There is so much wisdom being dropped in this video, that I'm spell-bound. This speaks to my fine arts background. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom.
Great job on this. As a lifelong builder of model kits, it always amuses me when looking at different iterations of the Falcon how many kit parts I recognize among all the detail.
Thats a really nice job you've done on the weathering. I've seen someone use the abteilung oils to paint the Deagostinni falcon before and whilst theirs was a tad dark and heavy for my tastes and certainly much heavier than anything seen on screen I'd say that yours(even though it's personal preference) is what I would call just right, not too much, not too little, great balance. Also what a great quality kit from Bandai. The amount of fine detail they've managed to squeeze into this scale is outstanding, and it's a push fit! Good to see all that money they've pumped into tooling R&D for gunpla over the years hasn't gone to waste. One day I'll be able to afford to slap down the money for this kit and until then I have other peoples videos and build diaries to scratch my itch!
@@gurufoxx What about the Fine Molds iteration, with almost half as many pieces again: 904. Very nice build, I'm a stickler for accuracy, and you've got it bang on. Love the bizzarre squeal(makes me laugh) indicating a break in shot. Keep on doing the stellar work and thank you.
@@artistar71 The Fine Molds (now Revell Master Series) Falcon is indeed a lovely kit, although it is of the 32-inch ESB Falcon so has less complex greebles and surface details, so there is no harm in having both :)
Thanks! You will have two very nice versions of the Falcon studio models there, the Bandai is the New Hope 5-footer and the DeAg is the Empire 32-inch. Enjoy ^_^
Good to know about the thinner thanks. Very nice work. I would use a bit more of a dark wash in the greebles (especially the bays) and light/silver dry brushing to bring up the high details.
I just recently started watching and have subscribed to your channel. I was very impressed with your skills and weathering on the Millennium Falcon. I’m in the process building the DeAgostini Millennium Falcon and looking to do the weathering on it as well, the colors of paints you used to get the effect are really nice. Could you be so kind to share those colors you used on your Bandai 1:72 Perfect Grade, this would be very helpful and greatly appreciate 🙏🏽
I'm afraid this was filmed several years ago now and I have long since forgotten the specifics of the project. However, I do call out and discuss list all the paints used as I go along in each episode, so if you have not watched the full series from build to finish, here is the playlist: th-cam.com/video/1KdiU3AkINU/w-d-xo.html
I saw the five foot filming model on display at the US Space and Rocket museum in Huntsville Alabama. The exhaust venting louvre is a really thin grade of brass and that model is amazing on so many layers
Thank you for a brilliant build just finished mine using a lot of your techniques, I found using water colour pencils work brilliantly on the weathering streaks .listening to your voice is so relaxing wish you had done more of the Bandai Star Wars range you are a superb modeller ,
Delightful build series, finally finished watching it all! As I have this kit now, could I bother you for the links to the reference pictures you used? Many thanks! Dan
Nice work on the pre-shading and the application of the subtle weathering on the rear deck around the exhaust vents is just perfect, starship filth does wonders. I also love the fact that you used oils to achieve an aged hue on the panels. I must say the thing that makes me cringe when it comes to weathering the Falcon is when people kill it with panel lining, I personally don't favour using a panel wash as it leaves a "connect the dots" puzzle look over the entire model. Great work!
Thank you :) Agreed, panel lining works on some things, but not on the Falcon other than the stuff that falls into the gaps when you do all the other weathering :)
I'm still building mine, but then go to the to smaller fine molds/revell 1/144 falcon, before taking something new on. I would like you to see ya tackle fine molds/revell 1/72 falcon,and then give you overall opinion on them both. Nice build
I have built a few of the Fine Molds Falcon in the past - it is a very nice kit. It is based on the 32" ESB Falcon though and not the 5 foot ANH Falcon so the greebles are different, less complex, and it is not quite as detailed (but still a very nice Falcon). However that tooling it is almost 20 years old now and I would now say for the same price the Bandai Falcon is a far superior model when built up, if you can get the waterslides version. I don't plan on making another Falcon in the future though as I have built many over the years and no longer take commissions, so there is no reason for me to do another.
Superb weathering ! If I may, do you remember what Abteilung 502 colors you used ? You mentionned some in the beginning of the video but not all of them. I'd like to be able to reproduce a pretty similar result and knowing the colors numbers would help me achieving such result for sure ! Thank you 😊
Sure, I think the colours were: ABT050 Olive Green ABT060 Light Rust Brown ABT F510 Starship Filth (number may have changed now) ABT215 Flesh Shadow ABT015 Shadow Brown ABT093 Earth ABT180 Copper Oxide Blue (Patina) ABT160 Engine Grease ABT070 Dark Rust I have had my paints for a long time though, so the actual numbers may have since changed as they have adjusted the range. ^_^
I'm afraid this was a couple of years ago now so there's no list I can plunk down here, but I did cover the paints, primers and other things used throughout the build in each episode as I went along - you can find the full playlist here: th-cam.com/video/WkdE7SaJOkQ/w-d-xo.html
I can't remember for sure as I built mine with the gear up only, but being a Bandai push-fit kit where everything can come back apart I suspect they are absolutely swap-outable with no problem :)
Wow. Great job. I have this model that I’m planning on doing soon. Great information. I also have the abteilung oil paints. It was great to see them being used. It helps me with them. If I can ask is where did you find the reference pics? I’m horrible at finding them. Thanks and I subscribed and will look forward to other builds.
Great job! just one question, after all decoloration, decals and weathering, did you use any varnish? I saw you varnished after you applyed decals to protect them but, any varnish to end all the job? Thanks for your channel.
Actually, this model will only ever be displayed in a sealed cabinet so there was no benefit to applying a varnish at the end - so I did not. Sometimes if you are happy with how a model looks when it is finished and know that it will never be handled, you do not have to apply a protective varnish as there is nothing to protect it from. The varnish is really only meant to protect the paint job from handling and sometimes applying a varnish can change how a model looks in subtle ways - especially if weathering powders or pigments have been used - so it if can be avoided, don't apply it :)
I am working on an old MPC falcon kit that I purchased in circa 2004. Horrible instructions and no decals! I’ve searched everywhere, but cannot find a proper paint guide for the feet and the inisdes of the gear flaps. My kit instructionssay “Rust”, but I’m not convinced. Can someone help, please?
I have never built a Falcon with gear down so no idea I am afraid :( I would assume hull colour but weathered in a similar way to the open maintenance pits on the mandibles and upper hull ( I used Starship Filth and rust coloured oil paints). If it helps, the most complete set of studio model pics you will find are here: modelermagic.com/millennium-falcon-studio-model/
For an oil paint wash of filter, is better to apply a gloss acrylic lacquer and let it cure before you do anything else. The oils run down better on a glossy smooth surface. Then you finish with a flat coat.
You can do either, it depends on what finish you want. I wanted the surface to have a little more bite so that it would hold on to the paint more, because I needed that dirty look, and a gloss coat would not have created that. A gloss coat is good for pin washes and streaking where you don't want the surface to be quite as heavily tinted and want the paint to be easier to remove or move around.
Wonderful video. It’s great to see these more advanced theories put into practice. What a difference the color dots made to the overall look and feeling. My biggest frustration though in all these MF videos (Millennium Falcon… not the the other MF) is why nothing is ever done to the “rust” panel decals. To me they stick out like a sore thumb. They’re stark red, have little blob shapes on them, and just look like cheap toy stickers. At the very least I’d paint over the blobs to make it look more natural, and also probably tone down the overall color. Honestly, I’d probably just go ahead and mask those areas and paint the color rather than use the decals.
