Clash of the Aquanauts - an early stage project thread for BLAM 2011

[Andym]

Right, I cut out the abyss using a steak knife(it's got a serrated edge)and just cut grooves into it to make it look like rock. Once covered in plaster it should look alright. I have a joiners plane(right spelling) that I was using to take a bit off of the doors in my house. It has an edge like a rasp file, great for making valleys in the foam....



Once that was done I covered the boards in plaster, and to add some sort of texture, used the brush and stippled all over it. I'm trying to make it look like the patterns you see in the sand, don't know if it's working. What do you think?

[gamer Mac]

Other project sounds interesting
Rememebr to tidy up before next Sunday
Where are you going to store this when it is finished?

[OSHIROmodels]

Great stuff Andy 

Good to see this carrying on 

cheers

James

[Dewbakuk]

I think the stippling works, but won't the plaster flake off in such a thin layer? Hopefully not.

[Malamute]

Looking great already.

[Andym]

By the other project, do you mean the moon or do you mean the Japanese samurai project using jims funky buildings Colin? Store it? Have I forgot to ask nicely again?

The plaster, Dean, seems to be quite solid. I'm hoping, that if I don't juggle it or bash it, we should still have a board for BLAM.

Cheers guys!

[OSHIROmodels]

You could give the plaster a coat of pva to seal it which might go some way to help protect it 

I have funky buildings waiting for you 

cheers

James

[Thunderchicken]

Looks good Andy, the effect works nicely.

Colin? Store it? Have I forgot to ask nicely again?

Oooh, if I asked nicely..........

[Andym]

What about instead of just PVA, I layer it with dry sand as well? Would that be btter as opposed to spray painting it? Go for a more natural colour?

[Dewbakuk]

I got bored last night and started thinking about vehicles etc. What do you think to this as a sub design? Wanted something that looked more 'practical' than the fish subs and that would fit in with my American force.



This is a small explorer/fighter sub. The sketchup model is done to scale but obviously difficult to tell that from a pic It's about 30mm from one flat edge to another. The idea being someone would be in it as an operator lying down. In theory there is room for another person behind them but I put that room in for batteries/aether crystals/'insert powersource'. The two angled panels underneath the cockpit would be where weapons/manipulator arms would be mounted.

[Westfalia Chris]

I like it - it reminds me favourably of the minisub from "Spirou". I have to say, though, that the "straight" cylindrical shape looks a bit clunky. If I may be so bold, I'd suggest tapering at least the rear portion towards the propeller mount - the fins, however, should continue to the point where the taper begins to preserve the "straight" look if viewed from the side.

If you are so inclined, a short, slightly tapered section could also be inserted at the bow, just to make it look just a little bit sleeker - not too much, as you want it to look a bit old-fashioned...

That said, I think it is quite VSFey in its look, and the front is a nice touch.

[Andym]

I love the fins and the front glass! Do you have something in your bits box for the front? I've got a smoked plastic dome off of a mini-dome security camera spare you can have.



I would second chris' idea, make it more tapered....

[Dewbakuk]

Good feedback guys, cheers. Andy, you're annoying, you know that right?   Drawings....
I think I have something suitable for the front dome, cheers. Although I was kind of thinking these would be squadron type vehicles...

I'd originally gone with the flat sides to tie in with the steamspiders I built but looking at the drawing and thinking about it you're right, tapering does look better. I don't want to increase the size as these are supposed to be small and Andy's drawing looks/feels bulkier so I've modded the design somewhat. The front and back have been tapered and the collar around the dome has been reduced. What do you think?

[gamer Mac]

Good feedback guys, cheers. Andy, you're annoying, you know that right?   Drawings....

I agree
Do you know what is even more annoying, is that he probably done the scetch quicker than the time it took you to write this post

[Westfalia Chris]

That is pretty much what I had in mind, although I would suggest at least a ventral and dorsal "fin" to provide some protection for the screw and enforce the "longitudinal sleekness" if viewed from the side. A bit like this:



Mainly it would serve to avoid a "gap" between the centre section and the tail.