this is done because I love the design and I now know the problem areas. This whole thing Is brush painted, I have no airbrush, had a cheap Testors "Double action?" but couldn't get the hang of it plus the clean up was a bitch!! I'm too impatient that way I guess.

I'd love to post more pictures but I don't know how to scale down the pictures ala Grahams request. Any suggestions?

Also I've followed WM Chengs instructions on how to do panel lines and tried different variations on it and it ALWAYS takes off the base coat (I must be doing something wrong!!!) so I just use my trusty artists pencil. Basically, I'm a brush painter that's reached the limit of my abilities that dosen't have the time or money to invest in an airbrush and practice. but I hope you all still like it!!

Chris

If anyone is intersted, HLJ just pushed back the date for the Yellow Sub. 1/144 aircraft to Oct. I'd love to see more prototype pics. I REALLY WANT something of the FFR-31 Sylphide and as of now this Yellow Sub. is the only version of it.

Chris

Just trying to see if I can figure out how to make a smaller picture....this is only a test

Chris

No luck ....picture removed

one more. I've just noticed those spots that I didn't paint DOH!!!

Chris

EDIT:new picture

Sorry about the image size I'll try to fix that for future pictures.

Chris

EDIT: New pictures again!

Hi Everybody! (Hi Dr. Nick!) I just put the first clear coat on and while I "patiently" wait for it to dry I thought I'd show you all some pictures. Hope you like. I'll post more pics when it's finished if anyone is interested.

Chris

(EDIT) these are new pictures in the smaller resolution to make it more accessable.

Jinnai, I'm also building a SV-51 now, painting as a blue camo Flanker( I can't stand the NORA paint-scheme.) I didn't have the problem with the nose cone fit that you are having but I know what you mean about some seams. I pretty much have all the major parts completed just havent glued them in place yet. Problem areas that I've noticed with my kit are the wing roots and where the legs attach to the fueselage. Mainly the later. I have a question for you and the rest of our Guroos(spelling ) since the Aircraft transforms and alot of the parts have to move, is having a seam show really that bad or would it be more realistic since some areas have to move SO drastically?

I agree that the feet are a bit of a pain in the ass, and I've also noticed that the VTOL cover is a little too wide for the fuselage, (when in the closed position.) I'm loving your step by step, I'm a little further along (been working on it for a few weeks now) I also can't get over how big this plane is!!! I love it but part of me thinks it might be just a bit TOO big!!! What do you think?

Keep up the great work!!

Chris

There were some early prototype pics a while back in a thread but I can't remember which one. The release dates keep getting pushed back considering all of them where originally slated to be released by Feb 2004. I haven't seen anything new on them at all. Hope they are not scrapped.

Chris

Just got the 2 disk version at Best Buy today! I've always loved this movie and after seeing it finally given this great treatment it's like seeing a whole new movie!! The picture quality is wonderful and THX sound!!!! The bonus disk has a great interview with the VF-84 pilots who did the air work for the movie, and I must say these guys have some pretty darn funny stories from shooting this movie....ie..Catherine Ross, Zero thumping, and the low altitude pull-out! Get this movie!!!!!!!!!!

Chris

Does anyone have any info on when these are going to be released? They keep getting pushed back at HLJ. I'm dying to get my hands on the FFR-31 Sylphid....I freaking love that design Hopefully it'll get more screen time in the last operation. Not sure if anyone got pics at Wonderfest.

Chris

Yeah, it would suit Lucas to make each version of the Box come with different special features on the discs within.

Chris

I agree with JBO, I vastly prefer the Movie edition over the OVA's. I own both and still love the OVA's but think the movie edition is much better. To me the characters come off much more mature in the movie and that's saying alot considering they still act like dolts!!! I agree with everyone else that the ending is much better not just for clarification purposes but also the style of the whole end battle sequence is just beautifu.

BSU, I really liked the extended aerodancing sequence with Isamu. I don't think the last bit was added to prove he landed, but rather just finish the scene instead of just cutting to additional flight sequences. plus it's cool how he screems down the side of the OPS building giving everyone inside a little rattle

Just my 2 cents

Chris

Thanks everyone! Grayson, what should the ratio be? About 1 to 3 Oil to mineral spirits? It should be REALLY watery right. Thanks Again

Chris

Cinescape.com reported that Sci-fi ordered 6 new episodes and then see where to go from there. They are mainly concerned about the production costs, same reason why the "original" got sacked.

I personally loved the new Galactica and I also loved the Original. I don't know how they could have given it a different name without people saying it was a rip-off of Galactica.

New B5 sweet! hopefully nothing like that travisty(spelling) "The Legend of the Rangers"

Chris

Hey guys, If the Base coat is acrylic can I still use acrylic paints for the wash? What do you dilute the wash with and what do you use clean of the excess? I've read the other threads about washing and even did web searches, but I have NO luck wih washing. I can never get off the excess from around the panel lines and on the off chance I can, the base coat also comes off, even after I seal it with with testors semi gloss. I can only use Testors paints (Acrylic, modelmaster, etc) I live in an area with only one Hobby shop and it's not very good.

However, thanks Mallet, I always wondered about Future application because I also can't get the hang of a paint brush !! The lack of these two skills is really preventing me from bringing my models to the next level.

PLEASE HELP!!!!

Chris

Could it be the Leg Armor and Gun Pod?!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This thing looks awesome! Too many models not enough time!

Chris