That's a really nice base - what's going on it?

I'm looking at a square foot of carving cobbles that measure about 3mm x 6mm in scale... Oh, and did I mention the trolley tracks? Abandon sanity all ye who enter here!

Cheers,

tom

You're going BIG ...
The base was made for this fellow:


A.

Small update from my side: here's Panther rusted after fire:







What do you think?

Next step: soot and smoke marks and ash.

Andrzej

Andrzej, rust looks very convincing, I can't wait to Panther finished. Could you share your technique with us?

And here is update from me:

Nice groundwork Marcin, I do like the fact that you are using different sizes of dirt in your soil mix - it looks realistic this way.

As for my rusting technique (I'm happy you like the result):

I took painted model, applied Vallejo Oxid Paste, than I airbrushed humbrol 113 matt rust basicly covering whole area covered with paste (I think that Paste's color is too intensive) and also areas close to it. Than I used dot technique to apply 502Abtailung oils - Dark Rust and Brown Wash (it gives nice color variation).
That's it, plain and simple. I hope someone will find it useful!

Andrzej

Here's my entry - "The Tiger in the Snow".
It's a turret and tracks from an Academy Tiger I early w/ Interior and a woman's figure from MasterBox's Checkpoint set. It's gonna be a simple spring scene. The red circle indicates where the floor tread plate will be.

Tom, I know a lot about carving bricks and cobblestones... Did those a couple of times. One was a dioramabase in A4 size with curved arches of stones...
If you are going for straight lines, here's a little tip.
Carve the stones along a ruler using little pressure, so you can see the lines. Then recarve them with more pressure freehand. This way you will have the straight lines in your pattern, but the uneven finish of the stones/bricks.

I don't know, Andrzej...
The red is more like a primerred, not rust. Rusting steel is more brighter orange like colour.
Maybe a layer of orange pigments or pastels will get you there. It will surely give that powdery look rust has.





Always a powerfull scene you are depicting, Marcin. The figure is from Dragon? It looks familair.

Effective displays don't have to be big, Joris. I think you're of on a good start here.

Ron,
You sure are right about rust color BUT... when it comes to steel you can basically split rust into two categories: oxide type rust and hydroxide type rust.
Typical hydroxide type of rust you can get by putting a metal into the water (or expose it to moisture in the air...) It is the type of rust you will get quickly and it's usually the first type of rust that appears on metal part. It is bright and orange - exactly as shown on your pictures.
The second, oxide type is when steel parts are exposed to air (or pure oxygen) for a long time. If there is no moisture the corrosion will be of that type and it will effect with dark brown rust. If you do not want to wait long the easiest way to make iron particles react with oxygen is to add heat - burning tank is perfect environment for this kind of corrosion to appear.

Andrzej

Wow! Learning all about the science of rust - who says this is just a hobby? Andrzej that's a very cool looking model so far - I really like the texture and the way the zimm is damaged around the impact hole. Can't wait to see it sooted up! Just remember that a lot of soot disappears after a few days once rain etc get on the tank. It's a matter of exactly how long ago the fire was meant to be. (After a number of weeks you could dispense with black soot entirely, and just add lots of dust on the remaining paint to tone it down...)

By the way, I took the plunge yesterday and poured pollyfilla (a ready-mixed plaster repair material) into my picture frame. I mixed in some grey artist's acrylic to pre-colour it, and while it slowly went off I started carving cobbles. Fortunately some of the area is covered in dirt & rubble!

Ron, many thanks for your tip - I used a straight-edge to line up the cobbles, but having read your post I want to go back and do your freehand over-scribe to really liven them up! Believe it or not, the pollyfilla is still moist even after nearly 20 hours...

I'll post pics of it soon.

And I like your idea Jorvis - reminds me of that shot of Wittman's destroyed tiger.

The end of March is getting way too close...

