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Whippin' Up a Whippet - Finished! (Stopped, more like.)


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55 minutes ago, Bertie Psmith said:

 

I have now! One site promises 202 photographs of pig manure. Classy! 

 

People are making roads out of it!

 

 After studying the sources (the sources of the photographs, not the other sources) I think its definitely more bgrroewenn than gbrreoewnn. Wouldn't you agree?

 

You need to study the source !!

 

Itll open your sinuses 🤣

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Just to stir it up a bit, the colour not the....... 

Anyway there is a school of thought that suggests grey as in naval grey, battle ship grey also known in our family as what the bath water ended up like on a Sunday night. Tell the kids today and they won't belive you, gravel for breakfast, jumpers for goal posts and all that. 

 

BTW I need a signature and I was thinking;

 

"Be warned my modelling tips have the ability to reduce grown men to tears" 

 

What do you think? 😉🤣

 

Andrew 

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27 minutes ago, APA said:

Just to stir it up a bit, the colour not the....... 

Anyway there is a school of thought that suggests grey as in naval grey, battle ship grey also known in our family as what the bath water ended up like on a Sunday night. Tell the kids today and they won't belive you, gravel for breakfast, jumpers for goal posts and all that. 

 

BTW I need a signature and I was thinking;

 

"Be warned my modelling tips have the ability to reduce grown men to tears" 

 

What do you think? 😉🤣

 

Andrew 

 

Maybe they were delivered grey, became muddy (brown) and then went mouldy (green)?

 

That signature? No. Too aggressive for some readers.

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It's track building time. I hate tracks. Rubber bands are too tight and unrealistic. Working single link tracks don't ever 'work, except to work me into a lather. Link and

length aren't much better for me. Metal ones? I haven't had that pleasure yet but they seem to require a lot of cleaning up and assembly work. Tracks are the canopy

masking of AFVs to me. I hate them. Did I mention that? But what's a tank without its tracks? So, let's go and have a look...

 

First step was cutting 140 (!) links off the sprues in the best possible way to reduce the clean up. These each had three attachment points but one of them will be hidden

by the next link in the chain so I only had to sand down 280 little nibs. It took a whole episode of Dr Who.

 

 

 

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When sanded, the curved part of the track plare looked nicely worn which set me thinking...

 

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If, if I was building this as a superdetailling project, I'd perhaps batter and wear some or all of the links like this little tester.  Thank goodness, I'm not because it would

take hours and hours and ....

 

 

 

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So far so good. They do look very new and shiny though.

 

 

 

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And, one Dr Who Christmas Special later (That one with Michael Gambon), they were glued down in place. The tracks snap together but the attachment pins are tiny

and sometimes I had damaged the mechanism by careless sanding, so they didn't tend to stay together very well. Meng don't seem to be as good as Takom in this respect. 

 

 

 

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I'd cut the teeth off the drive wheels because they didn't fit into the tracks very well. Unfortunately, this altered the geometry of the track run, shortening it by a fatal

HALF a link. I was left with either a slack track or a gap. I decided to go with the gap on this occasion and minimised it by making two small gaps instead of one big

one. I should, in 20:20 hindsight have made a dozen tiny gaps! Eventually this might end up on a base and then I can cover up the mess with landscaping.

 

 

 

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Next job was a pot of 'grousers', wooden blocks that attached to the tracks for extra traction if the tank bogged down. I like the idea of fitting them here but...

 

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...went for the easy option, and the one that makes most sense in my projected diorama, and stuck them to the tank. All over the tank! It's going to be interesting

painting all this in one lump, no?

 

 

 

You'll have noticed that I'd also fitted the gun mounts when I took this picture. Time for a flashback.

 

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Meng the Magnificent wanted me to fit the guns from the rear of the mountings, as in the photo. I disagree. The delicate little gun barrels will not survive the handling

I will be doing during paining (lol. A genuine typo but a funny one so I'll leave it in. It's a slip that reveals my innermost fears!)  so these are the one item that will be

fitted after paint. If I break them, they are quite complicated to scratch replacements. This decision had nothing at all to do with the fact that I can no longer gain access

to the inside of the fighting compartment. No, really, it's the way I would have done it anyway. Honest!

 

 

 

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Butchery! But now I can go in from the front.

