text: Roktman's Content - Page 5 - IPMS/USA Forums
  With the table cleared it was time to dive into the pile again for some new kits to work on. This time I pulled out two, both from Gillman Productions. The first is Pepper from the series American Horror Story, and the Freakshow story. We find the kit is similar to Twisty from the same show with a sort of carnival base. The kit comes in only 3 parts - the head, bust, and base. Every so often you'll get a cool illustration from Mark Van Tine, the sculptor! Base colors added. except for the ice cream (at the time I was still researching that). ;) (EDIT: chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla) ;) First highlight added, and epoxied the bust to the base. Starting with the face this session, I gave the usual black eyes to start and also some Beige Red for a base to the skin. Some Reikland Fleshshade was added as the shadows and then some more speckled around the face. Then some Beige Red was speckled on top. A mix of that paint with some of Vs Basic Skin tone followed, and then a final of just the Basic Skin tone. Having a look the actress' blue eyes were left and I used Azure for the base color of the irises. With that I was done. Thanks for looking.
  Today's subject is another from MoonDevil Studio. It's the Howling Man, from a 1060 episode of the Twilight Zone. From IMDB: Just looking at the sculpt you get to see how the story ends. The kit comes in the usually 2 parts, the bust and the base. The kit is typically well done and only the slightest seamline is seen across the slicked back hair. Looking at images of the actor, Robin Hughes, the first obvious thing is that it's all in B&W (Duh, it was 1960, Kev...). My first idea was to paint it up that way. But it was only a few days after JerseyFest (where I got the model) that someone else posted on the FB GK groups his version which was in B&W. So I decided to go with color. Next thing to think about was what is the coloring. Looking at the film still, it looks like the actor has no coloring makeup, and his shirt is black and his cape is alsodark with a light color stripes, and cowl. I remembered a movie memorabilia auction where Dracula's cape was up for bid. The cape as you would expect was black, but the inside was a salmon color satin! I decided that my devil will have the same. If it's good enuff for Bela, it's good enuff for the Howling Man... But first comes the primer. And then I decided to make him a red devil. It wqas at this point I decided that I would work on my OSL. Not show is I started by using my "red" paint set, and started at one end with a dark purple color. This will be my deepest shadow. I started with a flesh color which would give me the salmon color, but decided to add some pearlizing additive to make the cowl shone a bit. But the pearl flecks are in a white medium, not clear. This turned the salmon color a little beige. Hmmm do I want the pearl, or do I want the salmon color. I chose the shine so my cowl became this beige color. In retrospect I should have darkened the shadows of the cowl more as I was going, which would enhance the shine. I tried after 90% of it was done, but was afraid of ruining what I had done so far, and chickened out spraying the shadows darker. The cape was black, the shirt was German Gray, and the chain was brass, which IMHO looks more like gold and the gold paint does. The base was gray which Black Gray in the cracks, and the lettering was the same Scarlet that was the highest highlight of the face. With that I was calling this done. Thanks for looking.
  Roktman replied to dmjung's topic in Space, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
  Looks good to me! Re: the air spitter - I see you're using Vallejo. If the a/b is clean, I would suggest thinning the paint at least 50%, and bring the psi to under 20. I'm shooting Vallejo at about 12-15 psi and never get a clog (or spitting). HTH
  Thanks guys! Wow a second in SciFi? Excellent! There are always so many good looking, well done models in the SciFi category.
  Talk about a blast from the past. This is another that has been on my shelf since 2012! Sculpted by Chris Elizardo, and produced by "Teddy Novak". It came as a one piece bust approx 1:4 scale. With no eyes, It was also another easy one to do. Using the following image, I matched up the colors the best I could. First step, as usual was to get the base colors down - A few days later, I was able to get another session in and get the bust finished. I was thinking about added the snow and what not, but decided to keep it simple. Thanks for looking.
