# Alien Narcissus: Scratched, Bashed, & Greeblied!



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

I've been building up a roughly accurate interior for the Narcissus. My intent is to just fix up something to give an idea--but a better and more realistic idea than originally supplied with the model.

I'm going to stick a few LEDs into the interior so that the more complicated update is not all lost in darkness. Also planning to put some LEDs into the engine nozzles as well.


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)




----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

I cut into the nose piece at two places (A) and bent them to match the body contours (B)

I've yet to fix the top portion of the nose which is a bit more complicated. Besides this one distinctive flaw, the model kit looks pretty accurate overall and gives a great impression of the vehicle as depicted in the movies.


----------



## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Lee, that is the way to improve a model! It is shaping up very nicely!


----------



## AJ-1701 (May 10, 2008)

Interesting take on the kit.  Are yopu leaving the origional tinted window of the kit?? Even with the leds it would be a shame to loose out on the extra detail.


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Thanks, Lloyd! 



AJ-1701 said:


> Interesting take on the kit.  Are yopu leaving the origional tinted window of the kit?? Even with the leds it would be a shame to loose out on the extra detail.


Thanks, AJ! I've already tested the tinting. It_ is_ very dark when there's no light behind it but mostly goes away when the inside is lit up.

I plan to spay a base coat of gloss white and then black wash and highlight the interior to bring out all the raised surface details I can. I'll add a little color here and there with artists' oils. The outside I'll treat in a similar method but with a little more care on the colors and amount of black wash and such. 

The epoxy-putty pilot is about 1/96th I suppose. I'd originally planned on 1/72nd since the full sized set indicated the kit was nowhere near the scale of 1/144th as printed on the kit. I made the interior a little too small for 1/72nd however. 1/96th is probably a good compromise scale, however, between the miniature scale and the full-sized set scale.

It wasn't really important to get everything "just right" since I was really just trying to get the impression of stuff sticking out all through it as the _Alien _designers tended to do with their ships. At 1/96th and only visible through the windows, I don't think accuracy is a big deal.


----------



## starseeker (Feb 1, 2006)

Was looking for photos of another thing and stumbled across a set of photos taken of the Narcissus miniature. Lots of good greeblies. I've no idea where I got these. That's the ubiquitous 1/24 Gemini astronaut doing double duty.


----------



## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

I am sure you know of this site http://www.martinbowersmodelworld.com/ but, if not it has lots of photos of the Narcissus.


----------



## Steve Mavronis (Oct 14, 2001)

Email Martin a sincere request for his help and he will gladly provide any detail information you need and probably never seen pictures of the actual studio model.


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

I've got those photos and have used them as a rough guide. As I stated above, I didn't feel any real need to get too accurate in the details and just wanted the "impression" of the details considering how much will be lost due to the window size and the small scale of the ship. 

If I were scratch building a larger scale, however, I'd be all over getting the details closer. As it stands, this is a matter of balancing out energy I want to put into it vs. the results I'd get. This model quickly gets past the point of diminishing returns with its so-so accuracy and small scale. 

I think I'm at a happy balance right now with an impressionistic approach. In principle, if I get too picky, I'd have to rip the whole thing apart or start from scratch.


----------



## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

I thought you probably had, since you got those angled pieces looking right out of the photos. You've probably seen these, too, but just in case it never hurts to throw them in. I read somewhere (I think it was in Fine Scale Modeler) where a builder couldn't understand how in the vacuum of space the Narcissus could get weathered. A), look at Mir or the Hubble. Even in vacuum there are elements that seriously weather (sunlight, escaping gases from the spacecraft, etc). B), the Narcissus was attached to the bottom of the Nostromo. Just landing on the Alien planet should have weathered it considerably. The Narcissus was attached to the Nostromo by a cradle and the back half of the Narcissus was protected by a hangar. But the front half was fully exposed, so the miniature was heavily weathered on its front half, only slightly weathered (it looks like) on its bottom back half, and had a white bikini tan line around its middle.
I totally forgot to mention before: that's is a great looking job you're doing! Especially the detailing in such a tiny space. One of my all time favorite subjects. Really enjoying watching your build and looking forward to seeing more.


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

starseeker2 said:


> I thought you probably had, since you got those angled pieces looking right out of the photos. You've probably seen these, too, but just in case it never hurts to throw them in. I read somewhere (I think it was in Fine Scale Modeler) where a builder couldn't understand how in the vacuum of space the Narcissus could get weathered. A), look at Mir or the Hubble. Even in vacuum there are elements that seriously weather (sunlight, escaping gases from the spacecraft, etc). B), the Narcissus was attached to the bottom of the Nostromo. Just landing on the Alien planet should have weathered it considerably. The Narcissus was attached to the Nostromo by a cradle and the back half of the Narcissus was protected by a hangar. But the front half was fully exposed, so the miniature was heavily weathered on its front half, only slightly weathered (it looks like) on its bottom back half, and had a white bikini tan line around its middle.
> I totally forgot to mention before: that's is a great looking job you're doing! Especially the detailing in such a tiny space. One of my all time favorite subjects. Really enjoying watching your build and looking forward to seeing more.


Now those are definitely some helpful pics there that I wasn't able to get despite my many searches. Many thanks!:thumbsup:

That's also great info about the variation in weathering. I hadn't thought about all that. 

After this, I have a rebuild project for a dropship:wave:


----------



## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Great work thus far, Lee.

Which kit is that you're accurizing, anyhow? 

.


----------



## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

OT but I thought I'd post 'em while I had 'em.


----------



## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

I'll leave them up for a while but I'm running out of room.


----------



## starseeker2 (Jun 13, 2008)

I know they're small and grainy but this they're about actual size and resolution. I hope they're of some use anyway. Looking forward to seeing your dropship project, too. One of my very favorites.


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Griffworks said:


> Great work thus far, Lee.
> 
> Which kit is that you're accurizing, anyhow?
> 
> .


Thanks, Griff!

It's this model that can still be picked up at a reasonably low price--I got this one unbuilt in the box from evilbay:


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

starseeker2 said:


> I know they're small and grainy but this they're about actual size and resolution. I hope they're of some use anyway. Looking forward to seeing your dropship project, too. One of my very favorites.


Those are great, starseeker!

Thanks!!:thumbsup:


----------



## lunadude (Oct 21, 2006)

*Alien Makers DVD*

The folks at Alien Experience, have a GREAT free video. The DVD of Alien Makers, is wonderful. The video focus is on the fx models and photography. It is chocked full of interviews and rare images from the production of Alien.

If you have not already heard of this, go get and watch it now! :thumbup::thumbup:

http://www.alienexperience.com/forum/index.php?topic=6719.0


----------



## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

lunadude said:


> The folks at Alien Experience, have a GREAT free video. The DVD of Alien Makers, is wonderful. The video focus is on the fx models and photography. It is chocked full of interviews and rare images from the production of Alien.
> 
> If you have not already heard of this, go get and watch it now! :thumbup::thumbup:
> 
> http://www.alienexperience.com/forum/index.php?topic=6719.0


Cool website! Thanks for the link!:thumbsup:

I'll check the video out when I get home today.


----------

