The trash looks great too?!? lol
You might have already said, but are you doing red led's to light the compactor? :{J
You might have already said, but are you doing red led's to light the compactor? :{J
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36" (91 cm) Death Star WIP (continued)
- Thread starter Darth_Sceptaurus
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Thanks lol
No, I wasn't planning on it. It would pose more problems in finding space for the wiring, and I'm probably going to keep it fairly simple from here on out :|
No, I wasn't planning on it. It would pose more problems in finding space for the wiring, and I'm probably going to keep it fairly simple from here on out :|
Did you catch the Easter egg in the trash?
If you mean Dianoga I did. Or do you mean the parts under the foam?
For the LED, you could get a cheap keychain light like a Nebo and tint the dome red and mount it in a way you can push the button. The batteries will last a long time if you don't leave it on a lot. I have a bunch of them for stuff like lighting my dios when I take pics. And the ones I have the dome unscrews and the led is small enough to fit behind a panel. But I can understand that you might not have this specific model of light to use.
I also bought a rechargeable selfie ring light off of Amazon recently that really helps when I take pics. And it's only $10. It recharges with a USB cable like a phone. It has a dim, medium, and bright setting and if you hold it down it strobes. All you'd need is a red gel and you could easily clip it to the compactor's roof. Here's a link to what I'm talking about if you're interested in this route: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072F1PV7J/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This kind of light would also be useful lighting the hangar. And they clip on and can be recharged so no wires.
There's also these finger lights in red, blue, white, and green: https://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Party-Favor-Finger-Lights/dp/B00HNHW4FC/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1542066552&sr=8-16&keywords=selfie+ring+light+red
Just some ideas. :{J
For the LED, you could get a cheap keychain light like a Nebo and tint the dome red and mount it in a way you can push the button. The batteries will last a long time if you don't leave it on a lot. I have a bunch of them for stuff like lighting my dios when I take pics. And the ones I have the dome unscrews and the led is small enough to fit behind a panel. But I can understand that you might not have this specific model of light to use.
I also bought a rechargeable selfie ring light off of Amazon recently that really helps when I take pics. And it's only $10. It recharges with a USB cable like a phone. It has a dim, medium, and bright setting and if you hold it down it strobes. All you'd need is a red gel and you could easily clip it to the compactor's roof. Here's a link to what I'm talking about if you're interested in this route: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072F1PV7J/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This kind of light would also be useful lighting the hangar. And they clip on and can be recharged so no wires.
There's also these finger lights in red, blue, white, and green: https://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Party-Favor-Finger-Lights/dp/B00HNHW4FC/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1542066552&sr=8-16&keywords=selfie+ring+light+red
Just some ideas. :{J
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Absolutely amazing trash compactor! If I may suggest, it might be a good idea to cut up the foam pieces a few times each to get many smaller pieces. Checking out some screen caps reveals how so very many pieces there were in there. Beautiful work you've done, DS!
Thanks, Daigo_Bah!
In an earlier iteration many pages ago, you can see I did, in fact, use much smaller pieces, of many varying types. I wanted to make these big on purpose, though, to prevent them from getting stuck in the hole that the dianoga pops out of. Didn't really matter in the end, however, as once the dianoga pops up, a piece inevitably gets stuck behind him, preventing him from laying back down :grin: I guess the beauty is I can always make changes later in that regard.
In an earlier iteration many pages ago, you can see I did, in fact, use much smaller pieces, of many varying types. I wanted to make these big on purpose, though, to prevent them from getting stuck in the hole that the dianoga pops out of. Didn't really matter in the end, however, as once the dianoga pops up, a piece inevitably gets stuck behind him, preventing him from laying back down :grin: I guess the beauty is I can always make changes later in that regard.
Now I see why you use the foam, for you have this working mechanic!! That is utterly cool.
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Superb dianoga, love the way this looks. Gotta go revise my trash compactor scene now after seeing this.
Wow, I just realized it's been over a month since I've posted anything!
