Jabba The Hutt Diorama (The Viewing Frame WIP)

Sorry for the overly long delay, here is a small size preview of the final version of the backdrop that should fill in the archway

Don't apologize, Alex. What you have done here is a work of art. I can't thank you enough, my friend. Now I need to gather the funds to have this printed up. I couldn't be happier. it truly is a thing of beauty that may very well outshine all the work I've done on this dio.

Thank you. I'm going to go cry now (Manly tears, dammit. Manly tears of joy!!).

By the way, if I still could, I'd be doing this right now:

HAHAHAHA epic, you'll have to teach me to insert those funny gifs!

Since we all have a birthday sooner or later if you have a paypal account I'd gladly fund a part of that printing as a belated birthday present, I have quite no idea how much it could cost tho!

Awwww, WOOOOOOW, that truly *IS* stunning work. I am SO happy for you, Stryker....I know how much effort you've put into this diorama, and the backdrop is absolutely PERFECT for it!!!

Well done, blackpool! 

blackpool wrote:HAHAHAHA epic, you'll have to teach me to insert those funny gifs!

Since we all have a birthday sooner or later if you have a paypal account I'd gladly fund a part of that printing as a belated birthday present, I have quite no idea how much it could cost tho!

What you have done is present enough, Brother. I should be paying you for all the time and work you put into this.

Posting gifs is actually pretty easy. Instead of clicking on Host an Image click on the icon to the right of it and enter the social media link of whatever gif you want to post. The Guv actually pointed that out to me.

skywalkersaga wrote:Awwww, WOOOOOOW, that truly *IS* stunning work. I am SO happy for you, Stryker....I know how much effort you've put into this diorama, and the backdrop is absolutely PERFECT for it!!!

Well done, blackpool! 

Yep. It is. Thanks to blackpool this is going to be amazing.

Outstanding beautiful and intricate work, blackpool! And not just for Mark, but for all of us who enjoy looking at it, and who will enjoy looking at it installed in his awesome diorama. So glad to see it completed in all of its spacegangster glory.

Mark, I don't know what you have been looking at (and if I'm overlooking some aspect), but compared to what you have been shelling out for this hobby, printing this should not be very expensive. I haven't done it since the move, but when I printed out my backdrops at Staples back in the Midwest, they usually ranged between $15 and $25 in cost. Make sure you're printing them on matte poly paper (which can go up to at least 36 inches -- I think -- in one dimension and whatever you need in the other), because you don't want glare, and because thinner paper will crease from the color ink. Or do you need more than 36 inches (I think that's what the limit was, but you can double check) in height?

The size is bigger than Staples is capable of. I found a company that prints over-sized images (this one is 46.8" x 22.5") -- the cost isn't cheap, but less than some of the places I found (a little over $100 according to their pricing calculator) -- but we'll see. I uploaded the file to them, they will evaluate based on my requirements, and then give me a final price. Other places I found wanted $300 + for an image that big.

Stryker2011 wrote:The size is bigger than Staples is capable of. I found a company that prints over-sized images (this one is 46.8" x 22.5") -- the cost isn't cheap, but less than some of the places I found (a little over $100 according to their pricing calculator) -- but we'll see. I uploaded the file to them, they will evaluate based on my requirements, and then give me a final price. Other places I found wanted $300 + for an image that big.

Wow. Maybe you have thought of this already, but does "cropping" this to just the clearance that will be visible (the opening within the arch) help reduce the height? Or is there a way of dividing this into two images that could be placed more or less seamlessly together on the back panel? Another idea: if you are within easy reach of a good university library and if they have a map room, they might be able to print out large sizes for little or no cost (though I am not sure if they could assure as good a paper quality as Staples).

I thought of many different options, but when I saw what bp was doing with it, I decided I didn’t want to short-change it by cutting it in half and having a possibly obvious seam. I just feel it deserves the best treatment I can give it for the most affordable price.

Let me make a couple tests at the office, we have a layout printer that could go up to that size but the quality might not be crazy on an image like that... I’ll still try and tell you cause sending you the rolled print could be more affordable (even if their is a special tax in US for cardboard rolls)

Please don’t go any more out of your way than you already have, A. You’ve done more than enough already, and I don’t want to take further advantage of your tremendous generosity.

