Els Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 I needed a break from models for a while so I decided to experiment with a side project. I have seen some F-4 and F-14 nose art that I liked. I thought it would be cool to make it look like it was a plaque either carved out of stone or a 3D relief type of thing that I could hang on the wall. I chose to try some art from an F-14. I upscaled this picture and traced it onto a piece of Balsa Foam. I then started to carve the image onto the balsa foam. I will detail the art but I haven't decided yet whether I will smooth out the negative spaces and add panel lines/rivets or roughly carve away the negative spaces to hopefully simulate stone. Here it is after about an hours work. It is a little hard to see, but hopefully you get the idea. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Els in all seriousness if you made those and painted them as the nose art is/was.....you could sell those . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Very Nifty work Els.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Neat. What is "balsa foam", please? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted September 20, 2010 Author Share Posted September 20, 2010 Neat. What is "balsa foam", please? Joe, This probably explains it better than I could. http://www.dickblick.com/products/balsa-foam-ii/ I mostly use it for making brick or stone walls for the 1:6 scale figures that I build. You can use it for anything though, you just have to seal it once you are finished carving it. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Very cool work, Els ... I'll be watching for more progress ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 Hello, I had forgotten all about this. Today I found it under a pile of papers and thought that I would finish it up. I worked a little on smoothing the background and tried painting the mouth to see what it would look like. I will have to finish carving it so that I can seal it with some resin. The paint did not work on the bare Balsa foam very well. I have decided to paint the background as if it is the aircraft skin. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blunce Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 That's pretty cool! I think making it like it's a panel from the aircraft is better than just the image itself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 (edited) Els Having seen what you just accomplished with the Bengal Lnacer, I think this will be just awesome and three dimensional Art work is looking good already.. Kepe it going and will be back to see more. HOLMES hoo hoo Edited June 11, 2011 by HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 Thanks guys, I have finished carving as much as I am going to do. I sealed it up and started painting it. I had to take a few artistic licenses with it because translating the 2d to 3d didn't work very well in some areas. I decided not to engrave the Aim-54 logo. I will smooth that out and paint it on because I think that will look better. Thanks for looking, let me know what you think. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 (edited) Thanks guys, I have finished carving as much as I am going to do. I sealed it up and started painting it. I had to take a few artistic licenses with it because translating the 2d to 3d didn't work very well in some areas. I decided not to engrave the Aim-54 logo. I will smooth that out and paint it on because I think that will look better. Thanks for looking, let me know what you think. Els Els I think it looks pretty good, but maybe the choice of color for the 3d has diminished the effect.the strong darker colors on the original looks right, and I thought that maybe you could have used thatkind of similar shades of the color as shown on your first post.The AIM-54 logo would have been better carved out a little deepr than you have to show it off..I think it does look IMPRESSIVE though...it is always Harder to get the 3D right in a smaller detalied subject... the object does not give you much scope. this is by no means a critcism on your work , Just My observations {MY BAD for thinking out loud Els} and one more question. are You going to paint the cats features .maybe the eyes... I really like what you did though.. okay will be back for more... HOLMES Edited June 11, 2011 by HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 Holmes, I appreciate your honest opinion. Keep it up. I will take that any day over someone who just blows smoke up your ***. Sometimes when I am focused on a project I don't see obvious mistakes and it is always good to have an extra set of eyes looking at what you are doing. I am pretty far from done painting it. I will paint the missile and Tomcat tonight. I plan to outline everything in black just like it was painted on the aircraft. I am not going to engrave the Aim-54 because the material will not give me enough detail for it to look good. I will just have to paint that after it is finished. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 Holmes, I appreciate your honest opinion. Keep it up. I will take that any day over someone who just blows smoke up your ***. Sometimes when I am focused on a project I don't see obvious mistakes and it is always good to have an extra set of eyes looking at what you are doing. I am pretty far from done painting it. I will paint the missile and Tomcat tonight. I plan to outline everything in black just like it was painted on the aircraft. I am not going to engrave the Aim-54 because the material will not give me enough detail for it to look good. I will just have to paint that after it is finished. Els Okay so you will not engrave the AIM-54 but then are you going to take it out..scrub it out..? if you left it as it is then try and chose a color that highlights the lettering and you wont have to obliterate it... rememebr how RED lettering on black back ground looks when you see that in an Advert..In that form, it gives you the impression that the RED is standing out..like jutting out... then something like that may give it that 3D look.. I think when you have another fresh look at it you will get it and know what to do... I think painting of the outline will give it a definite defintion as you have to have a solid firm outline other wise the object has no make up in its detail if you know what I mean...in 3D art work you have to choose colors that are bold but those that stand out..Yellow and ochre seem to be puny..darker shades gives it strength to the subject...like the blue huey color in shark's teeth in that other post of yours THEY stand out.. ....Keep up the good work Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Holmes, I have erased the engraved Aim-54 logo. It will be painted on in white with a black outline. My lettering is not the greatest so we will see how that works. I am trying to follow the actual painting as much as possible. Here is a quick update picture of it on my desk. You can see that I have started outlining the image. My problem is that I have really lost interest in this. I tried something different and it just isn't floating my boat. I will finish it tomorrow just to get it off my desk. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I really like it ... I love the texture of the whole piece ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thegoodsgt Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Very cool! Definitely one of the more creative things we've seen in the hobby in years! I love the concept, but personally the relief doesn't do anything for me. I'd rather see the nose art recreated on a piece of sheet metal that is a replica of the real aircraft (that could be passed off as authentic!). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Holmes, I have erased the engraved Aim-54 logo. It will be painted on in white with a black outline. My lettering is not the greatest so we will see how that works. I am trying to follow the actual painting as much as possible. Here is a quick update picture of it on my desk. You can see that I have started outlining the image. My problem is that I have really lost interest in this. I tried something different and it just isn't floating my boat. I will finish it tomorrow just to get it off my desk. Els Els, this is MUCH BETETR and looking good actually...it may not float your boat but you took an idea and perceived it to its conception and it is quite IMPRESSIVE. WELL DONE.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Thanks everybody. I appreciate the positive feedback GreyGhost, I think that if I were to do it over again I would have left the texture a little more on the rough side and painted it like it was chipped out of stone. If you need to carve something that looks like stone, I think Balsa foam is the best thing out there. Thegoodsgt, I agree with you. If I had the skills I would like to paint some nose art on sheet metal. I have seen people selling these on the net but they were to expensive for me. I was at a flea market once and saw some repro WWII bomber nose art on a piece of curved sheet metal. This was mounted to a piece of wood that was about 8x10 inches. Below the nose art there was a plaque that gave the history of the real aircraft and it also had a clock that looked like a repro aircraft instrument mounted below it. It was pretty cool but the guy wanted $200 for it. Holmes you have a nice way of phrasing things to make people feel great about their projects. You should write a book about giving positive feedback. I would buy a copy. Well its time to stick a fork in this one. Its as done as it is going to get by me. It looks pretty good at the back of my display shelf with an F-14 in front of it. Like I said before, it was something different for me to try, but I won't do it again. I appreciate everyone checking it out. Thanks. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chorse6 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Els, Love it. Great work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Thanks, I appreciate it. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Els, That is a job well done Sir, It does look AWESOME and you DID an IMPRESSIVE job on this one... I LIKE it... HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
signals Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 this looks awesome...are there any decals of this in 1/32 ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 Thanks, I am not sure about the decals. Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I think it came out great, Els ... Really nice job ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted June 18, 2011 Author Share Posted June 18, 2011 Thanks Greyghost Els Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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