If you mean the red panels on the hull, then yes, the decals are very basic. And the problem usually is that folks will pre-shade the hull but this pre-shading will be absent on the coloured panel decals - that's why they stand out. On the real filming models they are of course airbrushed on as hull red colourred shapes over the base hull colour and the chipping damage on them is actual physical damage dremelled into them - you can see little chips and divots carved into the surface that expose both the black primer coat and the white styrene colour under the surface. Some decals aim to replicate that (such as Fine Molds decals) with varying degrees of success. However, they can be used to great effect it weathered carefully. I knew they would not have the same pre-shading on them as the base hull colour, so used other methods to break them down and give them that word look. I don't recall if I showed it but once the decals were on, and made to look less decal-like with decal setting solutions, I did two things to make them look more painted and faded, One was to lightly sand all the colour panel decals, very gently, to fade them unevenly so they were not just a solid colour. Then I VERY FAINTLY airbrushed the main hull colour over the whole hull and the decals to tone them down even more. It was almost an invisible coat ands it is an old movie model trick to make coloured markings on a model less standy-outy and give the whole model that used, slighty faded paint look. Of course, all the weathering that then came after helped the blend in more as they came out looking patchy shaded and varied as much as the rest of the hull, and in most cases I tried to replicate the physical chipping on the studio model as closely as I could, but with paint rather than a dremel. And once the model was finished the final step was to give her another almost imperceptible airbrush dusting, this time of Tamiya Buff, which again is a really old trick to make all the colours on a model blend cohesively into a unified whole. It's basically adding a final layer of tan dust to a model, like the dusty coating you get on your car, but again so fine that you only really notice it subconsciously as part of the overall aged used feel. I like to think this helped the colour panels look more painted and natural and not just decals plonked on there. I could have painted them instead but as a tutorial I needed to show using the decals as they were specific to the limited edition kit (the base kit has actual stickers, not waterslide decals, EW!) and weirdly many people are terrified of decals lol.
Great build loved your commentary, one thing that you may have knowledge that I've tried to find out. Is this kit a limited edition production run or basically mass marketed. Will it be worth more in years to come ? don't get me wrong the pleasure is in the build and always should be just wondered if you knew... cheers
As far as I know, the one I built (with waterslide decals and lighting) was a limited one-off run (the box was marked as limited edition) whereas the "Standard Edition" (with no lights, and only with stickers) is always in print. BUT...having said that, I hear rumblings of reprints every now and then and also rumours that the "Standard Edition" now has waterslides. To be honest, it is impossible to find out any concrete information online and I get completely confused. If you are looking for one, eModels still have the lighting/waterslide kit edition in stock although stock is very limited: www.emodels.co.uk/revell-1-72-millennium-falcon-01206.html
my kit has been in progress for the last year or so. Do you add another clear coat after the weathering? Trying to figure out how much I need to pick up :)
A matt varnish is only needed at the end of a project if you need to protect the paint from constant handling, or if it is a bit to shiny and you need to matte it down uniformly. I did not varnish mine as the weathering made everything nice and matte and it will spend its days in a display cabinet, never being handled :)
I've read about Bandai kits not liking oil based paints as the plastic reacts. Were the 502 Abtelung oils OK and non reactive with the varnish and hence there was no issue?
*It's not so much the oil paints (or enamel paints) themselves, but the thinners used with them in washes and weathering effects. Basically ANY form of thinners - alcohol, mineral, solvent - can eat away at Bandai's unique polystyrene formulation. You are pretty safe if, like me on this Falcon, you are only working with a damp brush and moistening the surface for filters or streaks. It's proper panel line and pin washes, and any washes where you drench the model in thinners or thinned paint that are dangerous. Although, to be fair, pin washes can be okay, as long as you control where the wash goes and are careful to keep it from pooling up near joints or gaps and cracks. Although not strictly necessary, varnishing the model before weathering can help reduce the risks (oils and enamels will not affect acrylic paints or varnishes) as it can help cover up some exposed areas. But it should not be assumed.
Ive heard this as well. But i have built a lot of gunpla kits and used all kind of enamels/thinners and oil paints and never had a problem, but it is a problem with older Bandai kits. At least with the gunplas.
@@darrenmoore1263 Instructions rarely take painting order into account, so you will need to consider what you have planned in terms of painting and plan the build around that accordingly. You follow the instructions but adapt them as you go . I've always found the Falcon to be an easy one to plan because as long as you build and paint the cockpit/gunwell interiors and the engine interior parts first then the ship can be pretty much assembled and painted fully built (as the cockpit and engine interiors can be masked off and the gunwells can be left off to one side. )
Believe it or not there is no varnish on the model at all - I knew it was going to go and live in the eModels display cabinet and never be handled, so a protective varnish wasn't required. I've never had a problem doing oil paint weathering over unprotected decals so the matt finish actually comes from the oil paint streaking and filters that I applied when weathering.