Is the background image going to be semi-glossy or full matte? Are you printing on a heavy cardstock?

Matte, and on photo paper (without a company logo on the back).

I got a quote back on the print and placed my order; can’t wait to see this piece of art in front of me.

Stryker2011 wrote:I got a quote back on the print and placed my order; can’t wait to see this piece of art in front of me.

And you're not the only one! Very excited with anticipation...

Damn man, so great seeing this with figures in it. Its so huge it makes 1/6 figures look small! The lighting is incredible, and just adds so much atmosphere. Still so completely in awe of this.

ReverendSpooky wrote:Damn man, so great seeing this with figures in it.  Its so huge it makes 1/6 figures look small!  The lighting is incredible, and just adds so much atmosphere.  Still so completely in awe of this.  

Thank you, my friend. Glad to see your still checking in when you have time. The backdrop blackpool made has been printed and already shipped; can’t wait to see it.

geeeeez now the excitement is real, so close to be achieved!!! Drum roll please!

blackpool wrote:geeeeez now the excitement is real, so close to be achieved!!! Drum roll please!

Yes, indeed. It should be here tomorrow according to tracking.

The print arrived today. It turned out amazing. I have all the materials (LED strip lights, acrylic panel, diffusor, metalic tape, etc.) to start assembling the backdrop light box. Now I need to find the time (guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend).




In case anyone is interested in oversized printing services, this is the place I used here in the states (owned by David W. Kelley):

https://largephotoprinting.com/

Wow, it looks gorgeous! So excited to see it all come together!

skywalkersaga wrote:Wow, it looks gorgeous! So excited to see it all come together!

Thanks, S. I am too, but I need to temper my excitement to see a final product as I want to do justice to the amazing piece of art blackpool created for me. It could take awhile to come up with a satisfactory way to present this backdrop.

Completely understandable to take your time with it, especially after all you have invested in it so far. Still, looking forward to seeing it, eventually. : )

That is a gorgeous backdrop. After all the work that has gone into this project I can understand the desire to not shortchange the backdrop. Why did you go with photo paper and not vinyl?

Blackpool did a great job on this one, and looks like you got a very fine print of it. It should work gloriously in your diorama.

From here the print seems to be glorious! I had a lot of fun doing the backdrop, thanks a lot for the veeeeery kind words, it's still a minor part of that extraordinary diorama that you built, the least I could do was try to stick to that level of finishing and detail!

now fingers crossed that the color tones match nicely all together!

shazzdan wrote:That is a gorgeous backdrop. After all the work that has gone into this project I can understand the desire to not shortchange the backdrop. Why did you go with photo paper and not vinyl?

I honestly don’t know what kind of paper it is. I’ve worked with photo paper in art school, but nothing like this. I gave him my specs and how it was going to be used and he knew exactly what type of stuff I was looking for — and apparently it isn’t something he normally carries, but he had a leftover section from a previous project— so he gave me a discount. It feels like thin art paper on the image side, but the back is a thin vinyl.

GubernatorFan wrote:Blackpool did a great job on this one, and looks like you got a very fine print of it. It should work gloriously in your diorama.

Agreed.

blackpool wrote:From here the print seems to be glorious! I had a lot of fun doing the backdrop, thanks a lot for the veeeeery kind words, it's still a minor part of that extraordinary diorama that you built, the least I could do was try to stick to that level of finishing and detail!

now fingers crossed that the color tones match nicely all together!

You did an amazing job, and I think it will look great once I light it up.

blackpool wrote:From here the print seems to be glorious! I had a lot of fun doing the backdrop, thanks a lot for the veeeeery kind words, it's still a minor part of that extraordinary diorama that you built, the least I could do was try to stick to that level of finishing and detail!

now fingers crossed that the color tones match nicely all together!

He should be able to mess around with the colour tones through judicious application of his coloured LEDs.

Looking forward to seeing the finished result. It's been a long road but the end is in sight now.