Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => Painting, Finishing and Care. => Topic started by: Martin (Admin) on July 13, 2017, 09:10:41 pm

Title: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 13, 2017, 09:10:41 pm
 
Evening All!

A friend has asked me to build his Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit.

There are a 3.2 million windows (portholes?! ) that need to be painted.... any ideas on what is a easy way to do this,

1. so they look relatively uniform,
2. loosing the will to live.
3. don't shove the kit up my friend's ..... nose!?

 Any guidance appreciated.

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/Voyager_04.jpg)

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/Voyager_03.jpg)

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/Voyager_02.jpg)

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/Voyager_01.jpg)

Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on July 13, 2017, 09:19:18 pm

As they are in depressions you could paint the top surface of the 'Whole' craft first and then use an Eye dropper for each window.  It will only fill to the edges and give you a good precision looking finish .

maybe


ken

Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: gingyer on July 13, 2017, 09:21:03 pm
I'm sure the modellers who build these normally
Paint it then a black paint wash so the paint runs into the seams and the windows
Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: DavieTait on July 13, 2017, 09:25:53 pm
https://www.facebook.com/groups/starshipmodeler/?ref=bookmarks (https://www.facebook.com/groups/starshipmodeler/?ref=bookmarks)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SpaceModeling/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/SpaceModeling/)

Guys on those 2 pages on Facebook build these models all the time Martin good idea to join those groups and ask them
Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: DavieTait on July 13, 2017, 09:31:57 pm
A lot of guys use a pin vice and drill out ALL the windows and rig up fibre optics to them , stunning to look at BUT must take months to do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QHJGoGh068
Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: ballastanksian on July 13, 2017, 09:37:35 pm
The wash idea is a good one, and can be tidied up by cutting any black that has escaped the window frame back with a fine brush.

If spraying, spray the panel lines and windows black before spraying the model in light grey. This then accentuates the depth of the lines and will enhance the windows when you do what ever you do to make the dark (and mysterious:O)
Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on July 13, 2017, 10:46:33 pm
HB or an H pencil, keep it sharpened and try not to smudge it all over the rest of the model..unless you are doing a beaten up Voyager, in which case, knock yourself out.
Alternatively any of the other suggestions, they all work.


Thinking about it, a decent fine point marker pen would do the same job. Needs to be a good quality one, and the base paint needs to be a good week hard before starting.
Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 14, 2017, 09:26:05 pm
 
The windows need to be satin white, will the principle still work?
( NB: It's the smaller, sunken windows that need painting...)
Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on July 15, 2017, 07:02:11 am
Another option, in that case. I saw this in a Kalmbach Sci Fi Special, so long ag it is all black and white, and it concerned a model of Cygnus X-1 from the film The Black Hole. This ship is ALL windows.
The flavour of the concept was as follows ( don't remember the details, so I am filling in the blanks from practical knowledge picked up reading Sci Fi specials thirty plus years ago!! ), paint the model in an acrylic finish, which makes it pretty solvent proof when it cures. Apply your window effect paint in enamel paint, while this  is slowly curing, you can wipe any excess away with a white spirit damped rag, without affecting the surrounding acrylic base colour. It does work, but needs a bit of control over how much white spirit is soaked into the rag..too much and you smear the paint everywhere!
Title: Re: Painting a Revell Star Trek Voyager kit
Post by: Colin Bishop on July 15, 2017, 11:30:06 am
Starfleet Command must spend a fortune on window cleaners.  :-)