Tom

Tom, you should wait untill the filler is hardened. Then, when you are scribbing, the edges will chip off giving the uneven edges.
Thanks for the lessons in rust, Andrzej. I didn't know that!

@ Joris - sorry for not posting comment earlier - it sure is great idea and I do agree with Tom, it remind's Wittman's Tiger for sure (especially with the turret floor plate).

@ Ron and Tom - it's not only hobby... I'm quality engineer responsible for stamped and cold-formed components and also for springs... reckognizing rust is what I do (sometimes it helps to figure out if the part was already delivered rusted or was it simply lying around for two years...)

Thanks for comments and tip about the soot.

Andrzej

No problem. If i'd ever get my hands on Dragon's Tiger I Late, it would definetely be Wittman's 007, but for now it's a whitewashed early version destroyed somewhere in Russia.
The floor panel is about done. Bird's view of the general layout:

I've heard that Tigers of sPzAbt 502 had barbed wire wrapped on them to prevent from enemy soldiers. Does anybody have photos and/or more information about such "defense"?
Cheers,
JJ

Ron, figure comes from Master Box set of Panzergrenadiers ( http://www.mbltd.info/3518.htm ) Quality is not outstanding, but MB's offer is really interesting when you want something unusual.

Hi, I just wanted to support my previous post about rust colors with an example (good to have it on desk ):

Upper part was just lying for few years in a dry box. Second part had some water gathered in immersions which resulted with nice orange hydroxide rust.

A

Defenitly there are many types/colours of rust depending on material, time, conditions etc. It's good someone takes into considiration that.

More progress from me:

I do like the way you're making soil, Marcin. It looks very realistic!
Some small update from my side: I’ve done some more painting with the Panther and some groundwork as well…






I will try to do some more this evening but I had a sleepless night and I don’t know if I would be able to do anything… My eyes are kept open with matchsticks .

Andrzej

Sleepless night?

Your Panther and base look better and better. I can't wait your next update post.

Andrzej,

Your Panther is really coming along! I especially like the burnt & rusty effects on the top deck. How will you do the water?

I spent the past few days sculpting pollyfilla for my dio, and this afternoon adding paint. I'm not entirely happy yet with the colours, but will take & post some pics tomorrow. I finally feel there is light at the end of the tunnel...

Tom

You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you? The difference is that my sleep-disturber weights 14,5 kg and unexpectedly jumps on my head in the middle of the night… Oh, I’m expecting second one in few months so I’m going to look like a zombie soon .




Thank you very much! I have to paint tracks and make one more wash on the Panther and then: plaster time! As for the ground - I still have a lot of painting to do along with bushes planting etc... We still have 3 weeks

Andrzej

Hi!
Find out this campaign today and enlisted. I am working on knoked out PZ1KLA dio at the moment and it seems to fit.

Here some pictures of work in progress. Hope to finish nex week.

Hi Kaspar,

I'm happy you've decided to join us.
I like how you've damaged the vehicle. Looking forward to see more!

Andrzej

Your son defenitly should give up drinking coffee


Congrats, mate. Second boy are mybe a girl this time?
We are (more she is) still at night feeding stage so my wife is against any ideas of brother or sister for our son

Thanks!
As it was said in "Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life": Now I think it's a little early to start imposing roles on it, don't you? . We don't know yet. I'd really like to have a daughter but it would be easier for us to have second boy.

A

I've missed your post somehow... sorry...
Thanks for opinion. As for water - I plan to pour some plaster to about 5-8mm to edge of diorama so the Panther will be fixed for good. Than I will paint the plaster with greenish, brownish paints to get a color of murky river in early spring. Than a thin layer of Vallejo water mixed with brown-green paint and than Vallejo water sculpted to illustrate current of river. I want to place also some tree branch or something in the water next to the tank - I will post step-by step pictures to illustrate my method.

As for your progress – don’t worry… I’m never happy with the colors .

Andrzej

Almost finished: