This little Vanship came with the fifth DVD in the anime "Last Exile". It was a limited edition stuffer that only had a few thousand copies made. All together I think there were 3 different Vanships released with the different DVD's however this is the only one I was lucky enough to get. I certainly wouldn't cut up the original so I scanned it and enlarged it (DVD cases only fit TINY pages). Between scanning and enlarging (300dpi to 200dpi whatever that makes it) the lines became abit blurry but if it bothers me too much I can always scan it again.
Limited Edition Vanship from "Last Exile"
- Thread starter Gefahren
- Start date
And a little more work I did.
I can't imagine trying to put this together at it's original size but then again I'm not using tweezers yet. In my opinion every airplane needs a hood ornament, it just adds character.
O, and for those of you who work with and take lots of pictures of little fiddly bits like this... How do you get your camera to focus on it? I had to take about 10 pictures of it assembled before I got one that was focused enough.
I can't imagine trying to put this together at it's original size but then again I'm not using tweezers yet. In my opinion every airplane needs a hood ornament, it just adds character.
O, and for those of you who work with and take lots of pictures of little fiddly bits like this... How do you get your camera to focus on it? I had to take about 10 pictures of it assembled before I got one that was focused enough.
Gefahren, on the focus problem:
1. Use a small tripod (you probably are already).
2. Set the camera to self-exposure (you may already be doing that; many advantages, including being able to get your own fingers into the picture for size reference and general "action").
3. When focusing (holding the trigger down to let the camera focus), insert a sizeable object at the correct position - your finger if nothing else - until the camera is triggered and the timer starts running.
4. Remove the object and wait ten seconds for the camera to take the shot, now locked on to the right distance.
Nice work on the model; happy to see enlargement working out so well!
Leif
1. Use a small tripod (you probably are already).
2. Set the camera to self-exposure (you may already be doing that; many advantages, including being able to get your own fingers into the picture for size reference and general "action").
3. When focusing (holding the trigger down to let the camera focus), insert a sizeable object at the correct position - your finger if nothing else - until the camera is triggered and the timer starts running.
4. Remove the object and wait ten seconds for the camera to take the shot, now locked on to the right distance.
Nice work on the model; happy to see enlargement working out so well!
Leif
I appologize for putting this thread in the wrong spot, it should be under the anime model area. If someone will move it, that would be great.
The enlarging was the easy part, the fuzzyness of some of the lines hasn't really bothered me much (I doubt I could cut a straight line anyways!). I did lose some details like some small writing on the back sides of the fuselage just came out as a blur. This build of it may turn into a learning experience for a second more detailed build.
The enlarging was the easy part, the fuzzyness of some of the lines hasn't really bothered me much (I doubt I could cut a straight line anyways!). I did lose some details like some small writing on the back sides of the fuselage just came out as a blur. This build of it may turn into a learning experience for a second more detailed build.
Well I got a little work done around breakfast this morning. I still have to go back and glue all the seams together but you can get the idea of how the parts are supposed to look.
O, btw, I found I can remove that extra orangeness of my pictures by using the "auto-levels" in photoshop! so now maybe the color will look better. :roll:
And thank you to whoever moved this to the right topic area.
O, btw, I found I can remove that extra orangeness of my pictures by using the "auto-levels" in photoshop! so now maybe the color will look better. :roll:
And thank you to whoever moved this to the right topic area.
Well, I have decided that this is definatly a test build. The parts all seem to line up right, but the way some of the tabs are they force it to look "off" a little. So I'll have to go back and do better scans of it and remove tabs and stuff that I feel I need to change. Also some of the parts are left open where you can't see them unless you look, such as there are no insides to the cockpits or the flaps don't have sides, just a top and bottom. I think I can improve these things.
Has anyone else seen the Anime this is from? Or does anyone else have this model or the other ones that were released?
Has anyone else seen the Anime this is from? Or does anyone else have this model or the other ones that were released?
I got caught up in building so I forgot to take pictures! :roll:
Well, now I've added both wings, landing gear, windshields and started on the Claudia drive system. It's turning out alot more "wrinkly" than I'd like, but this is a learning experience. I think I'll go ahead and fill in any gaps with watercolored glue and color any white edges even if this is a "test" build, Then I can give it to my little sister as a late birthday present and get out of trouble with her! (she liked the series too)
Looking at the 3d model they used in the CG sequences in the series I realize that this ship is mostly compound curves so I'm going to try to figure out how to mould wet paper into some of the shapes. If anyone has any tips on that I'd appreciate it. I'm planning on coating the parts in CA glue once shaped so that I can lightly sand off the fuzzyness since the ship is also very glossy.
But for now it's just the test build, so on to the pictures.
Well, now I've added both wings, landing gear, windshields and started on the Claudia drive system. It's turning out alot more "wrinkly" than I'd like, but this is a learning experience. I think I'll go ahead and fill in any gaps with watercolored glue and color any white edges even if this is a "test" build, Then I can give it to my little sister as a late birthday present and get out of trouble with her! (she liked the series too)
Looking at the 3d model they used in the CG sequences in the series I realize that this ship is mostly compound curves so I'm going to try to figure out how to mould wet paper into some of the shapes. If anyone has any tips on that I'd appreciate it. I'm planning on coating the parts in CA glue once shaped so that I can lightly sand off the fuzzyness since the ship is also very glossy.
But for now it's just the test build, so on to the pictures.
I know I started building this only two days ago, but only one more little section to go untill I'm finished with the assembly. I also know that is has left little time for any of you to comment, but it is still kind of un-nerving. Like giving a speech to a room full of people who only stare at you with no reactions at all.
