Modeling and Photo tips

**GEEDUBBYA** · 26-06-2006

Howdy Guys,

I just thought I would share a few things.

1. use the tie twist that come on bread wrappers for antenna. Burn off the paper or plastic coating , wrap one end, (starting approx. ¼" from the end) around a needle seven or eight times to create a coil like the "spring" found on whip antenna.

2. use monofiliment fishing line for guy wires, railings, or cable antenna (found on many WWII bombers. Glue the line to one point, let sit til dry, then glue the other end, once it is dry, apply heat from a lit cigarette (from a distance at first, slowly getting closer as needed) to cause the line to shrink, thereby tightening the lne between the two glued ends.

3. use clear fingernail polish for landing light "lens", Gauge lense covers (on larger scale aircraft), or to clear up small areas of a canopy that may have become "foggy" due to glue.

4. When photographing your model, try an outdoor setting, on a driveway close to the edge by the grass if possible, or in a cleared out area of dirt or sand. Take the photo from ground level, this is an angle the human eye is not used to when it comes to models or anything else for that matter (try taking a picture of your pet from this angle, like I said, its not an angle people are used to seeing). When it comes to models, this angle almost makes it look like the person taking the photo was standing by the model when the picture was taken. It is a more realistic angle of what you would see when taking a photo of the real aircraft, car, tank etc.

5. Try taking a photo in Black and White for a change, you lose out on the color, but it gives the model a more nostalgic look and makes the photo look more like an old photo of a real aircraft, tank etc when the photo is shot from ground level. See the difference Black and white makes on the two photos below:
have a good day, hope this helps someone,

Greg aka GW

**Bunkerbarge** · 26-06-2006

All interesting and usefull tips GW.

I like the low angle idea, I have also tried it on boats with the camera almost touching the water!

**wonwinglo** · 26-06-2006

Greg,you have touched on some interesting points there,when I first saw your photographs I knew there was something different,that low angle makes a very big difference,the TBM-3E looks good,and yes why not good old B & W for effect.

**GEEDUBBYA** · 27-06-2006

Howdy Bunker and Barry,

Bunker the water and camera idea scares me lol, too much invested in all my cameras lol.
But thank both of you for the Kind words. The low angle and outdoor settings are something I had been taught in an okd college class I took but never incorporated into model photography until a few yrs ago. The same thing with the Black and white, everyone is so used to color now days that B&W is almost "New" again to ppl.
Barry, thanks for the comments on the TBF, It was a real pleasure building that kit. It is an accurate minitures 1:48 scale model of the "Barbara III", Geo Bush Seniors aircraft during WWII.

Have a good day,

Greg aka GW

**GEEDUBBYA** · 27-06-2006

Howdy Guys,

I was just looking at an F/A 18 Hornet I built a few yrs ago and remembered the "Hydraulic lines" I put on the landing gear using the monofiliment fishing line. Except in this usage, you want the line to be "curvy". It gives a real nice effect when you paint the lines gray, black or silver.Simply attach one end to the landing gear, the other up inside the wheel well then when dry, paint it.
Also, for those of you out there who build model armor, Camoflauge netting is real simple to make using a piece cut from your wifes knee high panty hose, painted green or dirt brown or sand brown. It can be stretched over the framework of the back of a transport truck, or if you stretch the material out, it can be draped over a painted framework made from plastic sprues heated and bent/glued into shape. This is also good for tents in diaromas.

Hope these are of use to someone,

Greg aka GW