The Pandorica

[robajob]

Section 4: Improvements + Lighting Part 2.

DOCTOR: Plastic Romans. Duplicates, driven by the Nestene Consciousness, eh? Deep cover, but what for? What are you doing? What's in there, eh? What's coming out?
(River hooks the Tardis engines to the main door handles.)
MARCELLUS: The Pandorica is ready.
DOCTOR: What, do you mean it's open?
WHITE DALEK: You have been scanned, assessed, understood, Doctor.

Everything has been scanned, assessed, understood, now for the final push to construct, paint and finally assembly all of the improvements and lighting to try and get this Pandorica ready.


A quick test shot of the 2 layers of green plastic discs to see the light output.


The main lighting to the Pandorica has already been undertaken, time to address the next stage of lighting.
The picture above is the start of the next level, lighting the chair!
Constructed from sheet styrene and hand drilled, this is piece 1 of 7 areas that light the chair! This piece is for the chair edge facing forwards.


Pieces 1 thru 4 were constructed as above by hand with the fibre optic attached using an epoxy adhesive for extra strength.
These 4 pieces light the forward facing edges and upward facing edges and contain 100 fibre optic strands of 1mm diameter.
They of course required channelling through the 12.5mm MDF arms of the chair to facilitate access to the rear where the source of lighting will be positioned.


A recap picture of the painted frosted plastic disc and corresponding weeded Black Vinyl Pandorica face.


The black vinyl Pandorica faces were applied to the smooth side of the textured frosted plastic discs and received 3 coats of satin varnish to seal them.
And finally, to put you out of your misery, the answer as to why 8 of them.
1.) Increased rigidity with 2 layers of plastic discs
2.) 2 layers painted internal faces to give depth of colour/texture variation when lit, when unlit they should appear a lighter grey/green, the colour
    of the non painted smooth surface of the disc
3.) Pandorica faces to be to both inside and outside of the Pandorica, these will be offset.
    This is the important bit, as it will add an illusion of layered depth on the Pandorica faces when back lit from all the lighting internally.
Now you can see, there was actually a method to the madness of the man with a box!


Fibre optic strands of 0.5mm diameter were also installed, 6 to the shoulder restraints, 6 to the waste restraints and 3 to the front seat area.
The individual components were airbrushed gunmetal as a base coat for painting.
Also evident in this picture is the required channelling for the fibre optic strands to pass through the arms of the chair.


The new edge pieces were also airbrushed black and then the fibre optic strands were polished in readiness for lighting.


The seat cushions were hand painted black as were the chair edges.
The remainder of the fibre optic strands were cut back and polished in readiness forlighting.


Once again the gunmetal base coat was highlighted using aluminium and once dry the chair arm lighting was installed into the pre-fabricated channelling and held in place using new wooden rods.


Pictures above show the chair with the highlights undertaken and the fibre optics in place, the amount of strands to the rear of the chair, 115 in all.


The 115 fibre optic strands of various size were all contained locally within corrugated plastic tubing to a central point to the rear of the chair in readiness for lighting.


Elevations of the chair with the corrugated tubing kept tight in order to be unobtrusive from the front view.


The LED string lights were again heavily modified to allow for installation of 3 LED's to light the 115 strands of 1.0mm and 0.5mm fibre optic.
The 3 sources allowed for a 40-35-40 split of the fibre optic stands.
All of this new lighting for the chair would remain contained within the Pandorica box itself, all hidden out of sight, behind the chair.


A dry fit test shot of all the new lighting.
A total of 15 lights in all, 7 for the top section, 1 for the back central, 3 for the chair fibre optics and 4 for the base.


The string of LED's were run through the base of the Pandorica to 2 metal plates to provide power contacts.
These correspond with metal plates to the plinth from the concealed battery pack.
This was undertaken in this manner so as to increase the playability.
Pandorica off the base flying through space unlit, Pandorica landed on the plinth, lights up.


All with the simple flick of a switch on the concealed battery pack.


