I'm not new here, as I've been reading -and learning- a lot from you for some months ago, but this will be my first post here.
I'm in the process of painting a 1:16 R/C Tiger I, after a complete and intense redo and mods of the original one. If interested, you can see the whole process here:
http://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10148
This project of mine is 'trying' to depict the well known Tiki, of Das Reich, in April 1943.
I've to say that I'm a newbie painter, so you will find a lot of errors and faults in my work, and also, that this 6Kg cat is made to be used and abused, and not in my home carpet ;-)
After rebuilding and priming, i started applying the overall dunkelgrau painting with XF63,
but it was too dark to my taste, and i wanted to apply filters and washes, so i mixed XF63 with XF20 at a 80/20 ratio and repainted the whole cat, and after that applying the lights with the same tamiya paints in a 70/30 ratio.
The result was a too clear and bluish grey, but as i wanted to do all the weathering process that will darken it, it was ok for me and moved on to 'trying' to emulate the dunkelgelb profile.
I did it using masks, with modest results and, as no real pics of any quality of this profile exist where you can see the back/left/top side, I've taken an 'artist license' in those areas.
I have only three cheap airbrushes, and they failed one after another in the process, you will see some issues caused by this in some of the pics. So, I decided to buy a good one of contrasted quality: a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution 2 in 1.
Unfortunately, it arrived when all the painting process was done with the dying chinese ABs… I will use it in my next project.
Then I painted the numerals, balkankreuz, cat name, kill rings and Wolfsangel tactic symbol. I did them with masks too, the result was not too good, the balkankreuzen and the 8s specially, but with the weathering I think they will look better.
And then, my main problems began. First, I was not able to cover the whole tank with a satin coat in order to make easy the application of oils and washes.
This is the weathering process order I had followed until today:
1- Two filters applied with Titan oils: one bluish, one ochre. The result was an overall greenish look and the panzer grey too bluish and too clear. How do you think this could be corrected?
2- Fading with oils, I used different colors in dots and they ended completely mixed.
3- Selective washes with burnt sienna oils. The result was not of my liking, so i repeated them with smoke black oils. And, as a result of not having satin coated the tank, tide marks appeared when capillarity made their appearance.
4- Trying to solve the tide marks and to darken the whole paint scheme, I ended applying an overall wash of smoke black. The result was a very ‘dirt’ look, especially in the dunkelgelb areas.
5- Applied smoke black oils to do streaking grime, I like the results.
6- Chipping made with the sponge method, using acrylics XF1+XF64+XF6. Being my first attempt to use this technique, I think the result is not too bad, in spite of some excess in some locations…
I will not do too many chipping, the Tiki Tiger tank was only 4 months old when the original pics were taken... some dusting, maybe some pigments, maybe a bit of earth and mud –if any- to the road wheels, tracks and lower hull and I think it will be done. Because it will run over the real thing it will be coated with matt varnish, in order to protect the paintjob from external damage, so real dust will fall over it, real earth will be chunked by his tracks, and real mud will cover the wheels! And then it will be cleaned, otherwise the wife would… well; you understand what I mean…
So now, how can I save all this work now?
Back to point 1, the greenish look and the panzer grey too bluish and too clear. How do you think this could be corrected? (Without stripping the whole tank and starting from zero)
With a general wash of burnt sienna oils?
Or it is possible to do a general wash with some black/grey only to the dunkelgrau parts and another one with burnt sienna to the dunkelgelb parts?
At this point I’m thinking in repeat all the process starting with the filters…
1- Repeat filters: only one, grey+blue or dark brown?
2- Apply a satin coat in order to made easy the application of the washes
3- Repeat fading with oils, but following what SdAufKla (Mike Roof) wrote here (https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/196845&page=1)
4- Repeat pin washes with a very dark color, if needed
5- Repeat streaking grime application, if needed
6- Repeat some chipping, if needed
7- Application of some graphite in even locations
8- ‘Old’ grease and oil stains to be placed under the dust
9- Dusting. With oils? With XF57 buff?
10- Should I use pigments? I will overcoat the entire tank with matt varnish, so…
11- Some ‘new’ grime streaks, chipping and graphite application, over the dust
12- Finally, over coating Tiki with matt varnish.
I’m open to any idea and advice that you can give to me!
Thanks for reading!
Best regards and thank you very much!