@@gurufoxx Episode 5.6 you use Vallejo Premium 62.062. After you apply the Decals. I will do the same, however, I may use Tamiya TS-80 as my hobby place doesn't have 62.062. But you definitely did.
@@JohnCranberry23 I stand corrected - it's been a few years since I did this build so I get a pass. I forgot I sealed those in lol :) BTW be VERY careful with TS-80 - it's a lacquer so even when applied in very thin layers there is the small risk it will affect acrylics or decals. Given the cost of this kit, I would recommend the safer route of ordering an acrylic varnish such as the Vallejo Premium (which is really nice) online for safety.
@@JohnCranberry23 Lacquers are always a risk on top of anything but lacquer paints as they are hot solvents and if applied wet enough can re-activate and eat through pretty much any other type of paint, and decals. Spraying lessens the risk but it is never guaranteed.
Yeah, it's called Scotchlite. They used it on the lightsaber blades, as well. I think you've overdone your oil washes, but everything else looks great.
I really don't finish Falcons using the studio model. Close up it does look more baise but when I saw it onscreen as a kid it looked white with 70s era film cameras. I guess I use nostalgia as a guide rather than studio accuracy. Where's the fun in painting an exact duplicate of the Mona Lisa, right?
Nothing wrong with that at all, painting a model is no different to any other kind of art, and it's always important to apply your own tastes and styles :)
Your "realistic" painting and weathering isn't any better than the actual 5-foot model, I think. I actually prefer the "realistic" weathering that Bandai did on theirs, as seen on Adam Savage's Tested channel.
![Building a Bandai Star Wars Bandai AT-ST Model Kit [COMPLETE BUILD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wMqQ0mZOjTA/mqdefault.jpg)
What an absolutely epic masterclass in weathering the Falcon, also you made me just spend $100 on the first oil paint I have ever bought.....thanks.
Ha ha thank you! You are more than welcome :)
There is so much wisdom being dropped in this video, that I'm spell-bound. This speaks to my fine arts background. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom.
Why thank you, you are very kind :)
Lovin it. Glad to see you’re not a rivet counter. Falcon looks great.
Thanks :)
I eat rivet counters for breakfast! My Warhammer 40K Hello Kitty Leman Russ Tank shows I am not serious about things :D
Excellent video.
Thank you :)
The best job I've seen so far on a Millennium Falcon.
Thank you :)
The best I've seen on TH-cam! Awesome!
Why, thank you :)
One of the best technique tutorials AND falcon paint jobs on TH-cam. Love it. Just subscribed. I'll binge watch your channel.
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful! More content will be coming soon after a long hiatus :)
When i was a kid I added blast marks to my Falcon by throwing Fun Snaps at it.
Ha ha that sounds like a lot more fun, I should try that :D
Great job on this. As a lifelong builder of model kits, it always amuses me when looking at different iterations of the Falcon how many kit parts I recognize among all the detail.
Greeble hunting is truly a nerd curse we have to bear lol :)
So amazing to watch. I don't even build models, but the Star Wars used universe means so much to me that this was an absolute pleasure to see. Thanks!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it :)
Thats a really nice job you've done on the weathering. I've seen someone use the abteilung oils to paint the Deagostinni falcon before and whilst theirs was a tad dark and heavy for my tastes and certainly much heavier than anything seen on screen I'd say that yours(even though it's personal preference) is what I would call just right, not too much, not too little, great balance.
Also what a great quality kit from Bandai. The amount of fine detail they've managed to squeeze into this scale is outstanding, and it's a push fit! Good to see all that money they've pumped into tooling R&D for gunpla over the years hasn't gone to waste.
One day I'll be able to afford to slap down the money for this kit and until then I have other peoples videos and build diaries to scratch my itch!
