Have just completed my first diorama with a M-113 from Tamiya. I need some feedback please. Hope this is the right discussion group to do it in. Pictures on my profile under "Vietnam gallery". Thank you.

Hey Andre

The M113 is cleanly built and painted as are the figures.

Here are a few suggestions:

Try using oils or enamel paints for the weathering since they have a slower drying time and can be manipulated for longer. This way you can create more realistic mud/dust streaks. If they are available where you live, MIG pigments are also very useful for creating mud, and can be mixed with water, plaster or enamel thinners

I would also suggest a dark wash to highlight the detail on the figure's faces. This creates shadows and hints at the eyes etc without forcing you to paint such small features

Another point is that the M113 floor appears too clean for an APC which would see a lot of foot traffic. You could use a pencil or graphite powder to represent the exposed bare metal

Here are your photos as well






This is a really good first dio which with a couple of tweaks can look very well finished.

jope this helped and looking forward to seeing more!

Thanks for advice and the photos. .

Interior should ordinarily be Sea Foam Green, not white (though there are some reports that very early M113's may have had white inside). Sea Foam Green is very close to Sky Type S, a Fleet Air Arm camouflage color available in many paint lines.
And, as mentioned above, a red-brown wash will pick up the facial detail if you don't want to do fully detailed face painting.

I started painting it green initially, but changed my mind. Some literature suggested it was white in the beginning of the war. Anyway, thank you for input

Andre,

You are off to a great start for your first dio. Looked over your pics in the gallery, you have the basics down well. From here it's just a matter of refining your skills. Try to get your hands on some models books or magazines that cover weathering techniques and practice until you are satisfied. Patients is a biggy too, it ain't gnna happen over night, but you knew that. There's tons books and mags on the market so you should be able to find plenty, plus there's lots of tutorials here on Armorama and on Mig's forum, and Track-Link.net too. If someone else can do it, so can you, just get after it! This is a Sport of personal competition, in my humble opinion.

Figures take a little practise so don't lose heart. It's more metal than anything else, just take your time. I personally use oils for my major figure work with an acrylic base. Oils give you the freedom to work longer and they blend much easier. I like the placement of your figures, your story is well told in this dio. Keep at it and visit this site often, we're willing to help. Review others work often to see what has been done to create the affects portrayed. After awhile you will recognize those techniques and be able to duplicate them with ease. And have fun Andre!

I hope this has helped somewhat and I wish you and yours have a Merry Christmas and a Model productive New Year Andre, Ski.


P.S. I'm working a figure tutorial on T/L if you wish to view, still in progress; http://www.track-link.net/forum/modelling_figures/4549.

Thank you for reply and advice. Looked at your gallery on" Kitmaker Network". Loved the attention to detail in your dioramas. I am still working only with brushes. Still trying to convince my wife it is worthwhile to spend money on an airbrush just to paint silly little plasticky thingies. I will have to preservere. You just can't achieve the same results without it.

I also wish I had access to all the resources you have in the, United States. I know you can order it through the internet, but "Oh, the exchange rate kills you here in, South Africa".
Greetings from Africa.

Andre,

If access to material is going to be a problem then go to the sites and print up the articles and have them in front of you while working. Use as much reference material as possible from the sites to help you along. Research is actually a big part of this Sport in my humble opinion. You will be doing a lot of scratch building too, which isn't a bad thing, might make you an expert thru necessity. You can make it happen, just keep at it and we're here to advise if and when you may needed it. Keep us posted on your progress, I'm interested in you success in this Sport.

Cheers, Ski.

Thank you for reply. I was talking more in line of kits/ figures/ aftermarket detail sets,etc in terms of""resources". I have done a fair amount of research on the M-113 model plus some scratchbuilding.


Radio scratchbuilt


Another radio and heater shield made out of a piece of Coke tin can.


Levers/wires/gear knob added. Gear knob made from small bead.


Fuel lines added


Engine details added.

lookin good dude!

only thing that got my attention is the combat troop hatch should have been opened and the 60's manned. at least that was how we did it. otherwise as a rookie i am impressed to hell and gone! lots of good experience here to draw from, as i do, and great to read articles as well

keep er up

reb

Thanks for input. Broke the hinge on the hatch during build. Sratchbuilded another one broke it again. Decided to glue it down. Did not have enough figures to man the guns. Only had those that came with kit.
Greetings from Africa.