Tiger I “131” in Tunisia* - 1/35 Dragon - update 23/07/18 - ##FINISHED##

[PlaStix]

On 10/06/2018 at 02:04, Badder said:

The weathering on the rear is all looking superb Stix, Some nice pin washes and dry-brushing going on there. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest done.

One question.... how are you finding 1/35th armour compared to your more usual 1/48th in respect of weathering? Personally, I've never tried the smaller scales, but I imagine you have a lot more scope for more subtle and more detailed effects on the larger scale. In other words, I think your brush skills will shine even more!

Rearguards,

Badder

Hi Badder. Thank you as always for your kind comments. I have to agree with you about 1/35 offering more scope for a wider variety of and more detailed weathering. On this project I have started to add the basic weathering to the remainder of the hull over the weekend - as you will be able to see below. I do like being able to do the variety. The only negative is that the weathering takes a lot, lot. lot longer. In 1/48 and especially 1/72 you can give a reasonable impression a lot quicker. I have found with things like, say, applying the worn areas, I have to split the work up over several sessions otherwise I start to see double! Because the kit is bigger some of the weathering is far finer to do which takes more work! Having said all that - I enjoy working in all the scales. I just like making models!

 

On 10/06/2018 at 08:35, Hewy said:

Fantastic stix, must be very satisfying being able to brush paint far better than most of us can do  with an airbrush, great example

Glynn 

Thank you very much Glynn for your too kind comments. My head doesn't seem to think that way. I'm often envious and amazed by some of the effects and finishes that modellers with airbrushes achieve. I spend most of the the time trying to think how I can replicate something similar just using brushes. Sometimes it works okay, sometimes it doesn't. I spend a lot of time looking at other people's models thinking.....I wish I could do that......

 

18 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Nice work Stix, she's coming along a treat.

Thank you very much Ozzy - I have had a nice weekend working on this project.

 

So first off I have been adding the basics of the weathering to the hull - trying to get some of the more intricate stuff done before the tools, etc are fitted in place - so I don't have to work around them. After applying some weathering over the rear deck area I fitted the rest of the Feifel filter system parts:

 

 

Closer view of the rear deck:

 

I also started some painting of the tools, etc. that still need to be added - they still need more work:

 

Well it was an enjoyable weekend working on this and I'm looking forward to getting more done, hopefully, this week.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[Ozzy]

Nice going Stix, any idea how your going to display her? Are you going to recreate the initial picture? Or are you going to build a Panzer III to accompany her?

[modelling minion]

Just catching up on your Tiger Stix and it is seriously impressive my friend.

The detailing and superb painting and weathering are as good as any of your other great builds.

Keep up the excellent work.

[sapperastro]

Brilliant work. I would love a full video showing examples of how you do each 'step'. You have real skill using only a few different products.

 

You apply the (pin) washes and decals with no gloss undercoat?

 

And where do you get Humbrol acylic that isn't full of grit?

 

Keep up the brilliant work.

 

 

[PlaStix]

On 11/06/2018 at 20:32, Ozzy said:

Nice going Stix, any idea how your going to display her? Are you going to recreate the initial picture? Or are you going to build a Panzer III to accompany her?

Hi Ozzy and thank you. The base is going to be pretty simple for this one - probably not much bigger that the area of the tank itself. I was originally planning on recreating the scene after its capture but then decided I wanted to do something that included the mysterious crew that no-one seems to know who they were. I'm thinking along the lines of them sat around contemplting how they are going to defeat the British Churchills the next day somewhere in the location of the pass on the north side of the hill called Djebel Djaffa. I have also got to make sure I include the DS cacti.

 

On 11/06/2018 at 22:07, modelling minion said:

Just catching up on your Tiger Stix and it is seriously impressive my friend.

The detailing and superb painting and weathering are as good as any of your other great builds.

Keep up the excellent work.

Thank you very much Craig! I am enjoying this build! 

 

On 12/06/2018 at 03:10, sapperastro said:

Brilliant work. I would love a full video showing examples of how you do each 'step'. You have real skill using only a few different products.