I spent all night working on the chasm walls, and got them to a point where I feel they're good enough. The files are too big to post, but here's a re-vamp of the floor...
I spent all night working on the chasm walls, and got them to a point where I feel they're good enough. The files are too big to post, but here's a re-vamp of the floor...
Sooo... any updates? This project is so mind-boggling fantastic, it has to continue 
Hey, SpectreOne! I haven't been on in a while. I see you did some more work on the Ghost. Looks fantastic!Sooo... any updates? This project is so mind-boggling fantastic, it has to continue
Yeah, I've been kind of wrapped up in some studies recently, but I do plan on getting back to work on the DS sometime soon. I've come too far to not finish it, and I feel I at least owe it to the people who followed the thread and offered helpful suggestions along the way. Plus, the work area is taking up space on the table I was going to put my sail barge on!
Hopefully sometime in May, if not sooner, I'll be able to start doing updates again
I'm glad to see you haven't given up on this.
I was thinking of your DS recently. My work was throwing out a revolving display stand. I rescued the base in case I ever build a spherical diorama. It is basically a Lazy Susan for Deathstars. It has industrial wheels on the bottom and is sturdy as heck.
I was also thinking of your trash problem. What if you were to take a black balloon or rubber/stretchy sheet and attach your diaonga to the center of it. Attach the sides to the floor of the compactor so when the head is pulled down, the foam doesn't fall through. Then you could have smaller pieces of foam.
I was thinking of your DS recently. My work was throwing out a revolving display stand. I rescued the base in case I ever build a spherical diorama. It is basically a Lazy Susan for Deathstars. It has industrial wheels on the bottom and is sturdy as heck.
I was also thinking of your trash problem. What if you were to take a black balloon or rubber/stretchy sheet and attach your diaonga to the center of it. Attach the sides to the floor of the compactor so when the head is pulled down, the foam doesn't fall through. Then you could have smaller pieces of foam.
Nice idea, that could work. Thanks Utinniii!I'm glad to see you haven't given up on this.
I was thinking of your DS recently. My work was throwing out a revolving display stand. I rescued the base in case I ever build a spherical diorama. It is basically a Lazy Susan for Deathstars. It has industrial wheels on the bottom and is sturdy as heck.
I was also thinking of your trash problem. What if you were to take a black balloon or rubber/stretchy sheet and attach your diaonga to the center of it. Attach the sides to the floor of the compactor so when the head is pulled down, the foam doesn't fall through. Then you could have smaller pieces of foam.
I ended up ordering a Lazy Susan a few months ago, and the partially-assembled DS is sitting on it right now. I have a couple other unrelated projects I'm working on right now, but looking forward to getting back at it soon. The plan is to get all of the wall textures done for all the rooms, then start painting the floors.
I'm back! After nearly 6 months without any serious updates, it's time to get back at it. I have one exam for my classes to finish tomorrow, and then I'll be able to spend all my free time outside of work on this thing. I've resolved to get it finished, or at least mostly finished, this summer!
This is the mess on my work bench that I get to return to:
This is also the table the barge will sit on once I get the DS finished, so even more motivation to get it done!
Here are the two boxes of components that were removed when I disassembled it the last time:
Here are some shots of the structure with the main walls back up:
And a close-up of the painted side walls for the trash compactor, which will be mostly covered up later on, save for the edges:
As you see, I got it up on the Lazy Susan, which makes getting shots like this much easier. The table is just a $30 one I bought so I'd have somewhere to set it while I'm working on it. Once finished, I'll probably invest in a nicer table that fits it a little better.
I'll be using these full structure shots in order to catalog the different rooms and what operations need to be done to them. I'll be starting with walls and floors and then going back to put in the components later after I have the structure secured. At least that's the plan. Once I get the list made, I'll probably be putting together some more wall textures and doing some painting on the floors.
More soon!
This is the mess on my work bench that I get to return to:
This is also the table the barge will sit on once I get the DS finished, so even more motivation to get it done!
