DML’s 1/35 Stug. Fun to build, but as usual, the tracks were a pain, but came out nicely. painted the tracks, while they were glued to the wheels, I prefer that method now. I used primer for the first time, so if it looks like the surface is a little fuzzy, it probably is. The figure is actually Three people. A dragon head from the Tiger 1 initial, the body form tamiya’s Pnz. IV (minus his head) and arms from Tamiya’s t-34/76 driver. All brush painted with Tamiya acrylics.
Looks good Taco. I want the Tamiya kit myself. I applaud your painting the indies once attached to the vehicle. Scares the life out of me, but you did say you hand-brushed them correct? That would seem to be a safer method.
yeah, i hand brush everything (unless i’ve got a spray can handy) 'cause i hate air brushes. It seems like more work than it’s worth, thinning, cleaning, etc. And brush painting is easier for me, and a little more precise IMO.
thanks
Nice job Taco! I too applude you for being able to paint the tracks on the veh.
I could’nt live without my airbrushes, I have four.
I have yet to break out my airbrush I bought a month ago for that same reason. But I was told to get the maximum pleasure out of one was to have several things to paint at once, so using it for one model at a time would be a pain.
Nice looking StuG!
who know a StuG thread could spark an airbrush discussion, lol.
I have one, and yeah, I guess tackling several projects at once with it makes a lot more sense. But if I’m bulding and finishing one model at a time (more than two builds at once, and I start mixing kit parts) brush painting, or spray cans work best.
Yeah who would have thought that a thread on this forum would all the sudden go in a totally differnt direction [swg]
Nice stug Taco!!! I could NEVER paint tracks on the modle GREAT job.
And with an airbrush practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice.
[:)]
jiminee stick man, with all that Practice, you sound like my trumpet instructor (new direction for this thread?)
thanks for the comments guys
Well, I hate to have to be the one to say it, but if you want my honest opinion, it’s a nice enough build, tacobuff, but I’d be lying if I said that the brush marks don’t really stand out and ruin the finish for me, personally That alone would be reason enough to break out that airbrush, IMHO…[:-^]
I don;t know what the problem is for some of the guys who posted here about an airbrush being such a problem–really, they’re NOT! I have mine on a little hook next to my desk, always attached to the compressor, and break it out for the smallest details sometimes.
Using Tamiya paint, I thin it about 40% with thinner, and go. You really get a feel for it after a very short time. Blow some water or rubbing alcohol through it when I’m finished with the paint, (I keep a second cup filled and just swap them) and then blow back the paint into the jar (I return thinned paint back to the bottle ALL THE TIME! After a while you don’t even need to thin it!)). Blow some thinner through the neck of the paint cup, and quickly take off the tip and wipe the needle. Done. If I have paint build-up in the needle or tip, a swipe of Testor’s Liquid Glue completely dissolves it. Seriously, it takes all of three minutes or so to clean it.
It’s a whole other ball game using enamels–I find them to be a smelly PITA.
Your results will improve markedly if you will put the effort and time into using it. Brush strokes are not attractive.
I agree 100% with Doog on this one. Airbrushes are great tools. I just finished the chassis on a Dragon M4 81mm Mortar Carrier. The front tires were brush painted, however, the tracks and the bogies were painted with my airbrush after the base coat of “modified olive drab” was applied - with an airbrush to the entire assembly. I used an AB with a .15 needle to paint the black/grey parts.
I am desperately trying to post pics of what I’ve done, but Mozilla keeps telling me that I can’t copy and paste with the current set-up. I’m not good enough with computers to reset mine to allow me to post pictures. I am working on it though.
Seriously, give an AB a try. Once I got comfortable with mine (and we’re not talking long) I gave up on rattle cans. I know that I’ve saved myself a great deal of money that is now available to buy more models. (I really want to get one of the Eduard Hetzers.)
My opinion, but brush painting just does not work well at 1/35 scale for broad surfaces. Tracks and details are fine because they are either small or broken up surfaces where the brush strokes are usually not a problem. However, take the broad areas of an armored vehicle and brushing will not match the finish a properly done airbrush application. Take a llok at the truly masterpiece models that have been done, I suspect that 99%+ are airbrushed.
Now that this thread has really gone OT, I can’t think of a tool that has made more of a difference in my finished builds than an AB. I too used to get those beautiful brush marks no matter how careful I was. The biggest thing other than no brush marks, was slapping much thinner coats of camo without it looking all gunked on. Please get that AB out and play around with it, either on an old model or some plastic sheet. Before you realize it, you’ll never be hand painting again.
The funny thing for me is that I jumped right to the photos before reading the description, and it wasn’t immediately obvious that it had been brush painted[:-^]. Even after knowing about it, I think it looks pretty darn good. The worst giveaway for me was not brushmarks, but the clogging of the PE screens. In comparing painting with a paintbrush to airbrush, the thing that always surprises me is how little paint the airbrush needs to cover, so little surface details don’t get obscured.
Back on topic about the tank, or self-propelled gun rather, brush painted or not, I you did a job on it TacoBuff[tup]. I think the detail painting of the commander is excellent. The tools are nice as well; decent wooden handles. My main critique would be that there a few seams and some flash that are rather noticeable. I’m sure that the bright sunlight in which the you photographed the model accentuated it, but the flash on the commander’s right hand really jumps out, and takes aways from an otherwise excellent figure and the horizontal seam on the main gun jumps out as well.
Nicely done tacobuff.Good job onthe weathering and the face on the figure is excellent. A bit of a shine on the black bits like the uniform and bogies. Ditto on the AB. I use mostly enamels and the clean up is the same a doogs. Takes no time at all and the fan takes care of the stink… of the AB and the ABer[;)]
CON,SONAR…CRAZY IVAN!
Speaking of ABs I am about to paint a new front door on the houseand I am concerned abouty brush marks…
[:-^]