"Miss PIGGY" (Narcissus escape shuttle, Alien)
- Thread starter Vger1981
- Start date
OINK - OINK - What happened to the pink? It looks so ... pale now... Hum... What about some rallye stripes? 
Oh, those modelers... More and more demanding.. Looks fast enough now? I've heard it can run half a galaxy in 57 years!
I've heard it can run half a galaxy in 57 years!
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Wait a minute - half a galaxy in 57 minutes? Reminds me of THIS (the lazy car in the first scene):
- Apr 5, 2013
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Geez, when I read the title of the thread, I thought you had found some recent pictures of a girl I dated over 25 years ago!!
Zathros, is it her?
Not that bad from the back... Well, actually, Miss Piggy was really the name on the Narcissus noseart, looks like studio model designers loved their work.
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Some more shots:
Nothing for the faint-hearted:
Not sure how I will transfer those panels to 2D: :/
Nothing for the faint-hearted:
Not sure how I will transfer those panels to 2D: :/
I would build this the way that you have it (with all of the detail). It is at the skill level that I like to build at.Some more shots:
Nothing for the faint-hearted:
Not sure how I will transfer those panels to 2D: :/
Print the panel lines onto the surface with about 70 % black lines (a slightly darker medium grey). Any builder might print the kit twice then to have enough material for greebling. That would be my favourite choice. The whole model could be made as a vector graphic because it is fairly clean. However, if you have a better idea (and I am sure you do ), feel free to surprise us. 
I was tinkering with a model I found in the SketchUp warehouse. The overall shape was pretty good but there were so many intersections and so fanfyful curves that it would have been easier to start from scratch. In addition, the texture was generic, simply slapped-on. Since the original studio model is so well documented it would not have been right to proceed with that. You approach is perfect!
There is a fantastic thread on therpf with lots of pictures and links to reference materials here (and a test build by LEE STRINGER!):
http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=151894&highlight=narcissus
It is a looong thread but it contains excellent infos.
Another one: http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=160168&highlight=narcissus
It would be great if you could use the size of the studio model as a reference for the final size of your model. So you could say, your model would be 1/1, 1/2 or 1/3 studio scale.
), feel free to surprise us. I was tinkering with a model I found in the SketchUp warehouse. The overall shape was pretty good but there were so many intersections and so fanfyful curves that it would have been easier to start from scratch. In addition, the texture was generic, simply slapped-on. Since the original studio model is so well documented it would not have been right to proceed with that. You approach is perfect!
There is a fantastic thread on therpf with lots of pictures and links to reference materials here (and a test build by LEE STRINGER!):
http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=151894&highlight=narcissus
It is a looong thread but it contains excellent infos.
Another one: http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=160168&highlight=narcissus
It would be great if you could use the size of the studio model as a reference for the final size of your model. So you could say, your model would be 1/1, 1/2 or 1/3 studio scale.
1. Draw all the lines in SketchUp onto the surfaces (which you might have already done).
2. Switch to parallel view.
3. Make orthograpic screenshots (front, back, top, bottom, left, right) and some of difficult to spot areas / areas with much distortion.
4. Make a copy of the model in SketchUp and erase all panel lines to have a smooth surface.
5. Project the screenshots of the orthographic views onto the faces and start unfolding / exporting.
If you unfold the model in SketchUp using the Flattery plugin you may simply unfold the big areas presenting the "frame" only without the panels. When you export the *.svg graphic and import it into a vector program you may need to close some open lines but that should not be too difficult (I constantly do this
). The result leaves you with a flattened piece AND the outlines for the panels.
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I've studied this prop a lot, there is a special weathering on the original model, the front of the Narcissus is weathered, while the back is clean because it was covered in the hangar bay, but I don't like this because it just looks bad, I want to make some nice light weathering and rised panels as an optional parts. As you wrote, there is a problem with the panels layout, because Pepakura will mix it a lot in the unfolding process, orthographic screens could be an option, but, isn't it amateurish? I should learn something about this.
But, I'm not worried, the Betty started as an pencil and paper model, and it is a decent model now, I hope it will make a justice here. Just, keep your fingers crossed!
P.S.: I've drew it 35cm long, I think it is big enough, but, there is no problem to print it bigger anyway, it is the good thing about paper model building, right?
But, I'm not worried, the Betty started as an pencil and paper model, and it is a decent model now, I hope it will make a justice here. Just, keep your fingers crossed!
P.S.: I've drew it 35cm long, I think it is big enough, but, there is no problem to print it bigger anyway, it is the good thing about paper model building, right?
If you don't tell anybody, neither will I!
Kidding aside, the most important thing is that the result is fine. If you use Pep you might consider applying the complete texture before unfolding. The latest Pep version 4 is said to handle huge texture images (up to 4096 x 4096 pix), so you might bypass the SketchUp texture limit by reloading them in their full resolution in Pep before unfolding. I haven't tried that yet but will when I'm getting back to the Viper. In theory this should work and allow you to work with 300+ dpi textures directly. A few things will have to be edited afterwards but that should be a piece of cake.
Maybe this is why certain projects of mine stop occasionally... no free fingers any more... always crossing them......the Betty started as an pencil and paper model, and it is a decent model now, I hope it will make a justice here. Just, keep your fingers crossed!
This is gonna be another master piece, I have full confidence in your abilities! And yes, I'm still crossing my fingers!
Nice handy size! Considering the "official" length of the ship (16.3 m) this would become very close to 1/48. thumbsup
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- Apr 5, 2013
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Make a big version!! I personally cannot stand Pepakura. These are drawing programs, not engineering programs. I honestly think Rhino 5.0 is easier to use, and not only could you make the model, you could make the ship, if you had the knowledge. Rhino prints out full size templates with marks on the paper so you can align small sheets into large scale templates.
With Rhino, you need a front, side, top, and bottom, orthogonic picture to reproduce it. Anything else is just speculation. That's a fact. Many models done in Pepakura are just plain off., unless the builder really knows how to tweak it. My 2 cents worth.
With Rhino, you need a front, side, top, and bottom, orthogonic picture to reproduce it. Anything else is just speculation. That's a fact. Many models done in Pepakura are just plain off., unless the builder really knows how to tweak it. My 2 cents worth.
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Thank you for your help gentlemen, I've started with basic texture, drew the panel lines over the screenshots from orthos, I think it will be ok.
I've planned this model in line with "nice and easy" Betty and Derelict, but it will be more advanced and detailed, textures will not work here so much, there should be no problem to make it big I think.
Most of the work is done in Photoshop, but since the SketchUp and Pepakura has some limits I should try something else. Next time.
I've planned this model in line with "nice and easy" Betty and Derelict, but it will be more advanced and detailed, textures will not work here so much, there should be no problem to make it big I think.
Most of the work is done in Photoshop, but since the SketchUp and Pepakura has some limits I should try something else. Next time.
I can imagine this to become the ultimate Narcissus paper model. Since she was on my todo list (she no longer is because of this thread ) I'm also looking forward to the details, especially the decals (the pin-up and the "EI"s)..!
) I'm also looking forward to the details, especially the decals (the pin-up and the "EI"s)..!