Here are the two boxes of components that were removed when I disassembled it the last time:
Here are some shots of the structure with the main walls back up:
And a close-up of the painted side walls for the trash compactor, which will be mostly covered up later on, save for the edges:
As you see, I got it up on the Lazy Susan, which makes getting shots like this much easier. The table is just a $30 one I bought so I'd have somewhere to set it while I'm working on it. Once finished, I'll probably invest in a nicer table that fits it a little better.
I'll be using these full structure shots in order to catalog the different rooms and what operations need to be done to them. I'll be starting with walls and floors and then going back to put in the components later after I have the structure secured. At least that's the plan. Once I get the list made, I'll probably be putting together some more wall textures and doing some painting on the floors.
More soon!
Welcome back! I kept hoping to see an update.
Darth_Sceptaurus, you outta double your efforts to get back on schedule before the Emperor arrives.
Seriously, this and the large scale Falcon project show the amount of dedication Star Wars customizers are willing to put into the craft. Looking forward to more updates.
Seriously, this and the large scale Falcon project show the amount of dedication Star Wars customizers are willing to put into the craft. Looking forward to more updates.
It's great to be back, and thank you!
Thank you, lol. To be mentioned in the same sentence as someone of izzymel's caliber is a great compliment! I hope to not disappoint!Darth_Sceptaurus, you outta double your efforts to get back on schedule before the Emperor arrives.
Seriously, this and the large scale Falcon project show the amount of dedication Star Wars customizers are willing to put into the craft. Looking forward to more updates.
So I wanted to post a really quick update here. This is what I've been working on here and there throughout this last week.
I got a few of the floors painted. This is the Duel Hall (Obi/Vader), the hallway where Luke and Leia end up after their swing across the chasm (I call it the Safety Hall), the Red Control Room, and the Blast Door Room/Hall.
And here are a couple of the textures I've finished. The first two are chasm walls, so they will basically be 20-some inches in height when printed.
Here is the blast door wall for the Duel Hall, which on the other side will be part of the Hangar Bay.
Here is the half wall that will show the doorway behind Obi-Wan and Vader when seen from the Hangar Bay, front and back.
And finally the long section running along the other wall of the Duel Hall, which will be split in the middle by the half section...
I'm in the process of doing more painting and working on textures for other rooms while waiting for paint to dry. So until next time...
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This will be my second update for today. Well, I guess technically the other one was last night. I wanted to share my work on this texture for the Overbridge, as it was a pain in the *** and took me forever.
I used this shot from Rogue One as a reference:
And took a screenshot of ANH to use as a base:
Notice how it gets cut off with no details around the edges shown.
With a little work, this is what I came up with:
This was done in Gimp using a lot of cloning and smudging. Around the edges you'll see the pre-made wall textures that I edited. I tried my best to get the texture on the window to match the hue and brightness/contrast of the wall textures.
If you saw my original Overbridge window, you'll notice this one is much larger. The plan is to cut out the star field in the wall texture and just use the frame. Behind it, there will be an empty star field background. And now, instead of the poster board wheel, I'll use clear thin plexi-glass type material in front of the star field and glue the different stages of Alderaan exploding directly to the wheel. I may have to use another thin layer of clear plastic over those textures to give it the same glossy, behind-the-glass look as the clear plastic. So we'll see what I come up with.
Other than that, got 5 more floors painted but they still need another coat.
I used this shot from Rogue One as a reference:
And took a screenshot of ANH to use as a base:
Notice how it gets cut off with no details around the edges shown.
With a little work, this is what I came up with:
This was done in Gimp using a lot of cloning and smudging. Around the edges you'll see the pre-made wall textures that I edited. I tried my best to get the texture on the window to match the hue and brightness/contrast of the wall textures.
If you saw my original Overbridge window, you'll notice this one is much larger. The plan is to cut out the star field in the wall texture and just use the frame. Behind it, there will be an empty star field background. And now, instead of the poster board wheel, I'll use clear thin plexi-glass type material in front of the star field and glue the different stages of Alderaan exploding directly to the wheel. I may have to use another thin layer of clear plastic over those textures to give it the same glossy, behind-the-glass look as the clear plastic. So we'll see what I come up with.
