View allAll Photos Tagged Metallic
This is a Sphecid wasp, possibly of the genus Chlorion. This one is about 2.5 cm long. Photo from my back yard in Austin.
Update: This is probably Chalybion californicum, a blue dauber, rather than a Chlorion species.
Simply chic! Our metallic mini dress is classy and sassy. Featuring a halter style silhouette with open half back, curve hugging bodice and straight hem. Available in black, bronze or electric pink, sizes S,M,L,XL.
Here's a close-up of my purple dress with bright green accessories. The dress has a beautiful metallic shine that is matched by the green bow belt around my waist and by my green purse. I'm all girlie and I'm all shiny and since I have a passion for both I'm also super happy with a big smile on my face.
Not as sharp as I would like it to be but this is one of the few photos I managed to get of this bee. I thought it was a large blow fly when I first heard it but then realised what it was when I saw it. I have seen them in a text book but notin the wild. They are fairly large bee, metallic green colour and pretty quick
a day and 60 replies later, finally figured out something metallic and interesting enough:D
for Our Daily Challenge: Metallic
Every now and then I feel a dire urge to tackle one of the Dorvack PA kits from the pile, and towards 2019's end it's time to succumb to the drive once more. This one is a non-canonical, fictional creation, based on a PAM-74, from a re-released (2008) Aoshima twin combo kit. The first one from this set had already been built as a PA-72 a while ago, and since this personal variant without the missile pods and some other cosmetic changes looked very good, I built another one.
Even though the Dorvack PAs are rather simple kits, they need some skill because the parts do not fit THAT well. However, you have to keep in mind that the molds were created in the early 80ies, as a quick merchandising shot for a new "Real Robot" TV series that were all the rage in Japan at that time, even though the series eventually flopped. The designs are also older than Yokoyama Kow's Ma.K./ZbV3000/Maschinenkrieger stuff, which they actually inspired!
This time, however, I wanted to create a rather "normal" version of "my" PA-72, a classic infantry piece as a kind of successor to the bulky PA-36HD, which, in the TV series, seems to be equipment for higher Earth Defence army ranks.
The kit and its assembly:
The idea of the PA-72 series and behind this conversion was a predecessor for the PAM-74 series, of which two authentic models are available. The PAM-74 appears to be an artillery support variant, primarily armed with mini missiles – lots of them! It carries three mini missile launcher arrays on its shoulders that hold a total of 75 rounds, plus more in an optional hand-held twin launcher (resulting in 105 rounds!). The other kit, the PAM-74AM, seems to be an anti-aircraft system, which carries six additional missiles on its back, cramped in between the standard mini missile launchers and additionally armed with a light laser weapon that replaces the right hand.
While the first PA-72 was an anti-aircraft variant, with two missile containers on the shoulders and a radar dish on the back, this one was to become a standard foot soldier variant, operated by a commander or a platoon leader. These frequently carry a kind of radome on their PAs' back, and integrated weapons are also common.
Work on the PAM-74 basis started as usual with the assembly of the major components. Arms and legs were built OOB. The modification of the torso was more thorough. As an initial move I erased the triangular "cheeks" on both sides of the visor, sanding them away. This time I kept the original vertical visor slit, but filled it with a thin piece of styrene sheet to fill the seam that runs through this area and normally is hard to sand even.
Then the original missile launcher boxes had to disappear from the PA's shoulders - they were genrously cut away and the opening covered with styrene sheet. Then a new back section was sculpted from styrene profiles and finally covered under 2C putty. In order to make the PA's shape more interesting I added a leftover fairing from a PA-36 onto the left shoulder, and for the radome I added a matching adapter from a PA-58 kit between the shoulders. Intergarting all these new parts required some serious PSR, but the result is very good, the PA-72 looks very natural and believable.
As personal weapon I gave the PA-72 a standard R2 Hand laser, taken from a PA-36 kit. Adapting it to the slightly smaller PAM-74 arm was difficult, though, and I had to switch the small display from the original left hand to a right hand position. Into the laser nozzle I added a clear lens, and cables connect the new heavy hand weapon with the PA's hull - and authentic detail that is omitted on the Aoshima kits.
Painting and markings:
The paint scheme is pretty simple and was actually inspired by an 1:35 scale resin model of a PAM-74 that I saw many years ago in a Japanese modelling magazine: overall dark blue with a light blue "head" section. I cannot tell whether it's an authentic livery - I haven't seen such a variant in official OAV material that I have seen. But the livery looks plausible enough to adapt it.
The basic overall tone became Revell 350 (Lufthansa Blau, RAL 5013), while the helmet was painted with Humbrol 47. As a unique detail carried over from the resin model in the magazine, I painted the ball joints on the arms and legs in glossy black instead of a silver tone. This creates a more coherent overall look of the armored suit.
As per usual, the kit received a black ink wash for weathering and some dry-brushing for light effects and panel shading. I wanted a noticeably worn look that would add some seriousness to the colorful PA - after all, it is a piece of military equipment, fighting an alien invasion!
In order to add some more contrast to the model and to avoid a too uniform look I added a white "chest box" and white trim to the upper arms, lower legs and the lower back, created with decal stripes. The visor slit was first painted black and finally filled with a piece of blue metallic PET foil. The radome was painted seperately in Humbrol 56 (Aluminum Dope), the "lamp" on top of it was laid out with silver and finally painted over with translucent red paint.