 

 

 

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And this is my 'reference' pic to make sure I don't go too deep.

 

So that's it. All ready for painting.

 

Nah, I've got to have a go at those tiny tiny hooks and IF successful, mount the tow cables. WWI tanks spent half of their lives trying to get out of holes, so the cables are an important part of the Whippet if I can just get them on.

 

 

 

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Even Tamiya snips can't cut those off the sprue without damage.

 

 

 

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But if I use a bit of spare cutting mat to get in close and support them, and put a new scalpel blade to them, I can do it. Meng gave me 24 of them but I only needed

20. I'm glad they did because I mangled one beyond repair and three dematerialised from my bench. (One briefly reappeared during dinner but re-dematerialised

by pudding. Too much Dr Who?)

 

 

 

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I did it! Once the Tamiya Extra Thin had set, I reinforced the hooks by painting them with superglue. I now think I have a 1 in 3 chance of not breaking them before

I've done.

 

 

 

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However, the hooks aren't strong enough to cope with this springy tinned copper wire which will be the tow cable. The wire must bend where I want it to, and stay

bent. Fortunately there's a fix for that.

 

 

 

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I ran a little solder into the wire and it's now malleable enough for the job. It's a lot easier to glue the ends on too.

 

 So that's it. All ready for fitting the cables and then priming the thing. See you Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

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I do tracks like you. Stick on a bit of TV and spend a couple of nights faffing about with them. Quite therapeutic except link and length, which get on my nerves. Metal and some of the movable plastic tracks are cracking if you ever need to go down that route. Just take a bit of time.

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And, on the whole, “Build everything “ concerns, don’t be too worried about it. 
 

That’s what I do 🤣

 

IRL, everything drifts down, and everything drifts up, creating harmony in the universe :D

 

The build is looking great !!

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40 minutes ago, Longbow said:

And, on the whole, “Build everything “ concerns, don’t be too worried about it. 
 

That’s what I do 🤣

 

IRL, everything drifts down, and everything drifts up, creating harmony in the universe :D

 

The build is looking great !!


Build everything indeed, if only it were possible, there are so many excellent, exciting possibilities out there waiting for us in all scales, all genres and all styles of making/painting. It fair makes me dizzy, it do! 

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Extra Bonus Sunday Update! Read all abaht it! Airbrush intah action!

 

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It worked! OK, they are a little short but they are going to look like well used hawser by the time I'm done. I assumed that Meng would have given me a spare inch or

two but in this case he was truly merciless and I made matters worse when cut down the length to lose the frayed ends. Never mind, it's good enough.

 

 

 

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Unusually for me, I washed the model with a little dish soap before priming. I didn't see any mould release wax on the plastic, in fact I don't believe they even use it

nowadays, but I have been eating while working so I thought it might be a bit greasy with fingerprints. I dried it with my airbrush on high pressure, chasing the droplets

over the surface, blasting them into space and evaporating the residue in a very few minutes. Despite those clean surfaces, isn't it curious how the tap water beads so

much. More about that below!

 

 

 

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First coat of dark grey primer on. It would NOT go where I sent it. See how it's avoiding the internal angles, even the tiny ones around the rivets? That's because when

I blasted the plastic (non-conducting) model with (non-conducting air), I knocked off a few billion free electrons and charged the whole thing up. Once it was washed

I only handled it with rubber gloves on. The charge lingered in the angles (capacitor effect) and repelled the particles of paint which were neutrally charged, having

come through a metal airbrush in my sweaty hand. The solvent and binder in the primer did get into the corners, leaving them wet. Physics, marvellous stuff.

 

A second coat went down as smooth as silk after the moisture from the first one shorted out the charges in the angles.

 

 

 

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It doesn't look very smooth because I've gone over it in a lighter shade, adding a zenithal highlight (simulating being lit from above) highlighting the edges a bit (where

they catch the light) and deliberately spattering to start the process of modulating the topcoats.

 

 

 

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You can tell when you get it right because it's impossible to photograph. The viewer's eye assumes that the shadows and highlights which I've painted in are the result

of strong overhead lighting from the sky.