You apply the (pin) washes and decals with no gloss undercoat?

And where do you get Humbrol acylic that isn't full of grit?

Keep up the brilliant work.

Thank you very much sapperastro for your very kind comments. I have done a second video showing how I do some of the initial weathering and dry-brushing but I'm finding it hard to find the time to edit it and do a voice over. The problem with the first video was that I filmed too much and ended up not cutting enough out. So with the next one - I filmed more, shorter sections but it is taking longer to assemble it! Oh well. I hope to have it done soon.

With regards the weathering - I don't like doing the weathering I do over a gloss coat. (......and I don't use primer either!!!) I much prefer doing all the weathering over the matt painted surface. I find I can get the effects I want better on the brush painted surface rather than ones which are shiny. For some reason I think I can control the paint effects better. I mostly use paints for weathering, rather than inks or other weathering products, so perhaps that makes a difference. The only weathering products I do use tend to be muds and suchlike.

The Humbrol paints, with the grit in, I don't find to be much of an issue - it's the oily ones I can't get on with. With the grittier paints I always make sure they are stirred well and it is, perhaps, because I kind of 'overbrush' (ie keep working the paint - if you have looked at my video you may have seen how I paint - link in my signature at the bottom of this post) that sort of brushes it out.

Thank you again.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[Badder]

Hi Stix, 

Predictably awesome work! Loving those engine grills and the subtle but effective rust.

I've seen videos where people paint the entire model with the tools and other bits and pieces in-situ, then dry brush everything with a single colour! I wouldn't have the nerve to post such a thing! I know your tools will turn out awesome, dry brushed with the correct colours rather than be given a 'universal' going over. (Don't think I'm insinuating that your green camo should be dry-brushed with a lighter green rather than yellow, because I know you wanted a faded look rather than a solid green and dry-brushing the green with yellow is probably the best way to do it - sans airbrush.)

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

 

[sapperastro]

Looking forward to your next video Stix. I have to admit when I first watched your video I thought you were going pretty hard for acrylic paint. Then I saw the final outcomes of your work and just about spit my tea out! Since then, I am very interested in seeing your various steps so I can steal your ideas and incorporate them into my own ;). I think I will try overbrushing the Humbrol acrylic and see if they flatten out a bit. I use the 'flow off the brush method' which works great with Aqua, MM Acrylic, and other similar paints (and enamels of course, though you can overwork those too because of the slow drying), not so good with others.

 

Thanks for the answer.

 

ps; do you have any other threads about your other subjects on here that are works in progress?

Edited June 13, 2018 by sapperastro

[PlaStix]

20 hours ago, Badder said:

Hi Stix, 

Predictably awesome work! Loving those engine grills and the subtle but effective rust.

I've seen videos where people paint the entire model with the tools and other bits and pieces in-situ, then dry brush everything with a single colour! I wouldn't have the nerve to post such a thing! I know your tools will turn out awesome, dry brushed with the correct colours rather than be given a 'universal' going over. (Don't think I'm insinuating that your green camo should be dry-brushed with a lighter green rather than yellow, because I know you wanted a faded look rather than a solid green and dry-brushing the green with yellow is probably the best way to do it - sans airbrush.)

Rearguards,

Badder

Hi Badder and thank as always for your kind comments.

With regards the tools - you are quite correct - I will be attempting to make them look more like the colours they should be - whether I achieve this is another matter! I'm always impressed by those modellers who can paint the tools so they actually look used and worn. That is very impressive on such small items.

And I know what you mean about the modellers that paint everything, including the tools, with just the base camo colours - it wouldn't feel right to me - although I do understand what some of them are trying to represent. I think; especially later in the war, or in earlier difficult circumstances, crews had to paint the tanks in the field and didn't bother removing the equipmet, but just slapped the paint on to get it done quickly. I think, as modellers, we all have to do what we feel is right for us even if it's not historically accurate. If we then put our work on display on here on Britmodeller we have to accept that some people will know more about how an actaul vehicle may have looked at the time we have chosen to model it and may raise this with us. I honestly don't mind as long as I have a model I am happy with. In the past I did try dry-brushing the second camo colour with a lightened version of it but it didn't, to me, look like the paint was wearing and showing the base colour. I can't really explain but I ended up dry-brushing with the lighter version of the base colour which just about disposed of the lighter second colour - so I now just miss out that stage.....because I'm lazy!  

