Zvezda 1/35 T-28 Medium Tank

[Deleted member 7181]

Thanks chaps, I really appreciate everyone's comments and likes.

I've been testing out a camo scheme on the underside and I just don't think this airbrush is up to it without masking, there's just too much of a fog around any fine lines. So it's either ready myself for another mammoth masking job, or get myself a new brush. I know which route I'd rather go down, and John has the one I want in stock now, but I'll never be able to slip that past the Gestapo wife!

Looks like I need to start earning some brownie points...

 

[Deleted member 7181]

And back to green.

I worked hard to try and get some variation in colour across it, lighter and darker patches, but my desk lamp seems to have blown that all out!





Quite like it just in green, and with a bit of work with oils I could make it more interesting, but still tempted by camo. Even now I still haven't decided

 

[Dave Ward]

Andy,
a single colour tank can be more difficult than a multi-coloured camo tank!. I'd varnish the turrets, and play around with the airbrush, using the basecolour, diluted with vanish, adding a few drops of white, misting a fine layer on the upper surfaces - and gradually build up the faded effect. Then do the same for the side surfaces, but with a few drops of black. It'll take a few attempts, but with the airbrush, you can build up a subtle transition from paler to darker, without any noticeable colour 'steps '. You'll probably have to drop the airbrush pressure ( I use about 15psi/ 1bar ). With the turrets varnished, you have a chance to remove the new upper layer, if you make a hash of it! When you're satisfied with the technique - do the hull the same way - then go to the oils/washes over the whole thing..............
Dave

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Thanks for that Dave.

When I ordered the kit I decided I was going single colour, it was only after seeing the box art that I was tempted by camo. I guess I could try adding further highlights and shadows as you suggest and still add the camo colours later if I'm not happy with my efforts.

 

[Mickc1440]

Its looking really good Andy, factory fresh at the moment.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Thanks Mick.

Up early on a Sunday too I see.

 

[Mickc1440]

Thanks Mick.

Up early on a Sunday too I see.

My last early shift, love 5am alarms

 

[Deleted member 7181]

My last early shift, love 5am alarms

It was a 6AM start for me this morning, not great when your alarm goes off at half past four on a Sunday


Added some highlights by mixing a bit of white and some clear yellow into the base colour. Without my desk lamp on it shows the colour more truly. Also gave it a satin gloss coat and managed to knock the machine gun sight loose!







Much less subtle than my previous attempts at this kind of thing, but then I usually think I've been too subtle, so maybe I'll hit a happy medium soon! Still a long way off but starting to get somewhere

 

[scottie3158]

Andy.
The paint work and high lighting looks spot on.

 

[JR]

Absolutely nothing amiss there Andy, I agree with Dave about adding paint at a lower pressure and the faded effect.
Once you apply some weathering it will all come together.
Looking really good.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Thanks Paul and John.

I know I still have a lot to learn and a lot of experimenting to do but it's good to hear I'm making a decent job of it so far

 

[Jim R]

Hi Andy
Paint job looks good to me. Light weathering will work well. A subtle, in scale effect.
Jim

 

[scottie3158]

Andy
There is a technique that you may be aware of called colour modulation I think there are some how too' s on you tube. But it is basically painting whole panels tighter or darker shades dependent on how much light or shadow they sit in.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Thanks Jim, I'm still trying to strike that balance between being noticeable but not over done.

Paul, yes I've heard of it and it's what I've been trying to achieve, in my own way. I almost bought the Mr C modulation set for Russian green but figured I ought to be able to do something similar by mixing my own colours, similar to the way Dave described.

I know I haven't picked it up too well on camera but by starting with a black primer and painting lightly lower down and around the edges of panel I'd hoped to create fake shadows. Then adding the lighter and more yellow highlights on the raised flat parts etc to emulate sun fading.

I'm not finding it as easy as those videos make it look though I definitely need much more practice!

 

[JR]

Don't bother too much about it not suddenly working Andy.
Many times i've tried and do the dark lines in the joins only to see them disappear when I add the subsequent coats of paint.
As you say it looks easy in a video or book, the first time I saw it I couldn't wait to have a go, result , realised you need very thin coats of paint.
There is nothing amiss with your paint work in its self, in my case its rather like Eric Morecambe's " I play all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order "

 

[Jakko]

Many times i've tried and do the dark lines in the joins only to see them disappear when I add the subsequent coats of paint.
As you say it looks easy in a video or book, the first time I saw it I couldn't wait to have a go, result , realised you need very thin coats of paint.

This is why I don’t even bother trying this preshading thing. When it comes to painting, I don’t have the patience to put on a whole bunch of coats that all build up the colour eventually — I want paint cover the model, so I can see clearly where I’ve painted and where I still need to paint. The times I’ve tried applying thin coats I’ve suffered one of the problem Andy also mentioned: too subtle, so you don’t see the effect despite all the effort I put in. Conclusion: might as well not bother and paint the model to the same finish with less work

Any effects like shadows and highlights, I can also apply afterward as well. In any case I lean more towards realistic finishes like weathering, than artistic like highlights and shadows. What’s more, I don’t really see the point in making a great effort painting things like shadows that will then be obliterated by the first coat of mud …

 

[Steve Jones]

If you are going to go down the road of using oils then the need for modulation is greatly reduced as you use the oils to create areas of light and dark. However I would always encourage the use of colour variation on raised and shadowed areas. A while back I spent a lot of time and energy on the art of white and black before top coating but found the oils just negated all the hard work. There are many techniques available to you. Its all about developing your own style and finish. As far as I can see you are taking big strides to achieve this and its a joy to watch your work come together.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Thanks for the advice guys, and thanks very much for the compliment Steve

Steve, I have been watching a few videos lately where they use the base colour as a background effectively, and build the finished colour & contrast up with oils as you describe. It's definitely something I want to try on this build but figured a general starting point of lighter upper surfaces and darker lower ones might help.

There's loads to learn, and lots of different ways to skin a cat, and I'm trying to do it all at once. Patience has never been my strong point

In fact there are so many areas to this hobby that I didn't even know about when I first started and I want to push further in every direction. I have to remind myself however that it will take time. I'd love to bang a few quick kits together to get more painting practice in, but then I'd miss out on the build experience. I've loved the odd bit of scratch building I've done but if I concentrate on that I'll never get any painting done. I'm itching to try my hand at a diorama but again it would be at the expense of time spent on other things.

I need to slow myself down, enjoy the whole experience, and just let things come in their own time.

 

[Steve Jones]

Your doing exactly all the things I did when I first started out four years ago. You go for it and try everything until you find what you like and what you feel you can excel at. That is one of the beauties of this hobby - many aspects to try and do.

Don't get me wrong about the modulation. There are ways of using modulation and oils in tandem to great effect. I just felt my style negated the need for the extra work involved

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Time consuming but necessary work. I airbrushed some Russian green onto all of the wheels then hand painted the 76 rubber and steel tyres. Steel was Citadel Leadbelcher. Rubber was a 50/50 mix of MrC tyre black & flat black and took so long that I had to keep thinning the paint as it was drying in the palette, hence some look better than others.