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SKP Humber Scout Mk.I

Painting and Markings

Once the main build of the kit was complete I was left with a very exciting looking model, full of potential for painting and weathering. I tried to stick to reference pictures to gain an accurate understanding of what condition these vehicles would be kept in as much as possible. Ultimately, I decided on depicting a British Scout from the 11th Armored Division for my finish.

I began with an undercoat of Citadel Skull White which if left to dry adequately provides a perfect canvas for both acrylics and enamels. Over that went the first coat of Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab, followed by a touch up application by brush to cover all those areas the air brush struggles to get to. Once I had a decent base coat to work from, I started picking out some of the detail such as the horn under the headlights and lamp wires. The two Bren machine guns were painted black and then highlighted with Tamiya Gun Metal.

This kit includes dry transfers, something I have never worked with before. I did a little research on the web and found some application guides that really helped me through the process. Not only did I find them easy to use, but I also found the clarity of the decal nice and consistent with no blurring or overlapping. To make sure the transfers stayed in place and were not damaged by the weathering stages to come, I applied a coat of Revel matte clear by brush. I was not sure how tough these types of decals were so I felt it best to protect them before I went any further.

Once protected, I started to blend them into the paintwork with the aid of a few thin Lamp Black oil washes. Doing this helps to bring all of the colors and decals to one level and helps them look as natural as possible as if the markings had weathered the same as the paint underneath them. Once dry, I applied a pin wash of a slightly stronger mix of lamp black to pick out all the panel and bolt detail. Lastly, I dry brushed a lighter shade of the base color to bring out some of the detail.

Weathering

I added several streaks running down the sides of the vehicle to represent the rust and dirt gathered on the surface and run down the sides as a result of rain or getting wet. The effect is very simple to do, I simply chose three earth colors in the Humbrol enamels range for this as I don’t think acrylics work very well since they dry too quickly. Next, I dabbed tiny amounts of the paint onto the model where the streaks would originate from, such as around bolt heads and weld seams. I used the three colors randomly and then used a brush dampened with turpentine and with a downward motion, wiped the paint down away from the blob of paint.

At this stage in the build, it was time to get some pigments involved. Many people hold different opinions on this medium; some swear by them and admittedly, sometimes they can be overused, but ultimate I believe it is very much a matter of personal taste. For this project, I kept the pigment use fairly reserved to avoid covering up the paint work I had produced. Using a wide soft brush, I collected a small amount of pigment and worked it into all of the cracks and seams on the vehicle. Then with the same brush, I wiped away the pigment until I achieved the effect I was looking for.

Conclusion

Overall, I am really happy with this build and it has inspired me to do more small reconnaissance vehicles rather than the standard tank and carrier subject. This model has not been the easiest to build due to a few fit problems, but the overall quality of the Scout together with the price made up for that to some degree.