PACHYDERM PACKS A PUNCH. FINISHED?PHOTO HEAVY p22

[Badder]

Layers. Layering layers. Layers upon layers.

 

The Nashorn is being whitewashed with Daler and Rowney  White Acrylic Ink. The stuff is 'water resilient' meaning it can be washed off or re-activated for a while after application, but will become almost permanent once cured. Ideal for layering and re-activating, rubbing back then.

 

 

More photos of the layering will be posted later.

 

TFL

Badder

[Hewy]

I like it. But I hope you haven't had to dismantle one of Mrs badder best necklaces for those gems

[Badder]

The following washes were applied when the previous wash had barely dried at all, and in some places the previous wash was reactivated with a stiff brush and made to move.

 

 

 

 

 

[

 

Here, I've begun rubbing back the whitewash from raised details, panel edges and weld seams etc

 

 

The Nashorn is now sat drying as I don't want the next washes to reactivate the previous ones.

Note that I haven't used any gloss varnish since making a bed for the decals.

 

TFL

Badder

 

[Ozzy]

Looking good Badder.

[MarkSH]

Just catching up and am in awe of the weathering on this build, brilliant.

[Badder]

2 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Looking good Badder.

Thanks Clive,

I am so much happier with it now ,and hopefully it will look progressively better with each layer added.

 

Rearguards,

Badder.

 

ps Any news on the Cromwell and how that's going?

 

1 hour ago, MarkSH said:

Just catching up and am in awe of the weathering on this build, brilliant.

Thanks Mark,

Thanks for taking the time to have a look and make a comment.

Much of the work done over the past week was experimental for me - going for a camo way above my skill levels! It felt at times like I was completely ruining the Nashorn, but I kept telling myself that it was good to try something new and learn from the copious mistakes. I also told myself that I could always whitewash over it if it was a disaster.

I am much happier now that I'm going for the 'fuller' whitewash. It does look good where the camo colours are exposed, but at the moment the camera is picking up colours THROUGH the whitewash as well - giving a slightly false impression, Some more white  should help solve that.

I feel much more at home with weathering, and worn winter camo in particular. In the past I've used chipping fluid to aid that process, but this time I'm relying on the character of acrylic inks instead. There will be some 'brush-made' chipping as well.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

[Hewy]

A most realistic layering you've accomplished badder, I'm doing a winter camo t-54 in the nato- warpac 50s and this is a bit of a reference  now for me, while not necessarily the same kind of camo,the white on the 54  is still faded, never done a winter camo before, I'm watching and learning 

[Ozzy]

Definitely, I’m not sure where the Cromwell went. I will ask next time I see Malcolm.

[Badder]

30 minutes ago, Hewy said:

A most realistic layering you've accomplished badder, I'm doing a winter camo t-54 in the nato- warpac 50s and this is a bit of a reference  now for me, while not necessarily the same kind of camo,the white on the 54  is still faded, never done a winter camo before, I'm watching and learning 

Hi Glynn,

Thanks for the thumbs up (Metaphorically speaking)

As you know, I've done a winter camo before, with the Sherman. (I Can't believe that was a year ago!) Back then I used chipping fluid over the base green but this time I've used white acrylic ink over acrylic paint, with no varnish or chipping fluid in between. And I've applied several more ink washes, again with no varnish between the layers. Where I wanted the camo to be fully exposed, (eg Tactical Markings and Insignia) I left those areas un-whitewashed, and subsequently rubbed those areas clean with a damp brush after every wash. A damp brush was also used to remove whitewash from the raised details, edges etc but as these areas were whitewashed in the beginning, it took a bit more effort - a stiff damp brush and a rubbing back after every wash, and some rubbing back as separate procedures.

 

If you have found my method helpful in any way, I am humbled. It is one of the main reasons why I joined BM in the first place: to learn, improve and hopefully help other people in return.  I don't know if you've used acrylic inks before, but I find them superb - non-smelly, quick drying (though readily 're-activated in the short-term) and requiring only water as a thinner should one want to make a nice wash. They are also fantastic for the AB. (Except for the pearlescent inks)

 

Personally though, I'd advise using chipping fluid for your first ever winter camo, with white enamel as the whitewash. It's dead easy, but remember only to rub areas that WOULD get rubbed or washed clean. I've seen too many vehicles where patches of whitewash have been rubbed off from places that would never have been worn.

 

BTW, I will be applying a gloss varnish over what I have done so far and will add a wash or two of white before rubbing that back as well. That's because the Nashorn is currently looking more of a sandy colour than white at this stage.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

 

[Badder]

After further washing, rubbing back and rinsing:

 

 

And some close-ups.

Damage to the base coat - caused by the removal of those silly gems - has only added to the realistic effect, I think.

 

 

 

Streaking and staining of the areas below each hatch will mostly represent 'the emptying of ''bed bottles'' and 'chamber pots'.