Thank you very much, I appreciate your kind words ^_^ And yep, you need this kit in your life some day :)
@@gurufoxx What about the Fine Molds iteration, with almost half as many pieces again: 904. Very nice build, I'm a stickler for accuracy, and you've got it bang on. Love the bizzarre squeal(makes me laugh) indicating a break in shot. Keep on doing the stellar work and thank you.
@@artistar71 The Fine Molds (now Revell Master Series) Falcon is indeed a lovely kit, although it is of the 32-inch ESB Falcon so has less complex greebles and surface details, so there is no harm in having both :)
@@gurufoxx I got the Revell rebox of Fine Molds kit, with Paragraphix PE parts included, yesterday for 199 quid, all in.
@@artistar71 Bargain! That's normally around £300 so you got a deal there :)
Great model, nice job!
Thank you :)
Thanks so much. You inspired me. you are a fantastic teacher.
Why, thank you :)
Ur commentaries r gold
Thank you :)
Beautiful job I'm working on a Revell model it's going to help me out a lot I enjoyed watching your video
Thanks! I hope you enjoy yours ^_^
An absolutely spank on job mate!!
Thank you muchly :)
Love this thank you.
I have both this version and the De agotini. Waiting to move so I can build a dedicated model work space. Great work.
Thanks! You will have two very nice versions of the Falcon studio models there, the Bandai is the New Hope 5-footer and the DeAg is the Empire 32-inch. Enjoy ^_^
Good to know about the thinner thanks.
Very nice work. I would use a bit more of a dark wash in the greebles (especially the bays) and light/silver dry brushing to bring up the high details.
Thanks ^_^
Amazing! Nice job.
Thank you :)
I just recently started watching and have subscribed to your channel. I was very impressed with your skills and weathering on the Millennium Falcon. I’m in the process building the DeAgostini Millennium Falcon and looking to do the weathering on it as well, the colors of paints you used to get the effect are really nice. Could you be so kind to share those colors you used on your Bandai 1:72 Perfect Grade, this would be very helpful and greatly appreciate 🙏🏽
I'm afraid this was filmed several years ago now and I have long since forgotten the specifics of the project. However, I do call out and discuss list all the paints used as I go along in each episode, so if you have not watched the full series from build to finish, here is the playlist: th-cam.com/video/1KdiU3AkINU/w-d-xo.html
I saw the five foot filming model on display at the US Space and Rocket museum in Huntsville Alabama. The exhaust venting louvre is a really thin grade of brass and that model is amazing on so many layers
Those folks were certainly talented!
Stunning! You are a MASTER.
Thank you :)
Thank you for a brilliant build just finished mine using a lot of your techniques, I found using water colour pencils work brilliantly on the weathering streaks .listening to your voice is so relaxing wish you had done more of the Bandai Star Wars range you are a superb modeller ,
Thank you! I still have a Y-Wing and TIE to get around to some day :)
Good work!👍✨
Thank you :)
Delightful build series, finally finished watching it all! As I have this kit now, could I bother you for the links to the reference pictures you used? Many thanks! Dan
Sure, I snagged many from here: modelermagic.com/?s=millennium+falcon+studio+model
Nice work on the pre-shading and the application of the subtle weathering on the rear deck around the exhaust vents is just perfect, starship filth does wonders.
I also love the fact that you used oils to achieve an aged hue on the panels.
I must say the thing that makes me cringe when it comes to weathering the Falcon is when people kill it with panel lining, I personally don't favour using a panel wash as it leaves a "connect the dots" puzzle look over the entire model.
Great work!
Thank you :)
Agreed, panel lining works on some things, but not on the Falcon other than the stuff that falls into the gaps when you do all the other weathering :)
I'm still building mine, but then go to the to smaller fine molds/revell 1/144 falcon, before taking something new on.
I would like you to see ya tackle fine molds/revell 1/72 falcon,and then give you overall opinion on them both.
Nice build
I have built a few of the Fine Molds Falcon in the past - it is a very nice kit. It is based on the 32" ESB Falcon though and not the 5 foot ANH Falcon so the greebles are different, less complex, and it is not quite as detailed (but still a very nice Falcon). However that tooling it is almost 20 years old now and I would now say for the same price the Bandai Falcon is a far superior model when built up, if you can get the waterslides version. I don't plan on making another Falcon in the future though as I have built many over the years and no longer take commissions, so there is no reason for me to do another.