Other than that, got 5 more floors painted but they still need another coat.
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Nice updates.
Sometimes it is nice to paint and finish off sections just so it feels like something is being accomplished. It is also exciting to see it looking more like a toy and less like a construction project.
Before you paint the second coat, there are 2 things you need to consider.
1] are you going to cut the lines in the floors?
2] are you going to hide the foam board layering (walls and floors). You can cut strips of paper to make it look like one fat piece instead of 3 pieces.
Sometimes it is nice to paint and finish off sections just so it feels like something is being accomplished. It is also exciting to see it looking more like a toy and less like a construction project.
Before you paint the second coat, there are 2 things you need to consider.
1] are you going to cut the lines in the floors?
2] are you going to hide the foam board layering (walls and floors). You can cut strips of paper to make it look like one fat piece instead of 3 pieces.
It's been great getting back at it. I feel the passion coming back - finding myself thinking about it while at work and planning what I'll do next.
1] I'm pretty confident I have all the critical measurements I'll need at this point. If you're referring to the impressions from the pencil lines, which I regret but has been a learning experience, I may or may not go back, do a little sanding, then attempt to smooth them out with putty later on, depending on how the rooms look all stocked up. I'm planning on waiting to do the final gluing until I have all the accessories/etc. in place and see how everything fits together. If at that point it still bugs me, I may actually just cut new pieces and re-paint them, which may be faster than trying to sand and putty all the lines.
2] I like the idea and I did consider it, but then remembered that I wanted to leave it open for a possible outer shell later on. The idea is still to have a 3d-printed plastic 'frame' that will basically fit around all of the edges of the walls and floors. Before I print that, I need to come up with some kind of method to fasten the wall sections to this frame. So yeah, it will probably stay as is for now, but I'll paint the edges, and they'll basically be two-toned, so the top on most will be gloss black while the bottom will be flat grey.
Good looking out, Utinniii. You've been a 'diorama spirit guide' of sorts in this great quest I'm undertaking. Always appreciated
Thanks, Daigo_Bah! They've been taking up most of my time recently, and I'm hoping to be finished with most of them soon.
So I wanted to just say hey to everybody and hope you're all having an awesome Memorial Day weekend. I'm getting a lot of work done on the DS in between all the family things we have going on. I should have a big update coming pretty soon. Right now I'm having print quality issues with the place that I was going (which was formerly one of the top office supply stores). Their print head has been scratching all the prints and they haven't put in a ticket to get it fixed yet, been over a week. The other place doesn't have the right kind of paper, so I'll probably have to look into going through a commercial printer from here on out. Hopefully I can get some stuff ready this week and start affixing some wall panels.
I'll leave you guys with a quick preview of things to come:
I'm thrilled to help/inspire however possible. Thanks for saying that.
It works both ways though. I see how excited other people get and their comments energize me to work on my own projects.
With regards to my previous comment on cutting lines in the floor, I meant the actual floor tiling and not your pencil scuff marks. If you look at the above picture (and any floor shots of the Hanger Bay) you will see that the floor isn't one uniform piece. It is made up of large rectangular sheets. This is a detail often skipped. However, I think this subtle detail pulls the whole look together as the entire Deathstar is made up of repeating pieces.
I think recutting will be faster than sanding/puttying. Try one floor and time it to see if it is 1] time effective, and 2] looks good.
I wouldn't worry too much as droids and heavy machinery would wreck the floor anyway.
My library has a poster sized printer. When I finally make my own Deathstar, I intend to use it to print the larger walls, specifically the chasm walls. My primary reason for that is I want to create the forced perspective of a long canyon. Most dioramas keep the walls the same perspective so the side walls look only feet wide and not miles wide.
I found a halfway decent printing company, who I might go with from here on out. Got some neat textures printed but haven't put them on yet. I'm working on prepping the walls right now to hold the textures. In the meantime, I got the black floors all painted.
