"Getting good [camera] angles with even slightly shiny finish and flat planes is tricky, it turns out. The brushstrokes were more obvious than I'd like (not nearly as much of a problem when doing minis), but from arm's length or further it looks pretty good."

Indeed, the photographic flash is a harsh mistress. Lesson learned: go for the matte finish next time. Still! That's pretty badass. :)

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

All the little panel lines and whatnot aren't really feasible at that scale, particularly since they weren't present in the 3D model and so would have to be either carved into the model or done trompe l'oeil-style.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

Dave did add a number of surface details that way, and a couple more by actually carving the surface a/o adding some styrene, but the level of panel detail present on, for example, the blueprints proved too fiddly to be feasible at the scale of the Shapeways model (which, at about 5½ inches long, is roughly 1/630), at least with the tools available. (The black lines you see in the photos, e.g. the borders on the yellow stripes and the vents on top, were drawn with a pen.)

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.