I've always been one to rush things and not really plan out how I should finish my model. I often just do what I feel like doing with no structure to my models finishing stages. I am buiding a Panzer IV A for Dragon and have just put down the base coat of AK Dunkelgrau. Here is where the help comes in. What order do you do the following steps in, including any matt, satin, or gloss varnish coats you use in between steps:

1. Apply the basecoat after a layer of primer.
2. Paint all tools and other details.
3. Coat of satin varnish
4. Apply decals
5. Seal in decals with another coat of satin varnish.
6. Apply filters.
7. Apply another satin coat.
8. Pin washes.
9. Apply matt coat.
10. Chipping.
11. Fading with dot filters (if necessary).
12. Pigments
13. Seal with matt coat.

This is the order I am thinking to follow but if you have any advice as to whether I need to rearrange the steps listed above or add or subtract anything or if you see any errors let me know. I am going to take my time with this one!

Unfortunately, I never follow the same order from build to build. I allow the model and/or the effect I am looking to acheive dictate the order. This is especially true for open top vehicles.

If I have an order it would be as follows:
- primer
- paint (including shadowing and highlights)
- filters
- clear coat
- decals
- clear coat
- chipping
- flat coat
- washes and pin washes
- flat coat
- pigments and weathering washes
- flat coat

No expert here by far, but what I have been doing lately is:

1)Prime.
2)Base coat.
3)Base touch ups if necessary.
chipping, wear and tear via dry brushing (this allows for
any touch ups to be done later and tone downs if necessary.
4)Future (clear gloss)
5) decals
6) Future
7) Paint Detail items and stowage
8) Oil Washes, several layers and colours depending on environment
9) Flat clear
10) additional chipping/drybrushing if necessary
11) anything else that needs attention or a once over
12) pastel chalks/pigments and graphite
13) shelve close by for incessant tweaking

Anything I am forgetting?

If it is a tank, I usually leave the wheels and tracks until last. I don't always apply a primer, but I do get the mud/dirt build up on the chassis sides before the wheels, unless I was lazy and then that comes near the end. My base coat comes next. I don't always use a wash, but always use pastels and graphite. After this, comes a gloss coat, decals, gloss and then clear flat finish( or localized for some decals, not applied overall), another round of pastels and graphite and a second flat coat. Tools are done near the end as well but with WWII US/Russian vehicles, body colour will suffice. Here is an example of a recently completed project: No colour modulation, no filters, no washes, no hairspray or chipping and no decals-just base coat, lightened base coat, pastels and graphite, flat finish, repeat and done.

Glenn...nice work...what products did you use for the groundwork...especially the water...I want to put my current project in a diorama but don't really know where to start...I've never done a diorama and I'm not really sure where to start or what companies make the best products

Michael, don't fret sbout "best" products. Use what you need to create the effect you are after. The base is made of two cheap picture frames glued together creating a hollow centre more than an inch deep and Das modelling clay was used to build up the topography. Then, I spread cheap dollar store acrylic dark brown Burnt Umber over this using my finger. The vegetation consists of several colours of grass flocking from Busch or Noch (model train supplies) and the dried plant material is Quebec moss which I found in the craft section of a dollar store many years ago. The bulrushes (or Cossack Asparagus) are an HO scale JTT brand product. (I used the JTT brand corn stalks for this diorama below).

The HO scale bulrushes and corn stalks come out to about 4 scale feet in 1/48. The stubby bush is Woodland Scenics. The bog water was made with EasyCast 2-part Epoxy resin and I poured about four layers, adding the bulrushes after the third pouring. I sprinkled some of the Quebec moss on the resin after pouring and it sank, creating realistic-looking rotted vegetation at the bottom of the bog. And since this is a painting discussion forum, I forgot to mention in my previous posting that I used artist's oils Burnt Umber for the rust base to provide a sticky surface for the brown and orange pastel shavings that created the rust effect on the stowage bins.

Here are some pics showing the JTT Brand HO scale cornstalks: