I don't get too many chances to build regular model kits these days but I thought I'd set myself a fun challenge - buy a cheap model kit and build it in a day. After all my regular projects tend to last for months, it'd be nice to actually finish something in a timely fashion you know?
The Build
This model was smaller than I imagined. The box wasn't very big but I thought it would be taller. I'm glad it wasn't any bigger in retrospect - I'd still be making it now!
First step, gather the bits!
Sand away any pesky seam lines. Some models have it worse, This kit is a Revell Titanic and is pretty good really. Goodness I didn't want to be sanding seam lines all day anyway NO TIME!
Depending on how bad a seam line is - start with a rougher grit and finish off with a really smooth wet and dry paper.
In the booth for a spot of primer. From a can no less. No special paint has been used for this build. Basic System 3 acrylics were used for the detail washes and the parts done by hand. The bulk of the hull was done with standard colours from a can.
Looking okie dokie.
Ah, the front bit. Nothing weird going on here...
I wanted bigger funnels. Alas.
Bit of primer, bit of wonky plastic stuck on the end. The kit is what it is...
Painted with standard acrylics and a few washes (really watery paint) of various browns to get into all of those cracks and add depth.
Not too shabby...
Bit of assembly happening. No glue yet, it's good to make sure things fit right, these small / cheap plastic kits can be a bit warped sometimes - as mine was just a smidge.
Masking with Tamiya masking tape and sprayed again with a red and black - both from a can.
In the top right is a Tamiya weathering kit. It looks like a make up pad. I used this for little touches of dirt / metal on the funnels - these little weathering kits are great fun!
Starting to get some touches here and there and a touch of weathering...
So far so good - how about drilling some tiny holes for some lighting? I used a hand-driven Archimedes drill for this - a powered drill spins tiny drill bits like this (0.5mm) far to fast and melt the plastic around the bit which results in a bigger hole then expected.
The lighting would simply be 3 white LED's wired together in series inside the hull. A hole at the bottom allows for a wire to come through it and into the base where the 9V battery will be.
Cotton wool and some string for some extra effects which may or may not be cheesy. Notice the front section is bent up a little bit - this is that slight warping cheap figures can have sometimes - no matter though, some glue will sort that right out.
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| poooof |
Iritatingly small masts... It was tricky finding string which was in scale with the rest of the figure - sometimes small models can be unintentionally scaled by elements which are small in real life but look massive in the context of the model.
Even more irritatingly small decals...
Getting there....
Ok - it looks alright, but it's missing some flair... how much time do we have?
Lets sink it!
For the base I cut some MDF and cut a void in one of the layers to position the model into.
The area around the void is painted lighter to give the impression of rushing water.
Outer areas are painted in dark blues and greens.
For the water a cheap silicone sealant commonly used for bathrooms and showers is squirted on and leveled off with a flat bit of wood. I did several layers of this for depth
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| that black nail is not nail polish it's paint ok! |
The surfaces are roughed up a bit to add a bit of detail, particually around where the model will sit.
The model is then placed into the void and the gap around it is filled with silicone.
A bit of extra roughness is added with Deluxe Materials Making Waves - it dries clear.
Finished Figure