And, the superlaser control room control panel. As you can see, I used different textures than those I had come up with before, as I found a better source image. I did a lot of editing to these images in order to make them fit my little model, and they still don't quite fit as well as I had hoped, but it'll do for now. Later on I'll probably come up with a better-quality 3d-printed version.
And, the superlaser control room control panel. As you can see, I used different textures than those I had come up with before, as I found a better source image. I did a lot of editing to these images in order to make them fit my little model, and they still don't quite fit as well as I had hoped, but it'll do for now. Later on I'll probably come up with a better-quality 3d-printed version.
Another quick update, as I'm done for the weekend, about to sing some karaoke with the Mrs.
I have the edges of the base walls around the chasm painted and ready for textures to be affixed. The Overbridge wall, as you can see, has some warpage. I used Elmer's glue, as when gluing a large section like the with the glue gun, it's basically one chance to get it lined up right before the glue sets. I didn't like the warpage, however, so I opted to go with the glue gun for the remaining sections, on high heat, being extra careful when setting.
I did a lot of work to these base walls in patching up little holes here and there and preparing it so everything lines up right. I'm noticing a lot of warpage in the wall and floor sections, and hoping that will work itself out once I glue everything together. Still trying to figure out exactly how I'm going to do that, as well.
One idea I had was to 3d print not only an outer skeleton but also braces along all of the inner walls to hold everything in place that would be interconnected. If I ever decide to make more of these for other people, that might be an option.
Anyway on to the pics:
I have the edges of the base walls around the chasm painted and ready for textures to be affixed. The Overbridge wall, as you can see, has some warpage. I used Elmer's glue, as when gluing a large section like the with the glue gun, it's basically one chance to get it lined up right before the glue sets. I didn't like the warpage, however, so I opted to go with the glue gun for the remaining sections, on high heat, being extra careful when setting.
I did a lot of work to these base walls in patching up little holes here and there and preparing it so everything lines up right. I'm noticing a lot of warpage in the wall and floor sections, and hoping that will work itself out once I glue everything together. Still trying to figure out exactly how I'm going to do that, as well.
One idea I had was to 3d print not only an outer skeleton but also braces along all of the inner walls to hold everything in place that would be interconnected. If I ever decide to make more of these for other people, that might be an option.
Anyway on to the pics:
This is just an incredible project! It's fun to see this coming together with each update and it's hella inspiring to say the least.
I'm pretty sure the warpage will (mostly) be gone, once you glue it all together. It's propably gonna be a nervwrecking process and there are always little unforseen glitches, but, even now it looks fantastic already. Thanks for sharing your work with us.
I'm pretty sure the warpage will (mostly) be gone, once you glue it all together. It's propably gonna be a nervwrecking process and there are always little unforseen glitches, but, even now it looks fantastic already. Thanks for sharing your work with us.
It is getting to the point where I want to put figures in it.
I've pinned/clamped items so the automatically fit exactly into place. I'm not sure how easy you will be able to do that though.
I've pinned/clamped items so the automatically fit exactly into place. I'm not sure how easy you will be able to do that though.
Thanks, SpectreOne! And the pleasure has been mine. I was actually just looking at your Ghost again and thinking how much better my DS would look with decals rather than the textures printed on card stock and cut out like I've been doing. Would you care to share what you use for decals (i.e. what kind of paper/printer or if you have them printed somewhere else)?This is just an incredible project! It's fun to see this coming together with each update and it's hella inspiring to say the least.
I'm pretty sure the warpage will (mostly) be gone, once you glue it all together. It's propably gonna be a nervwrecking process and there are always little unforseen glitches, but, even now it looks fantastic already. Thanks for sharing your work with us.
Yeah, I'm making myself wait until I have more full rooms finished before I put figures in it again
As far as holding the stuff in place, I'm not quite sure. Though I'll probably be using a glue gun for the toughest spots, so I won't really have to worry about clamping. The trick will just be getting the glue where I need it and then getting the thing together before it turns into a disaster :wtf:
I almost never use a glue gun. I've found it more work than a time saver.
