I am building a Tamiya 1/35 panzerkampfwagen IV D, which I am making as used by the Afrika Korp. For the desert effect, I am putting sand on lower parts of the body (mainly on tracks and wheels). I have taken to grinding up equal parts tan and brown pastels, and using thinner to get them to stick to the treads for a particulate effect. Will this mixture stay on the parts, and is it an effective (and realistic) sand effect?

well, this is the first model I have ever built, and I am just painting the things with a brush. I guess I have to order some matt finishing varnish (or are there any household substances that would work?) Thank you.

Your hobby shop shop should carry.
testors flat clear coat.
just mix it up and brush it on the tank,
i use the testors flat coat it works great,
and wlecome to the site

but it will be difficult to see the sand on a Dark Yellow colored vehicle, and sand does not stick too much anyways, but post some pictures of the finished model to see what happens, it may look good!!

The model is a fleshtone actually. The model shop from which I got paints was nearly out of stock because it was closing the next day. I am only putting the sand on the top of the track ridges at the back, where sand would be picked up and carried around to the top

Also, because of my paint limit, I am making a ficticious Egyptian occupation division, Suez Besetzung Armee (suez occupation army). The insignia will be the great pyramids with a swastika in the middle of one

I Tried using Testors Clear Flat Acrylic. Sure it did keep the paint from chipping off and stuff but somehaow my figure ended up a tad to shiny

I guess this should turn into my general PzKpfw update/question thread (if I can) , you guys are great at helping... I have pics taken with my (crappy) webcam. It does not do the details I have any justice or even show them... they are in my gallery. My question now is: you use water to thin acrylics for washes and such, correct?

I mix enough 'GlassPlus' with regular tap water to break the surface tension of the water then drop in powdered pastels which have been mixed with about 10% model railroad 'ballast cement'. The pastels gather in crevices and on the various surfaces quite randomly and naturally while the ballast cement fastens the grunge quite securely. Slobber the water/GlassPlus on the item to be made yucky and apply however much pastel/ballast cement mix you think appropriate. Works great and it's easy.

Cody Grayland