Chuck, now that’s just sick!..as in “Good”, Awesome" and “Inspiring”! Your patience and work with tiny details is amazing. I look forward to all of your updates.
A fifth key to painting detail: a steady hand.
Wow! That really is astounding!
That is truly amazing. I also really like how you’re obviously enjoying building each part rather than rushing it through to completion. Awesome and inspiring work for sure!
Thanks, everybody! I’ll have to honest and say that I was sick as a dog while painting all those details- it was paint- lie down- check web -paint a bit more, lie down- repeat. I had nothing else to do! Somehow it made it easy to focus on the tiny stuff- so did the new contact leses I got a month or so ago.
Guy- thanks for the great pic and the base flattery. Yeah, Low Lights- the first item in a “real” artist’s arsenal of paintery. An English major I ain’t!
Matt, once you’re staring at something that messed up, cutting it out suddenly becomes a LOT easier! ;D
Baron- do I sprek Doich? Nine! A monh in Ze Kuhler! Ironically, she does have a little body, ya gotta admit…
Jim Barton- that’s something I muddle along without somehow… 
scorpr2, 666irish, mucker and sav: Thanks, fellas- I’m glad you can still put up with my glacial progress.
Cheers, everybody!
chuk
I’ve been meaning to ask you a question for about a week now, and just keep forgetting to. That flat faced pair of pliers you were using to bend photo etch in the picture; where did you find them? And maybe what brand they were?
gary
I scrolled all the way through your amazing Helldiver, came in way late about a week ago… but mein Gott! Not only are the great illustrations getting more detailed as you go, but the step by step is so in-depth and the little tips and tricks are all over the place!! It’s like even I could do it!!
But I have to say, so far my favorite piece of detail would be the Nazi stein lol. It’s a good thing you’re not finished yet, wouldn’t want her drinking and flying…
Thanks for being a good sport, Chuck! Though maybe it was appropriate of me to be a Forum Nazi, given the build subject.
And you’re right-any red-blooded son of the Fatherland would want to fight for your Madels! “Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue, deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang…”
Prost!
Brad
Thanks, Squeakie! I inherited those pliers from from sainted Father-in-Law, aand all that’s stamped on them is USA. Word!
psstof995: Many thanks! I love the way those crazy knotzis slapped that swasitka on everything- everything! I’ll bet it was even printed on Zee Toilet tissue! ;D
Baron, you can try to educate me you like- Danke, mein freund!
I’ve had a busy but enjoyable weekend- even got in a little modeling time! Take a look:
Chuck,
The details that you pack into your builds is above and beyond amazing!! Each post gets better and better. I also love the way that you point out all the little tricks that you have picked up. Thanks for the information!!
[tup][tup]
Matt
Just gets better and better. I wonder why it is that whenever we see Fritzy (Grrrr, minx) we are always looking down at her? And shes in that ‘T’ shirt?
I so need one of those etch mates, but they cost the earth here in the UK. This weeks pic,
…Guy
That bombing view window is pretty nice! I also love those petals, that’s some NICE detail.
You’re darn’ tootin’, she’s gonna poke somebody’s eye out with those things! [:D]
You had me going for a minute, Chuck, with your new exotic Dremel cutting bit. I was thinking, “Now, what is he going to use that for?”. Till I read further and saw that it was an accident, D’OH! [:O]
Seriously, though, this is as informative and riveting (no pun intended! Well, OK, we’ll use the pun) as the Helldiver build. Learning a lot, and more about patience, and thinking a little more beyond the instructions, than just specific techniques!
A question, though–for your detail brushes, what are the sizes? Like 0/0, etc, thanks!
Regards
Brad
To do German metalwork, you gotta have German metal: Scorpions for instance or maybe Accept. In a pinch, 1970s-era UFO (with German guitarist Michael Schenker) will do.[:)]
Next time I go to Hobby Depot in Tempe, I’ll have to see if they have those little pin-downs. And where can you get a Coleman Cold Solder pen?