I'd rather use white glue and wait for it to dry.
I'd rather use white glue and wait for it to dry.
Yeek. My last experience with Elmer's glue, actually the Overbridge wall, left it with terrible warpage that I'm not sure I'll be able to repair. It does have its advantages, but I've been able to do things with a glue gun I could never do with Elmer's. I'll probably never go back
I'm at a point where I'm ready to get back to work on more textures in order to finish the incomplete sections in the areas I'm working on.
I did a little work on a couple of the 'fake' walls and their respective rooms. First, the room where Luke & Leia run from the Stormtroopers and eventually end up swinging across the chasm. As you can see, the floor is only partially painted because the other half will be covered with a texture. There will also be a doorway where the painted floor and the textures meet, so hopefully it will cover up most of that rippling.
And... I decided kind of last minute that this room would just not be complete without a closing door, so with much frustration I got a working door that I can live with.
After swinging across the chasm, they end up in this little room, which I kind of just threw some textures together for. Notice the open doorway in the little fake room. I have a plan for a texture I'll be using for that, so it doesn't just look like an empty room.
Starting to come together...
Back to work on another batch of textures!
I did a little work on a couple of the 'fake' walls and their respective rooms. First, the room where Luke & Leia run from the Stormtroopers and eventually end up swinging across the chasm. As you can see, the floor is only partially painted because the other half will be covered with a texture. There will also be a doorway where the painted floor and the textures meet, so hopefully it will cover up most of that rippling.
And... I decided kind of last minute that this room would just not be complete without a closing door, so with much frustration I got a working door that I can live with.
After swinging across the chasm, they end up in this little room, which I kind of just threw some textures together for. Notice the open doorway in the little fake room. I have a plan for a texture I'll be using for that, so it doesn't just look like an empty room.
Starting to come together...
Back to work on another batch of textures!
It is really looking great!
I noticed that your blast doors have 3 tabs. If use fill the spaces in with foamboard but only glue each new piece on one side, when you press them together, they will all open at once. Visually, filling in the spaces might look better (although the spaces might be a good place to anchor the outer walls).
Alternatively, drilling a hole through all three tabs so you can place a dowel through for the times you want all 3 to open at once can also work.
EDIT: Look at the line pattern of this Death Star. What if you added notches along the edges of your floors/ceilings to mimic it. The texture might give the illusion of an outer wall.
I noticed that your blast doors have 3 tabs. If use fill the spaces in with foamboard but only glue each new piece on one side, when you press them together, they will all open at once. Visually, filling in the spaces might look better (although the spaces might be a good place to anchor the outer walls).
Alternatively, drilling a hole through all three tabs so you can place a dowel through for the times you want all 3 to open at once can also work.
EDIT: Look at the line pattern of this Death Star. What if you added notches along the edges of your floors/ceilings to mimic it. The texture might give the illusion of an outer wall.
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This is what I love about the forums. Not only the impressive results but the inspiration and idea sharing. I look at some of these WIP photos and see not only what you did but a little bit about how you did it. It might sound a little odd but the pencil lines and notes are kind of awesome. Keep going, man.
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Thanks for the ideas, Utinniii! That's definitely something to think about with the door. As far as the edges of the walls and floors, I'm not too worried about them as the plan is to cover them up eventually. I think the whole thing will look much better once that is done, and give it more support.
Thank you, yodashizzle! Yeah, the marks have been a requirement, but if I could go back I would have drawn them much more lightly, as they still show in some places
Oh well, first diorama, full of learning experiences! I have a folder full of notes on this thing, too. Maybe I can scan some and throw some up once in a while.Thanks, Muftak! Great to see you on again, haven't seen you on in a while. And congrats on your recent big Cardboard Galaxy hit! I saw your Jabba's Palace background on JTA and was actually going to get one, but they went fast! And I would say my skills are improving, but they still have a long way to go. Many things I wish I'd done differently, but just trying to make the best of what I have to work with now
I got another batch of textures printed, and I'm as far as I can go right now without moving on to the next step. So here's what I got:
For the little utility room, since it isn't trying to capture the look of any specific location in the movie, I decided to have fun with it, and just use the most interesting textures out of those I have available.
