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Oh, aztecking, how do I hate thee...

Forbin

Fleet Admiral
Admiral
Let me count the... little pieces of Chartpak tape.

I'm doing the resin Belknap conversion to the 1/537 Enterprise here. I used the Walker template on the saucer (a smoothie saucer, btw!), so I just couldn't NOT aztec the rest of the ship.

Now I'm remembering why I never do that!

Here are the nacelles and pylons ready to shoot the pale Flanker blue on (the upper nacelle is done, that was my test shot):
raan3.jpg

That's two nights worth of taping.

One nacelle masked:
raan1.jpg


I leave a little space between the strips of tape to give me a fine line to represent paneling. Looks like this when done:
raan2.jpg


Afterwards, I give the whole surface a light, thin respraying with the base Model Master light gray. That blends the blue and gray to a more even, subtle (hard to photograph) pattern. Looks like this at the end (I tried to enhance the pic a little to bring the pattern out, which of course defeats the purpose of blending it, but I want it to show in the pic):
raan4.jpg


Peeling the tape off is even less fun than putting it on, but it goes faster! :borg:
 
Belknap was always one of my favorites. I even have the old paper elevation view posters around here somewhere with Belknap and Ascension on it! Your modeling skill and patience is incredible!
 
Let me count the... little pieces of Chartpak tape.

I'm doing the resin Belknap conversion to the 1/537 Enterprise here. I used the Walker template on the saucer (a smoothie saucer, btw!), so I just couldn't NOT aztec the rest of the ship.

Now I'm remembering why I never do that!

Here are the nacelles and pylons ready to shoot the pale Flanker blue on (the upper nacelle is done, that was my test shot):
raan3.jpg

That's two nights worth of taping.

One nacelle masked:
raan1.jpg


I leave a little space between the strips of tape to give me a fine line to represent paneling. Looks like this when done:
raan2.jpg


Afterwards, I give the whole surface a light, thin respraying with the base Model Master light gray. That blends the blue and gray to a more even, subtle (hard to photograph) pattern. Looks like this at the end (I tried to enhance the pic a little to bring the pattern out, which of course defeats the purpose of blending it, but I want it to show in the pic):
raan4.jpg


Peeling the tape off is even less fun than putting it on, but it goes faster! :borg:
That's awesome. :)

It took me 3 weeks to paint my Big Polar Lights Enterprise that way.

-=MadMan=-
 
Well, for a few moments there I actually thought you were actually building a model that wasnt a kitbash.... Crazy me...

Nice bash, Forbin. Your aztecing looks great. Can't wait to see the finished work.

Q2
 
Forbin
Great job there are you doing a Belknap kit bash or are the Belknap parts from a Mod Kit? I've got to start modeling again
 
Forbin
Great job there are you doing a Belknap kit bash or are the Belknap parts from a Mod Kit? I've got to start modeling again

It's the conversion kit from Federation Models. Alliance maybe?

It took me 3 weeks to paint my Big Polar Lights Enterprise that way.

-=MadMan=-

I'm still deathly afraid of starting that thing! :lol:
Don't be afraid. :) It only took me 6 months to finish it, and I STILL haven't put the final top coat on it.

BigE.jpg


Isn't the original Enterprise kit going to be this same scale?

-=MadMan=-

GAWgeous!
 
Though I haven't touched cement or a paint brush since I was 12, I did draw the aztech pattern on the Korolev from scratch, so I feel your pain.
Seriously, I've had more fun watching house flies repeatedly and persistently attempting to pass through solid glass.
 
Oh, you guys crack me up...

I gave up on painting Aztecs a long time ago. I wassick of pulling my hair out. I strictly Aztec all my ships using decals only and I've gotten so good at it that it looks painted.

Jon's just a masochist. :D

-Shawn
 
Yeah I gotta agree, Im not looking forward to painting my aztecking. So Im gonna cheat and use the decal method.
 
Yeah I gotta agree, Im not looking forward to painting my aztecking. So Im gonna cheat and use the decal method.
Nah... it ain't cheatin'. There is nothing easy about doing a quality decal job of aztecking.

It's just more consistent, less time consuming and you don't pull your hair out. :bolian:

-Shawn :borg:
 
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