Chuckie!!
Bloody nice work, mate!!
Got a tip for you, mate - put two of those carborundum cut-off discs on the mandrel at once and cinch it up - the cut is a little wider, but you’ll break far fewer of the discs…trust me - it works! The discs will last longer.
[tup]Wunderbar…The detail is great and that goes for the model as well…Yes I would also like to know how you get that detail on the instruments. I guess the one’s that I do in 1/72 just do not have that detail, but when I do work in 1/48 it would be nice to get that detail.
Keep on modelling and posting…
Chuck,
I love reading your posts, your work is fantastic and a real inspiration, always gives me a smile to.
Cheers…
Thanks, Gents! I’ll have to post and run, but really appreciate the tips- and support! Well, it’s been a busy- but relaxing weekend. Among other things, a flock of birds crapped all over my car, so I had to wash it! I feel like that Squadron Guy sometimes…
I’ve posted this image earlier, but a sense of duty- and profound gratitude- leads me to begin today’s update with a tribute to America’s heroes- before our dastardly little villains take over.
Well it might be a quick update but I notice you did give us two full shots of pure artwork, so while the 3D world may have been a little slow, looks like you got a lot of 2D practice in there as well!! Always a fan of the artwork and photo combination you’ve got going on here. As an ex comp.graphic student with a low end WACOM tablet and an older Photoshop CS, I can appreciate all the added time to a simple WIP all this is, definitely rewards those that follow.
Can I momentarily derail your thread and ask, do you use many layers? Or does an old pro like you do it all at once? I usually paint from the back to the front, but illustrate on the computer from the front to the back, making the outlines, then filling in using a layer bellow etc. Just curious, I’m pretty self taught and I’m sure there’s plenty of ways to do things, especially when it’s one’s job. Feel free to PM me, don’t want to distract and take too much traffic away from your great build!!
(even if you are just a little bit crazy for wedging in details that a judge would have to use some form of a Dr. Seuss mirror array to detect [:P])
In the end I guess you have to model for you, and at least you’re leaving a great photographic record of your secret details and hidden gadgets that take up the voids- I agree with some past posts that you should publish all the WIP photos/cartoons in a big old compellation book to display with your models/take on the road to contest judges to guarantee victories! (Do they put you in your own category? Or up against real 1:1 planes or something?)
Chukw This is the second build of yours I have followed, and I wanted to thank you for all the time and effort you put into them, I have been very entertained and look forward to your weekly installments. Because I have been following your builds and learning from them my detailing skills have improved by leaps and bounds, I actually built one I was pleased with and have another on the bench.
Maybe as was said you should consider putting your builds in book form, I for one would stand in line for one.
LOL… Chuckie, Randy’s got a pretty good point - I’d buy a book of your shtuff, and I’m sure a hundred others would, too…and another bloke (Chris) made another valid point - you throw a whole bunch of extra work into your threads…not just the plastic stuff, but Lil’ Chuk and Fritzi as well (is it wrong of me to find a cartoon disturbingly alluring?)…maybe I should seek treatment. But Fritzi’s hot…
And Chris, you’re right - there’s a whole bunch of work that goes into the stuff Chuck does in 2D…I’ve been fortunate enough to see some of his original 2D artwork first hand…and lemme tell you, it’s amazing stuff. To think he does all this to make his threads more enjoyable says a bit about the guy…either he’s a raving egomaniac (which I doubt), or he cares…which I think he does.
Without doubt, his threads are the most enjoyable I’ve seen on this site - his models are fantastic, but mix in all the extra work he does, and it’s the reason I hit the aircraft section first time, every time, just to see if there’s another installment.
Chuckie-boy, thanks a bunch for sharing so much with us.
By the way, I hope you don’t mind…I saved the “Lest We Forget” artwork to my hard drive…I’m going to print it out and laminate it and hang it up at work…most everything we make at my work is defence aviation based, so the sentiment will fly there.