WIP -- Jeep Contest

[PegaZus]

Okay, first off, yes I know this isn\'t something made by GameWorks and hardly fits into any Sci-Fi or Fantasy world. However, I\'m going to be using the techniques I\'ve learned here, and it is a miniature. Besides, I thought you might enjoy something different for a change.

So, here\'s the situation. Moved to Colorado, family has a cabin down in New Mexico in ski country, uncle hooked me on GeoCaching, and I\'m hankerin\' for a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (cool four door thing, good for taking the kids). Now if I could only get the cash to actually buy one.

While pursuing this new outdoor hobby, I find out that Jeep has been running a contest with the geocaches, and I\'ve got a chance to win one. Well, not the one I want, but still. Its a photo contest that is scored on incorporating three elements: geocaching, creativity, and the current month\'s theme. Right now, it\'s \"Only In A Jeep\".

So, here\'s the plan. I\'m going to take this regular Jeep travel bug and paint it up. Highlight some dull features, since it is just a toy car, touch up some chips in the paint, and then make it look more realistic.

Currently, the plan is to make it look like its been through a giant mud puddle and back, with some flourishes. And, I\'m forcing myself to have it ready to photo on Sunday afternoon.

 

[PegaZus]

This is sort of getting things up to date, since I didn\'t have time to properly start this WIP last night. Here\'s what was done to the underside, before and after pictures.

Realize that I\'m going to be splattering the underside with a heavy coat of mud, so getting the little details on the equipment here isn\'t important.

GAH! Wouldn\'t you know it! I post pictures of it and THEN I notice that I forgot the equipment at the back of the car! Feh! Now I\'m going to be a little late for work in order to get that fixed.

 

[Thecadian]

nice idea, keep us posted

I too occasionally do the odd \'cache round here its a great way to get out and about.

 

[NINJAWIZARD]

That\'s a Jeep Commander. Get one of those instead of the 4dr Wranglers I absolutely love mine.

If you wanna add that little extra realism, tint all windows behind the front seats almost pitch black. All of \'em come that way. Sunroof(s) too.

 

[PegaZus]

Originally posted by NINJAWIZARD
That\'s a Jeep Commander. Get one of those instead of the 4dr Wranglers I absolutely love mine.

Yeah, but I\'m kinda partial to having a car that\'s nearly a Lego. I want to be able to take the doors, top, and windows off. Plus, it looks too much like a Cherokee to me. Problem is that I think these new models are very popular. Not a dime in incentives right now. Which, I guess, isn\'t a bad thing since I don\'t have a dime to put up myself.

If you wanna add that little extra realism, tint all windows behind the front seats almost pitch black. All of \'em come that way. Sunroof(s) too.

Yup, I forgot about that. Got some reference pictures pulled off of the Jeep website and I remember that now. Thanks!

Since I\'m trying to get this all done by my Sunday deadline (self imposed), I\'ll hopefully have a picture ready this evening showing that, and other progress. Only problem is that its cutting into my already short sleep. I\'m so out of it right now that I came home from work an hour early, thinking it was last Friday. Or maybe I just need to get some more caffeine. :beer:

 

[PegaZus]

Okay, I\'ve got several updates, which I\'ll break into separate posts.

First, slapped some \"dirt\" around the wheel wells, and then gave it a first \"dirt\" wash. In the second picture, you can see some stuff on the windows. This is blue tack, which I\'m using to mask off where the windshield wipers would have cleaned.

I\'m also planning something special for the hood, and tried to mask it off with the same stuff, but its just too hard. Luckily, the paint wipes off with a gentle touch, so I\'ll use a toothpick for what I want to do.

 

[PegaZus]

So, now its time to get dirty!

Hmm... looks like its been down some good roads, but just not \"Jeep\" enough.

Time for a new toothbrush anyway...

That\'s a bit more like it. Figure I\'ll stop here and then continue tomorrow. I\'m already a day ahead of schedule, but I\'m down several hours of sleep.

Since the paint rubs off the enamel easily, I\'ll have to be careful handling it. However, it occurred to me that here\'s an opportunity to add some more little strokes of genius. Around where the \"doors\" are, I\'m going to remove the splatters from where someone would put their hand in order to close the door, and also off from the door handles. I\'m also planning to write \"wash me\" on the hood by wiping off the paint in the same manner. Maybe a smiley face on a window, too.

