These images are from a project I did in 2011 – towards the start of when I began writing articles for "Sci-Fi & Fantasy Modeller". They were an English firm who put out a series of both "regular issues" and themed "special issues". This project appeared in Volume 20 of their regular series.

For me, as someone who went on to do 15 articles with them (before they decided to stop publishing), this article felt “short and sweet”. It was fun to do, but the article was “only” eight pages long, and it “only” had 30 images in it. For comparison: some of my more involved “articles” had three times as many pages; and included sixty-plus photos.

It was pleasant, but also felt slightly odd, that I wasn’t “putting on my Lab Coat” for this article. Being a “Mad Scientist” was arguably my role as an SF&FM; writer: explaining little-known tips and tricks, or detailing multi-step processes, related to creating things like replicas of screen-used FX models; as once seen in some movie and/or TV show.

In this volume’s article, I did a fairly simple, straight-forward assembly of two easily available “Silhouette” model car kits; made some custom decals; and used a relatively inexpensive Paasche brand “H” model airbrush to paint the car models you’re seeing here. I was trying to show my readers that it’s not always necessary to have the most expensive, gee-whiz, high-end, double-action airbrush. Some “cheap and cheerful” airbrushes can be more than "useful enough" tools.

  • Martin CollierPLUS

    gold

    • Ward Shrake

      Thanks much! I almost didn’t upload these. I guess I tend to judge my own projects harshly if there is not a lot of actual “building” involved, and the “recipe” for these kit build-ups was to buy an injected plastic model kit, and ignore a lot of the parts (build it “curb-side”) and apply some paint to it. Compared to my much-more-involved scratch-builds, this felt “too easy”?!

  • vincenzo gambinoPLUS

    nice .. :) gold :)