Almost all stencils and markings come from the PAM-74's OOB sheet, but I wanted a white tactical code on this one. The latter had to be improvised: the "17" was created from single white decal strips of varying width. Fiddly, but the result looks very good.
Once the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (the black joints were treated with a semi-glossy varnish) I gave the model a thorough coat with mineralic artist pigments, simulating dust in general and mud crusts around the feet in specific. I even added some grass fibres to the feet, at the large 1:24 scale this does not look out of place.
Basically a quick build, but while the kit itself went together with relatively little problems, the whole thing called for constant attention and corrections. The surgery on the back was easier than expected - the former build of the other PA-72 certainly helped.
The paint job was also not free from trouble, since the Revell enamel paint would not adhere so well to the plastic like other enamels I frequently use. And the glossy Humbrol enamel for the helmet section took ages to dry... Patience helped in both cases. The result looks very convincing and purposeful, though.
Another family member. :D
25" circle using 10 degree ruler from phillips fiber art. Fabrics are quilters linen, burlap and tussah from Robert Kaufman.
The light in this image makes Big Blue seem almost unreal or as though it is a metallic replica of one of my favorite subjects as been pasted against that blue, blue sky. In addition, the lighting must have caused the bad halo effect around the heron, particularly along the bottom edges. I used no sharpening so I know it's not from over sharpening.
The image below is my first attempt at adding texture. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks. You can click on the image below to see it in larger size.
Member of the Flickr Bird Brigade
Activists for birds and wildlife
Member of the Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature
This new image of the Mawrth Vallis region on Mars reveals a world rich in iron, magnesium and aluminium.
Cameras orbiting Mars can capture more colours than our eyes can see. The European Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) reveals a striking diversity of colour.
This CaSSIS image exposes yellow layers containing iron and magnesium-rich clays, overlain by white and blue layers rich in aluminium. Some heavily eroded layers appear dark.
The metallic colours of this vibrant landscape tell a story of mineralogical diversity that started around 3.6 billion years ago. The area is located south of the dichotomy boundary – a ridge that encircles Mars, marking where the southern highlands meet the northern lowlands. Mawrth Vallis continues to intrigue scientists with its geological complexity. Liquid water did once run through this area, which was shortlisted as one of the most promising landing sites for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover Another region, Oxia Planum, was chosen as the spot where Rosalind Franklin will hunt for signs of life.
In the meantime, TGO keeps gathering information from orbit around Mars to understand its ancient past and potential habitability. TGO’s full science mission began in 2018. The spacecraft is not only returning spectacular images, but also providing the best inventory of the planet’s atmospheric gases and mapping the planet’s surface for water-rich locations. Understanding the history of water on Mars and if this once allowed life to flourish is at the heart of ESA’s ExoMars missions.
CREDIT: ESA/TGO/CaSSIS
The iridescence today was very brilliant, so much so that the clouds had a distinctly metallic appearance. These pictures are still a bit subdued compared to what my eye perceived. This phenomenon is caused by sunlight diffracted by very similarly sized water droplets in the clouds. The color at a particular spot depends both on the droplet size and the angular distance from the sun. Pure colors require a very high degree of similarity in the size of the water droplets in the cloud.
Nike Air Max 95 LV8, Men’s Size 10.5, Black, Ember Glow, Dark Grey, AO2450-001, UPC 00886548437566, 2017, Men's low top running shoes, Lace up closure, Padded tongue with NIKE Air Max logo graphic detail, Cushioned inner sole for comfort, Traction rubber air bubble outsole, visible Air Unit in the and forefoot heel, unique lacing system, nylon eye stays, breathable lightweight mesh, classic Air Max 95, Iridescent Panels, Ember Glow accents on the insoles, Black rubber outsole, micro-speckle on the glossy, visible Air Unit in the and forefoot heel, Retro, human anatomy, mesh simulating the skin, side panels resembling the muscles, lace loops depicting the ribs, midsole representing the spine
Large stocks of stainless steel/mild steel hose in sizes DN06 - DN200 are held in large volumes, with a full selection of fittings available. These fittings include threaded, flanged, cam and groove.
Stainless steel metallic hose assemblies are a popular solution when higher pressures are involved. The stainless steel convoluted liner is robust enough to cope with -200 Degree C to +600 degree C temperatures, making it ideal for appliactions where pump connectors, gas & fan coil hoses are required.
Outfits under £50 at www.retrochick.co.uk/retroblog
Silver Oasis Prom Dress
Bronze Mules
Vintage Sequin Clutch
Metallic watercoloring, a page from Altenew watercolor coloring book.
Linking up to Love Challenge #81 .
TFL.
These legs look like they are made for jumping - but they actually cannot jump at all. It is thought that the legs are used for fighting.
Most people are familiar with our butterflies, but we also have some *amazing* live insects in our collection. Some are on display in the Hall of Entomology, and some go out to schools through our Bugs on Wheels program. Our entomologist, Erin M, raises these amazing arthropods, and she let us invade their abode with a couple of cameras recently. We came away with these photos, and hopefully a pretty cool video series (coming soon!)
Details: www.spera.de/products/012701
Free to use, just give credit and mention SPERA and link to www.spera.de