 

BEFORE ANYONE ASKS..... YES, THE NASHORN IS NOT LOOKING VERY WHITE. That will be corrected.

 

TFL

Badder

 

[wimbledon99]

That's some seriously impressive weathering. It looks great!!

[PlaStix]

Hi Badder. I am always so impressed with your skills and perseverance that result in some of the most realistic effects on models that I have seen. Looking brilliant so far! 

Kind regards,

Stix

[Badder]

22 hours ago, wimbledon99 said:

That's some seriously impressive weathering. It looks great!!

Thanks Nigel.

Very kind of you to say. I was a bit worried prior to the whitewash going on!

 

Rearguards

Badder

1 hour ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Badder. I am always so impressed with your skills and perseverance that result in some of the most realistic effects on models that I have seen. Looking brilliant so far! 

Kind regards,

Stix

Well, I did fork out 30 quid on the tracks and spent hours and hours putting them together, so it wasn't like I was going to bin it! 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

[Badder]

Lots of rubbing.  Now then, now then, now then. Ooooooh! No missus!

 

I've reworked the glacis a bit. The effects have been achieved with targeted applications of separate white, antelope brown and sepia ink washes and 'rubbings back' with a damp or soaking brush.  Sometimes a wash was allowed to dry before rubbing back, sometimes it was rubbed back immediately, sometimes a wash was allowed to dry before another wash was applied, sometimes it was not. By mixing things up a bit I was able to expose green and red/brown camo below the driver's hatch. It looked a bit too bright and contrasting for my taste, so I toned it down with more washes. I was also able to expose more camo in other areas and managed to keep the colours muted in the same way. -

 

BTW, I also raised the Nashorn up at the front so that the glacis was on the horizontal during some of the drying. This allowed a targeted wash to sit over a chosen area without running off.

 

I will repeat these processes elsewhere. Once this has been completed, I can raise the whiteness of the whitewash by targeted brushing with neat or semi-diluted white ink. Large areas of 'dirty' whitewash will be left as they are though.

 

 

 

 

 

I only realised this after posting the photos above, but here's the benefit of my 'messy' techniques again....

I swear, I didn't so much as touch the tip of a brush to that lower hull once!

What weathering there is here, is all down to me using blasts from an AB to dry some of the washes on the glacis above. blowing excess 'dirty water' over the lip of the glacis and down.

 

TFL

 

Badder

Edited January 29, 2019 by Badder

[FrancisGL]

Very ingenious methods to make the patches, although it is a very difficult and laborious to do, the result was very satisfactory.
It is difficult to follow your progress, because there are many changes, well what is that, not be totally comfortable with what we see.
What I see inside seems very well finished (shells look like metal)...

Cheers Badder 👍

[PlaStix]

That really is progressing beautifully Badder. You have very effective weathering techniques! 

Kind regards,

Stix

[Badder]

1 hour ago, FrancisGL said:

Very ingenious methods to make the patches, although it is a very difficult and laborious to do, the result was very satisfactory.
It is difficult to follow your progress, because there are many changes, well what is that, not be totally comfortable with what we see.
What I see inside seems very well finished (shells look like metal)...

Cheers Badder 👍

Hi Francis,

Had I plumped for a 'full whitewash, weathered just a bit' I wouldn't have bothered with all that nonsense sticking on gems and using disc masks etc and things would have been far less complicated. Forgetting all that, as it is now, the layering isn't actually difficult  and neither is the rubbing back. And I wouldn't call it laborious, I'd call it good fun - the most fun during the entire build.

 

Yes, the inside was done first and to a finished state. It would be impossible to paint it after it had been constructed. And yes, the shells are REAL BRASS - 88mm 'King Tiger' shells from TAMIYA.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Badder]

38 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

That really is progressing beautifully Badder. You have very effective weathering techniques! 

Kind regards,

Stix

Thanks Stix,

I'm managing to surprise myself! It's a shame it's not white enough, but hopefully the 'final' layer of whitewash will solve that without  spoiling the look.

 

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Hewy]

I don't think I'm alone in saying the front glacis in particular looks like a real life weathered tank, totally splendid job, excellent badder,. Regards the winter camo, you suggested enamel for the whitewash, am I right in thinking you still use hairspray or chipping fluid under that, and what's the benifit of using enamel rather than acrylic for the winter white, is it more control? This must seem like 20 questions, but you've done at least 2 winter jobbies at least that I know of, thanks in advance

Glynn 

[Badder]

19 hours ago, Hewy said:

I don't think I'm alone in saying the front glacis in particular looks like a real life weathered tank, totally splendid job, excellent badder,. Regards the winter camo, you suggested enamel for the whitewash, am I right in thinking you still use hairspray or chipping fluid under that, and what's the benifit of using enamel rather than acrylic for the winter white, is it more control? This must seem like 20 questions, but you've done at least 2 winter jobbies at least that I know of, thanks in advance

Glynn 

Hi Glynn,

Thanks for saying you think the glacis looks like that of a real life weathered tank. I will take that as a compliment, even though it's SUPPOSED to look like a real-life weathered Self Propelled Gun! 😉

As for whitewashing, I've tried 3 different methods on 3 previous vehicles.

