Model Of The Month: Daishi's Frost Dragon by DanBKing
- Thread starter DanBKing
- Start date
I'm going to do a few tests to see how the expanding foam will react in the enclosed spaces in the model that require filling for strength, like the arms and legs. I dont want my dragon to explode under pressure..........
But, that will be another chapter, I think .......
See you soon...
As much as it would be tragic to ruin all your hard work, A Fat Dragon would be very humorous. Just kidding, Excellent work. Blowing my mind so far
Put your Foot in it .....
Firstly, thank you all for the kind words and support. :thumb:
I have to admit, I am also really pleased with how this model is starting to come together....
But, it can be a bit tedious at times, with all the tabs and I am also putting a lot of time into trying to hide and disguise the joins as best as possible.
But, I am having fun building it, and having fun is the most important. :mrgreen:
This model is like a good book: I just cant put it down. I start working on the model after work around 8pm and have to force myself to go to bed at 1.30am or even 2am. I have to get up around 6.45am to go to work.........
The dragon is taking over my life, draining my desire to sleep, consuming my soul, in little tab-edged pieces ..........
As the experiment with the expanding foam worked very well in the wing, I decided to start on the feet and legs, as these contain complex angles and will require careful filling.
I started with the three toes on the left foot....
Followed by the rest of the foot....
I worked up from the foot to the first joint, where the angle changes. I stopped at this point to let the glue dry thoroughly, before I insert the first section of the main supporting rod through the foot and leg. This section then needs foam filling and dry time before the next section of the leg is built. Once dried and cured, the metal rod will have to bent to the correct angle and the next section of the leg built around it.
This is where I am at. You'll notice the off colour black touchups, I layer my touchup colouring, going from darkest to lightest, and blend where necessary. And as you can see there is still plenty of colouring and blending to do... You'll see the end result later....
So, thats it for now. Will post the results of the first stage of the leg armature construction soon.
Firstly, thank you all for the kind words and support. :thumb:
I have to admit, I am also really pleased with how this model is starting to come together....
But, it can be a bit tedious at times, with all the tabs and I am also putting a lot of time into trying to hide and disguise the joins as best as possible.
But, I am having fun building it, and having fun is the most important. :mrgreen:
This model is like a good book: I just cant put it down. I start working on the model after work around 8pm and have to force myself to go to bed at 1.30am or even 2am. I have to get up around 6.45am to go to work.........
The dragon is taking over my life, draining my desire to sleep, consuming my soul, in little tab-edged pieces ..........
As the experiment with the expanding foam worked very well in the wing, I decided to start on the feet and legs, as these contain complex angles and will require careful filling.
I started with the three toes on the left foot....
Followed by the rest of the foot....
I worked up from the foot to the first joint, where the angle changes. I stopped at this point to let the glue dry thoroughly, before I insert the first section of the main supporting rod through the foot and leg. This section then needs foam filling and dry time before the next section of the leg is built. Once dried and cured, the metal rod will have to bent to the correct angle and the next section of the leg built around it.
This is where I am at. You'll notice the off colour black touchups, I layer my touchup colouring, going from darkest to lightest, and blend where necessary. And as you can see there is still plenty of colouring and blending to do... You'll see the end result later....
So, thats it for now. Will post the results of the first stage of the leg armature construction soon.
That's torn it .............
As the legs of the dragon are taking the most weight and stress in holding the whole model upright, I decided to add a wire armature to the legs.
I used a semi soft wire, about 1,5mm in diameter. This wire needs to run from the base of the rock, through the bottom of the foot, up the inside of the leg, bent to the various angles that make up the leg joints. I took rough mesurements and inserted the wire through the foot at the correct angle. Once this was in place, I applied expanding foam to the inside of the ankle joint to secure the wire in place.
I allowed the foam an hour or so to cure properly. And it was at this point that disaster struck..............