Anyways, I've assembled one of the two claudia units (the drive system for this craft) and mounted to the ship, also the little stand that came with it to hold the back end up. I realize that I didn't take pictures of the "pipe" part of the drive which is also the only piece I've had to reprint so far. The pipes are two layers of card stock in two pieces. The inside piece is wrapped around on top of the outside piece in what I think was an attempt to add some 3d to it, however it doesn't do much with the thickness of card I'm using.
Anyways, I've assembled one of the two claudia units (the drive system for this craft) and mounted to the ship, also the little stand that came with it to hold the back end up. I realize that I didn't take pictures of the "pipe" part of the drive which is also the only piece I've had to reprint so far. The pipes are two layers of card stock in two pieces. The inside piece is wrapped around on top of the outside piece in what I think was an attempt to add some 3d to it, however it doesn't do much with the thickness of card I'm using.
Ok, not that anyone asked (sigh) but here is what I meant about assembling the pipes with the inside over the outside (which sounds kinda backwards)
First picture is the parts after being cut out. The middle part is cut out after its glued together so that it doesn't warp as bad.
Second picture shows how the inside pipes wrap over the outside pipes and then get glued together on the inside.
Third picture show the roller I use to flatten any laminations I do. It works as well as or better than any heavy books I've tried.
And the last picture is the finished set of pipes. The little tabs that overlay the outside pipes would stick out more if it was thicker cardstock. But since this is about 33% enlarged it doesn't show up as much.
This Imageshack thing seems to work really well, I'd say I'm hooked on using it from now on.
First picture is the parts after being cut out. The middle part is cut out after its glued together so that it doesn't warp as bad.
Second picture shows how the inside pipes wrap over the outside pipes and then get glued together on the inside.
Third picture show the roller I use to flatten any laminations I do. It works as well as or better than any heavy books I've tried.
And the last picture is the finished set of pipes. The little tabs that overlay the outside pipes would stick out more if it was thicker cardstock. But since this is about 33% enlarged it doesn't show up as much.
This Imageshack thing seems to work really well, I'd say I'm hooked on using it from now on.
Well, I've finished the assembly, the only thing left is to do all the edge coloring and gap filling. I'm going to be trying out my watercolor pencils for the first time so I hope I have some luck with them. Anyways here are a few pics of the assembled model as it is right now.
Sorry for how dark they are, but it helps hide the edges untill I get them colored :lol:
Sorry for how dark they are, but it helps hide the edges untill I get them colored :lol:
Looks great Gefahren!
I've been watching the thread. Sorry I didn't not comment. But.........ah.....I still am not sure exactly what it is. Sooooooo I really didn't want to show my .......ah..........age/ignorance.
Guess I'm not up on the movie. Does this thing fly....hover... roll or all three in the movie?
Maybe I need to take a trip to BlockBusters.
Neat saw-horse.....by the way. I liked how you used it to support the backend while assembling. I'm usually trying to find something on my nice clean neat workarea..........right.
I've been watching the thread. Sorry I didn't not comment. But.........ah.....I still am not sure exactly what it is. Sooooooo I really didn't want to show my .......ah..........age/ignorance.
Guess I'm not up on the movie. Does this thing fly....hover... roll or all three in the movie?
Maybe I need to take a trip to BlockBusters.
Neat saw-horse.....by the way. I liked how you used it to support the backend while assembling. I'm usually trying to find something on my nice clean neat workarea..........right.
Thats one nice build!
Too bad it was a limited edition model so all of us cant have one.
Good job and thanks for sharing the build with us!
Too bad it was a limited edition model so all of us cant have one.
Good job and thanks for sharing the build with us!
Bowdenja, Yes it flys, hovers, rolls, and does Immelman turns (the hero uses the last one alot). Mostly they are used as messenger ships and racers (why fly out in the desert around some pylons when you can instead go through the city and some caverns at 100mph?) but this one has two steam powered machine guns in it for combat.
They fly by something called Claudia fluid which apparently can produce lift and thrust when "superheated". They sound like they have big V-8 race engines in them. The pilot is in front and the navigator/engineer is in back, sortof like the old old race car teams.
Thanks for the comment Kevin G! I'm working to get my skills better as much as possible. O, one tip, do the edge coloring BEFORE final assembly... doh! I would like to seea build of any of the other limited edition ones if anyone has them.
I know you all were looking at the build, I saw the viewed counter keep going up.
They fly by something called Claudia fluid which apparently can produce lift and thrust when "superheated". They sound like they have big V-8 race engines in them. The pilot is in front and the navigator/engineer is in back, sortof like the old old race car teams.
Thanks for the comment Kevin G! I'm working to get my skills better as much as possible. O, one tip, do the edge coloring BEFORE final assembly... doh! I would like to seea build of any of the other limited edition ones if anyone has them.
I know you all were looking at the build, I saw the viewed counter keep going up.
Thanks Gefahren............ I NEED to go get the movie. Sounds like something I WILL like.
On the compound curves thing..........you can use more white glue (PVA...elmers) and shape paper in a way you want and it will dry that way. Just experiment with it first.........it's kind of a timing thing.......you have to wait for the glue to soak in..........but not too long as it will not glue up. Play with it....... it might do what you want. I use it to roll up heavy paper into a small cylinder for struts and stuff like that.
john
On the compound curves thing..........you can use more white glue (PVA...elmers) and shape paper in a way you want and it will dry that way. Just experiment with it first.........it's kind of a timing thing.......you have to wait for the glue to soak in..........but not too long as it will not glue up. Play with it....... it might do what you want. I use it to roll up heavy paper into a small cylinder for struts and stuff like that.
john
SteveM said:
This is why I like http://creativecommons.org/...
I'm not trying to start a Copyfight... but to promote understanding given this great opportunity to share with everyone.
Watch this and be amazed:
Creative Commons Educational Film
-Keith