For the Superlaser Control Room, since it is supposed to be darkened anyway, I went the opposite way and tried to find the most boring of the texture set
I didn't even think of it at the time, but I was actually intending to darken the textures for this room, so I may actually go back and print another texture for it and just put it over the other one lol.
I got the background texture for the little fake room, which is Luke and Leia's landing room, that as I recall we don't really see in the movie. Found this pic in the Death Star Owner's Manual book and did some editing to it to give it a 'painted' effect. The rest of the interior is just painted black.
And opposite this, I did a little work on Luke and Leia's swing room:
I finally decided on a way to cover up the ramp leading to the trash compactor, as well. So this is now the room outside of the trash compactor. Getting the texture for that door was tricky, as I had to use a couple different pics and edit out Han, Luke, Leia and Chewie. Then I did some effects and gave it a painted look once again. The gap above will be covered up later, of course.
And here it is with one of the wall textures added:
And, lastly, I got a texture put together for Vader's chamber. This one took me about a full day to do. Needless to say and based on what I started with, my photoshop skills have greatly improved through this project.
As I'm sure you noticed, none of the rooms are complete as they are all missing a section of the wall. These missing sections are all part of the main wall, which I have a little more construction to do on before I glue the two pieces together permanently. I need to cut out a section for the droid alcove and figure out for sure what I plan to do with the Overbridge window. Once I get those two problems solved, I'll start covering that thing with textures, too!
In the words of Krennic: it's beautiful The love, thought and attention of detail you are putting in this project really showes.
The love, thought and attention of detail you are putting in this project really showes. I use my printer at home for most oft he stuff and plain paper (matte). The only exceptions are the computer walls of the cockpit and the computers in the common- and engine room. For them I went to my local copy shop to let them print on shiny paper. That way they catch the light and create the illusion of being computer displays. I might go back a little and do the same for some of the metal plates on the floor.
Well, it looks great for home printing! Color laser printer? I just bought a black and white one for school, but will eventually be upgrading to full color.In the words of Krennic: it's beautiful
I use my printer at home for most oft he stuff and plain paper (matte). The only exceptions are the computer walls of the cockpit and the computers in the common- and engine room. For them I went to my local copy shop to let them print on shiny paper. That way they catch the light and create the illusion of being computer displays. I might go back a little and do the same for some of the metal plates on the floor.
These days, it is cheaper to buy a new printer than it is to buy toner. I also mostly print from home.
That is looking really great!
Have you given any thought to the ceiling?
I would paint it matte black and then cut stripes of white foamie and space them out. Or you can print out a white/black design. If you wind up painting, then you should do it first so you don't get paint on your textures. It is also a good task when you are too tired or uninspired. Finally, it will really make your DS look finished.
At this point, I'm not sure if I would finish off individual rooms or work on blank rooms.
That is looking really great!
Have you given any thought to the ceiling?
I would paint it matte black and then cut stripes of white foamie and space them out. Or you can print out a white/black design. If you wind up painting, then you should do it first so you don't get paint on your textures. It is also a good task when you are too tired or uninspired. Finally, it will really make your DS look finished.
At this point, I'm not sure if I would finish off individual rooms or work on blank rooms.
Thanks, Utinniii! And yeah, I was actually just thinking about that the other day! It's been something lower down on my list, but as I get more textures completed, I've been giving more thought as to the best way to approach it.
I was looking at one of Niub Niub's tutorials just to get an idea of how it should look. I wouldn't want to go with black foam board as he does just because it would bring the already low ceiling down even further. The light part would be sunken in, and foamies would be a good idea, or even black poster board. I thought about then just doing a gloss white painted base and then putting the black strips over it. Even simple white glossy or semi-gloss card stock with black poster board strips would work.
