slawton wrote:My wife has some bruising and still has quite a bit of pain, but she is improving. She is able to do more and more things for herself and is making steady progress. I had a minor relapse but am also getting better. Would have been nice for the kids to behave better and be more helpful, but that seems to be too much to ask.
Glad to hear she's improving.
As for the kids.... Well... Ya know the ole sayin... "Kids will be kids.". lol
slawton wrote:I doubt I can get all 50 done by Thursday, but I'm not sure if I should withdraw or have a reduced count for the build. I still intend to complete the list (and more) throughout the remainder of the year.
Hey! Don't quit... Keep going, finish what you can. That's a-lot-a work you put into these builds for this GB to just up and withdraw.
I'm sure no one will object that you keep goin even if you don't get all 50 done at the end of the GB.
And BTW, this is the link to the scratchbuild TOS Miranda Class I'm building.
I have chosen to withdraw so that I can continue progress reports on these builds on this thread (may be moved to someplace like 1/2500 scale). While a lot of work has been done, there's still a quite a bit more to go which will be ongoing for me (hoping to get all TOS stuff done this calendar year). I do not need a prize (assuming my work would have merited it) - it has been more of incentive to complete some models. At this point, it might be a good opportunity to look back at the good & the bad.
Starting with the bad... Being an impulsive choice, this was done with little organization and preparation. Many of the kits and supplies were gathered after the start (some never acquired) of the build and managing this took time away from the modeling work. Also, the work area was not ready or organized -- most of the time with a big pile of haphazard stuff. I managed assembly reasonably well except I'm more of a "bull in a china shop", damaging kits already put together. I struggled with seam lines, especially on the D7 (one even popped open after painting). Painting was mostly done by brush and my skills are on the "amateurish" side -- no crisp edges, uneven surface, spilled 2 jars, etc. For rattlecans I sometimes saw "orange peel", little round dried droplets roughing up the sides of the kit and had little idea when it would run out. Mixing paints I often misjudged (blue plus green equals green, 2 light colors are darker when blended, light plus dark means almost the dark color, etc.). For the 3D printed kits, the FUD tended not to hold the paint very well (maybe I didn't clean them well enough) and the WSF was rough with both "stairstepping" and pock marks that would show up after initial painting. Decals came in 2 varieties -- AMT/Round 2 or other. The AMT/Round 2 decals I managed rather well except really large ones (looking at you BoP bird) creased/gapped and the clear areas showed up cloudy, especially on dark colors. The other decals were more delicate and often broke and were very hard to move after applying to the model, but they looked more "painted on" when finished. It was trial and error to get the timing right for when they were soggy enough for placement. I also had some move on me when applying other ones. As far as number of subjects, there were a lot of multiples (with variances) rather than unique classes.
Now for the good ... This was a grand challenge and I made a go of it (I think I picked up that expression from my wife's watching of "Downton Abbey" - yikes). I actually reduced my backlog while picking up new kits! Half are finished with the other half in closer to completion state (assembled / primed / painted) than just started. I was able to experiment with the multiples to try out variances/alternative ideas. I got my own area ready to produce models and display them, emptying out boxes from the closet! I now have "art" that "speaks to me" (not just that stuff from HGTV that my wife has put together). I have a complete set of usable supplies. My skills are improving. I made some small kits completely from scratch. I feel I've contributed some to this forum, maybe came up with some new ideas. I've gotten a sense of community with the forum members who volunteered kits & decals and provided support to me - thank you all! I overcame lack of motivation and paid my blood, glue, sawdust, paint, etc. sacrifices to the modeling gods! I went to Supercon in Miami, seeing William Shatner, Walter Koenig, Robert Picardo, Henry Winkler, Denise Crosby, Rene Auberjonois and Bruce Boxleitner. I also sat in the "Captain's Chair" and saw a number of creative costumes. I watched a lot of the TOS episodes (some recently as remastered on Netflix) and all of the TAS episodes. So I've felt I've paid homage to Star Trek to honor the 50th Anniversary. I've also had an escape from life's demands and stresses from work/family and was able to focus on my activities. Some of the bad was to be expected, but overall I am pleased with the effort and the results. I believe I will continue to improve and will hopefully someday complete prize-worthy models to be proud of. I am always amazed at the creative ideas and skills shown by the modeling gurus -- so keep it up (and post pictures and let us in on your secrets)!
Oh man, I understand you, but I think you should stay at the race... anyway, was pleasant to read your testimonial of the bads & goods, I felt like myself doing something similar... great builds so far, and congrats for such a challenge that you choose.
