Intro

[xaero892]

Hi everyone, my name is Ryan and I'm from the UK.
I've been into card modelling for a few years now and have completed a few projects.
I'm happy to work in any scale but I prefer the larger models as they can be a lot more detailed. If any of you can point me towards any decent papercraft models I would be extremely grateful. I prefer sci-fi but I'm happy to attempt anything.
Thanks.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

Hello Ryan,

Welcome to Zealot. You have come to the right place for all things SCI-FI. We have many members who are into SCI-FI (myself included).
If you have any photos of your models, by all means, please post them. We love seeing photos.
I see by your avatar, that you like the "ALIENS" movies. If you have not found it yet, here is a website that has a few "ALIENS" models that were designed by one of our members @Alien99. http://aliens.humlak.cz/ Since you mentioned that you like large models, you will find a model of the "Sulaco" that is about 2 meters long.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, need help or advice, please feel free to ask. We will do what we can to help you (or at least point you in the right direction).

Once again, welcome aboard. I hope that you enjoy yourself here. I look forward to seeing your work.

 

[xaero892]

Thanks Rhaven, I've already built the sulaco model you mentioned and it is now hanging in my local comic and games shop. The 2 guys who own it are nerds like me. I'm currently building the axm Atlantis shuttle stack and launch platform from sts-135. I was requested this by a neighbour as a Christmas present for his business partner, who was there to watch the final flight launch. I've also done some Star Wars miniatures and I'm partway through the Visualspicer x-wing. As a side project a friend has asked me to build him the vintage portal gun from 'Portal Stories:Mel's which I ripped from the game and I'm currently ordering the parts in Pepakura. Pics attached.

 

[bigpetr]

Hello xaero892. If you want decent and chalenging models, try models from designer UHU02. He is master designer and is currently finishing Millenium Falcon cockpit in big scale. It is large model you may like (me and others on the forum love it).

There is also great model of Derelict ship from alien by designer vger1981 or Betty ship from Alien: resurrection from the same author.

And many more others. Just browse the forum and I am sure you will find something that suits you.

 

[xaero892]

Thanks bigpetr, i shall have a look around. A large Falcon cockpit sounds great.
I've just been looking at a 1:16 scale space shuttle flight deck by tonino. I'd love to have the chance to build that beauty. The detail is amazing.

 

[bigpetr]

Oh yes, that is beautiful model. I did not mention it since you mention sci-fi. Tonino is great designer and modeler.

 

[zathros]

Welcome to Zealot xaero. That is one heck of a collection of models you have there. As Rhaven wrote you, we have a very welcoming membership, and sharing. That's a two way street, never feel afraid to share and never be afraid to ask. With your expertise, you may be getting a lot of questions.! Welcome to Zealot.

 

[xaero892]

Thank you Zathros.

 

[Revell-Fan]

WOWOWOWOWOW!!!

This is so spectacular!!! I agree, make the Derelict. It is a great design, almost fool-proof and will look breath-taking. I made the test-build and it is one of the finest models in my collection (I made the blue one which is featured on the front page of the kit). You will be amazed to see such a complicated organic shape made of paper.

Welcome to zealot, xaero!

 

[xaero892]

Thanks revellfan. I think I may well try the derelict when I've finished some of the other projects.

 

[Gandolf50]

Hello @xaero892 Welcome to Zealot! Some nice models you got there! You forgot to mention that portal gun was FULL SCALE! That is going to be something to behold when finished! Not much to add in the way of LARGE models except to up-scale existing ones (for your own use, or with permission from the designer of course) that you find, preferably if they are the vector files and not saves as raster images, then the size is only constrained by the printer! Then you have to start looking for a larger house to live in ! Or like you have done ( kudos BTW ) make them for friends ! Enjoy, make stuff, share and ask questions! We are always happy to help!

