Just a quick update on my BT-7.
I applied the winter wash and did the chipping effects with hairspray. I am not 100% satisfied with the look of it, but some color modulation with oil paints and some weathering will probably do the trick.
More to come real soon.
Enjoy!
A very recent build of mine for the beginning of the year: A 1935 BT-7 Soviet Light Tank from Zvezda.
The tank was easy to put together. I just had a hard time with the engine grill. They are made out of the nylon (I presume) mesh provided with the kit. This mesh is very springy and quite tough, so it was hard to cut it to the right dimensions and bend it to shape. The end result is ok, but I gave up trying to make it perfect…
Another problem with this kit was the tracks. I had to remove half a link to adjust it to the wheels, so I had to cheat a bit to hide the fact that the succession of guiding teeth is not even. It’s a minor detail and probably hardly noticeable but… A bit frustrating anyway.
I added a few details like some missing rivets, clear glass lenses for the headlights (not visible on the photos yet), raised details on the eternal fuel tanks, etc.
For the painting and weathering, I decided to go for a winter camouflage (Defense of Leningrad, 51 Battalion winter 1942/43). I found very little references for this type of winter camo on soviet tanks, but from the sources I had, it looks like it was a field applied white wash. I could be wrong, but I think it will look cool.
For now, the little devil is painted with Tamiya XF-67 Nato green, with subtle highlights of a 50/50 mix of Nato green and XF-4 Yellow Green. A filter of oil paint (Windsor & Newton Oxide of Chromium) was also applied on the whole model to make the green a little bluish.
Decals were applied, as well as one coat of varnish (Future floor finish). It is ready for white wash and weathering!
Wow! It’s been a while since I posted anything!
My 2020 resolution: post a little more than in 2019…
Beginning with this completed diorama for my Panzer 35(t). I tried new techniques for the weathering, using very diluted enamel paints (Humbrol) to create dust accumulation effects.
For the diorama, I also tried using a static grass applicator (battery powered). The result is ok, but I think I will need more pratice to achieve better looking results.
I wanted to suggest a scene in france at the start of the war, hence the road sign for Lisieux (printed on an ink jet printer).
The fence is an accessory from an old Tamiya kit. I used the hairspray chipping technique on this to get a well worn look. The ground is made with 2 part epoxy putty (Apoxy sculpt).
Enjoy the pics! And keep an eye on this blog: another post is coming soon!
Here’s a new kit, mostly completed: Dragon’s Jagdpanzer IV A-0 (kit no. 9059).
It’s a really nice model, with very good details. It includes photo-etched schurzen. It also includes a metal barrel but since the end of the barrel is still a plastic part, I figured It would be easier to glue the plastic barrel instead. Once painted, it will make no difference.
This version of the Jagdpanzer was a pre-production unit, mostly used for training, but a few were used with Panzer Lehr Division in 1944. Some with zimmerit, some without.
I think I’ll go with the Panzer Lehr version and a standard 3 color camo, no zimmerit.
Enjoy!
YEAH!
It’s done! After multiple retouching and a lot of work with pigments and washes, I can finally show the final result.
Enjoy the pics!
An update on my JS-2 diorama: Here are some photos of the first stages of painting for the base.
I started by painting the individual details with plain colors (no shadows or highlights). I also worked a bit on the rust effects. The corrugated panel in the center of the diorama is more a test than anything, since it will be entirely hidden underneath the tank.
Then I used the airbrush to start simulating brick dust and give some hints of shading.
Next step will be the washes and pigments.
Coming soon!…
Just a quick post to show the results of my recent column building frenzy…
I followed this excellent tutorial from Black Magic Craft on youtube: A great Youtube channel by the way.
The main material is foam board. They were relatively quick to make and I like the fact that the bricks appear uneven: perfect for a dungeon or ancient ruin.
Good!
I started to work on the diorama for my JS-2 tank. I wanted to keep it small and simple, but as always I got carried away a bit, adding lots of details in the rubbles. The scene is supposed to take place right after the fall of Berlin.
I had a white plastic wedding cake column in my parts bin (leftover from some wargaming terrain I did a while ago). I decided to use this in the diorama as a way to suggest the destruction of fine german classical architecture. A library? A bank? Who knows…
Still, something was missing to really coin it. This small diorama had to evoque the fall or Berlin (and I didn’t want to use another nazi flag, as I did in this other diorama). So I sculpted a nazi eagle emblem, the kind of wich was afixed to many building facades in large german cities during the 3rd Reich. I used Apoxy sculpt and fine tools (including a needle) to sculpt, and did it while listening to an audio book of H.P. Lovecraft novels.
I know. No link. But somehow the combination of sculpting and listening to cosmic horror stories is really relaxing for the brain 🙂
Anyway, enjoy the pics for now: I’ll be painting all this and posting the results in early 2019.
Happy New Year to all of you!
Just a quick update on my Panzerkampfwagen II from Tamiya: I finally painted the commander figure.
Enjoy!
Wow! I’ve been really busy at work lately, so I had no time to complete my projects and post updates…
Still, I managed to find some time to work on this bad boy: a 1/35 JS-2 by Tamiya (kit number: 35289).
There’s not much to say: the kit went together beautifully. I made minimal modifications: bending fenders a bit, and replacing the handles of the fuel tanks with thinner metal strips.
As for painting, nothing special there too: same colors and techniques as my ISU-152
I am not done yet: some streaks and pigments need to be added to the upper part, and a few touch ups are still required.
I am currently painting the miniatures, so stay tuned!
Meanwhile, enjoy the pictures…