 

11 hours ago, sapperastro said:

Looking forward to your next video Stix. I have to admit when I first watched your video I thought you were going pretty hard for acrylic paint. Then I saw the final outcomes of your work and just about spit my tea out! Since then, I am very interested in seeing your various steps so I can steal your ideas and incorporate them into my own ;). I think I will try overbrushing the Humbrol acrylic and see if they flatten out a bit. I use the 'flow off the brush method' which works great with Aqua, MM Acrylic, and other similar paints (and enamels of course, though you can overwork those too because of the slow drying), not so good with others.

Thanks for the answer.

ps: do you have any other threads about your other subjects on here that are works in progress?

Hi sapperastro. Yes I must try and get the second video finished!! I agree it does look like the paint must be being damaged by how I brush it but, with practice (and please do practice on some scrap first) I find it gives me a finish that even I am surprised by sometimes! I haven't tried MM Acrylic or enamels so I cannot comment on them but I find Revell's Aqua acrylics usually brush realy well with this technique.

With regards my Work in Progress threads:- probably the easiest way to find them is to look in my Year Books - I will post some links below. With each model on display I include a link to the Ready for Inspection post (and in later YearBooks links to the WIP too) for that model. In each of the Ready For Inspection posts I include a link to the Work in Progress thread. You can chose which ones you are interested in in that way. You will also be able to see how my modelling has progressed (or not!) over the past few years.

The links:

2014 YearBook: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234973511-plastixs-2014-yearbook-all-brush-painted/

2015 YearBook: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234994038-plastixs-brush-painted-2015-period-style-photos-added-on-page-2/

2016 YearBook: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235013512-plastixs-brush-painted-2016-photoshopped-mto-gb-diorama-images-added-on-page-2/

2017 YearBook: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235030195-plastixs-brush-painted-2017-updated-with-the-panzer-iii/

 

My most recent projects can be found in the links at the bottom of each of my posts - in the signature.

 

Please feel free to ask any more questions if you have any.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[sapperastro]

Thanks mate. Now I have plenty to enjoy looking through. One last quick question; how do you prepare your washes? I use enamel and haven't tried a water based wash before. Do you need to add washing up liquid to stop pooling/tidemarks? What is the secret recipe?

[PlaStix]

3 hours ago, sapperastro said:

Thanks mate. Now I have plenty to enjoy looking through. One last quick question; how do you prepare your washes? I use enamel and haven't tried a water based wash before. Do you need to add washing up liquid to stop pooling/tidemarks? What is the secret recipe?

Hi again sapperastro. No problem. My washes are usually very watered down Revell aqua acrylics. My main two are - for overall coverage - Gunship Grey and for targeted washes (in and around detail) Anthracite. I don't add anything except water. I have included a section in what will be the next video - but it shows that I, kind of 'bother', the wash as it dries - trying to minimise any really bad tide marks. Others I leave in place. Because I dry-brush over them the tide lines are muted and become sort of the dirt layer in the paint. Hopefully the video will explain it better than I can here.

Kind regards,

Stix 

[Badder]

On ‎6‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 8:29 AM, PlaStix said:

. I don't add anything except water. I have included a section in what will be the next video - but it shows that I, kind of 'bother', the wash as it dries - trying to minimise any really bad tide marks. Others I leave in place. Because I dry-brush over them the tide lines are muted and become sort of the dirt layer in the paint. Hopefully the video will explain it better than I can here.

Kind regards,

Hi Stix,

Prior to following your work, I used Tamiya Acrylics and diluted them with their thinners. I didn't get along with them at all in any regards other than using them through an airbrush as base coats. For all other stages I used enamels over the top, either for detail work, washes and dry-brushing. Recently though, and thanks to you, I now use water as a thinner - still using Tamiya Acrylics. And the difference is pretty amazing with both the airbrush AND hairy stick!

My base coats (airbrush applied) are thinned much more nicely, spray better, coat evenly and dry very quickly, allowing me to apply several, or many coats in a short space of time. Any imperfections (at any stage) can easily be removed with a damp brush - something which is extremely difficult (and often damaging) in the case of enamels.

 

And there's more!

With water as the thinner, I can now apply darker acrylic washes with a brush (Again, I'd NEVER have used acrylics as washes before) Yes, the base coat is (deliberately) darkened during this process, but THEN I can use a damp brush and 'rub back' the washes to create lighter patches. Not only does this add some nice variations in the colour of say, flat panels, but also between flat areas and those nooks and crannies and corners where the brush is 'unable' to rub the wash back. Moreover, rubbing a stiff damp brush over the model also removes darkened paint from the raised details, and exposes the lighter paint underneath. In other words, you can get a 'dry-brushing' effect by using a WET brush!

BTW, I'm also using water-thinned acrylic inks and weathering powders as washes and they work nicely with acrylic base coats as well.

 

So, I'm getting towards the end of my Willys Jeep build and I haven't so much looked at a pot of enamel paint, I've not done ANY traditional dry-brushing, (employing the damp brush and rubbing-back technique instead) and I've only used varnish to give a 'wet' look to the vehicle.

 

Looking forward to seeing this weekend's progress,

Rearguards,

Badder

 

[sapperastro]

Water with Tamiya acrylics Badder? And it works better than the thinner?

 

Apart from that, I have to admit seeing Plastix results with acrylics has given me further confidence in pushing the barriers. I know enamels back to front, but if he can do what he does with Acrylics, why not give it a go myself?

Edited June 17, 2018 by sapperastro

[PlaStix]

On 16/06/2018 at 15:08, Badder said:

Hi Stix,

Prior to following your work, I used Tamiya Acrylics and diluted them with their thinners. I didn't get along with them at all in any regards other than using them through an airbrush as base coats. For all other stages I used enamels over the top, either for detail work, washes and dry-brushing. Recently though, and thanks to you, I now use water as a thinner - still using Tamiya Acrylics. And the difference is pretty amazing with both the airbrush AND hairy stick!

My base coats (airbrush applied) are thinned much more nicely, spray better, coat evenly and dry very quickly, allowing me to apply several, or many coats in a short space of time. Any imperfections (at any stage) can easily be removed with a damp brush - something which is extremely difficult (and often damaging) in the case of enamels.

 

And there's more!

With water as the thinner, I can now apply darker acrylic washes with a brush (Again, I'd NEVER have used acrylics as washes before) Yes, the base coat is (deliberately) darkened during this process, but THEN I can use a damp brush and 'rub back' the washes to create lighter patches. Not only does this add some nice variations in the colour of say, flat panels, but also between flat areas and those nooks and crannies and corners where the brush is 'unable' to rub the wash back. Moreover, rubbing a stiff damp brush over the model also removes darkened paint from the raised details, and exposes the lighter paint underneath. In other words, you can get a 'dry-brushing' effect by using a WET brush!

BTW, I'm also using water-thinned acrylic inks and weathering powders as washes and they work nicely with acrylic base coats as well.

 

So, I'm getting towards the end of my Willys Jeep build and I haven't so much looked at a pot of enamel paint, I've not done ANY traditional dry-brushing, (employing the damp brush and rubbing-back technique instead) and I've only used varnish to give a 'wet' look to the vehicle.

 

Looking forward to seeing this weekend's progress,

Rearguards,

Badder

Good morning Badder. Hope you had a pleasant weekend. I tried looking at your photos of your jeep but, as you mentioned there, they do not seem to be working. I will check again later. Sounds like you have been doing well with your acrylic experimentation and I certainly cannot take any credit. Everything I do has been based on other modellers work here on Britmodeller and on other websites. I have to say - I also like acrylics for how quick they dry. Yesterday I managed to get the turret (and some of the parts to attach to it) painted with a couple of thinned base coats in the morning and by the end of the evening's session I had done all the initial washes and dry-brushing on them too! (Photos below).