I'd thought about printing textures but that would probably be another $30 or more to get enough textures to cover all the ceilings. It will take a little more work but I may elect to go with the poster board route. And it will give it a more 3d look, too, so it's a win-win!
After a lot of prep work, the two halves of the base wall were ready to glue together. To avoid warpage, and since I'm working with a much larger space than any time before, I elected to give spray adhesive a try. I picked up a can of Gorilla spray adhesive. I wanted it to be permanent, which I knew would mean that I would only have one shot at getting the two halves together. Well, it didn't go horribly.
The next step was to paint all the edges along the walls, floors and doorways before I started applying textures. I apologize in advance for the image quality in this update. My camera just isn't cooperating for some reason.
I went over each initial pencil line with a Sharpie once before painting around the edges, and then several times afterward so I could see it over the darkish-grey paint. I also thickened up the lines so I have a little play when lining up textures. The walls and floors will be 3/8" thick so I wanted the white spaces in between to be slightly smaller to ensure they get completely covered up but I still have a bare surface to apply glue.
Next I started applying textures.
I also figured out a cool little trick. I want to cut my texture from the front and not the back to avoid the rough, protruding edges, so getting the shape of the curves has been tricky. So I thought, 'what if I just fold the edge of the texture over the edge of the wall and then crease it along the edge?' I started doing this, then used a little sandpaper to really make that crease stand out. If you try anything like this, be careful when using a sponge sander, as too much pressure will scratch it up where you don't want scratches. Don't ask how I know
So, for the other side:
I really like how smooth the textures came out when gluing them with spray adhesive vs. Elmer's or a hot glue gun. This might be my go-to for textures from here on out. The only thing I don't like is the fumes. I'm wondering if maybe one of the other brands would be better in this regard.
I also printed new right and middle boards for my superlaser control panel so they line up a little better.
Still not perfect, but a huge improvement from before.
So now I am at a point where I have used up most of the textures I have printed, at least until I get further in the construction. I think what I may work on next is covering this entire base wall, front and back, with the necessary textures before I put it back together. At least this is what I'm thinking at the moment. I'm also thinking about cutting the supporting walls into smaller sections and building it back up floor by floor, which will make it much easier to glue and line everything up. It's getting exciting, but there's still a long way to go!
The next step was to paint all the edges along the walls, floors and doorways before I started applying textures. I apologize in advance for the image quality in this update. My camera just isn't cooperating for some reason.
I went over each initial pencil line with a Sharpie once before painting around the edges, and then several times afterward so I could see it over the darkish-grey paint. I also thickened up the lines so I have a little play when lining up textures. The walls and floors will be 3/8" thick so I wanted the white spaces in between to be slightly smaller to ensure they get completely covered up but I still have a bare surface to apply glue.
Next I started applying textures.
I also figured out a cool little trick. I want to cut my texture from the front and not the back to avoid the rough, protruding edges, so getting the shape of the curves has been tricky. So I thought, 'what if I just fold the edge of the texture over the edge of the wall and then crease it along the edge?' I started doing this, then used a little sandpaper to really make that crease stand out. If you try anything like this, be careful when using a sponge sander, as too much pressure will scratch it up where you don't want scratches. Don't ask how I know
So, for the other side:
I really like how smooth the textures came out when gluing them with spray adhesive vs. Elmer's or a hot glue gun. This might be my go-to for textures from here on out. The only thing I don't like is the fumes. I'm wondering if maybe one of the other brands would be better in this regard.
I also printed new right and middle boards for my superlaser control panel so they line up a little better.
Still not perfect, but a huge improvement from before.
So now I am at a point where I have used up most of the textures I have printed, at least until I get further in the construction. I think what I may work on next is covering this entire base wall, front and back, with the necessary textures before I put it back together. At least this is what I'm thinking at the moment. I'm also thinking about cutting the supporting walls into smaller sections and building it back up floor by floor, which will make it much easier to glue and line everything up. It's getting exciting, but there's still a long way to go!
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