Official observation balloon painting thread

[matt56]

I just posted pictures on the March workbench site, but I thought it appropriate to start a thread here, too - I was surprised there wasn't one yet...or pehaps I missed it?!

This is the Nexus brown balloon, although it's been repainted based loosely on the photo posted under ReducedAircraftFactory's sandstone balloon thread on the Shapeways thread. I originally primed it in grey and then coated it with Vallejo's English Uniform (brown) color before I set to work with various brown to make it look like the photo. While it WAS somewhat tedious, I really like the result.







Thanks for looking! I look forward to painting more balloons - I have a couple of AIM resin models I'm working on - I'll post results as they're finished.

All the best,
Matt

[grumpybear]

Very nice

[Flying Helmut]

THAT is just SUPERB!!!!

REP!

[Teaticket]

Beautiful job! This may push me to touch up my balloons a bit.

[gully_raker]

What a great paint job!
You should be very proud of that.

[OldGuy59]

Matt,
That is an awesome job! I can't give you Rep at the moment. I'll come back.

[LOOP]

That is just exelent work, Harry!

I must dig up my painting stuff and start painting again.
Awaiting my first shapeway order this week so from now on there is no turning back.

[flash]

One for the painting showcase methinks Harry !

[matt56]

You're absolutely right, Dave - silly me, I'm not sure why I didn't look THERE for the thread. It's on page 6 and was started by Womble a while back. Can someone transfer this there for me, or should I re-post it there later today?

All the best,
Matt

[rhodie80]

Great balloon. Can't wait to see it in a game.

Jim

[The Blue Whale]

These pictures don't do it justice - it is magnificent in person. Can't wait to shoot it down!

[ReducedAirFact]

That's a spectacular balloon. It's amazing how much better they look with a little variation between the panels than if they're a uniform color.

[BobP]

Great paint job. You should check out AIM as he has 1/144 balloons.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

That's just not fair Matt.
You keep pushing this wonderful balloon under my nose, knowing full well that sooner or later I will have to do something about my horrendous yellow one.
I feel the pull of WWI pulling me back from the Dark side painting.
Rob.

[matt56]

It's only fair, Rob! The things you paint and post have me deciding all sorts of things that I need to do. Turn about is fair play!

But I must say that when I had given it a coat of Vallejo English Uniform and then a watered-down wash/stain of their Sepia ink, it didn't look half-bad - much better to my mind than the original brown.

If I hadn't had my heart set on doing the varied panel painted pattern, I would probably just have dry-brushed it with the original color and maybe a few lighter highlights and let it go at that. That process would have been much quicker than what I went through to paint my version.

Perhaps if I eventually get 'hold of a yellow one, I'll try that simpler treatment...again, to my eye, that 'bright' yellow just needs a little toning down...

I'm such a slow painter - too many things interrupt the process. Those of you who are more focused than I could knock it out in a weekend.

All the best,
Matt

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Perhaps if I eventually get 'hold of a yellow one, I'll try that simpler treatment...again, to my eye, that 'bright' yellow just needs a little toning down...

I'm such a slow painter - too many things interrupt the process. Those of you who are more focused than I could knock it out in a weekend.

All the best,
Matt

That's interesting Matt, because that is almost exactly what Mrs. K. suggested when I mentioned it to her.
Might be an easy solution to all my balloon problems.
Rob.

[matt56]

Here is the balloon I've painted for my good friend Jim (rhodie80). He wanted it in sky blue, so that's what he gets! I used Vallejo colors throughout, and I really like how it's turned out. I have another to do for myself, and I think I'll make it alternating colors like the one that was posted a while back on another thread - I think Oldguy59 made a card for it... Mike, you do such nice work!!



And from the other side...



Thanks for looking! It sure is fun painting these little buggers...

All the best,
Matt

[Teaticket]

Very nice Matt. Is this AIM?

[matt56]

It is indeed one of AIM's Parsival-Sigisfeld balloons, Peter. It goes together rather nicely, and the only (to my mind) downside is the basket which needs to be drilled out, and then it weighs nothing, so that the lines aren't pulled down by any sort of weight. But that's resin, eh?! On the second one I do, I'll try to get the lines a bit shorter...but then again, I wanted there to be some give so the basket wouldn't interfere with the plastic stand...perhaps I'll replace the included lines with 'hard' plastic strips...

Nonetheless, I'm really happy with the result

All the best,
Matt

[Teaticket]

I've been thinking of getting a couple of the AIM balloons. Thanks for posting your photos. This will get on my next AIM list for sure.

[milcoll73]

that actually looks very nice, well done matt!!!

[Flying Officer Kyte]

You have made a cracking job on that Balloon Matt.
I was wondering how the AiM balloons would turn out.
Rob.

[flash]

You're absolutely right, Dave - silly me, I'm not sure why I didn't look THERE for the thread. It's on page 6 and was started by Womble a while back. Can someone transfer this there for me, or should I re-post it there later today? All the best, Matt

I can't move it in and merge it - I can only move it out ! I suggest you post your pics and the details in the showcase thread so they are all in the same place.

[matt56]

Sounds like a plan, Dave! Thanks for trying to move things - I'll see about taking care of that later today.

All the best,
Matt

[Flying Officer Kyte]

I think I moved it to the showcase for you Matt. Go take a look to see if I did what you wanted. If not let me know.
Rob.