And whom amongst us can say that we're ever really finished with a kit?
There are Times, Sir, when men of good Conscience cannot blindly follow orders. You acknowledge their sentience, but ignore their personal liberties and freedoms. Order a man to hand over his child to the state? Not while I"m captain.
- J.L.Picard.
1. "Mirror, Mirror" Two of a Kind: parallel universe with the savage doppelgängers
2. "Plato’s Stepchildren" The Kiss Seen ‘Round the World(s): Kirk and Uhura’s interracial liplock
3. "Arena" Live and Let Lizard: death match won not by killing his opponent
4. "Errand of Mercy" Static Klingons: bragging that Klingons would take over half the galaxy
5. "The City On the Edge of Forever" R.I.P., Edith Keeler: allow death to prevent the Nazis winning World War II
6. "Space Seed" Khan Artist: strong-arming and condescending to Kirk
7. "The Trouble With Tribbles" Fur Sure: Kirk buried in this iconic scene
8. "Amok Time" Talk Through the Hand: "Live long and prosper" accompanied by the Vulcan salute
9. "The Devil in the Dark" Doctor’s Orders: "I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer!"
10. "The Enemy Within" Double Trouble: splitting Kirk into two halves - Good & Evil
11. "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" As Simple as Black and White: racism had destroyed their home planet
12. "The Naked Time" Psi Anxiety: swashbuckling (and sweaty!) Sulu
13. "Mudd’s Women" Skin-Deep: Eve took the Venus pill to restore her beauty, only it was a placebo:
14. "The Cage" History Repeating: Captain Pike's tribunal
15. "Amok Time" Friends Till the End: koon-ut-kal-if-fee between Kirk & Spock
16. "The Gamesters of Triskelion" It’s Not Easy Being Green-Haired: death match
17. "Plato’s Stepchildren" Dancing Within the Stars: Kirk & Spock via mind control
18. "The Way to Eden" Intergalactic hippies put on mini-concert
19. "The Doomsday Machine" "Beam Me Up, Scotty. NOW!"
20. "Operation - Annihilate!" Eggselent: Denevan parasites (resembled angry fried eggs) land on Spock
What do you think? Did they get it right or miss out on something?
I remember the Operation Annihilate out take; wherein one of the Denevan Parasites, landed on Mr. Nimoy's butt instead.
There are Times, Sir, when men of good Conscience cannot blindly follow orders. You acknowledge their sentience, but ignore their personal liberties and freedoms. Order a man to hand over his child to the state? Not while I"m captain.
- J.L.Picard.
Moongrim wrote:I remember the Operation Annihilate out take; wherein one of the Denevan Parasites, landed on Mr. Nimoy's butt instead.
I hear anal probing is all the rage!
There really were a lot of memorable moments and I certainly recall the entire list -- not sure I'd include the dancing, hippies, Triskelion or Mudd's Women since they were relative footnotes in Star Trek history. I'd be more inclined to include "The Balance of Terror" Romulans (surprise they're almost Vulcans!), "The Deadly Years", "The Tholian Web" and "The Corbomite Maneuver" Balok's Jeckyll & Hyde.
I hope you'll continue with this project. It is impressive!
RogueWolf wrote:I've sacrificed many dozens (maybe even hundreds) of gummy bears to the dark modeling gods to grant me my wish... but I fear my offerings only amuse them, not appease them.
el gato wrote:I hope you'll continue with this project. It is impressive!
Don't worry, I am. I'm in the process of 5 more D7's, the Gorn, Vulcan & Andorian ships and the K-7 Space Station. I use my work laptop to post, so pictures show up on the weekends. After that, it's Federation starships all the way -- why I pestered you with so many questions. Still not sure how I'll approach the newer nacelle domes -- even considering my daughter's glitter nail polish!
slawton wrote:After that, it's Federation starships all the way -- why I pestered you with so many questions. Still not sure how I'll approach the newer nacelle domes -- even considering my daughter's glitter nail polish!
No prob. We're all here to learn from each other. I've toyed with the idea of adding some glitter before applying the clear red. It would have to be a tiny, controlled amount (say no more than 5) and don't know how well glitter conforms to rounded surfaces.
RogueWolf wrote:I've sacrificed many dozens (maybe even hundreds) of gummy bears to the dark modeling gods to grant me my wish... but I fear my offerings only amuse them, not appease them.
We're all here to learn from each other. I've toyed with the idea of adding some glitter before applying the clear red. It would have to be a tiny, controlled amount (say no more than 5) and don't know how well glitter conforms to rounded surfaces.