The Pandorica is ready!

To see the completed Pandorica with lights and all, be sure to check out the completion shots in the final thrilling installment.

So as far as Section 4: Improvements + Lighting Part 2 goes, that's all for now folks!

[Davros Skaro]

This is "Absolutely Brilliant!" The way in which you lit this up is ingenious. Would not have thought of using fibre optics, very clever indeed. You've a fantastic job on this & look forward to more!

Yes I'm GOBSMACKED!

Chris.

[galacticprobe]

Yes I'm GOBSMACKED!

I'll second this, and everything else said above it!

Dino.

[robajob]

This is "Absolutely Brilliant!" The way in which you lit this up is ingenious. Would not have thought of using fibre optics, very clever indeed. You've a fantastic job on this & look forward to more!

Yes I'm GOBSMACKED!

Chris.

Hi Chris,
            Thank you so much for your comment, it is very much appreciated.
I did endeavor to make this version of the Pandorica more realistic and to me that included lighting it up.
It was a tricky one to achieve in a very confined space, hence the use if fibre optics, but it all adds to the playability.
Look out for the completion shots, when the Pandorica opens and hopefully shines.

Rob.

[robajob]

Yes I'm GOBSMACKED!

I'll second this, and everything else said above it!

Dino.

Hi Dino,
            Thanks for your comment, I am pleased that you like the efforts to date.
It's good to see you back on here, I hope that you are feeling better and on the mend.

Rob.

[robajob]

Section 5. Completion Shots.
DOCTOR: Scanned? Scanned by what, a box?
WHITE Dalek: Your limits and capacities have been extrapolated.
(Cybermen, Judoon and Sontarans beam down.)
STARK: The Pandorica is ready.
DOCTOR: Ready for what?
WHITE Dalek: Ready for you.

The Pandorica is ready. The limits and capacities have been extrapolated, resulting in all the lighting and improvements, here are a few completion shots.




The Pandorica Opens, a few shots of the Pandorica unlit.


A couple of close up shots of the Pandorica faces back lit from within.


The Pandorica opens to reveal exactly what awaits the Doctor.


And exactly what awaits is the chair with the 115 fibre optic strands and 15 lights.



The pictures above show the Doctor restrained in the unlit Pandorica.



The Doctor restrained within the Pandorica lit.



A close-up shot of the Doctor restrained within the Pandorica lights and all!

And so this brings the Pandorica to a close, but don't forget to look at the gallery;
http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php/index.php?topic=9384
for some more unusual detailed completion pictures and a short video of the completed project, truly a case of, Lights, Camera and Action!

So for now, "That's All Folks!"

[fivefingeredstyre]

That is excellent work. Well done!

[timewomble]

Absolutely extraordinary quality and attention to detail. Well done, Sir!

[Kingpin]

Superb stuff.

[Davros Skaro]

This is brilliant, looks so real, you've blown my mind with this build! WOW!

Chris.

[robajob]

That is excellent work. Well done!

Hi fivefingerestyre,
                           Thanks so much for your comment, I am pleased you like it.
Rob.

[robajob]

Absolutely extraordinary quality and attention to detail. Well done, Sir!

Hi timewomble,
                      Thank you for your comment, it is very much appreciated.
One tries ones best to satisfy ones little whovian. So attention to detail to try and emulate the real deal as much as is possible, was the only recourse.
As this was all about playability, making the whole thing removal from the base, improving the realism overall, as well as all the lighting was as much detail as my attention could push to, in order to achieve the quality and try to make this Pandorica extraordinary.    

Rob.

[robajob]

Superb stuff.

Hi Kingpin,
               Thanks for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. I am very pleased you think this is superb stuff!

Rob.

[robajob]

This is brilliant, looks so real, you've blown my mind with this build! WOW!

Chris.

Hi Chris,
             Thank you for your great comment, I was aiming for more realistic and increased playability, so for it to have blown your mind as well, is just a big bonus!

Rob.