From: ajm@seqp4.sequoia.com (A.J.Madison)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: Re: Model Painting (The answer)
Summary: more tricks
Date: 1 Oct 92 21:25:25 GMT
Organization: Sequoia Systems Inc., Marlboro, Mass.

In article <1992Oct1.113205.12410@hellgate.utah.edu>, jwindley%asylum.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Jay Windley) writes:
> Anthony_Battles_-T@cso.3mail.3com.com writes:
> >Well, the answer is Duck Egg Blue.
> 
> I mentioned Duck Egg Blue to the original poster via email as the
> color recommended by AMT-ERTL.
> 
> >You use that color to highlight details, such as panels or different 
> >sections of the ship. Depending on the size of the ship you are 
> >building, the directions will tell you where you need to paint. At first 
> >it may look like it is the wrong color. But when on a backdrop and the 
> >proper lighting it will look real enough.
> 
> There are some things you can do with graphite powder which make the
> model look more realistic.
> 
> The first is to place a very small amount of graphite in mineral
> spirits and brush this onto the hull to bring out the raised detail
> without altering the color radically.  If you do this after painting
> hull patches, be careful not to dissolve the underlying paint with the
> mineral spirits.
> 
> Another trick I've used is to apply the powdered graphite directly to
> the plastic with a soft dry brush.  Brush vigorously and then "polish"
> with a Kleenex or a Kimwipe.  This gives the plastic a surface quality
> which better resembles metal.


I'm jumping into this late, so I might re repeating stuff...

An issue of "Fine Scale Modeler" from ~4 months ago, has an entire article on
how to accurize the AMT/ERTL "Movie" Enterprise.  That author's recommendation
is to use the technique recommended by -D instructions, eg.  make extremely
intricate masks (he called it the "Aztec" pattern) and paint the Big-E in with
two colors: Flat White & Gloss White.  Well, the pictures in the magazine also
tells me that the guy has two things I don't have: a. way more time on his
hands than he knows what to do with and b. detailed plans/pictures of the
actual filmed miniature.  I am contemplating doing the same with the -D, but I
also know that between the raised (rather than recessed) panel detail and the
scale 1:1700 that this technique will not work.  Especially since the guy in
the magazine, essentially sanded all of the panel detail off, and BY HAND,
scribed it all back in the way its supposed to, as per the Filmed miniature.


I can also recommend the graphite technique.  A movie Enterprise I built many
moons ago, had been gathering dust for quite some time, when I decided to
wipe it down one day.  I was about to use some non-voltile cleaner on it,
when I realized that the dust that had settled into the panel detail really
did a good job expressing the panel structure.  I plan to really wipe it
clean and use graphite to give it a more metallic sheen.

I'd also strongly recommend getting "Micro-Sol" or one of the other decal
softening products.  The panel detail on the -D is going to make some of the
decals really tricky to settle down tight.

-- 
when everyone is out to get you, being paranoid is just good thinking.
         - Dr. Johnny Fever <in other words, standard disclaimer>
A.J. Madison                                           ajm@sequoia.com
Sequoia Systems Inc.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc,rec.arts.startrek.fandom