Bell 206 Long Ranger Repaint

[willygoat]

I've been working on this repaint since Nathanial released the Long Ranger model. Once I finish this one, I have another one of the same pattern, but different colors that should come out pretty quickly. I just have a few lines to tweak into the right position and it will be done. Hopefully after next week I'll have some time to finish it. That's when summer vacation starts!!!!

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6448.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6449.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_6453.jpg

Hopefully this will keep me honest and finish the thing.

[cgutzmer]

Looks great! what other color are you doing? :)

[willygoat]

I'm going to do one like this
http://media2.tbo.com/mediamanager/2008/dec/05/1643_120508chopper.orig-max-640x640.jpg

[cgutzmer]

Very cool!

[willygoat]

I posted this on papermodelers yesterday, but thought I'd share here too. I FINALLY got onto my lazy but and worked out the kinks in the helo. I think I now have all of the main design lines fixed that were a bit off. Also, I added in one side of the lines where they go up to the engine cover. I'll try to test it out in the next day or so. If that works, It'll be off to Nathan and Chris!

[cgutzmer]

About time you get this done ;) of course I have some from about a year ago I am still working on ;) you wanna be the pot or the kettle? :D
Chris

[willygoat]

I'll go for kettle. Just had some yummy kettle corn last night. MMMmmmmmm.

My goal is end of the week have it sent to Nathan.

[cgutzmer]

Well he sent me a logo which is more than I can say for some of the other yahoos around here ;)
Chris

[willygoat]

The logo was easy! I used about an hour and a half of down time at work to do it. Thank goodness my computer had Photoshop on it. I didn't want to try Illustrator.

[airdave]

Just curious how some of do your "repaints"
I know you guys use different programs
but are you just masking off areas and adding or changing colours?

I don't see alot of gradient colours in many of the models.
And what about using photos?
I try to use actual photos and realistic image textures first
then work with the paint brush, etc

This chopper would look fantastic with some real photographic "skin"
(although the chopper in the pic looks good...just needs some highlights and gradient effects to bring it to life)

[willygoat]

Dave,
I'm pretty basic in my Photoshop skills at the moment (and probably for many more moments). I just took the basic model and removed the layers that were colored. I then filled in the basic wire frame of the design with the colors you see. For this one, I did the yellow/white division first. Then I went in and painstakingly did the black lines. It was a lot of measuring and remeasuring to get things to line up. This is by far the most challenging repaint I've done. Although, one of my plane repaints come close.
I do agree with you Dave. Having some gradients or "real skin" look would be nice, but that's beyond me right now.

[cgutzmer]

Trent does most of his texturing with actual photos so if you want some tips nothing would be the person to ask!
Chris

[willygoat]

Thanks! Maybe for my next project I'll go that route. That would require shots from straight on though right? I don't have anything like that for the helos.

[airdave]

yeah, it does help to get the right angles in photos
but you would be surprised what you can do with even the worst photos! lol

to be honest though, everything is available on the net, if you look hard enough!

feel free to drop me a line, if I can ever help with an image or some digital work.

[willygoat]

Thanks Dave, I'll be sure to let you know on my next big project, what ever it may be. I have 4 lines to copy on this and I'm done. I'm not starting over now. This one has taken me months.

[willygoat]

Okay, sooooo. My hopeful completion date just got flattened by a steam roller. The weather here has finally cooperated, and we got re-started on our landscaping project that's been on hold for nearly a month now. Throw in a long weekend away, and I won't be done for a while. I did do a test build of the engine area with the new stripes. I was a bit off on a couple, and way off on one. Plus, I had a brain fart and forgot that one of the lines is thinner than the other. Doh! Looks like I'll be spending more quality time on the computer again.

[airdave]

lol...just keep at it!
it'll git dun eventually!

[willygoat]

Just wanted to let you all know that I am actually working on this thing still. I did some editing to the final lines that I messed up a few months ago. I got them mostly fixed. Just another couple tweaks and it should be good. I'll have a test build done in the next week to check the new lines.

Anyone willing to try building this one before release? I'm out of color ink, and the yellow just looks baaaaad without any color ink.

[cgutzmer]

great! but not me..... I build slow as heck when I can at all....
Chris

[willygoat]

Like I said, I'd do it, but I don't have color ink. Plus, somebody here could whip this thing out in a day or two, compared to my week long build time. Having to grade papers tonight might not help the progress though. Darn work :(

[airdave]

I would offer, but I have too many things on the go
and I'm hoping to squeeze in a DGA model or two next week!

[willygoat]

Hey, no worries. I'll probably have a new cartridge after pay day.

[willygoat]

Another big delay. ooops. The wife's computer had a bit of a technical difficulty for a few weeks. It decided not to talk to the external hardrive that all of my repaint files are housed in. We finally got that going, and then decided to completely rearrange the layout of our office. Needless to say the helo hasn't received my full attention. But, have no fear. Christmas break is in 3 weeks. I have 2 full weeks off, and a week of that includes max computer time. Yippee. Maybe it'll be done for the new year.

[willygoat]

Well, Christmas break is upon us, and I think I managed to get the repaint figured out. I'm about half way through what I hope is the final test build of the repaint. I played with the design for a couple of hours yesterday and I think I got it right. I should know by the end of the week if it worked. If not, then I'll have to do some tweaking next week when we get back in town. If the design works, there will be some pictures here this weekend.

[willygoat]

The repaint is officially done! I did the test build of the adjustments last week and they worked. I will post pictures tomorrow probably. I have just a few touch ups to the sheets, but then I will send them off to Chris (FINALLY). =D

[cgutzmer]

super! glad it all worked out! :)

[willygoat]

It should be nice I hope. I'm just putting the working copy pieces onto the final parts page. I'm following Nathaniel's lead, so it's easy. I am struggling with building the skids for the picture. I'll try something with that tonight. As soon as I get the final photo, I'll send the whole thing off to you Chris.

[willygoat]

The end is looming. I didn't get to build tonight as I was prepping for another 7 inches of snow for tomorrow. I now have all of the parts sheets DONE! I even have the cover page ready to go. It's just waiting for the picture of the bird. I'm pretty excited about this.

[cgutzmer]

very cool :) looking forward to seeing it! :)

[elliott]

You've certainly wrestled with this long enough. Glad it's finally coming to an end. Looking forward to its release! And some pics?

[willygoat]

Those are forth coming. I just have to build the skids here in a few minutes. After that, it's posted pics, put the photo on the cover page, and ship it to Chris!!!

[willygoat]

Here it is!!!!! I hope you guys like it. There might be more variations on this pattern in the future. Right now though, I'm going to finish the cover page and take a break. Tomorrow, I start a repaint for a museum exhibit!!!! :D

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_7697.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_7699.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_7701.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k173/BDR7/IMG_7703.jpg

[cgutzmer]

That turned out great! congrats :)
Chris

[willygoat]

It's in the Shop!!!!!