It is really a beauty.
Thank you :)
Superb weathering !
If I may, do you remember what Abteilung 502 colors you used ? You mentionned some in the beginning of the video but not all of them. I'd like to be able to reproduce a pretty similar result and knowing the colors numbers would help me achieving such result for sure !
Thank you 😊
Sure, I think the colours were:
ABT050 Olive Green
ABT060 Light Rust Brown
ABT F510 Starship Filth (number may have changed now)
ABT215 Flesh Shadow
ABT015 Shadow Brown
ABT093 Earth
ABT180 Copper Oxide Blue (Patina)
ABT160 Engine Grease
ABT070 Dark Rust
I have had my paints for a long time though, so the actual numbers may have since changed as they have adjusted the range.
^_^
Gorgeous
Thank you :)
Do you have a list of the colors you have used? I'm preparing to make this model and that would be a great help.
I'm afraid this was a couple of years ago now so there's no list I can plunk down here, but I did cover the paints, primers and other things used throughout the build in each episode as I went along - you can find the full playlist here: th-cam.com/video/WkdE7SaJOkQ/w-d-xo.html
@@PKAWA ha ha awesome, I shall put that in the video descriptions :D
Can I please ask if the landing is interchangeable? In that you can both display in flight or on the ground? Many thanks Nathan.
I can't remember for sure as I built mine with the gear up only, but being a Bandai push-fit kit where everything can come back apart I suspect they are absolutely swap-outable with no problem :)
@@gurufoxx many thanks!
Awesome Job!!!!👍👍👍👏👏👏
Thank you :)
Wow. Great job. I have this model that I’m planning on doing soon. Great information. I also have the abteilung oil paints. It was great to see them being used. It helps me with them. If I can ask is where did you find the reference pics? I’m horrible at finding them. Thanks and I subscribed and will look forward to other builds.
Thanks! You will enjoy it! You'll find many of the reference shots here: modelermagic.com/?s=millennium+falcon+studio+model
@@gurufoxx thank you for the link!
@@ralphlyons8020 No worries ^_^
Great job! just one question, after all decoloration, decals and weathering, did you use any varnish? I saw you varnished after you applyed decals to protect them but, any varnish to end all the job? Thanks for your channel.
Actually, this model will only ever be displayed in a sealed cabinet so there was no benefit to applying a varnish at the end - so I did not. Sometimes if you are happy with how a model looks when it is finished and know that it will never be handled, you do not have to apply a protective varnish as there is nothing to protect it from. The varnish is really only meant to protect the paint job from handling and sometimes applying a varnish can change how a model looks in subtle ways - especially if weathering powders or pigments have been used - so it if can be avoided, don't apply it :)
@@gurufoxx thanks, makes sense. Mine will be displayed in a sealed cabinet as well so I won't apply varnish to finish it.
I am working on an old MPC falcon kit that I purchased in circa 2004. Horrible instructions and no decals! I’ve searched everywhere, but cannot find a proper paint guide for the feet and the inisdes of the gear flaps. My kit instructionssay “Rust”, but I’m not convinced. Can someone help, please?
I have never built a Falcon with gear down so no idea I am afraid :( I would assume hull colour but weathered in a similar way to the open maintenance pits on the mandibles and upper hull ( I used Starship Filth and rust coloured oil paints). If it helps, the most complete set of studio model pics you will find are here: modelermagic.com/millennium-falcon-studio-model/
@@gurufoxx thank you very much, I will definitely check it out.
For an oil paint wash of filter, is better to apply a gloss acrylic lacquer and let it cure before you do anything else. The oils run down better on a glossy smooth surface. Then you finish with a flat coat.
You can do either, it depends on what finish you want. I wanted the surface to have a little more bite so that it would hold on to the paint more, because I needed that dirty look, and a gloss coat would not have created that. A gloss coat is good for pin washes and streaking where you don't want the surface to be quite as heavily tinted and want the paint to be easier to remove or move around.
