Well, guise . . . it is done!

 

Some things I wish I could go back and change but mostly, I love it!




After base coating with a dark red primer, I attacked it with various shades of red acrylics mixed together to make different shades and highlights.  I used cosmetic sponges for this instead of brushes.  I felt they gave a better coverage as well as allowing me to more easily give it that Borderlands feel.  I painted the areas that would be enhanced with the el wire (or where light would go in the game) with a bright green.

I then tackled painting Moxxie onto the magazine.  This was very difficult for me.  I can paint things with dimension, but I can't really paint things onto a flat surface.  Brought my reference up in Gimp and modified the programs grid to be a 1/2 a inch squared for each box.  I then did my best to do the same on the gun using masking tape.  This is a technique learned in middle school art classes to help turn something from one size to another in an easier fashion.  After drawing her on there using a pencil I started painting.  I did the best I could, but she turned out a bit wonky and disproportionate.  However, good enough . . . I don't think I could have done much better.

Once the paint was dry, I fed the el wire through the guide holes and glued it into place along the paths I wanted.  I then cut the excess off and hid the ends as best I could.  I did that really well on the side without the display.  I covered the wires on the side opposite the display with some hot glue to add it some dimension and diffuse the light a bit.  I also pooled a good amount between the wires in the side where the light gets wide.  I like how this looks. The only downside is the part with the pooled hot glue looks a little weird when the wire is turned off, or up close in bright light.

I then sealed the whole gun with some clear coat.  Not much to really say about that part.  So lets move on to final assembly ;)

Once it was time to assemble to loose bits, I found the paint and clear coat added enough size that it threw the fitting off on some things.  Namely, the cover on the display, the battery pack for the el wire, and the top piece on the stock that helps hold the battery pack in place.  I used a combination of a heat knife, heat gun, and box cutter to shave things down where it was needed.  This actually worked to my advantage where the battery pack is concerned.  The fit was tight to begin with and removing it sometimes resulted in the pack parts separating.  It also stuck out from the stock a bit.  After modifying the depth and shape of the recess for the pack, it not only comes out better while still staying in place, it now lies flush with the stock.  This, in turn, allows the top piece to slide over it easier.  The display cover just fits better . . . not much to say about that.  :)

Now with everything together, you see what the result is in the picture.  I am really proud of this.  I didn't think it would come together as well as it has and really makes me positive about the drones.  As I said, there are some things I might add before it is truly good to go.  I may use some moldable plastic to add on to the sight to hide the wires a bit more.  I would also like to find a way to hide the slot where the usb cable runs into the battery pack.  That last bit might prove difficult as I still need to figure out a way to also remove the cable as needed.

Whether I add the bits I mention above or not, I love it and I'm really proud of what I have done.  :)