Spindrift from Land of the Giants by Polar Lights

[slawton]

Is there some "secret sauce" on how to paint something so small/get tiny details?

[trekriffic]

Oops!

[trekriffic]

Very nice indeed, trekriffic!

So, in addition to neck aches, do your eye twinge, too! That is small stuff!

Well done!

Okay, so plaid, purple dress for Valerie Scott? This I GOTTA see!

Steady on, Old boy!

Steve

Eyes don't twinge but they have been known to cross!

The plaid dress, yes, 'twill present a wee bit of a challenge but I already have an idea for how to do it.

Stay tuned...

[trekriffic]

Oops!

[trekriffic]

Is there some "secret sauce" on how to paint something so small/get tiny details?

A glass of wine doesn't hurt.

Seriously, the basic ingredients are a steady hand, a fine (like 20/0) tipped brush, and a sharp pointed tool like a toothpick or a dental tool. Also fine needle files and sanding sticks. For these figures, I'm bonding styrene to vinyl so you need to use CA rather than regular Testors model glue. One problem I've run into when attaching the heads and extremities to the torso is the CA getting on the tweezers so the part wants to stick to the tweezers rather than the torso! It can be tough to just get the glue on the part when the part is so tiny.
After I've got the figure glued together I'll putty any gaps and use putty to make any clothing or hair.
After the putty cures I brush prime them; then I paint their heads and hands. For the eyes on these little guys, it's best to paint the pupils and eyebrows first (either with a fine brush or using the end of a round toothpick) and then paint your skin tone (I'm using Testors cream) around them. Same for the lips.
Really, at this scale, you just need to create a suggestion of eyes and lips.
For their clothing I work from light to dark.
Before I start painting though I like to drill a hole up the figure's rear end for inserting a small gauge metal rod; that way, I can hold the rod instead of the figure while I paint.
Oh... and it helps to have a magnifier of some kind.

[Tesral]

I am totally blow away by this build, the attention to detail and the little things you build.

[mophius]

I am totally blow away by this build, the attention to detail and the little things you build.

agreed but it is not just this build it is every build. Look at the K't'inga and the Lunar module. Then there was the Dragonfly aircraft from Johnny Quest.

Every build goes that step, or three, further in the detailing.
I tip my hat to you Trekriffic every time I see a new post from you.

[trekriffic]

Well shucks guys y'all gonna make me blush!

Got some more work done on Valerie today. I'm pretty satisfied with the hair, she sure has a lot of it, as you can see in this photo:

Deanna Lund with Spindrift Model by trekriffic, on Flickr

Anyway, Miss Lund was definitely well endowed with... hair.

Here's some pics of the figure after attaching the legs and applying some AVES putty to make her lioness-like mane:

Valerie Scott by trekriffic, on Flickr

Valerie Scott by trekriffic, on Flickr

Valerie Scott by trekriffic, on Flickr

Valerie Scott by trekriffic, on Flickr

Once the putty dries I'll do some minor touching up before priming.

[slawton]

Deanna Lund with Spindrift Model by trekriffic, on Flickr

Anyway, Miss Lund was definitely well endowed with... hair.

sexy_stormtrooper.jpg (10.81 KiB) Viewed 2315 times

[Tesral]

Anyway, Miss Lund was definitely well endowed with... hair.

And an amazing ability to maintain that do without a salon.

And it must be said. The Spindrift is a terribly unrealistic aircraft. There is no way passengers would be given that much arm and leg room.