 

So why do I bother? When we see a full size vehicle outside, under the sky, the shadows are very dark and the highlights very bright. Think of a car on a sunny day,

the wheel arches are black and the reflection from the windscreen is dazzling. Looking at a model, indoors, the recesses are tiny, only 1/35 x 1/35 x 1/35 as big a

volume as the real deal, so the effect of light scattering lightens the shadows and dulls the highlights and the model looks like a small thing. This is actually one of the

ways that we distinguish between small things close up and big things far away (Thanks Ted).

 

My intention is to use paint to artificially strengthen the contrast to fool the viewer into perceiving the tank as 'real'. It's a technique used by figure modellers and I'm

hoping it will work on a tank. We'll know by Friday, I reckon, but if you compare the shadows under my nuts in the first and last photos, I think you will see what I am

getting at.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • Bertie McBoatface changed the title to Whippin' Up a Whippet - Extra Bonus Sunday Update! Read all abaht it!

Oh! Look at those badly cleaned up grousers screaming out their inadequacies under the primer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                               Never mind.

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  • Bertie McBoatface changed the title to Whippin' Up a Whippet - Chapter Seven: Bertie learns a lesson or two!

 

 

I learned a few things today. And you know what that means - things not going exactly to the plan!!!

 

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When I looked at the tank this morning I found that the shaded primer wasn't as contrasty as I'd intended, so I went over it with a brush and some Tamiya white paint.

I diluted the paint so I wouldn't have too many hard edges and touched up the places where the sun might catch an edge. Yes, I'm brushing Tamiya paint. Never done

that before but I bought a bottle of their drying retarder ages ago and hurrah! It works a treat. I'll probably still brush Vallejo pints though, as it's easier. In this case

I wanted to spray Tamiya over the top so I thought I'd stick to the brand.

 

Lesson #1 Learned = I can brush Tamiya if I have to.

 

 

 

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Next layer was Tamiya Khaki Drab, well thinned and with some Clear mixed in to make a translucent glaze. I didn't want to lose all that faffing around I'd done with

the primer. Khaki Drab is BROWNgreen.

 

 

 

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Next came some Khaki which is GREENbrown, spreayed irregularly. I just added this to the Khaki Drab remaining in the airbrush. So far so good.

 

 

 

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Now I'm starting to get carried away. The next layer was the previous two colours plus some clear yellow (I wanted a sepia effect?) and Sea Blue (because I thought

it was now too yellow) What I diddn't notice was that It was so subtle that the changes in hue were disappearing when the paints dried.

 

 Lesson #2 - NOT yet learned = let them dry before carrying on.

 

And that the primer highlights have long gone.

 

Lesson #3 - NOT yet learned = Look at what you are doing.

 

 

 

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Time for a quick swill of the airbrush. Time for a quick swig of something for me. Possibly not enough time for all those layers of paint to cure fully?

 

My next step was to shoot a layer or two of chipping fluid from MiG Productions over the whole thing and then paint another layer of something over that and then 

wash most of that layer off to reveal the variegated pig poop under layer.

 

Can you guess what happened?

 

 

 

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Desert Yellow. I sprayed Desert Yellow over a tank in Flanders. I began by painting boldly where this man had never gone before but by now I was just being a bit

daft. Then I tried to scrub it off. Tried very hard. Used my electric toothbrush under a running tap even. That paint was stuck like pig poop to a blanket. Most of the

day's creative madness was now buried under light brown. Two lessons finally sunk in at this point.

 

Lesson #4 = Spraying chipping fluid over damp paint is ineffective.

 

I guess it was simply absorbed by the undercoats? And the very important

 

Lesson# 5 = None of this was making a blind bit of difference.

 

You can't see it in the photos. I can barely see it with my eyes and a strong drink light. These techniques have been transferred from the figure painting box of tricks

and if that are to work on other subjects they have to be a ton and a half stronger (for aircraft) and a further twenty tons stronger for armour.

 

If nothing else, it does look poopish. It's brown AND green. It's not the way I planned it but it'll do.

 

Lesson #6 = Don't give up!

 

 

 

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Still hard to see even in the evening light of the windowsill. I'll try to photograph it in sunshine for you tomorrow.

 

And then I'll start chipping it, washing it, streaking it etc....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A couple of threads that maybe of interest.

the basic tank colour was 'service brown'

 

note 

  

On 04/07/2020 at 19:10, Mike Starmer said:

 With a lot of advice from Nick Millman about possible Humbrols to use, I made up some test shots.  The result was a series of similar colours to German WW2 Dunkelgelb.  This came as a shock since I was expecting something more green. 