I needed to bend the wire to the correct angle at the first joint. I used a pair of long nosed pliers to hold the wire at the bend point. As I was bending the wire, the pliers slipped off the wire, which caused the wire, pliers and foot to go in opposite directions........ The photos show the results ..........:curse:wall1wall1
The wire ripped through the top, bottom and back of the foot. I tried to repair it, but the end result looked terrible, so, that means I will have to re-make the whole thing afresh, wasting hours of work........
Needless to say, there were a few choice words and acronyms like 'F.F.S' and 'Y.S.D.M.F' thrown around the room....... :curse:
So, please excuse the delay in the proceedings, as I continue to mutter under my breath and rebuild the leg......... albeit a bit more carefully this time ....ops:
As the legs of the dragon are taking the most weight and stress in holding the whole model upright, I decided to add a wire armature to the legs.
I used a semi soft wire, about 1,5mm in diameter. This wire needs to run from the base of the rock, through the bottom of the foot, up the inside of the leg, bent to the various angles that make up the leg joints. I took rough mesurements and inserted the wire through the foot at the correct angle. Once this was in place, I applied expanding foam to the inside of the ankle joint to secure the wire in place.
I allowed the foam an hour or so to cure properly. And it was at this point that disaster struck..............
I needed to bend the wire to the correct angle at the first joint. I used a pair of long nosed pliers to hold the wire at the bend point. As I was bending the wire, the pliers slipped off the wire, which caused the wire, pliers and foot to go in opposite directions........ The photos show the results ..........:curse:wall1wall1
The wire ripped through the top, bottom and back of the foot. I tried to repair it, but the end result looked terrible, so, that means I will have to re-make the whole thing afresh, wasting hours of work........
Needless to say, there were a few choice words and acronyms like 'F.F.S' and 'Y.S.D.M.F' thrown around the room....... :curse:
So, please excuse the delay in the proceedings, as I continue to mutter under my breath and rebuild the leg......... albeit a bit more carefully this time ....
ops:
Dan
It reminds me of when I was building UHU02's Enterprise, in my first attempt, and I totally s###w#d it up when I glued the lower section of the saucer to the upper one. Hours and hours of work thrown away into the gutter...
Nevertheless, I started it ALL OVER and managed to get to the end. At least you won't have to start it all over, just the foot and leg. That's the good news.
Although you're waiting for the bad news, I think there are better NEWS: you'll be TWICE as careful as you already were, and your final result will be even greater than it is, giving us all the amazement and inspiration we await.
Go for it, DAN, you're doing GREAT!!!
Rogério
It reminds me of when I was building UHU02's Enterprise, in my first attempt, and I totally s###w#d it up when I glued the lower section of the saucer to the upper one. Hours and hours of work thrown away into the gutter...
Nevertheless, I started it ALL OVER and managed to get to the end. At least you won't have to start it all over, just the foot and leg. That's the good news.
Although you're waiting for the bad news, I think there are better NEWS: you'll be TWICE as careful as you already were, and your final result will be even greater than it is, giving us all the amazement and inspiration we await.
Go for it, DAN, you're doing GREAT!!!
Rogério
Thanks for the encouragment, Rogerio....... It is just dammed frustrating wasting all those hours of work. It has put my build timeline behind now .....
Oh well, I'll 'put my best foot forward' (excuse the pun,) and soldier on .....
Phew ........
Apologies for the lull in the proceedings lately.....
Why is it, that when life throws things at you, it throws EVERYTHING at once.........?
And having to deal with EVERYTHING, modelling has taken a B-road in life at the moment............:cry:
But..... I have been kicking EVERYTHINGS a$$ and making some time for the model. :twisted:
After the disaster with the foot and leg, I grumpily trashed the damaged assembly, and started on the right-side wing instead. As I said earlier, I am not going to bother posting any build pics of that, as it is basically the same as the other wings' build. I'll post some pics of the completed wing over the next couple of days.....