Wonderful video. It’s great to see these more advanced theories put into practice. What a difference the color dots made to the overall look and feeling.
My biggest frustration though in all these MF videos (Millennium Falcon… not the the other MF) is why nothing is ever done to the “rust” panel decals. To me they stick out like a sore thumb. They’re stark red, have little blob shapes on them, and just look like cheap toy stickers.
At the very least I’d paint over the blobs to make it look more natural, and also probably tone down the overall color. Honestly, I’d probably just go ahead and mask those areas and paint the color rather than use the decals.
If you mean the red panels on the hull, then yes, the decals are very basic. And the problem usually is that folks will pre-shade the hull but this pre-shading will be absent on the coloured panel decals - that's why they stand out. On the real filming models they are of course airbrushed on as hull red colourred shapes over the base hull colour and the chipping damage on them is actual physical damage dremelled into them - you can see little chips and divots carved into the surface that expose both the black primer coat and the white styrene colour under the surface. Some decals aim to replicate that (such as Fine Molds decals) with varying degrees of success. However, they can be used to great effect it weathered carefully. I knew they would not have the same pre-shading on them as the base hull colour, so used other methods to break them down and give them that word look.
I don't recall if I showed it but once the decals were on, and made to look less decal-like with decal setting solutions, I did two things to make them look more painted and faded, One was to lightly sand all the colour panel decals, very gently, to fade them unevenly so they were not just a solid colour. Then I VERY FAINTLY airbrushed the main hull colour over the whole hull and the decals to tone them down even more. It was almost an invisible coat ands it is an old movie model trick to make coloured markings on a model less standy-outy and give the whole model that used, slighty faded paint look.
Of course, all the weathering that then came after helped the blend in more as they came out looking patchy shaded and varied as much as the rest of the hull, and in most cases I tried to replicate the physical chipping on the studio model as closely as I could, but with paint rather than a dremel.
And once the model was finished the final step was to give her another almost imperceptible airbrush dusting, this time of Tamiya Buff, which again is a really old trick to make all the colours on a model blend cohesively into a unified whole. It's basically adding a final layer of tan dust to a model, like the dusty coating you get on your car, but again so fine that you only really notice it subconsciously as part of the overall aged used feel.
I like to think this helped the colour panels look more painted and natural and not just decals plonked on there. I could have painted them instead but as a tutorial I needed to show using the decals as they were specific to the limited edition kit (the base kit has actual stickers, not waterslide decals, EW!) and weirdly many people are terrified of decals lol.
Great build loved your commentary, one thing that you may have knowledge that I've tried to find out. Is this kit a limited edition production run or basically mass marketed. Will it be worth more in years to come ? don't get me wrong the pleasure is in the build and always should be just wondered if you knew... cheers
As far as I know, the one I built (with waterslide decals and lighting) was a limited one-off run (the box was marked as limited edition) whereas the "Standard Edition" (with no lights, and only with stickers) is always in print. BUT...having said that, I hear rumblings of reprints every now and then and also rumours that the "Standard Edition" now has waterslides. To be honest, it is impossible to find out any concrete information online and I get completely confused. If you are looking for one, eModels still have the lighting/waterslide kit edition in stock although stock is very limited: www.emodels.co.uk/revell-1-72-millennium-falcon-01206.html
my kit has been in progress for the last year or so. Do you add another clear coat after the weathering? Trying to figure out how much I need to pick up :)
A matt varnish is only needed at the end of a project if you need to protect the paint from constant handling, or if it is a bit to shiny and you need to matte it down uniformly. I did not varnish mine as the weathering made everything nice and matte and it will spend its days in a display cabinet, never being handled :)
I've read about Bandai kits not liking oil based paints as the plastic reacts. Were the 502 Abtelung oils OK and non reactive with the varnish and hence there was no issue?