 

And this, despite the tread title, it's about track colour in general.

the quotes now need expanding,  this one is of particular use

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235040296-panther-schmalturm/&do=findComment&comment=3204246

 

Hope of interest and/or use. 

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  • Bertie McBoatface changed the title to Whippin' Up a Whippet - Hot Dog 'n' Chips Please

 

 

 

Today I am mostly doing chips.

 

Though some areas needed paint first.

 

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I think that theatre applied markings with 1918 paint wouldn't have been applied very smartly. Nothing to do with me not being in the masking mood, really.

 

It looks like I've coughed my mushy peas all over the tank. Ha, mushy peas and chips! Lol! (Traditional British fast food which I actually had for lunch yesterday!) In fact that's the shade of green that this tank would go when slightly scraped by barbed wire or other military nastiness but not going all the way through to the metal. This is the first application with a sponge, just to get started.

 

 

 

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Next I join some of the dots and make more logical patterns of wear with a brush.

 

 

 

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For example, the pistol port covers. This photo is hugely magnified. It looks fine really. I like the texture of the finish so far. It's partly my many layers of paint and partly Meng's Plastic. Incidentally this plastic is lovely to work with, proper Goldilocks, not too hard and brittle to cut, and not too soft to take details.

 

 

 

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Some areas got a lot of the treatment. I'm suggesting that this tank was recently the lucky recipient of a few large calibre bullets aimed at the Starboard MG. And two shells must have hit that rooftop grouser leaving big round dents.

 

 

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Then I brushed in some dark grey to show where the damage does go through to the metal. 

 

 

 

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And those recent bullet splashes left some shiny dents. Pity (I didn't plan ahead and make real 3D dents.)

 

Now for some detail painting.

 

 

 

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The track were fun. Unfortunately I didn't take stage photos as I was wet blending black/white/red for the metal and then several shades of rust on top. It was all a bit frantic as acrylics will dry do fast and I wanted to minimise the number of hard transitions. I'm not finished yet. In fact I'll be going over all of todays work when I get to the oil painting stage.

 

 

 

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I'll have to stop soon because I'm ... exhausted!

 

 

 

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No point grousing about it though.

 

Base coated and ready for oils.

 

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I've had a fun day's painting which is what matters, and as a bonus, I believe I'm beginning to realise my vision.

 

Stay tooned, folks!

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  • Bertie McBoatface changed the title to Whippin' Up a Whippet - I've gone all Humbrol Enamels!

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Strange things are happening today. I opened a couple of reference books! I don't know what came over me. Is this the next stage of mojo rehabilitation?

 

 

 

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Later tonight I will be using oils to make some washes and to work on some dirt and grease marks. WWI tanks used a LOT of grease. I ve squeezed the paint out onto cardboard to wick off some of the linseed oil from the paints so that they will dry faster and be a little less jelly-like to work with. 

 

 

 

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But for now, Humbrol Enamels! I've has some of these for decades. I no longer spray them or use them for much other than panel line washes (and I'm increasingly using oils for those). TOP TIP, if you use them, open the tinlets with a teaspoon. You will do less damage to the lids and they will seal properly and last longer.

 

 

 

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I needed a spirit based paint that flowed well for this bit of freehand signwriting. I needed spirit based paint because I knew I'd have to wipe it off and start again at least once, and the model is currently covered in a nice shiny acrylic varnish. As it happens, I wiped it off a dozen times. I should have photographed my failures for you! I used cream paint because 'Brilliant White' pigment didn't exist in 1918.

 

 

 

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Mojo, is what I am regaining. It's a word in common use in the period in the context of jazz music. Originally an ancient African word meaning Magic. So why can't the tank commander be into Jazz?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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And onto some slight decaling to liven things up.

 

 

 

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The big letter P on the rear was for the use of the infantry. "Now lads, just follow the tank marked 'P' until you get to Berlin."

 

 

 

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Fascinating detail. They painted these black lines to disguise the location of the real vision slots and perhaps prevent a bullet in the eye from a sharpshooter.

 

Right, time for some shopping. I'll get back to work later when the enamel has dried and the oils are ready.

