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Building the Refit Enterprise part 10

MASKING THE PANELS

Engine Pylons: A jagged pattern running parallel to the ship

Engineering Hull:  Top aft vertical orientation, mid level horizontal random, lower levels vertical and random., bottom vertical and random aft bottom horizontal and random. Connecting dorsal is diagonal and random

Primary Hull:  Outer rim vertical,   inner  of hull "Aztec" pattern.  Inner section around sensor and Bridge A-B deck levels radiating and random.  From the A-B deck levels and Sensor Array there are patterns as well.  There  are some panels that will remain still a solid white-blue at the planet fall landing pads and access hatches.

Materials:

• Masking Tape (2 inch wide)
• Sharp #11 Exacto blades
• Straight Edge
• French curves (drafting)
• Chartpack DAFRPB8L-10 film

The masks of little bits of masking tape is  applied piece by piece to the Warp Nacelles and Engineering Hull first. and all other areas  Then the Aztec patterns go on the primary hull  last.  It took days of work.  I used a Chartpack DDAF film with the pattern laser/photocopied on with one of my computer generated art programs.

My Aztec pattern mask is done  with the Chartpack  DAFRPB8L-10 film.  It's a low tack film so it won't stick on permanent.  (I have tried Avery label paper which can be disastrous with the adhesive residue and mineral spirit based paints.)  Though  intended for use with laser printers and photo copiers I was able to print it out on my Style Writer II ink jet printer.  I had to wipe the residue off that did not set. The art is set up in a light-dark shade  arrangement.  I applied the dark shade in one pie slice than took the clear and applied on the next slice.

Painting:

When all the masking tapes and friskits in place I then airbrushed the Testers  Model Master gloss white on to the model completely covering the white-blue.  I let it dry for about 24 hours and then started to pull of the masks and friskits off the white areas only.  Other repainted and masked areas are left in place*.  The enamels are still a bit tacky so I kept the handling of the model by fingers to a minimum. At the edges of the masking tape and friscut films a raised line  remains of paint buildup.

This is wet sanded down with fine grade 1000 grit sandpaper. 

Areas that retains the blue-white color intact:

• Access panels at Warp Engine connector to pylons
• Fillet at Engineering hull to pylons
• Landing Pads at bottom of primary hull
• Areas at front of the A-B decks near the bridge
• Small squares on top of the Primary Hull

After the overall wet sanding an even thinner mixture of gloss white was prepared and shot though my Badger 150 airbrush with a fine needle and tip.

This final coat of color mutes the stark edges of  the panel patterns.  Theresult is a smooth gloss surface with the subtle panel variations showingthough the final gloss coat of white.

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©1997-2006 Stephen J. Iverson. Other material copyright of original owner. No material (images or text) may be reproduced without permission of Stephen Iverson and original copyright owner. Additional copyright and legal information