 

On 17/06/2018 at 15:51, sapperastro said:

Water with Tamiya acrylics Badder? And it works better than the thinner?

Apart from that, I have to admit seeing Plastix results with acrylics has given me further confidence in pushing the barriers. I know enamels back to front, but if he can do what he does with Acrylics, why not give it a go myself?

I have to say I was surprised about water with Tamiya Acrylics too - I have never found them easy to work with brushes at all. Having said that - my Tamiya paints are all fairly old so maybe I will pick up a couple of new ones to try brushing with.

 

I have had a very pleasant weekend working on this project. First off I have done some more work on the tools and equipment:

 

I still need to add the final weathering to these but I will do that when I have decided and done the final weathering on the hull and turret.

 

While waiting for stuff to dry on Saturday I also began work assembling the turret - the top of the turret and the cuppola are not glued in place yet so I can add some of the other parts inside later. Because I'm going to give the inside gun parts and inner walls a base coat of paint I needed to leave them off so my brushing doesn't go over everything!:

 

 

 

I also drilled out the end of the mantlet machine gun:

 

On Sunday I mostly did painting and weathering of these parts. The photos here show them after two thinned coats of Humbrol's Desert Yellow applied with a medium flat brush, a Revell Gunship Grey wash all over and a targeted Anthracite wash, in and around the deatil, followed by some dry-brushing with a lightened version of Desert Yellow. I have to say I think the current tub of Humbrol Desert Yellow I have is wonderful to apply - unfortunately it's the only one I have of that batch number!

 

 

I did also assemble the hatches, turret bin and turret smoke launchers but it was a bit too dark to get decent photos when I had finished.

 

Next I will be adding the green camo.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards

 

Stix

Edited June 20, 2018 by PlaStix

[Ozzy]

She's looking dapper with her turret on Stix, nice work on the tools. Bad luck about your single tin of desert yellow, I've noticed a colour variation of late myself in pots I've brought.

[PlaStix]

12 hours ago, Ozzy said:

She's looking dapper with her turret on Stix, nice work on the tools. Bad luck about your single tin of desert yellow, I've noticed a colour variation of late myself in pots I've brought.

Hi Ozzy. Thank you for your comments. Yes it is annoying about only having one pot from that batch of Desert Yellow. When I first opened it for this project I thought it might be better than Humbrol's more recent stuff - as in it didn't have that slightly oily, bluish tinted stuff/goop on the top. I'm going to have to go round some model shops and go to the back of the racks looking for some more!! It really does apply nicely - a bit like the Revell paint I used in the video on the Japanese tank. I do wish manufacturers wouldn't try to 'improve' stuff that's already good.

I may try and get some camo work done on the turret and remaining parts this evening - the evening commute (trains) permitting!

Kind regards,

Stix

[stevej60]

Great progress Stix heading for the finish line now.

[Badder]

On 6/17/2018 at 4:51 PM, sapperastro said:

Water with Tamiya acrylics Badder? And it works better than the thinner?

 

Apart from that, I have to admit seeing Plastix results with acrylics has given me further confidence in pushing the barriers. I know enamels back to front, but if he can do what he does with Acrylics, why not give it a go myself?

 

On 6/18/2018 at 10:52 AM, PlaStix said:

have to say I was surprised about water with Tamiya Acrylics too - I have never found them easy to work with brushes at all. Having said that - my Tamiya paints are all fairly old so maybe I will pick up a couple of new ones to try brushing with.

Hi chaps,

Really, yes,Tamiya Acrylics diluted with water.

To be precise, I transfer a blob of acrylic paint onto a plastic palette, then load a brush with water and mix it into one half of the blob of paint, and spread it out. I then work the other half of the blob into the water/paint mix so that I have a graded variation in water-paint mix from left to right. In  other words I have ALMOST neat paint on one side tending towards increasingly thinned 'washes 'on the other. It's then a case of finding which mix works best. Often I'll use the middle mix and once dry go over with the thinner washes.

Obviously I can add more paint and water to areas of the 'puddle' as required.

