Earth and Moon

lizzienewell

lizzienewell

Well-Known Member
Jun 24, 2005
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Anchorage, Alaska
lizzienewell.com
I'm back. It's been awhile. I had to suddenly travel to Colorado and left my tools behind. I replaced them in time to make models at Milehigh con in Denver. They're a great conversation starter. I dropped the scale of my Earth and Moon models to make them easier to carry along. The larger model of the moon is from the previous set with the moon 27% of the size of an 8 inch Earth. Beside it is the model which will be the Earth with the itty bitty moons in scaled at 27%.20171107_212248.jpg
 
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That looks awesome! :)

lizzienewell said:
Goodie. I'll be working on a book cover soon and maybe building a model of a space station for it.
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I'm looking forward to seeing it! :)

As for accompanying paper model kits: I had the exact same idea and am already working on a new model based on my Galactica stories. More on that soon! :)
 
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Here is the completed model hanging in my brother's basement. I hustled to finish it before flying home to Alaska. This is a prototype. I'm going to kits for sale at sci-fi art shows along with completed models. I also hope to put files up for free on my website. I think the design for building spheres will be useful as a component of other models. How to handle copywrite and sales has been a sticking point for me. I think usage of the files for free will be the best approach. I sell physical kits, completed models, and use it to bring readers to my books. You don't make money selling cardmodels, but you can get rich selling books. Anyway making money isn't my goal.20171116_071052.jpg
 
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Pretty cool stuff! ;)
 
Only YouTube videos work, but I saw your video and the stills do no justice to you work, AWESOME!!! :Bravo:
 
A Polar shift!! That would make an interesting story! :)
 
Have you tried building these without the Bucky Balls inside. They look good, but I think the Bucky Balls might have a bit smaller to get the skins to line up tighter, then there is the paper compound curve problem. Accrued intolerance becomes a big problem when using many parts, especially if they overlap. Some notching of the over lapping straps so they are flush with the frame may cure that. The Cameo will make that quite easy to incorporate. I can't cut with scissors worth a dang, my hands cramp up too much, so take what I post with a grain of salt. Very colorful and eye catching. ;)
 
zathros said:
Have you tried building these without the Bucky Balls inside. They look good, but I think the Bucky Balls might have a bit smaller to get the skins to line up tighter, then there is the paper compound curve problem. Accrued intolerance becomes a big problem when using many parts, especially if they overlap. Some notching of the over lapping straps so they are flush with the frame may cure that. The Cameo will make that quite easy to incorporate. I can't cut with scissors worth a dang, my hands cramp up too much, so take what I post with a grain of salt. Very colorful and eye catching. ;)
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The buckyballs are the main feature. In my view. If I'd put the pole axel in correctly the edges of the skin would have align over the stringers, eliminating the accrued intolerance. I like leaving some panels off so that the structure can be seen. I think this is better for showing Fuller's thinking and avoids the problem of having the model indistinguishable from a Styrofoam ball. My original goal was to design a tool for producing fantasy and science fiction maps with detachable panels which can be drawn on freehand and then removed and scanned. For this the alignment of the panels with underlying grid is more important that the fit of the skin. My reasoning for this structure is to produce a spherical grid. Seeing the grid lines between the panels is fine.
I've talked online with a gal setting up presentations and panelists for cons and she was interested, but I've decided I'd rather talk to people one on one in the hallways at cons. It makes for less of a one-sided conversation.
I've found that building these things at sci-fi cons is a great way to get into discussions about Dyson spheres, Buckminster Fuller, astronomy, mathematics, and space ship design. For these purposes the model only needs enough skin panels to communicate that it's the Earth, or whatever planet I want. I've downloaded a map of Pluto.
I also made the mistake with this one of using cardstock as the skin instead of thinner paper. So that leaves me thinking should I go ahead and finish this build or abandon. I think I finish it since mistakes can be interesting.
 
Have you considered making the oceans out of dark/opaque transparent paper, which would have the Buckyball construction come through? You could use Transparent paper, with transparent blue paint,, the Buckyball structure would be clearly visible, seing how there's more water than land mass, presenting a more finished looking product, with depth. ;)
 
Cool idea. I've tried rice paper and may do it again. I'm also going to do watercolor paper with the outlines of the continents printed but the continents hand-painted. If the oceans are white the joints will be less obvious. I might even retrace the outlines by hand with a fountain pen. Once I get the Cameo I can do a bunch of variations without sinking so much of my time into cutting. In my bigger version there's another set of stringers which brings the whole thing closer to round. I haven't been doing them on this scale because the amount of work didn't seem worthwhile. Buuut once I get that Cameo I will be doing it.
I want to do one with a light inside and with a dark opaque skin. Then I'll poke holes at the location of cities. I might laminate aluminum between paper to make the skin opaque.
 
Sounds very promising. I still would like to see one your "Skips" come into being!! :)
 
My sister is saying the same sort of thing about my boats. I've got an entire backlog which I'd like to revamp and publish. I'm going to have to prioritize and also wait for the Cameo. It's still not in. I've been checking the postoffice daily. It's not due until next week.
 
Colored Vellum or plain , or rice /mulberry paper with colored tissue paper for land mass ... and liquid acrylic medium. Like skinning an old tissue paper and balsa aircraft! That would look cool!
 
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