I got my airbrush last week and have been going hog wild since! This is a T34/76 that I built in a blog on here not too long ago. It was my first real attempt at finishing a model, and my first attempt at painting and weathering models.

I took a leap and tried the hairspray technique as I wanted this to be a tank that's seen some dirty stuff. I then did some oil washes, tried MIGs standard rust effects, MIG pigments (rusts, smoke, dirt). I painted the tracks a dark grey and then made a watery paste of dry mud pigments and water, and slopped that all over, when it was dry I rubbed contact points with a pencil lead.

I used more pigments everywhere and did small grease and fuel stains with a dark wash in specific areas, some built up over a few times.

Be gentle!




I have since bent the rear track straight so it hangs, and there are 3 pieces that will sit on the ground as if they are in the process of changing them.




This picture shows what I think is one of the thicker washes that has dried in the mesh of the engine cover... that sucks


Missing fuel tank w/ stain, also a piece broke off and I had to put down a spot of brown and weather it in, can ya tell....


I can see in this one it looks like I didn't go right around the headlight with my washes etc, or maybe a little higher on the front of the tank.

I am trying to say I'm done with it because I keep fiddling but I added a lot of pigments today so I'd say it's finished!

How did I do?!

...also I was thinking of entering it in the model of the month dealy

Hi Jaredt, finnaly!
I was waiting for your T34 finished
Well, considering this is your first try at painting you did a nice work, congrats, my first models were a lot worse than your
Anyway, in my humble opinion you exaggerated with pigments. Mud excesses, drown details so in your model I can't appreciate your washing work

But you can still improve it. If I were you i removed a bit of your pigment mixture with a brush moisted in water or alcohol. In my very humble opinion you should leave the mud just on the lower hull and the tracks.

That' s not a criticism, just an observation



Cheers and congrats again

It looks like it has been sitting for a year. Tone down your weathering a bit, if you want it to look like it is in service. At the level of wear you have, some rust on the tracks may be apropriate.

Same opinion from my side: looks, like it hasn't seen service for quite some time. If you went for an abandoned vehicle sitting on a dump site waiting to be recycled: well done!

Otherwise the weathering might be a bit too heavy... anyway, nice result for a first attempt.

Echo what the other guys said.

Unless you're going for the look of a vehicle that's been sitting exposed to the elements for years, the old adage "less is more" applies to weathering.

It should be apparent - but subtle.

I know the "Spanish school" of painting, for example, tends to advocate heavy and exaggerated weathering (and you can't knock the talent of some of those guys), but in my view the end result is often not very realistic

But all that said, for a first attempt it's really quite good, and hats off to you for having the cojones to show your work off and invite critique.

- Steve

Thanks everyone for the kind words! I know less is more but it seems like its way easier said than done. I still don't understand a few of the techniques/why I might be using them.

I actually started a journal for my painting as well, this way I know what I was happy with, what you guys thought, and ideas/things I can apply or use(or not use) in my next paint job.

Painting these things well is hard work!

(I also don't have a model room, and use a fold-out table in the living room, so I don't have a lot of time in a day!)

Well, i'm sure the next on must be better Jaredt, don't get discouraged. You reached a very good result for a first attempt

As i told you, you can't learn A LOT OF techiniques in a TOO SHORT time.
In my opinion you should take your time and take it easy
Try to apply just one technique each time and before doing that, make a lot of practice on spare models.
" Less is more" it's a very good advice. Another one good tip in my opinion is "Slow is much better than fast". Learning step by step could be the best way to improve in this hobby. When you'll become more confident you'll complete faster your builds

If you don't have a lot of time a day and If you don't have enough time to finish a building-painting phase, well you should stop and re-start (more relaxed) the day before. That's a hobby....it isn't a race

Anyway, congrats again Jaredt

Now i'm waiting for your wv 166


Cheers