Skip to content

Building the Renoke, Part 8

Painting continues with the bridge getting a flat gray color via my trusty airbrush. I purposely didn’t cut the fiber optics so that after painting, I can trim them and not have them covered with paint. I chose a darker gray so that it contrasted with the exterior. Weathering will probably lighten the color a bit as well as make it look worn down.

IMG_20150906_123834533

The over all base color of the Renoke is flat white/deck tan/gray. This is a nod to the Star Wars universe and in particular, the Millennium Falcon, which has the same color. I wanted it to have a non-gray base, because gray is military and this is not a military starship.

IMG_20150906_123804219

IMG_20150906_123839643

You will never see a more clean version of this model. It’s about to get all broke in with weathering.

IMG_20150906_123930008

IMG_20150906_124056976_HDR

IMG_20150906_124111517

IMG_20150906_124125043

The first level of weathering is done with a wash of thinned out artist’s oil paint. I used to do this wash in regular paint, but after having tried the oil paint, I’m a convert. It gives the model an earthy tone that I really like. You basically drench the cracks with a brown and black mix and then wipe it away with a rag. What you are left with is what you see from here on in the pictures. A wonderful lived in look.

IMG_20150906_155701002

IMG_20150906_163033769_HDR

IMG_20150906_163040624

I also started painting some of the panels red and green and gray. This needs to continue with more shades of gray and white. It’s a slow process.

IMG_20150906_163046990

IMG_20150907_114351079

IMG_20150907_121121852

IMG_20150907_121130809_HDR

IMG_20150908_135555631

IMG_20150908_135604023

IMG_20150908_135624577

IMG_20150908_135630430

IMG_20150908_135709276

The next phase of weathering involves rubbing the raised pieces with super fine sandpaper and or steel wool. This gives the model a more worn out look that a ship of this kind is prone to. It’s a big, dirty universe out there and space is full of particles that ruin your perfect paint job.

IMG_20150908_135728904

IMG_20150911_170505997

Flipping the Renoke and working the same magic on the bottom.

IMG_20150912_102542736

IMG_20150912_102550663

IMG_20150912_102555999

IMG_20150912_102601826

IMG_20150912_102722122

The next installment should be the final one for this build. More weathering and sanding and panel painting will result in a finished model. The bridge is yet to be weathered.