 

As I said, previously (I'm talking 35 yrs ago) I found Tamiya acrylics APPAULING for brush painting in all aspects. Upon my return to the hobby I was blessed to own an airbrush and so gave the 'modern' acrylics a go for spraying base coats. I did find that they were much better for brush painting small details/parts but still awful for dry-brushing, but then I was using Tamiya Acrylic Thinners. and maybe that was the problem. TBH, I've not tried dry-brushing with watered-down acrylics as I've 'discovered' the 'reverse dry-brushing' technique and that works for me.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Badder]

Great work Stix,

Loving the tools/parts. I KNEW you'd get them looking good! I particularly like the wooden box thing with that grain showing. (I believe that box has something to do with jacks? - correct me if I'm wrong!)

One question:

Are you or have you ever thought about using a graphite stick/pencil for the track links, shovel, and other metal tools?

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[sapperastro]

You know whats funny? I used to paint Tamiya acrylic straight from the pot back in the 80's, with NO issues! So when I went to do the same years later with new pots, and had...issues, I thought the formula had been changed. I will try your way out badder and see how we go.

 

Excellent paint job as usual Stix. Still find it hard to believe that you can get that finish with Humbrol acrylic, which leads me onto something else...Has anyone noticed that Humbrol Acrylic colours are, ahem, drying up in shops? That is because they have switched production back to the UK. Just found out about it from a Humbrol guy online. Unfortunately, it has been delayed due to the fire that burned down the Rustins factory. So be prepared for something new in the future fellas. Fingers crossed.

[Ozzy]

8 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Ozzy. Thank you for your comments. Yes it is annoying about only having one pot from that batch of Desert Yellow. When I first opened it for this project I thought it might be better than Humbrol's more recent stuff - as in it didn't have that slightly oily, bluish tinted stuff/goop on the top. I'm going to have to go round some model shops and go to the back of the racks looking for some more!! It really does apply nicely - a bit like the Revell paint I used in the video on the Japanese tank. I do wish manufacturers wouldn't try to 'improve' stuff that's already good.

I may try and get some camo work done on the turret and remaining parts this evening - the evening commute (trains) permitting!

Kind regards,

Stix

Hi Stix,

 

i had a look in my draw for a tin, the first tin was 83 unfortunately no  93 desert yellow. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

4 hours ago, sapperastro said:

 

You know whats funny? I used to paint Tamiya acrylic straight from the pot back in the 80's, with NO issues! So when I went to do the same years later with new pots, and had...issues, I 

You're not imagining it I’ve had the same issue’s with Tamiya. I think they changed the formula to a low VOC formula. I cant read japanese but im sure it will say something on the Tamiya website, or if you can find a bottle with the original Japanese label ?  

[PlaStix]

On 19/06/2018 at 11:52, stevej60 said:

Great progress Stix heading for the finish line now.

Thanks Steve. Yeah the actual tank might be close to the finish line after the weekend but I still want to add some crew figures and sit it on a base. Shouldn't be too long though.

 

On 19/06/2018 at 14:14, Badder said:

Great work Stix,

Loving the tools/parts. I KNEW you'd get them looking good! I particularly like the wooden box thing with that grain showing. (I believe that box has something to do with jacks? - correct me if I'm wrong!)

One question:

Are you or have you ever thought about using a graphite stick/pencil for the track links, shovel, and other metal tools?

Rearguards,

Badder

Hi Badder and thank you for your comments. You are certainly correct. It is a Jack Block - I'm assuming it was used to spread the load over a wider area when the jack was used - presumably on ground the jack may sink into/damage with the weight of the tank. With regards using a graphite stick/pencil - I must admit I had thought about - having seen it used very effectively by others - but I don't tend to use stuff on my kits that doesn't stick by itself or requires something else to seal it on. Especiall on my AFV builds I don't do any form of final varnish coat. I try and require of my paints and muds that they look like they should when they are applied and then leave them alone. All my weathering effects are mostly achieved with acrylic paints and occasionally some mud products - those which seem to have a PVA base. The effect of the metals I get is done by dry-brushing Humbrol Gunmetal over a Revell Anthracite base and then I'll add some areas of a brighter metal paint to what I think will be more worn areas. Probably using Revell Steel.