 

My first Nashorn was white enamel over an acrylic gloss varnish and rubbed back with water. That gave a finish pretty much the same as the one I'm getting now with this current Nashorn.

A StuG III was done IIRC, with white acrylic over an acrylic gloss varnish, again rubbed back with water, and again, gave a similar finish to the present.

My Sherman, in the last STGB, was white enamel over AK interactive Heavy chipping fluid, and to me that gave the best result of all.

 

The Sherman was white over OD, of course, whereas the rest were white over dark yellow. The chipping fluid definitely made it easier in respect of 'weathering/wearing off the whitewash, plus the underlying OD did not mix with the whitewash and tint in green. With the StuG and both my Nashorns, the whitewash did get tinted with the dark yellow, whether I used a gloss varnish 'barrier' or not. So, I'd go for the chipping fluid and white enamel. The reason I've not used that this time is because I don't like stinking the house out with enamel/thinners.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Rearguards

Badder

[Hewy]

Cheers badder, maybe a test mule and a small experiment will be the order of the day, using the sherman method first, that was a great finish

[Badder]

1 hour ago, Hewy said:

Cheers badder, maybe a test mule and a small experiment will be the order of the day, using the sherman method first, that was a great finish

No probs. Whichever method is used, I think whitewash over a dark colour will look better than whitewash over a light colour. And worn/weathered whitewash will always look better than fresh new whitewash IMHO.

At this moment, I'm 'whitening' up my whitewash. Ironically, that means having to add some more colour..... see below.

 

Rearguards

Badder

[Robert Stuart]

16 minutes ago, Badder said:

At this moment, I'm 'whitening' up my whitewash. Ironically, that means having to add some more colour..... see below.

How far down

No, it's looking good Badder - the 'accidental' hull front is particularly nice.

 

 

[Badder]

I'm nearing the end of the whitewashing stage, increasing the whiteness of the whitewash which was tinted with dark yellow and red-brown during the 'rubbing back' phases. This was something I had anticipated because the same has happened before with previous builds - even if I had used varnish to 'protect' the undercoat. So, that's why I didn't bother with the varnish this time. (refer to the reply I gave to Hewy a few posts ago)

The rubbing back I do, is quite physical then - sometimes requiring the hardest pressure that can be applied with a stiff brush. That fact also explains why I didn't add the fragile tie-down handles, and obstructive details such the hatches, the gun travel lock, tow cable, jack and jack block.

 

Anyway... back to the whitewash.

I rather liked the look of Nassy's glacis as it was and didn't really want to alter it much. With that in mind, I decided just to apply some white ink pin washes to the bolt heads/rivets, along panel lines and the convex joints.

Some 'runs' of whitewash will follow. Nothing drastic then, but overall the glacis will be lightened by a smidgen.

 

 

I'm also starting to add some subtle green and red-brown washes to the fenders and the fighting compartment superstructure - and then applying whitewash over the top.. Not so obvious here is the green wash applied to the vertical panel down from the driver's compartment to the fender, more obvious is the red-brown wash on the fender with whitewash over the top.

 

 

And below, a red-brown wash on the fender and a subtle green wash (with whitewash over the top) on the slanting armour plate (far left)

Both the fender and the sloping superstructure will receive more whitewash, increasing in whiteness rearwards and extending along the side panels.....

 

In fact, I've already begun the 'final' whitening of the side panels with dense streaking.

Note the green added along the bottom of the panels. I had tried 'rubbing back' to expose the underlying camo here, but I'd previously left it too long and it proved ineffective.

By adding these patches of colour, I can create detail where there is none, and  break up what would otherwise be a pretty boring expanse of white.

 

 

I will  're-round' the clean area around the Balkenkreuz.

 

And this photo reminds me to press that 'm' into the panel line!

 

TFL

Badder

Edited January 30, 2019 by Badder

[Prop Duster]

Badder

Not surprisingly you have once again [insert stentorian voice here] "Scaled the Olympian Heights of White-warsher-dum"  [end voice]

Thus creating a tour-de-force for the rest of us to bash about trying to be worthy of following in your paint steps.

To read you are going to add colours to the white of the white wash seemed to me counter intuitive....then I realized that that is done all the time in armor modeling, so, Why Not?

Well Good Wishes to you  and remember if the paint brush you just picked up feels, soft, warm and pliable in your fingers; you've picked up the wrong end.