One of our past Baylug meeting contests was for alternate builds of official sets. I choose the Cloud Car set for several reasons: it's relatively small which would make the build time shorter, it has a very nice selection of parts for a small set making alternate builds more fun, and I've bought quite a few of them in the past (because the parts selection was great for my inventory) so I could make multiple alternates at the same time.
The picture quality is not-so-great as these were taken before I had my latest digital camera AND a backdrop that wasn't so dark! I don't even want to mention how long this particular HTML page languished on my hard drive!
My first alternate was an attempt to design a completely different looking ship from the official set as a strong visual contrast. I started with the two engines and built the main body out of the rest. I think it still looks very Cloud Car-ish.
This rear shot just shows how I couldn't use all the thin-walls for landing gear, and stuck some remaining parts on the backside as a very sad excuse for greebling.
My next alternate was an attempt to make one big vehicle. The large number of thin-walls would again prove challenging, and this time I just made a big tube. However, I thought that this design was a stronger contrast to the original set, and I was stoked that the cockpit actually had a hinge on it so that it could be opened.
I wish I could spend more time doing exercises like this. Working with a limited piece range really forces you to think about the pieces you have in ways that are often quite different from your usual associations. It's quite creatively stimulating!
