BFG: Zeus Frigate

[mangozac]

I figured I'd start a thread on this project so that we don't clutter up and drag off topic the other thread where it was mentioned!

It's a Zeus style Destroyer for BFG. Not much more to say about it! The project was inspired by the idea of rounding out the Zeus style fleet (which already includes a Destroyer, Light Cruiser and standard cruiser prows).

I made a bit more progress over the last couple of nights (would have been more on schedule if damn real life didn't keep interrupting!). The other side fin has been completed and the standard prow has had a fair bit of work done - I've sculpted the eagle head and one of the wings.

When I applied the Milliput to the prow it looked much bigger and bulkier but after it had cured the prow was sanded down a bit to a more appropriate size. The problem is that the addition of the wings sculpted on the prow it has bulked up a bit more.

BFG concept art shows wild variations in prow size in all classes of Imperial vessel. I personally don't mind the styles with a larger prow size, so long as it doesn't look too disproportionate. The current size of the Frigate prow side on I quite like - I think it's proportional to the vertical size of the hull. Viewing from the upper angle is another story though: because the hull is quite skinny the prow is too wide and thus looks too big.

This far in I really don't want to have to rework the prow that dramatically (it would require resculpting the eagle too) to shave off some of the width, but I suspect I don't have a choice. It would probably be just as quick to build a new prow completely rather than screw around sanding this one down, but I'd still rather avoid it. Any thoughts guys?

[Vaaish]

Bite the bullet and redo the prow. You're going to kick yourself every time you see it if you don't. Trust me, I've had it happen on projects before. I think currently the prow is a bit cartoonish due to the scale with the rest of the ship. It's got more mass on the front right there than nearly the rest of the ship aft of the neck. compare the scale of the CL prow and the destroyer prows to their ships and you'll see what I mean.

[mangozac]

Yeah you're right. It just sucks to realise this so far in! I knew I didn't spend enough time testing out the size of the basic styrene prow form before I went ahead with it

Cartoonish describes it quite well. Do you think it needs to be scaled in height and width by the same amount or more height than width?

[Vaaish]

I know it sucks, but the good is that once you are don't you won't think about how much redoing it sucked

From the looks of the pics, I think you need both height and width shaved off but not nearly so much width as height if that makes sense.

[mangozac]

Really? I was thinking it had to lose more width than height (talking percentage wise here)...

[Vaaish]

yeah, you take away too much of the width (looking at the top view) and you are touching the mid ship section.

I'm attaching a pick of what I think would be more scaled to the ship. It's a quick PS hack job, forgive me.

[mangozac]

I was contemplating doing a photoshop hack too but you beat me to it

Your resized pic has sold me on it though - it looks far better! I think the eagle is going to need to be smaller and finer in relation to the prow also. Well I know what I'll be doing on the weekend! On the plus side at least I wasn't building the two prow types simultaneously (and thus would have two prows to re-make)!

[Xeones]

I was going to give my critique of your work, but you and Aaron seem to have things well in hand. I agree with your proposed modifications. Good work; carry on...

[mangozac]

Haha no worries Nate! Glad I have your approval

[Commissar-Krad]

It's looking very cool so far, man. Always nice to see more BFG stuff from you. I agree on the size of the prow, it's a bit bulky. Make in smaller in width and height. To me the wings are a bit bulky on this rendition as well, perhaps 1/3 smaller?

Seeing this really makes me want to get going on some BFG builds again.

[mangozac]

Thanks K-Rad. Are you talking about the side fins or the eagle wings? The side fins are protruding out further than they should in the pics because they're just blu-tacked on. But the actual fin size itself I'm very happy with...

[Munkey Joe]

Are these you??

[mangozac]

Nope - a guy who has done well scoring a bunch of my kits around the place. Don't know what his secret is, but I have confirmed that they are NOT recasts!

[Munkey Joe]

[Commissar-Krad]

Sorry, I meant the eagle wings. They look good, just a bit big. But if you're scaling down the prow no doubt you will have to scale the eagle down as well. The side wings look fine.