The Dark Spartan project

I've had several Aoshima VIP car kits lying around for a few months now after picking them up in the clearance section of local TK Maxx stores for £3 each!!! :runaround:

I got hold of 2x Junction Produce Celsiors 2x Tradition Cedrics and a Crown Majesta. Upon closer inspection some had missing or damaged clear sprues but at £3 a pop I figured I could replace or scratch build the missing clear parts and the kits would be ideal for kitbashing or experimenting:naughty:

During my busy modeling period in the run up to the UK Nationals I sprayed up one of the Junction Produce Celsiors to test out a new airbrush. Intending to build box stock I thought I could also squeeze this one out before show but it turned out that idea was far too ambitious.

As it sat on the shelf all painted up in Mini Midnight Black I thought it had quite a menacing appearance and a few ideas started to float around my head . After having purchased several new airbrushes recently I figured this would also be a good test bed to try out some airbrushing skills.

The name for the project is loosely inspired by this guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAplLdU_TMo - A real life UK superhero i.e. a slightly eccentric nerd who reads too many comics and likes to dress up in a fancy costume. The name seemed to fit and I suppose every superhero requires a cool car yet I imagine my Dark Spartan to be prowling the highways of Tokyo and not the one way system around Torbay in England.

Searching the net for spartan pictures for inspiration on a design I opted for a simple helmet silhouette and I looked into airbrushing techniques for painting lightning/electricity and the Dark Spartan Celsior was born....


From the helmet image a mask was cut out and positioned on hood, Vajelo white acrylic was lightly airbrushed on building up highlights in selected areas.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020725.jpg

Using a fade resistant fine line drawing pen shadow and detail was added
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020733.jpg

Using Vajelo paints again I added some metalic detail and shading.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020735.jpg

With mixes of Tamiya clear acrylics (smoke, yellow, red) I airbrushed more shading and highlight effects to give the helmet a metalic gold appearance.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020737.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020738.jpg

Masking over the helmet with the cut out set aside from the previous process I laid down the base or glow for the electricity. Lightly airbrushed streaks of white were laid down giving the appearance of emanating from behind the helmet. A heavier build up of colour was placed in areas to form 'hot spots' and glowing eyes.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020739.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020740.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020741.jpg

A light coat of Vajelo clear blue is dusted on to give bluish hue to the glow. A small touch of other clear colours was added around the helmet.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020743.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020745.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020746.jpg

Fine lines of white added for the streaks of electricity following the path of the glow.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020747.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020749.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020750.jpg

All comes together with the clear coat

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020751.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020752.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020754.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020755.jpg


Preshaded the interior a la aircraft modeler style:iceslolan

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020756.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020763.jpg

Scratchbuilt a typical Jap tuner drinks tray/phone holder type thing from plastic card and small metal tubes.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020795.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020806.jpg

A coke bottle was machined from a piece of clear sprue

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020799.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020801.jpg

The coke liquid is a mix of Tamiya smoke orange and red painted on

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020804.jpg

Dipped into some Johnsons Klear for a nice shiny finish and a scribble in white with a fine brush to depict the coke logo.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020811.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020815.jpg

Some internet images resized for license plates
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020809.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020816.jpg

Incidently the 'Dark Spartan' script on the back of the spoiler is hand drawn with a technical drawing pen before the clear coat was sprayed.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020818.jpg

Rolled down windows replicated with o.o5 clear styrene sheet

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020821.jpg

Car curtains common with the VIP scene were made from strips of thin paper. Lots of scrunching and folding required to achieve the fine folds of the curtain to give it a natural drape look.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020823.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020824.jpg

Seatbelts made using 2mm black tape

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020828.jpg


http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020829.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020834.jpg

Awesome work!

Man thats awesome!!!!! Great airbrushing!

Wow really impressive airbrushing work. Also, since when did TK Maxx start selling model kits (I thought was just clothes)?! The Coke bottle is very cool too. I think the curtains are a bit too shiny though.

The coca-cola bottle is F&^%^$%%$^^&$ Great!!! your skill work is amazing!

i loved!

Wow really impressive airbrushing work. Also, since when did TK Maxx start selling model kits (I thought was just clothes)?! The Coke bottle is very cool too. I think the curtains are a bit too shiny though.

They have a toy section:iceslolan Whenever I pass one by I'll pop in to check them out for goodies. Vey often they will have a few model kits, mostly Revell brand aircraft and military. In my experience no one seems to bother with model kits so if you wait long enough then they will drop down into the clearance section but that is a bit of a gamble. I would consider myself to be VERY lucky to have found those Aoshima kits at £3 a pop, I doubt very much that I will ever encounter anything similar. Its also good for diecast subjects if that floats your boat, sometimes a few collectible 1/43rd stuff will make an appearance and quite recently I purchased a stack of HPI Skyline slot cars and whacked them on ebay at twice the price coz they were so damn cheap!:sunglasse Keep your eyes peeled!!!

Added CF decal to the eyebrows and wing mirrors

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020832-1.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020836.jpg

Wheels are Aoshima 19" Kranze Borphes painted with Tamiya Titanium Gold with alternate spoke detailed with gloss black

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r286/scaleautostyle/P1020839.jpg

Great stuff Chris , what next?

Great stuff Chris , what next?

Not sure, gonna have to try and finish off a few of my shelved projects


Completed pics now up http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=6941955#post6941955

WOW!! This is an incredible build. The painting of the lighting bolts is pure art and the coke bottle ...... amazing all round!

That's some fantastic airbrushing you're showing here.
Looks really impressive.

I also like the little touches like the Coke bottle. That looks awesome.

Great build !

Deam,thats just sick !

Paintjob,interior evrything is just perfect and clean