My tank is going to be in mud, so how would I make mud falling from the tracks?? Or do I really need to bother??

Ron:

Hi! You CAN DO IT! (That is, make it look like mud is falling off tracks).

But if you want to better convey real in-motion... splashing mud UP from around the tracks is much easier, IMHO, and really conveys a dynamic sense of motion. While you can add goop and have mud-globs hanging down, say from the front end of the track-run (and being sure to have a load up on the top of that track-run), these are, IMHO, less able to convincingly portray actual tank movement - mud will drop down from the tracks when things have stopped moving. Now, if you were to model the dropping glob arching out a bit in front of the track... this would go a great distance (at least as far as a scale blob of mud might fly ) to show the tank running forward.

Making the splash up would be easier to sculpt, I think. And it would make a sure statement of motion

I fiddled with this years ago using wall-patching compound (fine plaster) and sculting a tank track through with stuff gushing up - created a "wave" with some sculpted curl-over squirting up along the tracks, with some attention to creating the "vee" like a boat-wake. The detailing was crude, but at least it conveyed the general picture. Using epoxysculpt or plaster would, I think, do well for the form. Paint it over with a smoothing coat (Mr. surfacer or wood-glue or...?) to create the smoothness of wet, squirty mud. Follow up with your choice of mud colors - matched of course to more gobs of the stuff on your tank.

Just an idea! and suggestion!

Well, I don't know

Motion effects are probably more convincing in braille scale rather than in 35 one

Just my opinion

Hi,

I am trying to figure that one out for myself. In the 1/35 scale, it may be positioning the roadwheel and tracks dynamically. For example live running tracks have wave like motions during turns, pivoting on the spot or reversing. You can see it in the front, under the sprocket before the first roadwheel. Check this video out, pay attention to the track at time 3:21 :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ntTQOgywEw

On the other hand, if you want to forgo that and forgo the mud, you can suggest motion through other means. Axel Repping accomplished that beautifully in his "Bow Down To The King" diorama, to this day, it is the BEST model at capturing a sense of motion:

http://planetarmor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4693&page=4

Cheers!
+Y.C.

Actually showing the effects of movement frozen in a "stop action" manner is hard to pull off convincingly.

I have seen it done a couple of times, though. There's the example that Y.C. linked to, and I've seen several variations of "jumping" or "flying" tanks like this one:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/110741/thread/1331765335/T-90+MBT+%26quot%3BFLYING%26quot%3B

I think the most effective example, and the one that has stuck in my mind for decades, was shown in an article in the old "Military Modeling" (USA) magazine back in the 70's. (Sadly long out of print...)

It was a Monogram M48 shown driving through rice paddies in Vietnam. I can't recall the builder's name, but the splashing mud effects were done similar to what Bob has described.

IIRC, the modeler used torn bits of plastic food wrap (like the "clingy" kitchen type), artist clear acrylic gel medium, and Celluclay (maybe plaster?) to creat the semi-transparent water-mud waves and splashes (along with the "bow wave" that Bob describes). All of the materials used were very "old school."

Of course, his model was traveling through shallow water-mud, but the effect of the splashes and waves caught in mid air were very convincing.

I'll have to look through some old back issues and see if I can find the model and give the builder credit (and maybe scan a picture to illustrate).

It can be done, but I think the main ingredients are boldness, imagination, and attention to detail. I think that reference to a few good photos of vehicles (any kinds, not just tanks) traveling at speed through the kind of terrain that you want to model are the best references. You might have to experiment with some samples to see how to model the various effects.

The keys to showng the "forward motion" are the bits of turf, mud, or other debris (like the wall parts in Y.C.'s linked example) shown not just falling down, but moving in an "arc" as if "thrown" away from the vehicle and not just dropping straight down. Dropping or falling straight down just looks like a muddy tank parked with mud falling like "dripping candle wax." Not very dynamic, IMO.

Good luck! Sound like an interesting challenge you've set for yourself.

Mike,
Funny,when I saw the title of the post and the discription of what Ron was trying to replicate, I thought back to the same article... Me thinks that it was published maybe back in 1977 or 78. I will look also when I get home as I have a few MMs from that era. See you in about a month, hopefully.

John

IMHO You can get a spray can of, I believe it is Rustoleum, stone effects in a brown. Lightly spray it across the tracks/lower hull of your kit. I will look like mud and dirt falling off of the model. You, if you are very carefull, can also spray the underside of the fenders and lower rear of the upper hull to represent spatter. I've tried several effects on tracks and found this one to be the simplest method. Of course, this only works for 1/35-32 scale models.

Hey John,

We're getting ready to confess our age here...

I found that issue - It was Military Modeler, volume 1, number 1, Spring, 1974!

The builder's name is Lane Sanders and he used Celluclay and Sculptamold to make the mud giving a wet look after painting with thinned white glue (PVA). That was it!

That dio has stuck in my mind for almost 40 years, so even though it was all very "old school," it was quite effective!

Mike

PS: I'm bumming about it, but I can't make the AMPS international show this year. It's a long and sorry story, best told over a couple of frosty adult beverages... Maybe next year! Hope you guys have fun!

I saw your post then saw these talk about moving.
http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=220408

Tom