This page shows you a few useful technics to build a model. It is not a complete tutorial like those you can easily find on the net, the purpose is simply to show quickly what can be done. For more complete tutos, follow the links ‘creation partners‘ on the front page.
A model may be insufficiently detailed or may have panel lines embossed. If it’s the case, you will have to engrave. Five steps to follow :
Many kits are unsufficiently detailed and need to be supplemented with other parts picked elsewere. My favourite kits for that are tanks kits. They provide many varied parts for varied use. This technique is copied to the one the ILM model makers used in the 70’s and the 80’s during the Star Wars preproduction phase. For instance, the Boba Fett’s Slave One wings come from car doors of a Porsche and the wings of the Tie Bomber have been taken almost as they were in a Vader’s Tie X-1 kit produced just after A New hope.
To build a model, you have to use glue. I know, it’s crazy… What glue should you choose ? In fact, it depends on the material your model is made of. If your model is made of polystyree (most of them are), you will use dissolution glue sold in a hobby store. If your model is made of resin, only one choice available : bond glue like cyanocrylate (known as “Superglue”). For huge surfaces, you will use neoprene. And if all that don’t work, joker : white wood glue. Doesn’t glue very much but glue anything, very useful for transparent parts.
