Hi everyone,
My name is Bryan. This is my first post on armorama but I have been trolling around here quite a bit looking up articles and reading posts to help me build my first armor kit since I was a kid. I decided to build Tamiya's T-55A kit. Took me about a month but I think it came out really well. I used Tamiya Olive Drab II rattle cans, black oil wash, and dry brushed with Tamiya Buff. I also used an RB barrel and Modelkasten tracks. I also airbrushed a coat of Microscale dull coat which gave a cool dust effect. So I am looking for feedback on things I can do to make the next one better. Take a look, tell me what you think! Thank you!

Shoot give me a minute to figure out pics!

Hey Bryan, the best wat to post pics is you need to get the bb code from a photo upload website. I use Imgur for my pic uploads. You code should look like [img] pic..url [img] best of luck can't wait to see your T-55

Thanks Eric!!!

First build? Very nice! Track sag is perfect.

Yeah first build since I was probably 14-15, 32 now. Everything you could ever want to know is online!

Not too bad at all for a first built, looking good

Very well done and welcome back to the hobby!

Hi Bryan,

Welcome back to the hobby I too know what it's like to come back after so lone away from it, you have manaaged to get some great results, specially use rattle can's!!

What was your sercert to controlling the spray?? As just using the primer I can't achive the shadowing that you have achived, a great result for your 1st kit in ages & a great kit to start with!!

Mike

Congratulations Bryan,

That is really good work.

I'm really impressed how you have got those results using rattle cans !

Well done

Thank you all for taking a look and sharing your thoughts. Mike, all the shading was done with oil paints and then acrylic drybrushing. There are some good videos on Youtube of how to do this. First thing I did was apply a coat of Pledge Floor Care polish, which is basically an acrylic clearcoat on top of my base color of Olive Drab II. Then I diluted black artist oil paint into some odorless mineral spirits I picked up at Michaels, a big chain art supply store, until I basically had a black water like solution. Then I smeared the solution all over the tank, waited an hour for most of the mineral spirits to evaporate then wiped all the excess off with qtips leaving some solution around the edges of any protruding objects. I did the turret and hull seperate. There is a guy on Youtube whos computer name is QDC748a that posts some good videos that I have learned alot from. If you search Tamiya T-55 build his video should be right near the top. I pretty much did everything he did.

Excellent build! Youre painting techniques are really good... it just goes to show what you can achieve with classic techniques like drybrushing. The figure also looks really good. I love the T54/55 series!

Chris

Your T-55 looks great! You appear to be pretty adept at weathering already.

Looks really good! The dried mud on the fenders & running gear is very well done!

The mud is made with dry sanded tile grout from home depot. I mixed a little white glue with water dabbed it where I wanted then sprinkled the grout on. After it drys I hit it with a stiff brush to knock off all the loose stuff. Then mixed some Tamiya acrylic washes and dabbed thoes on.

nailed it dude! nice job and well done

I would be more than satisfied, if I achieved that level of skill in shading. Can't say it any better than anyone else has. Spot on!

Super results, especially for a comeback effort. Well done!

Great job, Bryan, very well done sir!

Chris

Thanks again for all of your comments. I picked up the old Tamiya M48A3 Patton kit for 12$ from a local shop that is getting rid of all their model kits to focus on RC. Now that I own an airbrush I think this will be the perfect kit to learn on as I wont be too upset if I mess up! I think im going to pickup the Academy CV9040 and German 4x2 Cargo truck from the same shop as they are both 40% off! I must say the paint on the CV40 looks very challenging though
Thanks again to all and happy modeling.

Great looking T-55, Bryan! And congrats on doing such an outstanding job on your first kit since you were a teenager! I just returned to the hobby as well (after 20 years) and am definitely learning alot from people on this board and others.