Spending the last few nights starting the weathering process. Also started to figure out how to use my camera a little better, adjusting the white balance and adjusting for the lightning.

Weathering so far has been using a combination of various color washes I've made myself, as well as a few AK Interactive products. I've also used some DOA pigment mixes that I mixed with plaster and turpenoid.

Still lots to do! Let me know what you think so far!

I like the colours on the tank , can't wait to see it with tracks on . Well done .

nice work jesse cant wait to see this next mouth in atlanta
dave

Hi Jesse,

T-55's comeing along great! ive gotta say thats probably my favorite camo job ive seen on a T-55. Damn fine job Jesse!

Gary

Can't beat that kind of compliment.... THANKS!


I kept working at the weathering last night. I started attempting to do a little chipping on the lighter colored color in order to show the darker green showing through on areas of high wear. After trying a couple of different techniques, I wasn't getting results I liked. I actually decided to try to chip the paint "realistically". I took a stiff bristled artist's brush, and used iso alcohol and started stippling areas. You have to be very careful not to get to bare plastic, but in time, the first color comes off and you can get to the darker under layer. I may have to go back with the pigments on places where I removed too much of the previous weathering, but in general, it actually kinda worked. Photos to follow hopefully tonight. I'm traveling this weekend, so no time to work.

I would have posted this earlier, but I've been preoccupied with life. The photo of the tracks clears up a lot problems I have with Soviet armor. Have to align them with the idler wheel. Camo looks great, btw. The detailed build really brings out the potential of this kit.

Thanks for the comment Matt.

What are you saying about the tracks? I'm a little confused.

So the T-55 had been put on hold while I worked on another project. And also because I was waiting to for some items to show up in the mail.

Since getting back into the hobby, I hadn't done any real bases for my models, nor had I done any figures beyond the typical tank commander sitting in the cupola. Well, it was time to fix that.

In addition to the ICM figures I had previously talked about, I ordered CMK's Afghan Fighters. And while not up the the level of Alpine or the like, these guys are definitely serviceable when compared to the ICM figures. I did modify them a little bit. I used one of the ICM arms on the CMK body, rotated some other arms from how they were originally sculpted, and therefore cut off a hand or two to rotate them to something more natural for the new poses. I am also having a friend of mine cast me a copy of one of the CMK heads so I don't have to use the ICM heads with the large sink holes.... yuck.

Also had another friend help me out today with my first real groundwork and base. Just old school Cell-u-clay, paint, and bunch of rocks, static grass, and little tufts of taller stuff. It's still drying, and once dry, it will gets its fair share of washes, drybrushing, pigments, etc. But here's the progress!

Take a look. Don't be bashful and leave some comments! As any of you guys who have posted logs before, it's always nice to see comments, good or bad!

Here's my planned layout of figures. The standing guy in the back still has the pour plug on him, so he won't be nearly that tall. He'll also be holding an AK-47. Also, ignore the head on the tank commander. That's the ICM head with the big hole behind the ear, and is just there to get a better idea of how it would lay out.


Here's them originally primed. Still need a fair bit of clean up work, but I wanted to get a primer coat on them so I could see better.


Base!

More base!


Thanks for looking!

sorry for the late "heads up", but this is/has been a learnfull topic,very nice T you got there, and some realy nice details too!

greetz, and thanks for posting!


Tha Pit

Hi Jesse,

first, im must say thats a pretty severe leg wound on the far right figure. looks like he took a direct hit. thats GRAPHIC! i can barley look at it!

jokeing aside, i think your base is very nice! id like to know more about the cell-u-clay. can i get it at hobby lobby or the like? also, the smaller tufts of dark green grass, what did you do to make it look like that. i know how to do the taller stuff but i cant replicate the small tufts like that for some reason. dont no what im doing really. im a newbie at the dio thing!

i use lightweight hydrocal for the two bases ive done and it works good to help shape the terrain but it has such a short work time i cant get tank track marks and the like on it. i would like to give the cell-u-clay a shot. Thanks Man! and once again great job!

Gary

Hey Gary,

Like I said, this was the first base I've done since I was about 12, so this is a new one for me. The Cell-u-clay should be available at hobby shops and/or art stores. We're lucky enough to have a Dick Blick brick and mortar store, which is where I picked up mine.

My friend who was helping me said that one thing that happens is folks tend to wet it down more than is really needed. The only moisture we added to the mixture was white glue and some squirts of cheap craft paint to give a base color. Then just knead it with a spoon or whatever, and lay it on. Once attaching it to the base, you will need some water to smooth it out and whatnot. Also, MAKE SURE YOU SEAL YOUR WOODEN BASE VERY WELL so it doesn't warp from the moisture. This base is already showing warping, so I'll probably just put little felt feet on it so allow it to really sit flat. Oh well, live and learn.

The small tufts of grass are from the brand Green Line. They really look very good, and come in a variety of colors. Here's a link to their line.

http://www.realityinscale.com/epages/61537336.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/61537336/Categories/%22Green%20Line%22

Hey Jesse,

Thanks so much for the in depth responce! im definately gona try your methods and the recommended pdroducts.

Gary

One more thing I forgot to mention. Add a few 'pumps' of one of those foaming hand soaps. Kills the surface tension of the cell-u-clay mixture so it's easier to get everything wet. Good luck.

Well, she's ALMOST finished. Basically all I some small details on the figures to paint, and then the figures need a coat of flat, and she's done. For some reason, I can't find my good camera, so all I had was my phone. I'm quite happy with the figures. These 4 guys increase my total number of figures I've done to ~10 or so, so I've still got lots to learn.

Picture time!

Outstanding job Jesse!

Congrats indeed. The tank looks superb and figures are really well done

Thanks Mauro. Both for the comment about the tank, and for all the handy reference and T-55 knowledge you've posted about!

Hey Jesse,

Ah...at last the long awaited update, and a finished project too!

You have done a fantastic job Jesse. Tank, figures, and base, all fine peices of work come together for an outstanding, 1st rate T-55. congrats Jesse and even more insperation to do my T-62. Thanks for shareing your work with us!

Gary

Jesse: I'll have to try your method for my next base. I am trying to represent tracks as if the tank were driving across the 1st SS runes. That really is an amazing job you did. And, more detail? Holy cow! This is a thing of beauty, so far as instuments of death go.

Nice!
But you should overspray the figures with a flat base

Definitely going to do that. I just need to wait for some of the oils to dry out a bit more, and then I'll be hitting it with a flat coat.

@ Gary & Matt

Thanks guys. Glad you followed along.

I will be taking a bit of a hiatus from actually building much for the next 8-10 weeks as I need to take care of some 'life stuff'. A big licensing exam for work, and 3 weddings, 1 in Houston, 1 in Los Angeles, and my own(!) here in the Atlanta area.

Holy crap Jesse! good luck with all that. you sure got your hands full. congrats on your marriage. take care.

Gary

The T-55 was lucky enough to take home a gold medal and the "Chairman's Choice" award at the 2012 AMPS show in Atlanta this weekend.

And a number of other Armorama-built vehicles made appearances, including Mike Roof's Stug IV Diorama which won a well deserved "Best of Show".

Well done Jesse, congrats!

You Deserved It

Hi Jesse,

That is fantastic news indeed! It doesnt suprise me though. Your T-55 Is IHMO is a masterpiece. congradulations man! ill be watching for your next project.

Best wishes!
Gary