 

On 19/06/2018 at 14:53, sapperastro said:

Excellent paint job as usual Stix. Still find it hard to believe that you can get that finish with Humbrol acrylic, which leads me onto something else...Has anyone noticed that Humbrol Acrylic colours are, ahem, drying up in shops? That is because they have switched production back to the UK. Just found out about it from a Humbrol guy online. Unfortunately, it has been delayed due to the fire that burned down the Rustins factory. So be prepared for something new in the future fellas. Fingers crossed.

Thank you sapperastro. Lots of practice (and luck with the batch of paint I have managed to purchase) are what it takes to get the Humbrol paint to work. I have bought some and tried them and I have wiped it off pretty quick and just thrown the tub away - some of the new batches are not good. And yes Humbrol paints can be thin on the ground, even in UK model shops. There doesn't seem to be as many Revell Aqua Acrylics about either - I've been getting my tubs of paint off Amazon just recently - but some are priced rediculously on there at times. Will have to wait and see what the future brings.

 

22 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Hi Stix,

i had a look in my draw for a tin, the first tin was 83 unfortunately no  93 desert yellow. 

Hi Ozzy. Unfortunately the toy shop (which sold mostly Airfix kits and Humbrol paints) in the town, near where I work, closed down a while back - so I'm not going to be able to get into a model shop in the near future. But as soon as I do I'm going to stock up on a few of my regulars and try looking for batch numbers for those paints I know work better.

 

22 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

You're not imagining it I’ve had the same issue’s with Tamiya. I think they changed the formula to a low VOC formula. I cant read japanese but im sure it will say something on the Tamiya website, or if you can find a bottle with the original Japanese label ?  

All manufacturers seem to alter or 'improve' stuff but they don't always seem to get better - mostly worse usually!

 

I got the camo applied on the turret last night so I will try and remember to take some photos before I start the dry-brushing process over it this evening!

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

 

 

 

[Ozzy]

I'd be lost without a model shop to wander around in, if you've got any batch numbers to look out for. As the shop in town as a well stocked paint rack, I don't mind popping in and having a look.

[PlaStix]

On 20/06/2018 at 21:13, Ozzy said:

I'd be lost without a model shop to wander around in, if you've got any batch numbers to look out for. As the shop in town as a well stocked paint rack, I don't mind popping in and having a look.

Hi Ozzy. Yeah - there's no model shops local to me at all now. The nearest ones I can get to, when I get chance, are in Nottingham and Birmingham - but they are 'day outs' by train rather than just a nip in on the way to the train. I don't drive so it's even less convenient. Thank you for your kind offer but don't go out of your way to have a look on my account - but if you are in and get chance I will PM you the paints and their batch numbers when I get chance - probably over the weekend now. I'm not deperate for any at the moment so don't buy any for me just yet, but it will be worth knowing if there are some more of those batches around. I somehow doubt it as I think I got these a while ago - but I can't remember where. I have a feeling they were from a model shop in Derby which closed down a year or so back.

 

Over the past couple of evenings I have been working on the green camo areas - Humbrol 116 applied by stippling brush - built up in numerous very thinned layers:

 

 

Then, the next evening, I dry-brushed over all these areas with a lightened version of Humbrol's Desert yellow - the photos here show it in place on the hull and the turret bin just lodged in pl;ace:

 

 

 

 

Next up will be adding the decal '131' numbers and doing similar weathering to the hull. After that it will be adding more weathering all over followed - hopefully - by the fitting of the tools.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

Edited June 22, 2018 by PlaStix

[sithman]

Again, I LOVE the effect you get with your stippling of the green.

 

Also what I gained for myself is those oil streaks on your wheels.  After years of having it beaten into me to paint all streaks downwards only, I think that your technique looks very realistic as the staining would obviously remain and not be in an up/down orientation.  I am definitly going to do this to my current build!

 

 

Thank you again for posting