 

 

 

 

 

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24 minutes ago, echen said:

I've been trying oil-dot treatment on some Shermans - a bit of a mess but it's all a learning curve.

 

You ain't kiddin'!

 

I've done little of that so far, but will develop the technique a little later. Currently I'm learning about shadow washes and streaking. I will be toning down the decals and maybe changing the hue of some panels on this one. I wanted her a bit greener than this.

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2 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

Later tonight I will be using oils to make some washes and to work on some dirt and grease marks. WWI tanks used a LOT of grease. I ve squeezed the paint out onto cardboard to wick off some of the linseed oil from the paints so that they will dry faster and be a little less jelly-like to work with. 

Try using lighter fuel for oils.  super thin, extremely seeking washes,  dries really fast.  the washes cane be adjusted by using a brush damped in clean LF as well. 

I've been doing this directly over Vallejo Model Colour, which is noted for being delicate.

LF can also be used to apply chalk pastel dust.    add some to the dust in a palette, apply with old brush,  good for dusty deposits. 

the LF/.oil wash is good for figures as well.

If curious to see these used,  see here

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235095700-matchbox-176-morris-c8-mk-ii-17pdr-gun-willys-jeep-set/#elControls_4134573_menu

 

I like them as they are easy, and fast.  Not that I'm at all lazy.....

 

 

Very interesting build you are doing, and appreciate the in depth illustrated descriptions of the techniques, and the reasoning behind the choices,  builds like this are very informative and enjoyable too follow, and places where i pick up ideas and new techniques.

 

cheers

T  

 

cheers

T

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1 hour ago, Troy Smith said:

1. Try using lighter fuel for oils.  super thin, extremely seeking washes,  dries really fast.  the washes cane be adjusted by using a brush damped in clean LF as well. 

 

2. I've been doing this directly over Vallejo Model Colour, which is noted for being delicate.

 

3. LF can also be used to apply chalk pastel dust.    add some to the dust in a palette, apply with old brush,  good for dusty deposits. 

 

4. the LF/.oil wash is good for figures as well.

 

5. Very interesting build you are doing, and appreciate the in depth illustrated descriptions of the techniques, and the reasoning behind the choices,  builds like this are very informative and enjoyable too follow, and places where i pick up ideas and new techniques.

 

cheers

 

You raise a lot of points in one post there, Troy. I'll take them in order:

 

1. I use low odour artists thinners for oils. Reason, better for my nose and especially the dog's. It's not as volatile as LF but is not as flammable either, which is a quality I value. It also dries fast and can be used to reactivate and move the washes. That quality is why I use oils over enamels, which are either there or gone! Oils are infinitely adjustable. 

 

2. Never had a problem with Valleo paints being chemically delicate as long as they are given time for a full cure, and applied thinned and thinly. I tend to spray Tamiya which, as we have seen above, is bulletproof.

 

3. I have recently bought some hard pastels for this very purpose but haven't used them yet. Do you use a fixative?

 

4. Oh yes, oil paints in almost any application are wonderful for the subtleties of figures. Probably not impasto though. lol. They have been used for the 2D representation of flesh and fabrics for 500 years so why not 3D?

 

5. You are making me blush slightly. I'm glad you are enjoying the Topic, which I intend to be interesting and possibly informative. I have borrowed a personal motto from a figure painting podcast I used to follow - PAINT BRAVELY! It's only a model and things can usually be fixed so I say, try something new every time. Even if it doesn't quite work, I'll be learning and perhaps my readers will too.

 

 

 

 

 

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@Troy Smith

 

p.s. I admire what you do with those old ratty kits, as on the thread to which you linked. I struggle to please my inner critic with the best of kits. Perhaps I should get a few Matchbox oldies to play with.

 

And did you like the manganese shaded tracks? May not be applicable in 1917 but what the heck.

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1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said:

I use low odour artists thinners for oils. Reason, better for my nose and especially the dog's. It's not as volatile as LF but is not as flammable either, which is a quality I value.

Not tried low odour thinners, but the point of LF is the volatility.  Since I use amount that are in the range of 1ml or less at a time,  flammability is not concern of mine, and I'm next to a window.

Horses for course an all that,  which is why I have the bit in my sig line about whatever works for you, as I see many differing, and opposing views expressed on especially materials used on here,  but a lot of great models at the end of it. 

