Posted by Loren Perry on August 29, 2000 at 13:48:41:
In Reply to: Re: photo-etch posted by Jeanne on August 29, 2000 at 09:01:37:
Yes, the PE people look like they've been worked over by a steamroller (sort of like Judge Doom after his "accident" in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" PE figures are presently the only game in town that are affordable. And GMM is presently the only maker of Titanic-era figures, period. The GMM figures scale out to about 4.5 inches in thickness.
Here's how to round them out: before removing them from the brass frame or painting them, apply a thick coat of cheap enamel paint (not lacquer or acrylic - they dry too flat) or white glue to their backs (but not the fronts.) This will preserve the 3-D relief-etched detail on the fronts. For the female figures, use a toothpick to apply a coating of 5-minute epoxy to both fronts and backs of their dresses (from the waist down.) This will add some billowing depth to those early 20th century fashions.
You can probably get by without adding glue or heavy paint to the arms, but the bodies and heads do look a little better if you add some depth to the backs. Once this has been done, paint them and remove them from the brass frame.
HINT: When you position the figures on the model, have their flat sides (front or back) face more-or-less outboard (toward the viewer) to minimize the 2-D effect we're trying to eliminate.