SimonT - Hobbyboss 1/35 Russian T-18 Light Tank

[Guest]

Looking better now, I think. Then again, I’m not a fan of models with obvious highlights and shadows, even though I think they often do look better if they have some.

[Guest]

Well I thought the first was perfect Simon.:disappointed2:

[SimonT]

Cheers Steve - definitely overdid it with the first try. Going to have to be a lot more careful next time I use that set of paints and remember that less is best :hugging-face:

Thanks Mick

Jakko - the fact that items exhibit highlights and shadows is what helps us determine the 3d’ness of what we are looking at so personally I think enhancing the light and dark to offset the small size of the models has a place. Does help if it is not overdone of course

John - sorry but it looked even worse in person. Far too much contrast between dark and light. The ‘shine’ as they label it is not far off white so needs to be used sparingly - I was way too heavy handed with it

Gave the whole thing a coat of Brown for Dark Green filter which has helped tone things down a bit further

Have just finished adding some red stars on the turret


First I did a test spray - stencil taped down


Removed the needle cover and wound down the paint and air settings so I was getting minimum of paint spraying

I used some Tamiya Matt red straight from the bottle - need to spray as dry as possible to reduce the chance of paint creeping under the stencil


Test worked so onwards and upwards - clean the stencil with thinners and then tape it down on the turret



and success

The right side was a bit tricky as the stencil wouldn’t sit down flat due to the hatch

Had to angle the A/B away from the gap so the paint didn’t blow under


Have found that the Air Viper is not the easiest to clean due to the paint cup being an integral part of the body

[Guest]

You made a very good job of it Simon, esp with overlapping that hatch hinge plate.
Never heard of an Air Viper before ?

[SimonT]

Cheers John

One of these:

AirViper

[Guest]

Jakko - the fact that items exhibit highlights and shadows is what helps us determine the 3d’ness of what we are looking at so personally I think enhancing the light and dark to offset the small size of the models has a place.

I know, that’s why I said I think models do look better with them, but that I think they shouldn’t be obvious. Too many models you see have such extreme highlights that the model looks painted rather than realistic, IMHO. I’m sure there are lots of people who like that, but I’m not among them I also suspect a lot of modellers paint their models like that because this is the way award-winning models are painted — except that they then (probably subconsciously) exaggerate the finish in a way that the really good painters don’t.

I just realised that a probably very good comparison is typography, though I doubt most people will understand what I mean by that Essentially, really good typography takes a lot of effort for something that nobody except typography geeks experts will notice. OTOH, bad typography is something that almost everyone will notice, even if they can’t put their finger on what is wrong with what they’re reading. (Making bad typography is easy, BTW: use Microsoft Word, for example.)

[Steven000]

Looking good Simon :thumb2:
Cheers, Steven

[David Lovell]

Not that I can talk haven't used the airbrush for a year or so but looks ok to me I found you had to over exaggerate so when you applied the filters it all comes together nice under state it and you think was it worth it, although I use filters on the paint job and washes around nuts bolts and hatches etc looking forward to the finish.

[Si Benson]

Morning Mr T,
Nice work on the stencilling. They can be tricky to use but think You’ve nailed it :thumb2:

I’m another that prefers to over egg the highlights on the assumption that further weathering will mute the effect.

[minitnkr]

Sooooo much better than decals! Some excellent finish work. PaulE

[Steve Jones]

I agree Paul. Nice work Mr T. Will be practicing with mine soon

[SimonT]

Thanks one and all - the stencils do look good if you get them right. Luckily this time it worked out ok

Low pressure and paint as dry as possible so that it doesn't wick under the stencil and build up the coverage slowly



it got the first wash of 'Dark brown for dark green' last night - this is it when still wet

I left it drying for a few hours then removed a lot of it from the flat surfaces with little foam sponge make-up wotsits

It will get some more focused washing around the details once the initial layer has dried

[scottie3158]

Simon,
Great work the wash looks good.

[SimonT]

the rear of each sponson has one of these rings (door knocker?)

I managed to ping the right side one off into oblivion with the paintbrush


so had to make a replacement - will need to paint it and blend to match surrounding paint


this is what it currently looks like after a few layers

made a start on the tracks using Tamiya flat earth as the base colour

[Guest]

Beautiful painting Simon - the stencils certainly give an authentic look.

Won't comment on shading except to say that it's down to individual taste. If you like it, do it.