 

[xaero892]

hi @Gandolf50 , yes the portal gun will be full scale. He's also asked me to do the original portal gun and the gravity gun from half life so he can hang the 3 on his wall. (He's a major gaming geek)
As for the upscaling side of things, I only have an A4 printer (although I got a colour laser one for print quality) but my sister has an A3 inkjet. I've been asking printing stores around where I live how much it would cost to print 36 pages of A2 250gsm card and the cheapest I've found is £280
This seems a bit excessive in my opinion so I shall keep hunting. The reason is that I've found some Millennium Falcon templates that can be zoomed right in to without losing clarity. I think it is the design by Shunichi Makino.
I plan to print them on A2 and have 4 lots of each template so I can do a lot of greebling over the model. If / When I finally get around to it, I shall probably be creating a build thread so others can follow my progress.

Also I would just like to thank you all for being so friendly and offering help, it is very much appreciated.rinks:

 

[Gandolf50]

hi @Gandolf50 , yes the portal gun will be full scale. He's also asked me to do the original portal gun and the gravity gun from half life so he can hang the 3 on his wall. (He's a major gaming geek)
As for the upscaling side of things, I only have an A4 printer (although I got a colour laser one for print quality) but my sister has an A3 inkjet. I've been asking printing stores around where I live how much it would cost to print 36 pages of A2 250gsm card and the cheapest I've found is £280 YIKES!!! That is excessive in anyone's opinion unless of course they got ton's of money!
This seems a bit excessive in my opinion so I shall keep hunting. The reason is that I've found some Millennium Falcon templates that can be zoomed right in to without losing clarity. I think it is the design by Shunichi Makino.
I plan to print them on A2 and have 4 lots of each template so I can do a lot of greebling over the model. If / When I finally get around to it, I shall probably be creating a build thread so others can follow my progress.

Also I would just like to thank you all for being so friendly and offering help, it is very much appreciated.rinks:

Your Sister's A3 printer sounds like the best bet... I have a Pixma and the quality is superb, I am not going to guess what the conversion rate is between here and there ( last I checked $2.50 = pound ) but I know for certaind you could buy a couple if not several Pixmas for £280!

Millennium Falcon sounds like a plan, and like what I was referring to. @bigpetr estimated the size of that one to about 1:100, and it would easily up-scale as it is all vector done in Adobe Illustrator ... Can't wait to see the build thread that happen from that one. There is already talk of up-scales and combines of Sunichi's Falcon and Uhu02's cockpit, it is going to get interesting once summer is over!!

 

[xaero892]

@Gandolf50 I think I'll do a test build in A3 format and then decide if I want to do it any bigger.
I have had an offer today from a comic book artist, who said that if I get the card, he will do the printing for 150, which is better.
I can get 50 sheets of the required card for only 20 pounds, so this may be the way to go.
I like the idea of a build which incorporates both models, but I fear that it will get a bit too detailed. At 1/12 scale you could detach parts of the bodywork and create the interior too... with fibre optic lighting.
If you had the space and the patience, because that beast would be HUGE!

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

That is a good looking collection!

 

[bigpetr]

I think, that if you plan to greeble Millenium Falcon, you do not have to print the pages as they are on bigger paper. You can upscale to A2 and then rearange parts from A2 to fit on several A4. Single big parts (like dish parts, etc), can be additionaly split on several pages without worry, because new seems will be coverd by greeblings/panel work you are planing to do.

I can imagine, that even big original size falcon model (cca 160cm - 170cm long scale cca 1:20) can be done using A4 paper with no problem. It would be lot of A4 pages.

Problem with upscaling that big is, that current inner support structures will be probably not enought to hold the big model properly. You will need to strengthen internal construction a lot more with some ribs.

I have reversingeneered Sunichi's Falcon cockpit in 3D so I am ready to adjust and fit UHU's cockpit to it when he release it.

Looking forward to your build thread.

 

[xaero892]

That sounds possible but im not sure how to do the upscaling at the moment. Any advice would be helpful. I have lots of foamboard left over from doing the launch platform for the shuttle so that would be ideal for strengthening.

 

[Gandolf50]

Ohh Ohh Sounds like a new thread getting ready to start soon... can't wait!!!

 

[xaero892]

Just upscaled 200% in Adobe Acrobat print dialogue in poster settings. Ran a test print and this is the result. I think it might work.

 

[xaero892]

I think I might go bigger. I went to get some 210gsm card from hobby craft today. 250 sheets so I definitely have enough.