Well I just finished this one of the big cats GB.
This was my first time atempting zim and I’m pretty happy with it. I was realy disapointed with this kits fit though.
I’m realy happy with how my rust efects turned out.
All coments and ideas on how I can improve my builds welcome!!
[:)]
Is this an operational vehicle, or one that’s been sitting in a scrap yard for several years after the war? If the former, the weathering and the rust are way overdone. Presumably not the latter, since the bow MG is still installed. An operational vehicle would never be allowed to get into that state - its crew would have been up on a charge, and digging/ cleaning out latrines, long before.
In particular, tow cables are never allowed to get rusty. Rust weakens them, and weak tow cables snap. Dangerous. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s not fun. They are coated with grease specifically to prevent this. And what’s with all the rust on the tools? Would you let your own tools get into that state? If not, why do you think that a tank crew would, or, again, that their squad sergeant would let them?
I’ll let others speak to the model’s other issues, but the thing about rust on vehicles is that, pretty much all the time, less is more. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
Cheers,
Chris.
Jeez Chris, lighten up. Stick man is 14. We all started somewhere. Say something positive will ya.
Stickman, Going good. Take the good advice on board, and dont get too bummed about the rest. I’m only on my third armour build and I think you are ahead of me.
I really like the bashed up looking exhaust guards and the damaged mud gaurds. Overall it has an appealing look to it but it does look like it been sitting for awhile. Good job.
Chris does make some valid points. When it comes to weathering, less is more. Trust me, i know as well as anyone that once you get started flinging mud at the thing it’s hard to stop. It’s fun. As you are out and about look closely at some construction vehicles or things like garbage trucks that get beat up. Corrosion will definitely make a surface rough but by that time the rust is pretty old and much darker. the color you have to very new rust. I am not saying it would not be on the tracks but the underlying surface should be smoother.
The rust may be overdone,but it’s still a damn nice effect!How’d ya do it?I just gots ta know!
I’ll agree with Chris in part. If it’s an operational vehicle, it is overdone, expecially the rust. Having said that, it looks really cool! I mean the rust is well done, and for me that is a difficult thing to get exactly the way you want it.
I noticed some sag in the tracks that looks a little off (they look kinda twisted), you can tell they are the one-piece DS tracks. Nothing that can’t be fixed by carefully super-gluing them to the road wheels.
The zimm is a good attempt, but that is a tough thing to do. What technique did you use? I doesn’t look bad, really–it just looks slightly out of scale.
In all, even though I’ve mentioned a lot of negative, you should be very proud. I doubt there are many people here that can say they could have done this at 14! You’ve got some skills for sure.
You said you were disapointed with the fit… can you elaborate? What didn’t fit well?
stick man, it’s a good start. Good for you, that you actually tried to weather it and try some new techniques for rust, and dirt, etc. You even tried, and accomplished, an actual zimmerit coat–great!
Now that you have learned to apply rust, you must concentrate on how much. Chris actually has goven some really good points about how much rust would be appropriate on the parts like tools and cables. Less IS more, is really the watchword.
It’s a shame about the tracks’ fit–that big excessive lump in the front there is quite surprising–you should read up on how to shorten a track with thread or staples. YOu can cut the track just like anything else, and staple or stitch the ends together. That would really improve th elook of this kit–are these the dreaded “DS” tracks?
All in all, I think that the paint and weathering look really good! For 14 years old, this tank–and the risks you have obviously taken with it–hint at a great modeler inside of you just waiting to stretch his legs! I think you’re going to be someone to watch in the future! [#toast]
I like it. I cannot beleive that at 14 you had the patience to put the obvious work you did into that build. At 14 I collected models in boxes, started a few, had grand ideas about emulating Shep Paine and doing a huge SAS diorama involving some jeeps and a 1/35 ME 110, but my stuff never really got off the ground.
I like the rust, the amount is in the eye of the beholder. You wanted a rust effect, and, even the guys saying “too much” will agree, you came up with a VERY realisting rust look.
If you want to tone that down, fine, if you like the way it looks, go for it.
But, please, and this is coming from a 43 year old guy, please post what you did to make that rust effect, inquiring minds want to know.
Nice Tiger.
The overall camo paint job is good and I do like the banged up fenders and exhaust covers,are they metal or plastic ? if plastic,they came out pretty realistic.I would have to agree about the rust on the tools,they probably are used enough to not get that way,but the rest of the tank,strictly personal decision,and your technique is good.
hey good one! That zim is great! I’m still too terrified to even think about stickin’ that stuff on a tank. lol. I like the camo too. What paints did you use?
