physical models to buy?

I was just browsing shapeways and found that someone has loaded 3 versions of the old-style bengal. Its lacking in detail but most people wont care. Im probably never going to model one of the old style bengals (I think its a little blocky/lacking grace) but for those who many want an old style bengal, here it is!

http://www.shapeways.com/shops/phoenix
 
I received a few of the cap ships yesterday. I gotta say, I'm impressed. I'm really excited for the possibilities here. Thank you to the modelers that make these available- I know I'll be making several purchases!
 
Nice authentic paint jobs.
Ive been unable to decide how to tackle those beauties just yet.
here are some from WC4,
I still need to go back and take pictures of that fleet used at the Con.
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And attached is a Tie interceptor, from studio bergstrom I finished with this batch. Not WC but Its my favorite of all the Tie line.
 

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Ok, While I have now photographed the entire fleet, It still takes a while to sit down and sort and process the images.
For now here are three Neph ships
First a quartet of Barracudas (~1cm long)


Next an Orca Destroyer (~3cm long)


And Finally the Wormhole Gate with a Tiamat emerging through. Yes I know scale is wrong as the Tiamat had to compact to go through, but eh. (~3" Diam)
 

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Woah, now that is what I'd call organic (ie living) ships. It feels more true to canon than canon ships ironically enough.
 
Thank you Iceblade.

Here are the last two bugs.

First the ever popular Hydra. I actually modeled two sizes of this ship. the first was a little large, but i like the larger one. The second is closer to appropriate "scale" in so far/little as I generally care about scale. Its always about paintability to me.

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The second is the ever popular Kracken... which got so little attention in the game... Of course attention of that sort ends in one way, the only question is which side. Oh and clearly the lens flare is CG. otherwise as always 100% airbrushed.

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I have to say I liked these Neph ships more than the rest of the fleet. I was really digging the challenge of trying to make an organic look to a starship and I like how they turned out.

Sorry the pictures are a little blurry. I find I have a hell of a time with glossy finished models. Photographs are a delicate balance(for me at least) between showing the color depth, showing how bright the paint is, and not being washed by the gloss reflections. But the gloss looks so nice in person..

Now... I need to take the challenge of the Steltek carrier... talk about glossy...Ive tried and failed 5 times now to take adequate pictures of that sucker.
 

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Yep, ever popular because the Hydra doesn't look like a giant torpedo and the other ship kicks some major A** even if that rear is Confed's.

Seriously, the Leviathan is a more boring design than the Victory, which was a essentially a big, rectangular box. It is actually boring declawing those carriers (really repetitive).

So which vessel is next on tap Astro?

Oh and are those planets supposed to be approximately to scale with the other ships?
 
So which vessel is next on tap Astro?

Oh and are those planets supposed to be approximately to scale with the other ships?

Next on tap: Depends. I got a little burnt out modeling and painting like crazzy for the Con. Im currently working on designs for Vor the maelstrom and Crimson skies for a change of pace. Im also painting mechs, Vor, and eventually crimson skies, but have, what I think, are a couple beautiful Shards almost done, that arent relevant to this, or really any, forum.

However, as mentioned there are still quite a few un photographed or processed WC ships that were painted but I havent done the drudgery work of processing the images. And a Steltek ships that I am certain has a sensor distortion device because I CANNOT get good pictures of it. A few more kitty ships, and confed, including the tigersclaw are awaiting processing. When I get back to painting WC ships I have quite a few fighters~1" scale, and I have the vesuveus, and victory.
 
...Steltek ships that I am certain has a sensor distortion device because I CANNOT get good pictures of it...
You mentioned glossy, is the reflection from the camera flash? If so, is it possible to try using a diffuser over the flash bulb? Or how about using sufficient internal lighting so that a flash isn't necessary or, failing that, try photographing in daylight?
 
I have tried a large array of parameters for taking pictures of glossy models.

If using flash then diffusing or further away is better... except that diffusing often sees a larger reflection spot area, even though said spot is weaker. On complicated parts, thats a problem

Ive tried using quasi light box, large sheets of white fabric with lighting behind it. this just washes everythign out with reflections of the white.

Ive tried outside but its so bright, even with various ways of shading for or background that its a real trick to get some of these to turn out.


One of the main problems is say when photographing a car, there isnt a lot of complicated shape. So you see the occasional hard reflection and all is good. But with little models I have both flats, and many complicated edges giving reflections everywhere and even a lot of said secondaries can be a pain.

Generally what seems to work best is photographing from afar, with a dark base and background a white or gray scattering material a few feet away and all around (general illumination without hard reflections) and then I have to play with the balance of the ambient lighting vs the direct lighting. Too much ambient increases the "reflection noise" on the model. Too much direct increases the direct hard reflections.

Eh Im an amateur=) With a case of "props" and equipment for photographing.
 
And another set processed
First a Gilgamesh
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Next a Southampton
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And a Durango
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Finally A Bengal
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You know, it's kind of hard to imagine the Durango without that hanger. I wonder if there always was a hanger (at least for later models similar to the Exeter) and it was expanded by Border Worlds or if the Border Worlds actually attached a hanger to the bottom of the hull.
 
You know, it's kind of hard to imagine the Durango without that hanger. I wonder if there always was a hanger (at least for later models similar to the Exeter) and it was expanded by Border Worlds or if the Border Worlds actually attached a hanger to the bottom of the hull.

I too had been contemplating that. If you separate it into two pieces you get two hulls that loko like similar design generations to the southamptons. However, the halves (hangar removed) are quite asymmetric.

Then I considered they might have just expanded the central hull section to accommodate a short hangar. So I made a model that likewise removed the hangar and shortened the width of the ship. But it seemed to be lacking. So I added a massive railgun with the story that this was a second retrofit design of the Durango base design. The railgun takes a long time to charge but can deliver significant damage. Unfortunately, the base hull design of the Durango isnt all that tough so these arent front-line ships unless heavily escorted.

I have had one printed already but havent painted it.

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This is what the refit looks like though.

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Ok nearly done.
I have finished up the Kitty ships
all that is left is the steltech, and maybe a closeup of all the little fighters.... ugh
That latter probably wont happen except maybe in one picture of each little fighter

First the old Snakier
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Next a pair of destroyers, one modified to have a big laser in the front, the second modified to be a carrier. why.. because I liked these modifications better. Feel free to plug the carrier bay or cut off the laser if you get one.
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and finally My favorite, probably because its purely my design, the Triklah. I liked the asymmetry of the kilrathi ships but felt it should go slightly further because they were still fundamentally symmetric. this feels just a little more... off to me.
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Not sure when Ill get around to taking pictures of the steltek yet again. that ship is a bear to get pictures of.

Have fun!
 

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That's an interesting design!

Looking forward to seeing the Bhantkara printed and painted up. A False Colors game would be pretty nifty.
 
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