1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said:

p.s. I admire what you do with those old ratty kits, as on the thread to which you linked.

I'd disagree about them being ratty,  the instructions were vague, and the parts did need care in clean up, but once that was done they fitted very well.  They were blinkin'  tiny as well. 

Overall I was very impressed with the kit.    So much so I bough a few more...

1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said:

I struggle to please my inner critic with the best of kits.

Easy to get bogged down. I spent years on here mostly on research, on occasion doing some modifications to demonstrate a point, and by and large waiting until I had, the model area sorted, the airbrushing  practised,  the corrections done ... and no models built.

or, part built as you don't want stuff up your 'masterpiece'  

So, it's quite refreshing to have  kit that you are not that bothered about, and then concentrate on just getting on with it and completing it....  only as a build is only good as the weakest aspect really.  So while I can wibble about trying to do really good Hurricane, it's just a load of plastic in a box ..

So, 'the best of kits' can be a rod for your own back, wanting to make the best of them, and getting stuck doing that...  

eg https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235077619-airfix-hurricane-iia-in-148th-gaffa-tape-here-we-come 

for example....

 

 

The few things I have completed on here are nothing clever, but they are finished,  and are quite pleasing to look at, my inner critic does not find them offensive, and unlike getting 'stuck' as you have invested a lot of time, effort and research,  which is where I'd ended up when I was 15-16, which was 40 years ago.....

They have not been painted, decalled and weathered,  plonked on my faded battered old card card table (that has been thrown away) and does a OK job of being a grass field, and photographed with my £5 near toytown digital camera.....   

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235073488-spitfire-pr-xix-airfix-72nd-as-i-thought-it-would-be-easy/

 

 

re the Matchbox, the actual tank kits mostly have a generic track,  which is a real let down, as the kits actually look decent.   The bigger , what were originally 2 colour sets, of vehicles don't have the track problem,  that said the track in the Char1b and Renault FT-17 are tank specific, and look reasonable.   I got one of those as Amazon have/had them at £12 posted. 

 

 

SteveJ is doing this set at the moment,

1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said:

Perhaps I should get a few Matchbox oldies to play with.

Do some research, and see what grabs you, I also got a Revell reissue of Monty's Caravan,  which looks very like the Morris C.8 set, has really well moulded diorama base, and lost of small bits.... 

The LRDG set look neat as well. If rather unavailable..

 

1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said:

And did you like the manganese shaded tracks? May not be applicable in 1917 but what the heck.

 

From what little I know, they were Manganese Steel as well.  Looking good,  glad it was of use. 

 

The track info I linked was new to me when I read it, the main poster, @Das Abteilung is a member whose posts I read as even if of no direct interest, eg the weird world of ex-Israeli Chilean Shermans and how they got re-engined with what,  are very well informed,  and different enough to be well worth reading. 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235073666-last-shermans-standing-almost-chilean-m51-and-m60/

 

Anyway, the track posting was an eye opener,  as by and large they are shown as steel, and that they go rusty.  

  My take on track colour  was this 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235071371-airfix-cromwell-been-a-long-time-since-i-did-a-tank/#elControls_3650177_menu

Which you need to look carefully at photos to see, but I was reasonably happy with.

 

Lots of my witter,   but also I hope my builds show that with some basic modelling skills and materials, (as opposed to getting lead astray by the vast array of brands.... I'm using pound shop superglue, 45 year old oil paint and some cheap nylon brushes)  that model that OK to me can be produced.  We have a lot more lurkers than posters BTW!

 

Hence my comments about your detailed build notes, warts and all,  as problems arise-problems solved  builds are really helpful.... and hopefully will inspire others to build, and post their work.

 

cheers

T

 

 

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33 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

part built as you don't want stuff up your 'masterpiece'

 

That's so true. I don't suffer from that as much as formerly but it remains hidden ditch into which to fall. Haha. (sic)

 

34 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

pound shop superglue, 45 year old oil paint and some cheap nylon brushes

Yes, yes and yes.

 

 

Superglue in the tiny tubes because a big bottle always goes off.

 

Oil paint lasts forever, though I did enjoy getting a brand new set of the best quality I could afford.

 

Cheap brushes from China which I buy from Amazon in packs of a hundred. It's hardly worth the bother of cleaning them.

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