  Think think there's a lot of talking past each other here. One needs do no more than to attend the "What the Judges Look For" seminar to learn all you need. The #1 thing is the Basics. As Nick said, can a blob of blue be seen? Are the wings of a plane level from sided to side? If you built a truck and the engine area has louvers, can you see right thru highlighting there's no engine? (Block it off.) Are all the wheels/treads of the vehicle sitting squarely on the ground? Is there cobwebs from being on the shelf too long in the cockpit? Those are the strikes right there. As far as details, unless it's changed in the last year or so, judges are not expected to be experts in the genres they are judging. Years a go there was a broo-haha when a judge eliminated an otherwise terrific model because the paint "wouldn't have faded to the color" that was on the model. Now they leave it up to the modeler to have done the research. But if you want to paint a plane pink, which would attract the attention of any judge. it would benefit you to have documentation showing the plane you modeled was pink. Same with the extra antenna that was mentioned. It costs almost no time to have an image printed out and have along side the entry showing that extra antenna. It had also been said in the seminar, the more you add, the more you will be judged. For example if one guy adds all the seat belts to a plane, but has them in wrong, or upside down, whatever... and it's noticed, that's a strike against the model. Where as the guy that didn't add seat belts and just built OOB, won't get a strike for not having them. The same goes for the guy who builds a tank and has it pristine like it just came out of the factory. There's no strikes for no dirt. But if someone else added the dirt, and it looks good that's one up for the guy that did the extra work. I can't say enuff about that "Look For" seminar. I think everyone should sit in on it at least every 3rd show or the like to refresh their memories. Plus the judges submit their own model flubs to the presentation, which shows that no one is always perfect.
  After finishing the involved Charlie Brown model, I was in need of something simpler. Since it was new, I immediately thought of Good Fellas Resin's new offering- Ep. 4 Leia. Few colors, few parts = perfect. One thing you notice right away is the very good likeness. There was a while there where no kit/toy/action figure really looked like Carrie. This one is VERY good. Clean up was really quick. I found that MicroMarks Panel line Scriber works nicely for getting rid of any flash between the hairs. Base coating and first highlights done. Her costume ended up with 3 different layers of color as did her hair In the final session I was able to add two highlights to her hair. A coat of Satin went over it to give it a slight shine. Speaking of shine, I then used V's Metallics clear gloss, which in my opinion is the "glossiest" gloss out there, and gave the eyes two coats. Her arm nestles into position nicely without glue, so I just sat it there. This removal option will come in handy if and when I need to transport her. The final thing to do was to glue her head in place. With that, I was done. Thanks for looking.
  Judging at the Nationals.
  Roktman replied to Bradley25mm's topic in About the IPMS/USA National Convention
  Ron really said it all. But I'd like to add that each year (so far) the Lead Judge holds a seminar called "What the Judges Look For." In it they basically go over, with images, of ... what they look for. Your topic is also included in the presentation. I really recommend everyone sit in on it every other year or so as a refresher.
  Just got back from Jersey Fest at the Newark Int'l Airport's Marriott, and honestly I was a minimal attendee this year. No workshop classes on the Friday and I didn't attend any demo's (what they call seminars). I didn't even enter an models this year. Talking to some friends who are vendors, they were calling this year "quiet." I did notice that there was a lot more elbow room in the Vendor area this year. But as usual I didn't come home empty handed. The Howling Guy and Princess Leia were brand new kits, and a 3rd kit - Lucy from Coppola's Dracula wasn't ready in time. I'll be keeping an eye open for that release. Also in the pic the little Chewie and wrestler were part of Troy Mcdevitt Studio's Patreon thing and weren't available to the public. Wanna learn how to sculpt? Look up Troy on Patreon. The devil is a bust from John Dennett's MoonDevil Studio and is Satan when he got released from the prison cell in Twilight Zones The Howling Man episode. Mini Danys is from the guys at Good Fellas Resin The tank is Meng's World War Toons series of armor. I have an idea for it in an upcoming dio... 😉 So here's my stuff -
  Agree. I'm in favor of more compact dioramas and vignettes. IMHO one focal point is all that is needed and if there is a lot of open space, it is wasted space and should be omitted. I'm in a group on FB and all I see is all this open, empty space on a dio with maybe one vehicle and a handful of figures. It may match the antique image, but unless one is being asked to recreate a scene for a museum, the dio could and should be made more compact. Just my 2¢.
  Having built a Special Hobby short run kit (or two) I concur that you need to be creative with some of the building. I think you did a terrific job. Looks great!