I worked through my apprehension this week concerning this foil/greatcoat project and decided to approach it from a different perspective. Instead of looking from an artistic point of view I have instead gone with the scientific approach.
First, the material in question...
After doing some preliminary measurements, I "deconstructed" the shape I needed and made a template from plasticard...
This allowed me a fair measure of consistent results...
For those who are thinking this material is too flimsy, allow me to demonstrate. Below is a piece to be used as a greatcoat, just like the ones shown above. It easily stands up to the weight of the figure. It is designed not to tear if dropped.
Before doing anything else with the metal, I trimmed down the legs. I start with the pockets and then move on to the bottom part of the tunic. NOTE: Please be careful when doing this kind of trimming. Most of you don't have my huge hands but it can still be dangerous when working with a sharp hobby knife. The result looks something like this...
After consulting some images I have gleaned off the internet, I tried my hand at some bends and curls and came up with this...
All in all, not too bad I think. I don't know if I want to get any deeper into the detailing for fear of getting frustrated again. I have been known to obsess over small details. Here is a comparison to everyone's new favorite greatcoat from the Cadian command kit...
The Cadian command piece does, in fact, stand a few mm taller than the standard Cadian trooper. Still, I think I am definitely on the right track. My biggest concern now is how to go about securing the coat to the legs. Superglue is about the only thing I can think of and it can get messy sometimes.Any ideas out there? Let me know.
The war goes on,
Hessler
7 comments:
it looks really good, but i dont understand how you are going to stop the foil from just tearing off or folding/creasing up everytime you put the model away?
@KSB: I suppose "foil" is not the best word to use for this. It is not your typical aluminum foil that you buy in the supermarket. This is used in floral arrangements and the like. It has a decent amount of rigidity. It won't tear like tissue paper. Trust me, I wouldn't be using this if it was that flimsy.
Looking good, i cannot wait to see more.
So that 'Foil' is sort of like a thin sheet of soft metal then?
I'll be watching your progress eagerly. I need to make some greatcoats myself.
@Stormcrowe: That's exactly right
@Spy_Smasher: It just requires patience.
Great idea using the template! and seeing that gives me an idea, after you have cut it out shift the template by about 2 mil inwards and run the back of your knife along the template edge this should give you a line that will look like the depression(sp?) in the Cadian officers coat. Also a couple of fold back buttons added where you have pinned back the coat would finish it of lovely. Also iirc you can run a sanding stick along the edges of this foil to tidy up the cutting line a bit whilst it's still flat. I used aves to stick mine to the 1/20 figures i did, don't know if GS would do the same. If not super glueon the contact points and kicker on the foil or tiny blobs of araldite.
@Blitzspear: ...that is why I love this blogging community. For the coat edge, maybe not my knife but a toothpick...something less defined. The buttons are forthcoming and the superglue worked fine.
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