Thinking ahead, I purchased two (trophy) plaque bases, to make a nice display base for the model. The only ones I could find locally were a little thin in bulk for my liking. But, I am going to use two to make a bulkier base. Once everything else is complete and the model is finally mounted to the base, I am going to add a few bits and pieces around the base of the rock, to visually blend the transition between the rock and the base plate. I'm not sure yet whether I am going to leave them natural wood, or spray them black ~ dark grey. Your ideas and constructive criticisms are always welcome ....:mrgreen:
But, I am personally getting a black/dark grey/anthracite sort of feel..... :mrgreen:
See you soon!
Apologies for the lull in the proceedings lately.....
Why is it, that when life throws things at you, it throws EVERYTHING at once.........?
And having to deal with EVERYTHING, modelling has taken a B-road in life at the moment............:cry:
But..... I have been kicking EVERYTHINGS a$$ and making some time for the model. :twisted:
After the disaster with the foot and leg, I grumpily trashed the damaged assembly, and started on the right-side wing instead. As I said earlier, I am not going to bother posting any build pics of that, as it is basically the same as the other wings' build. I'll post some pics of the completed wing over the next couple of days.....
Thinking ahead, I purchased two (trophy) plaque bases, to make a nice display base for the model. The only ones I could find locally were a little thin in bulk for my liking. But, I am going to use two to make a bulkier base. Once everything else is complete and the model is finally mounted to the base, I am going to add a few bits and pieces around the base of the rock, to visually blend the transition between the rock and the base plate. I'm not sure yet whether I am going to leave them natural wood, or spray them black ~ dark grey. Your ideas and constructive criticisms are always welcome ....:mrgreen:
But, I am personally getting a black/dark grey/anthracite sort of feel..... :mrgreen:
See you soon!
Hmmmm...
Dan
The base you did looks awesome, but something tells me that it would look even better if you were able to reproduce some irregular terrain around it. Considering everything we've seen on dragons, it would be hard to have grass around it, instead it would be a bare piece of land, perhaps with some small rocks around.
If I had the time and the resources, I would try to do it, texturizing the "terrain" with some dust, to make it look like the real thing.
Maybe some foam or mass to make the terrain, mixed with some red/brown dust, and real, small rocks, put together to the paper base, and painted accordingly, to make it all look real. It's the usual in those rock formations (I'M NO GEOLOGIST!!).
Maybe it's much of an overkill, but I think it would look good. Anyway, LOENF's the man for dioramas, he would know a lot better than me.
KEEP UP THE FANTASTIC WORK!!!
Dan
The base you did looks awesome, but something tells me that it would look even better if you were able to reproduce some irregular terrain around it. Considering everything we've seen on dragons, it would be hard to have grass around it, instead it would be a bare piece of land, perhaps with some small rocks around.
If I had the time and the resources, I would try to do it, texturizing the "terrain" with some dust, to make it look like the real thing.
Maybe some foam or mass to make the terrain, mixed with some red/brown dust, and real, small rocks, put together to the paper base, and painted accordingly, to make it all look real. It's the usual in those rock formations (I'M NO GEOLOGIST!!).
Maybe it's much of an overkill, but I think it would look good. Anyway, LOENF's the man for dioramas, he would know a lot better than me.
KEEP UP THE FANTASTIC WORK!!!
Rogerio,
As I said in my last post, that is my plan also.... :mrgreen::mrgreen:
It is going to have a 'scorched earth' type effect when I am finished....
I was THINKING about making rocks from paper, in a sort of slate effect, but maybe I'll just dig up a few slabs of slate from the neighbours patio....sign1
Anyway, all that comes later, I have purchased the boards in preparation for that time. I also have to drill and prepare the base plates for LED lighting...... But, that is another story ....:twisted:
For now though, I have to get the dragon finished.
Getting the balance right....
After what feels an age, I have finally got the right wing completed.
The build procedure was the same as for the left wing, albeit 10 parts less.
A couple of shots of both wings together..
And this is where we are, (excluding the base)
See you soon!
After what feels an age, I have finally got the right wing completed.
The build procedure was the same as for the left wing, albeit 10 parts less.
A couple of shots of both wings together..
And this is where we are, (excluding the base)
See you soon!