1968 1/12 Revell Gemini astronaut build

[stikpusher]

Looking sharp! I can never get enough of the NASA space race era subjects.

[mach7]

After all the work on Ed's face All the photo's show the gold sunscreen.

I might have to re think the clear face plate, but I really like seeing his face.

I'll check out the real thing on Thursday when I'm in DC.

[406 Silverado]

This is indeed coming along nicely Marc and it's such an interesting subject. I hear ya on being able to see his face after all the work you put into it. Aint it funny when you reach a certain part of a build and then some new information that we didn't have just "pops" into the picture outta no where?

[mach7]

So I saw Ed's helmet at the Air and Space museum today.





As I suspected there is a clear pressure faceplate. The gold sunscreen is an outer, movable, not pressure
plate.

I'm not sure the best way to represent it.

[Tobi]

The sunscreen is really a tough one to make. Perhaps gold foil or even gold color and that tinted afterwards with clear smoke from Tamiya?

[406 Silverado]

That's definitely some first class reference material right there Mark. That is indeed going to be tough to replicate but whatever you use, (and this is just my take on it) apply it to the back side of the clear plastic part as to retain the shiny surface on the outside of it.

[mach7]

The easy solution would be to just paint the inside of the kit part gold or apply gold bare metal foil.

But I'm not sure I want to do that.

Looking at the helmet and the other photo's I've found, it seems that when Ed was outside the capsule the sunscreen was down. At least in daylight.

[tcoat]

Jun 23, 2023 8:27:25 GMT -5 mach7 said:

The easy solution would be to just paint the inside of the kit part gold or apply gold bare metal foil.

But I'm not sure I want to do that.

Looking at the helmet and the other photo's I've found, it seems that when Ed was outside the capsule the sunscreen was down. At least in daylight.

Personally I would run the "artistic license" gambit and leave the mask as it is to show the face. The tint you gave it shows that it was not clear but you can still see the face to give that human element to the model. More or less why movie astronauts always have clear visors.  Not like little Ed is going to be exposed to dangerous levels of UV!

[mach7]

Yah, Your right.

I've been contemplating vac forming a faceplate from a form made from the original, but thats probably
more work than I want to do at this point.

I'll probably just go with what I have.

[406 Silverado]

I've done that myself where I'm at a stage like this and then several options come into play. Most of the time I go with what my original intention was. Looking forward to seeing more on this one Mark.

[mach7]

May 1, 2023 7:57:35 GMT -5 tcoat said:

This would be an ideal subject for a tinted Future wash to bring out detail, define lines and add shadows without changing the white too much.
Loads of shadows in creases and the suit is not stark white.


Without tinted Future




With. Pay particular attention to the gloves and boots as this is the effect you would get on the space suit.




So a little web searching says 1 unit of Pledge to 1 unit of water to 1/4 unit of acrylic paint. Brush on.

I'll probably use Tamiya flat black. Does that sound reasonable?

Thanks

I plan on flat coating Ed's suit after decals, but not his helmet/visor.

[406 Silverado]

That should look great Mark. Looking forward to seeing the results of that. It's gonna be good to see this one back in progress.

[tcoat]

Jul 13, 2023 20:56:50 GMT -5 mach7 said:

May 1, 2023 7:57:35 GMT -5 tcoat said:

This would be an ideal subject for a tinted Future wash to bring out detail, define lines and add shadows without changing the white too much.
Loads of shadows in creases and the suit is not stark white.


Without tinted Future




With. Pay particular attention to the gloves and boots as this is the effect you would get on the space suit.




So a little web searching says 1 unit of Pledge to 1 unit of water to 1/4 unit of acrylic paint. Brush on.

I'll probably use Tamiya flat black. Does that sound reasonable?

Thanks

I plan on flat coating Ed's suit after decals, but not his helmet/visor.

I don't add water and use cheap water colour tubed paint from the Dollar Store. I mix a clump a bit bigger than a pea in an old Tamyia thin glue bottle (the square one) and mix thoroughly. Then I add a bit more until the mix is completely opaque. Try a sample spot on some sprue and either add more tint or dump some out and add more Future until I get the effect I am after. One little bottle of it will last for many, many models so I only make it up every couple of years.   

[mach7]

Thanks!

Do you brush on or airbrush? It seems a brush might work better than the airbrush.

[tcoat]

Jul 14, 2023 9:58:52 GMT -5 mach7 said:

Thanks!

Do you brush on or airbrush? It seems a brush might work better than the airbrush.

