Crackle finish on "ceramic" bits

[the_temporal_mechanic]

I've noticed that the crackle changes from a large eggshell crackle to a different type at some point.  When and why did this change?  Any explanations as to the story behind this?  Are there screen caps from the last episode of the eggshell crackle and the first episode of its replacement?

[galacticprobe]

I just noticed that there was never a reply to this one. (Are you still with us, Jarenelo?)

That crackle finish: are you referring to the rim around the console, or the body of the sonic screwdriver? That may help someone narrow down the answer you're looking for.

If it's the console rim, at a guess I would say this could have changed when production moved from its original studio to Upper Boat. Console panels and controls on some panels got relocated as a result of the set having to be dismantled and reassembled. Maybe during that process the finish on the console's rim was scratched, chipped, scuffed, etc., to the point where it needed redoing and that's when the crackle changed. (Not sure between which episodes the move took place, though.)

The sonic screwdriver changed a little when Series 2 started, giving it a narrow slider slot and a "slider" which the button was mounted on. Its crackle could have changed at this point. A sonic with a new design for the slider and button was introduced at the start of Series 3: another point where this crackle could have changed.

Someone will hopefully correct me if I'm wrong, but these are just my guesses.

Dino.

[the_temporal_mechanic]

I was referring to the ceramic insulator ring around the console, the bottom and top of the time rotor.  When the series started it was a great large cracked eggshell kind of finish, and later it was sort of a ripped distressed cracked finish.  Thanks for answering, Dino.  And yes, I'm still around, lurking in the corners building things from peoples unwanted junk...

[galacticprobe]

And yes, I'm still around, lurking in the corners building things from peoples unwanted junk...

Gone down that plug hole of the universe, have you?

It's very possible, then, that the crackle changed when they had to do the repair work after the mini episode between "Parting of the Ways" and "Christmas Invasion". (I'm still guessing here) but when some of the panels had to be recast because the original ones had melted and warped during the extra hot lighting of the mini episode, removing the old panels and installing the new ones may have caused serious chipping of the console's rim's finish. So, a "re-crackling" had to be applied. And if it looked much different than what was on the collars around the column, they probably re-did that crackle finish so everything matched.

Am I at all close on this one? Or way off the mark? Anyone have any inside info (maybe a word from Purple, who is still sorely missed)?

Dino.

[superrichi1a]

The crackle I believe changed from the Aleene's crackle paint brand to the readily available Plastikote Heritage Gold crackle in the console move between series 1 and 2. (In fact, I just picked up another can of the Plastikote in Hobbycraft today - I believe it is known as Valspar in the US of A, but only available in Colony Cream and not Heritage Gold).

Whilst I can state for definate the second incarnation was the Plastikote, as I have used this paint many times and recognised it immediatly when I was at the Experience, I cannot say the Aleene's was the paint definatly used.
What we know is that the Aleene's was definatly used on some of the Sonic Screwdriver props, and looks VERY, VERY similar to that which was used in the first incarnation of this ring, so, what I am trying to say is, I can't say for definate Aleene's was used, but I'm 99% sure.

Extra nugget of info, credit goes to CT for this: The Aleene's paint is no longer readily available, but an identical paint has surfacted known as "Perfetto". This new paint is reportedly actually just the Aleene's paint packaged under a different name, supported by the fact that the paint looks, handles and finshes identically. Like  I said earlier though, over here in the UK you can find Plastikote everywhere, I use it mainly for customising CO sonics, and would estimate that no more than one can was needed to cover the console ring.

[museumdave]

So After re-re-watching a few episodes here is what I have.  The console crackle finish changed between series 3 and 4.  
The crackle finish is the original large style crackle through out the time Martha Jones was on board.  
Please not the crackle next to a Masterful John Simm near the end of series 3-



And here we has the Doctor welcoming (?) Donna Noble back on board the Tardis and we have the 'new' crackle finish (sorry it is not a better image).

To be clear- I am not trying to be a jerk and prove anybody mistaken or the like.  I am still trying to figure out the best finish for my build and really wanted to know how long the 'original crackle' was used compared to the 'new'.

Thanks
Dave

[kiwidoc]

Darn -lost my first reply, will try again...

I'm sure that I have seen a behind the scenes piece where they show a female production assistant hand-painting/touching up the cracks on the rim.   It would be series 1 or two and I presume on the boxset extras or possibly a Doctor Who Confidential.   I'm willing to re-watch them but it might take some time - does anyone else recollect this?   It could be that my memory is cheating somehow but I'm fairly certain and have meant to go find it for some time...

- Glen

[the_temporal_mechanic]

It almost seems like the ceramic rim of the console was at a different angle in the cage of the Paradox machine during the Sound of Drums. It's almost like the console was dismantled. Did this have something to do with the repainting? Was it dismantled for that episode and reassembled?  Can this also account for the changes in the divots around the rim? If it was put back together after being taken apart, it would stand to reason that the divots would not be in the same position if the whole thing was rotated. That may also account for a complete new paint job.

[galacticprobe]

If you look at museumdave's images above, you'll notice that those dimples in the rim in the Master photo are not uniform in their size, depth, or placement on the rim, which goes along with the original crackle finish. In the second photo with Donna returning to the TARDIS (Series 4), while you can't really see much of the crackle (presumably the now harsher-looking crackle), what you can see clearly is the uniformity in the dimples' size, depth, and placement on the rim.

So it's not so much that the sections of the rim were rotated, but rather reworked/rebuilt, and probably done when the set moved to the new studio. So it may be safe to say that the original crackle finish lasted from Series 1 through to the end of Series 3, whereas the new crackle lasted only for Series 4 and the following Specials, indicating the original crackle was in place longer.

Dino.

[markanthonyquested]

More details can be found here...

http://www.plasti-kote.co.uk/Product/pcode---4085/pccode---3620

It should be noted that Plasti-kote's Crackle Touch is a two-part paint system; a base coat and a top coat.  The top coat is applied when the base coat is still tacky.  The two paints then react and form the crackle effect.

[anakin starkiller]

Extra nugget of info, credit goes to CT for this: The Aleene's paint is no longer readily available, but an identical paint has surfacted known as "Perfetto". This new paint is reportedly actually just the Aleene's paint packaged under a different name, supported by the fact that the paint looks, handles and finshes identically. Like  I said earlier though, over here in the UK you can find Plastikote everywhere, I use it mainly for customising CO sonics, and would estimate that no more than one can was needed to cover the console ring.

This is not true.  I've used both Aleene's crackle and Perfetto.  They are very different paints.  Although you can obtain a similar crackle finish with both paints if you play around with each long enough, the consistency and application process is night and day between the two products. 

[kiwidoc]

I've just watched two season of Confidential Cut Down (at 4x normal speed) and haven't seen the clip I'm thinking of.   I'm sure I didn't imagine it but hmm.....

Darn -lost my first reply, will try again...

I'm sure that I have seen a behind the scenes piece where they show a female production assistant hand-painting/touching up the cracks on the rim.  

[kiwidoc]

From Freema's Studio Tour at end of series 3 (on box set of DVDs), while they're preparing to film the Titanic Episode.



And in Series 1 Box swet - Ed Thomas in "Designing Doctor Who"


both featuring the wide crackle effect.

[museumdave]

Kiwidoc thanks for the screen caps- that is the studio tour I was talking about in my build thread.  It seems we are in agreement about the style change over time line from large crackle to small.

Cool!


Plus good pics- thanks for that

thanks

Dave