Finally, some unexplored territory! In Part Four of our “Building a Firefly” photo essay we have a bunch of snazzy photos of parts of Serenity we’ve not revealed here before (at least, not in any detail). All comprising the final section of Our Girl, the forward assembly containing the neck and bridge.
The forward assembly is perhaps the most complex part of the Wolvster’s sculpture. It combines all the frustrating and challenging aspects of Serenity’s other sections into one compressed little package of pain. As we’re often fond of telling our Lightwave-using friends, “Just because you can draw it, doesn’t mean we can make it!” And what we mean by that is this: CG graphics packages like Lightwave are so liberating, they sometimes lead designers to add a level of detail that in the olden days of handmade filming miniatures, model designers new better than to attempt.
That, of course, leaves us with the challenge of creating a “screen-accurate” model than no sane modeler would ever create:
As you can see, there’s hardly a straight line here (like the gravity rotor yoke), there are just skads of little asymmetrical armor plates with lots of fussy rivets (like the midships’ carapace), and there are lots of little greeblies and bent and broken vents (like the, oh hell, the whole gorram ship).
Here’s a more detailed view of what I’m talking about:
Notice the closed vent on the lower part of the picture? Each little louver is a slightly different height and position, like the vent didn’t close quite right – just like it is in the movie renderings.
Here’s a nice detail shot of the flipside:
Guess I don’t have to tell you how absolutely tiny the details here are. But, oh heck, why not? That open panel with all the little machinery bits exposed? That’s about a half-inch across.
Here’s a nice shot of the underside of the forward section:
And here’s the top piece:
And here’s the bridge canopy:
Nice bit of parts integration, eh?
Okay, so that’s it for this report. We got one more coming – Serenity, all-together. So stay tuned!
Oh, before I forget, here’s a gallery of this week’s images, plus a few extras:
Now this wound be the reason why I want Wolfster’s signature on mine, simply beautiful. Keep Flyin’
Mmm, I do love me some greebles!
So very shiny!
Those broken vents are awesome! I love that the dilapidation is representative in the model.
I agree with Atom, I love the imperfection of it all. Not like a ST model that looks new off of the line (except for those extreme detailing model fanatics). I don’t envy the FX Co’s task of having to paint this boat. It’s great to see the forward section of Serenity coming together. I can’t wait to see your plans for the flight deck.
Just curious Andy, has Joss seen any of these pictures?
Thanks
Jim in Denmark
I can’t be certain why, but this particular transmission made me a little giddy. I suddenly got all fidgety and excitable. And here I was about to go to bed at a decent hour…stupid model.
Now I have to stay up and look at every picture.
Oooh! Drool…
Awesome.
BTW have I mentioned you guys rock? I got the replacement poster… thanks Andy!
Thanks, Scott. Glad the poster got to you.
So, now that you got the small and big versions, big is really much better, yes?
Aye, most definitely! You can see so much more of the teeny details… I still need to take it out to my framing shop when I have a chance.
I don’t know where I’m going to find wall space for all of these posters, though… especially now that I got my old Jason Palmer stuff framed…
This is so lovely….Now I want to go back and add more detail to my 3d version.
no…must …get …back…. to …Cerberus…renders……
Did the primary buffer panel just fly off that gorramn ship for no apparent reason?
Could we get a removeable primary buffer panel?
I think the answer is obvious, but someone had to ask it. Did you do away with the removable Primary Buffer Panel?
i was just thinking of that buffer panel. i know it’s late in the game and all, but what of it? must of been replaced in port. keep flyin’
I just want to know one thing…
When can I get one?
I just want more pictures
jim
Your wish is my command, Jim.
Sweet! Great update and pictures, now on to the other one I missed. Getting the itch to hear something more on ‘when’….
I recently left space modeling and sci fi for model railroading.
i had the Firefly Mule kit and prepped but left the hobby with several unfinished builds, i was just searching for a photo of the “Mule” used on firefly to show a friend but saw your build and had my socks blown off.
I just had to come in and say ‘COOL!!!
Thankyou for the attitude adjustment.
Bob foley