*It's not so much the oil paints (or enamel paints) themselves, but the thinners used with them in washes and weathering effects. Basically ANY form of thinners - alcohol, mineral, solvent - can eat away at Bandai's unique polystyrene formulation. You are pretty safe if, like me on this Falcon, you are only working with a damp brush and moistening the surface for filters or streaks. It's proper panel line and pin washes, and any washes where you drench the model in thinners or thinned paint that are dangerous. Although, to be fair, pin washes can be okay, as long as you control where the wash goes and are careful to keep it from pooling up near joints or gaps and cracks. Although not strictly necessary, varnishing the model before weathering can help reduce the risks (oils and enamels will not affect acrylic paints or varnishes) as it can help cover up some exposed areas. But it should not be assumed.
Ive heard this as well. But i have built a lot of gunpla kits and used all kind of enamels/thinners and oil paints and never had a problem, but it is a problem with older Bandai kits. At least with the gunplas.
Fantastic build and paint job I’ve just got this kit but I’m struggling to decide what order to build any suggestions would be most welcome 👍
I actually filmed and streamed the whole project, from unboxing to completion - here's the full playlist: th-cam.com/video/1KdiU3AkINU/w-d-xo.html
Thinking more about sub assembly do you have to do it according to instructions or can you build as you wish ? 👍
@@darrenmoore1263 Instructions rarely take painting order into account, so you will need to consider what you have planned in terms of painting and plan the build around that accordingly. You follow the instructions but adapt them as you go . I've always found the Falcon to be an easy one to plan because as long as you build and paint the cockpit/gunwell interiors and the engine interior parts first then the ship can be pretty much assembled and painted fully built (as the cockpit and engine interiors can be masked off and the gunwells can be left off to one side. )
That’s what I thought thanks for the quick reply 👍 wish me luck
@@darrenmoore1263 You'll be fine, just take your time and have fun ^_^
It looks very Matt when the video begins. Did you spray Matt over the decals?
Believe it or not there is no varnish on the model at all - I knew it was going to go and live in the eModels display cabinet and never be handled, so a protective varnish wasn't required. I've never had a problem doing oil paint weathering over unprotected decals so the matt finish actually comes from the oil paint streaking and filters that I applied when weathering.
@@gurufoxx Episode 5.6 you use Vallejo Premium 62.062. After you apply the Decals. I will do the same, however, I may use Tamiya TS-80 as my hobby place doesn't have 62.062. But you definitely did.
@@JohnCranberry23 I stand corrected - it's been a few years since I did this build so I get a pass. I forgot I sealed those in lol :)
BTW be VERY careful with TS-80 - it's a lacquer so even when applied in very thin layers there is the small risk it will affect acrylics or decals. Given the cost of this kit, I would recommend the safer route of ordering an acrylic varnish such as the Vallejo Premium (which is really nice) online for safety.
@@gurufoxx interesting about the ts-80. I thought it would be safe? I can get the Vallejo premium, just have to pay double because of postage.
@@JohnCranberry23 Lacquers are always a risk on top of anything but lacquer paints as they are hot solvents and if applied wet enough can re-activate and eat through pretty much any other type of paint, and decals. Spraying lessens the risk but it is never guaranteed.
Sensational😳!!
Thank you ^_^
Yeah, it's called Scotchlite. They used it on the lightsaber blades, as well. I think you've overdone your oil washes, but everything else looks great.
That's the one, I remembered shortly after the video went live . It is always the way ^_^
Superb
Thank you ^_^
I really don't finish Falcons using the studio model. Close up it does look more baise but when I saw it onscreen as a kid it looked white with 70s era film cameras. I guess I use nostalgia as a guide rather than studio accuracy. Where's the fun in painting an exact duplicate of the Mona Lisa, right?
Nothing wrong with that at all, painting a model is no different to any other kind of art, and it's always important to apply your own tastes and styles :)
🤣🤣🤣 filters.... A red filter and a blue filter together project green light??? Lol.. nice one
Ha ha I said that? Lol I never picked up on that in the edit. I was clearly having a derpy day lol
woowwwwwwwwwwwwww
"What a piece of junk!"
Your "realistic" painting and weathering isn't any better than the actual 5-foot model, I think.
I actually prefer the "realistic" weathering that Bandai did on theirs, as seen on Adam Savage's Tested channel.
Hello! I was wondering how I could email or direct message you?