Then, it\'ll be time to remove the maskings and see what I\'ve got.

I\'ve thought about trying to cake some mud around the wheel wells as well, but since this little guy will be jumping from ammo can to ammo can, I don\'t think the mud would survive very long. Still, maybe for my picture, it\'d be fine. Whatcha think? Maybe a little painted up plaster of paris gummed in there.

 

[PegaZus]

Just a quick update. While waiting for the computer to shut down last night, managed to get the \"wash me\" put onto the hood. Really was easy to do, and a lot quicker than trying to mask it off. Just took a toothpick and rubbed off the paint.

 

[NINJAWIZARD]

Hah, that\'s lookin\' awesome Took me a sec to realize what was on the windows, though Good idear.

The mud looks surprisingly realistic, too. Kudos on that

 

[DaN]

Nice!

 

[PegaZus]

I felt that it really needed to be more textured, so here\'s the update. I\'ve pulled off the blue-tack and removed the cotton from the inside. The tack was used to mask off the windows to keep the wiper area clean of mud. The cotton was used to keep out the paint from the inside.

For the \"mud\", I took some plaster of paris and mixed it with the mud color paint and some water. Dabbed it on with a stiff brush at first, but then went to a toothpick. After it hardened a little bit, I dabbed at it with the brush to give it a bit more pitted look. Pushed it into the wheel wells and the underside. I even hit the mirrors with it some.

I\'m thinking of giving it some slightly darker wash to give it a bit more contrast, but if I do that I\'ll probably need to get some clear coat on it first. When I\'ve tried coming over with water on the plaster before, it\'s reactivated the plaster and will smooth out. If I seal it good enough, it should do better.

Okay, now to the pictures:

And now a closeup of the \"mud\". I\'ll probably pick the mud off of the tires tomorrow once its dried a bit more.

 

[COG]

like a jeep should be
no mambe pambe soccer mom grocery getting gas guzzling SUV here
its a EFFEN JEEP MAN!!
HHHHUUUUURRRAAAA
lol
very good job looks very jeep (realistic) like
:beer:

 

[Yetie]

looking really good I like the front and back windows a hell of a lot!!!

 

[PegaZus]

Next to final update! I\'ve washed the mud on the bottom with the first mud color after shooting it with clear. Then coated it again with clear after that dried. The spray paint fogged up the windows, but I\'ll just say that its a foggy morning and the windows have frosted up.

I know I\'ve read somewhere on how to fix that, but I\'m not inclined to search right now. If someone knows off hand, I\'d love to hear it. In any case, this is ready to be sent off into another cache today. Don\'t know which one, but I\'ll post a good picture of it that\'ll be the contest submission.

Here\'s the final \"studio\" shots:

And now, its all ready to go back into the wild:

 

[Bill]

That looks really cool, you\'ve executed it excellently! I think the mud is a little pale and there should be less of it on the sides 9at the bottom), but that\'s just personal taste. The splatter effect is great :yes:

 

[PegaZus]

Okay, I\'ve submitted a photo for the contest and then sent it on its way. The photo can be seen in the log, and the log for the travel bug itself can be found here.

Had a lot of fun doing this. My son says I need to do another, but make it a snow job this time. He\'s got a good idea. I just need to find another blank now.

 

[PegaZus]

Well, for all you geocachers, the voting is now open on this month\'s Jeep TB pictures. So, here\'s a direct link to the voting for the above project:

Direct Link

And surprisingly, I wasn\'t the only person to have this idea. Here\'s another one, but I think mine was better (of course!).

 

[freakinacage]

i\'d say yours is better. although the final pic doesn\'t show off enough, it should be BIGGER!!

 

[PegaZus]

WTH!? *sigh* I didn\'t win and the OTHER Jeep got runner up.

Winners

Time to go cry in a beer! :beer:

 

[JesterzUSMC]

So they spritz it with water and take a picture with the flag in the background and WIN?!

That is a cheap and underhanded play....


Or stick it in a mud puddle?!


What a load....