discussion SU 76 FIGURES FOR THE DIORAMA

[Guest]

Hi all, stand by for some fun, or if your a true figure painter look away now.:smiling2:
Thought I'm not any good with the faces yet I enjoy the building and subsequent painting.
The Tamiya figures from the Su are ok to build, but the Sniper ones from good old Zvezda were more problematic.

The arms didn't line up with the body and resulted in the snipers rifle not fitting. Not to worry said I snapping the arm off, well some times its the only way.:surprised: Once removed and cleaned up the left arm was re fitted while I held the rifle in place.
That done the trigger arm is still not attached, the rifle needs to be glued into the hand on the left arm, once that is done and the right will fit. Slight problem, you can't see most of the face the paint ! So at the moment his arm is still off.

The commander has a leather trench coat, decided against doing the great coat as there would be too much uniform green in a small space. His hat fur colour for the Ushanka has been changed to show his rank, some officers were able to obtain real fur as opposed to the fake material offered to the lower ranks.
At the moment I am enjoying researching in to Russian uniforms, there are so many choices to make in colours for the Khaki webbing and belts alone yet even getting in to uniforms. For example most kits show tankers head gear as black, wrong, a dark brown leather. I have found a perfect example at . IWM.
View attachment 327720
Copyright IWM ( EQU4044)

Right here we go .

SU commander.
View attachment 327721
Face looks like a certain Russian leader to me !
Back view.

View attachment 327724


Loader.
View attachment 327722


Gunner.
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I've given them gloves, can't think they could handle brass shell casings in sub zero temperatures.
Now for the two snipers, one is searching for targets with his perscoupe, the other lining up on a target.

View attachment 327725View attachment 327726
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He is not making gesture at the Germans ! Looks bad with his arm off.
Have to agree with every one that has mentioned painting white and how awkward it can be. They both had a primer, followed by numerous coats of white, along with some off white painted in for shadows. Also some diert applied, as they would have looked quite dirty crawling about in a house.

Now If I want to do a pin type wash am I right in thinking I should varnish first.
Thank you, any help more than welcome, sorry for the photos, it's a landscape lens which for that use it's perfect but not for close ups. :smiling2:

John.

 

[scottie3158]

Figures look good to me mate.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

love the leather coat John:thumb2:

 

[Jim R]

Hi John
Long John Putin is looking good as are the rest of the crew. Well done with the white.
Jim

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi John
Coming along well.....
If you now use VJ flesh wash on those faces they will come to life quite nicely.....try one and see......
Cheers
Tim

 

[Guest]

:smiling2:

Figures look good to me mate.

Thanks Paul :thumb2:

love the leather coat John:thumb2:

Hi Neil ..... Thanks, I was pleased my self, just happened !

Hi John
Long John Putin is looking good as are the rest of the crew. Well done with the white.
Jim

Thanks Jim....... Funny how the sculpters produce faces we all reconise,
,I had the Duke of Edinburgh once on a Russian. Ammo loading crew. Must be a joke amonst them
to see who can do it .:smiling2:

Hi John
Coming along well.....
If you now use VJ flesh wash on those faces they will come to life quite nicely.....try one and see......
Cheers
Tim

Thanks Tim, do I need to varnish first ?
John .
Thanks all for commenting .

 

[Tim Marlow]

No John, just use it straight from the bottle. It’s formulated especially for this application......but only try one figure first to see if you like it....

 

[Guest]

No John, just use it straight from the bottle. It’s formulated especially for this application......but only try one figure first to see if you like it....

Thanks Tim...... I think you recommend one last time , and I seem to remember seeing a Vallejo wash on my paint shelf today. Hopefully I will get chance tomorrow afternoon. Might try it on the commander, and post the result .:thumb2:
John.

 

[Tim Marlow]

It’s called flesh wash....number 73.204.

 

[Guest]

First upView attachment 327976View attachment 327977View attachment 327978View attachment 327979View attachment 327980View attachment 327981 load from phone

 

[scottie3158]

John,
Looking good. have you used the flesh wash on the officer with the leather coat?

 

[minitnkr]

Wow. Figs are looking great. PaulE

 

[Guest]

It’s called flesh wash....number 73.204.

John,
Looking good. have you used the flesh wash on the officer with the leather coat?

Afternoon Tim and Paul.
Yes , I had to go and look this morning.Tim its the one you recommend some time ago, quite impressed my self. !

Wow. Figs are looking great. PaulE

Thanks Buddy, as I said pleased with these , don't think I can improve with any further work.

Strange thing was when I tried to use some pewter to maker the straps it just wouldn't glue with the CA, in the end it was back to the Tamiya tape, worked straight away.?

I had a bit of a struggle with fitting the rifle for the sniper, it doesn't quite fit into the shoulder , at least the strap went through his arm when I glue the arm on. :surprised:
Also gave the two other crewmen a green wash, glad I kept those acrylic washes that I bought, just perfect for this type of use.
Two more rifles and a submachine gun drying so later to day should be able to fit one rifle and submachine gun to the scope man.
All the faces have had a flesh wash, just need to have another look later to see if they need some more.
Thanks for the comments and help.

John.

 

[Jim R]

Hi John
Great progress with the figures. They look very good.
Jim

 

[boatman]

Hi John
Great progress with the figures. They look very good.
Jim

Yea John that's what I think too good work

 

[Steve Jones]

Sorry mate! I thought I had commented earlier. I must say the latest shots are rather jolly good old man:thumb2: Very impressed indeed sir. Looks like all that practising has paid off well. You must be very pleased. They will certainly be another highlight of the build. Top work mate.

 

[BigGreg]

and it gets every day more interesting.. can't wait to see the rest..... MOOOORE....

 

[Guest]

top notch work.I do enjoy the leather looks great.also the sniper guy I found interesting as well great all the way around
Rick

 

[Guest]

Looking very good John. You are gradually building up quite a range of techniques to get the job done. Good for you.

 

[Guest]

Hi John
Great progress with the figures. They look very good.
Jim

Thanks Jim.

Yea John that's what I think too good work

Thanks Christopher.

Sorry mate! I thought I had commented earlier. I must say the latest shots are rather jolly good old man:thumb2: Very impressed indeed sir. Looks like all that practising has paid off well. You must be very pleased. They will certainly be another highlight of the build. Top work mate.

Very kind of you Steve. .

and it gets every day more interesting.. can't wait to see the rest..... MOOOORE....

Greg, as a fellow dio builder you know the time it takes to get the smallest detail done , not long until the SU is painted and then the snow !!!! .

top notch work.I do enjoy the leather looks great.also the sniper guy I found interesting as well great all the way around
Rick

Looking very good John. You are gradually building up quite a range of techniques to get the job done. Good for you.

Richard and Peter , to have such nice comments from two top figure painters is praise indeed , thank you .

This evening I managed to get the two snipers into position in the first upper room , I've set them back from the window so they can seen easlier.
The ammo has been cut down , using some of the kit plastic ones , removing the heads. These can represent the empty shell cases. I shall put some solid brass in to the racks. The loader already has a brass shell in his arms, certainly looks the part .
Wheels have been primed, inside and out, PE been primed with Mr Hobby . Hopefully tomorrow afternoon I might get a coat of primer on the SU ! Then the fun can begin .
Thanks for the support, does mean a lot for the mojo .:thumb2:
John .