Brush on with a wide (1/2 inch or so) soft brush. If you have to much in one spot just wipe the brush off and soak some off. Keep in mind it will look really heavy until you put the flat coat on and then it will tone way down. Takes some trial and error experimentation but once you get the hang of it the shading is great. The self leveling will pull it into the low spots so try to keep the surface you are coating at the angle where the section you want it to settle in is down. I do figures upside down so that the shading settles into the lower parts of the folds.  If you want to keep the higher spots cleaner then you can wipe them off while it is still wet but this will reduce the gradual fade in a bit. 

All that was used on the one on the left is the tinted Future. No other paints or panel wash were used where you see black.




You can see pretty clearly where I wiped the tint off on this. I was after the blotchy look though. 

[mach7]

Nice! Thanks!

Makes me want to build a snowspeeder!

[406 Silverado]

Jul 14, 2023 10:19:24 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Jul 14, 2023 9:58:52 GMT -5 mach7 said:

Thanks!

Do you brush on or airbrush? It seems a brush might work better than the airbrush.

Brush on with a wide (1/2 inch or so) soft brush. If you have to much in one spot just wipe the brush off and soak some off. Keep in mind it will look really heavy until you put the flat coat on and then it will tone way down. Takes some trial and error experimentation but once you get the hang of it the shading is great. The self leveling will pull it into the low spots so try to keep the surface you are coating at the angle where the section you want it to settle in is down. I do figures upside down so that the shading settles into the lower parts of the folds.  If you want to keep the higher spots cleaner then you can wipe them off while it is still wet but this will reduce the gradual fade in a bit. 

All that was used on the one on the left is the tinted Future. No other paints or panel wash were used where you see black.




You can see pretty clearly where I wiped the tint off on this. I was after the blotchy look though. 

Great explanation on that process Tony and the results speak for themselves. +1 Karma to you bud.

[mach7]

Ok I was planning on washing Ed yesterday, but the shower needed re-grouting.
My wife did the work, I was support. Anyway thats done.

Today I got Ed washed. It's not as good as I wanted but better than I expected, a little heavy.
As said the flat coat should tone it down. Thanks very much tcoat for your help!

Before:





After:





Ed is getting close.

[406 Silverado]

SHUWWEEEET!! That was a very effective method Mark!

Looks like this one is getting there buddy.

[mach7]

Looking at some photo's I think I like the front of Ed. Many of the photo's show his front in some level of shadow.
I think I'll hit the high points of his back with white again.

[tcoat]

Jul 15, 2023 18:54:32 GMT -5 mach7 said:

Looking at some photo's I think I like the front of Ed. Many of the photo's show his front in some level of shadow.
I think I'll hit the high points of his back with white again.

Just take some windex or other light ammonia cleaner on a soft cloth and wipe off what you don’t like or is too heavy. That is the beauty of the future coat since it is easily reversible.  

something is off in your mix. The future should have settled in the low spots and left the high points almost base coloured.  

[mach7]

Yup, it didn't work as planned. I think my Future is decades old and I had too much tinting paint.
It's a learning process.

I cleaned the back off a bit with windex, like I said I kind of like the shadow effect on the front, it matches
some of the photos.

It will work, as I said it's not as good as I wanted but better than I expected.

[406 Silverado]

Jul 16, 2023 10:43:02 GMT -5 mach7 said:

Yup, it didn't work as planned. I think my Future is decades old and I had too much tinting paint.
It's a learning process.

I cleaned the back off a bit with windex, like I said I kind of like the shadow effect on the front, it matches
some of the photos.

It will work, as I said it's not as good as I wanted but better than I expected.

And that.....is the attitude of success right there. Looking forward to seeing how this one comes out Mark. Hang in there with it buddy.

[mach7]

I've been slowly working on Ed.

I got the 30 year old decals on today, they went on real nice.
Some micro sol and they settled in nice.



I hit Ed with flat coat, he's drying now.

[406 Silverado]

That's great, yet surprising, news to hear on the decals Mark. Usually when I try my luck with decals that old I don't have very good luck with them but these went on flawlessly it looks like. Love the progress on this one and am looking forward to more bud.

[Joe Rix]

What a choice classic kit Mark. This one certainly takes one back. You have done some really fine work so far. I'm going to be keeping track of your build from now on.

[mach7]

Thanks.

Maybe I can finish him soon!

[mach7]

Done!

I had just finished ED and his umbilical just broke! Arrgh.

Any way, other than that I'm happy with how he came out. I added a few things to the kit.

A decal for the pressure gauge on the chest pack, I used some wire for the O2 hose from the chest pack to the helmet, and I replaced the thick plastic "floating" hand straps with wire. They now look better.






















Thanks for everyones help and ideas!

[stikpusher]

Great finish! Boy that sure brings back the essence of early space flight!

[mach7]

Thanks!

I enjoyed building Ed.