Stick man,
I think it’s great that you are stretching out and trying new things, it shows in your finish that you aren’t afraid to use advanced techniques and to experiment with things. Not only have you tried your own zim, you’ve introduced damage to the exahusts, fenders, and storage boxes, you’ve applied some solid texturing and rusting effects, you’ve got a layered paint finish, etc. That’s an extraordinary achievement and one I hope you’ll continue to build on as you’ve clearly got a view towards what you want to achieve. These things make your model stand out and get attention.
The next step in your journey is to consider the context…the question of “how did it get this way” relative to the look you’re trying to achieve. That’s what Chris’ questions are aimed at…it’s how you get the model to tell a story about the moment in time you’re trying to capture with the “look” that it has and that, in turn, drives when and how you use different techniques to convey that story. This one has a lot of potential and “character” built into it and you’ve successfully employed several techniques that you should rightly be proud of in the results. [tup]
lets see, i tried the zim on a tamiya tiger, trashed it.
well, yours is better than mine[tup]
[tup] I’m new to armor but I think it looks gr8.
Cheers,[#toast]
Dave
If he keeps building armor and puts this kind of effort into each build,think what he’ll be turning out in as little as a year from now.Keep going dude.
I think it looks really good. Better than anything I have even done that’s for sure. Having said that, it does have sort of an “abandoned” look to it.
Maybe it was sitting in a bone-yard in eastern Germany and got pressed back into service to halt the Soviet advance? That could be one take on it.
Regards,
Jeff
Thanks for looking and comenting guys!
chris hall It’s supost to be an abandoned tank in the dio I have planned for it it’s going to be stuck in the mud with broken rusty tow cables hang off the front.
Thanks for comenting!!
Wirraway I like geting the advice so I know what to do next time. I’ve got a lot to learn since this is only my 4th build armour biuld.
Thanks for comenting!!
wing_nut Thanks for the advice. I’ll check out some construction equiptment soon.
Thanks for comenting!!
TD4438 to do the rust I used oil paints and mig pigments I’ll post pics of how later.
Thanks for comenting!!
acmodeler01 Yes thay are DS tracks and one of them was solid whene I was working with it! I could acutaly hold it in my hand and have it go strait out (the track on the left side). for the zim I used Tamyia putte and a flea comb. The sides did’nt fit well in a lot of places I had to use styren to put in battwean the parts and some of the smaller parts where a real pain!
Thanks for comenting!!
the doog Thanks Doog this build would’nt be half as good with out your tutorials. I did’nt need to shorted the track the problem was that it was rock solid.
Thanks for comenting!!
Citadelgrad87 Thanks. I’ll post my rust tequnique later with pix.
Thanks for comenting!!
anthony2779 The fenders and exoust covers are both plastic but I beat them up with a lither and a pair of plyers.
Thanks for comenting!!
TacoBuff I used Tamyia acrilics for th ecamo.
Thanks for comenting!!
wbill76 Thanks I appreciate the coments.
Thanks for comenting!!
jadgpanther302 Thanks man!
Thanks for comenting!!
dlowman Thanks!
Thanks for comenting!!
firesmacker the bone yard is a good idea but I’ve got a dio in mind[}:)].
Thanks for comenting!!
Thanks again all!!!
[:)]
Good for you bud. Far more postives than negatives on your build. You got more guts for trying new things like the zimmerit, which a solid effort. Always refer to your refs for patterns and such.
##gasp##the horror,the horrror.alright any one got some spare indies for that tiger,uhhg those rubber bands are a sight.other than that stickman,myself i would be more than satisfied with this tiger.[:D]and only fourteen.i’m forty-five and have trouble making myself look that good.keep up the modeling.there is a story in a book i have about a broken down derelict tank [tiger] that is on the eastern front.i believe a small group of cut off ss men occupied it and fought to the end.if i find it i will scan it.it may help in your inspiration on the dio.
Thanks Tiger man!
Deatailfreak… ya the tracks on this kit where the worst I’ve ever seen if I ever get another kit with DS’s I’'m sooooooooo geting indies for it.
That story sounds cool to.
Thanks guys!
[:)]
I do agree about DS tracks in 1/35. I have one of the earlier Dragon Tigers in the stash, with indy links, and it’s so much better! You’d think that if Dragon assume you can deal with all the hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic and etch that their 1/35 kits contain, you could handle a few dozen pesky indy links.
Mnd you, in 1/72, DS tracks are fine. They also work well with parts which are intended to represent flexible materials on the real thing, such as turret mantlets.
Stick Man, don’t take my comments too hard. Technically, your rust is very good, it’s just that it seemed a bit out of context. Did you use materials like Rustall? The new rust on the spare links around the turret is particularly effective.
Cheers,
Chris.