I am new to Armor modelling. Looking for suggestions on painting tracks. I don't want to use a wash, I am looking for step by step process and what colors are used for painting and drybrushing. I like to use Tamiya Acrylics, heard you could not dry brush with them though and should use Humbrol.

Greetings, Michael...
Check out the "Features" Main page here at Armorama
under the AFV Section, there are some terrific articles..see "Make Tracks" especially...
Gunny

Mike,
Start with Tamiya's red brown in the spray can as a base coat.
Washes are not scary. Tamiya paint is an acrylic, however, they use their own thinner and alcohol only does not work.
You can dry-brush with Tamiya paint.

For WWII tracks I start with the spray red brown and allow it to dry.
I make wash of acrylic paints, burnt umber and rust and flow this over the tracks.
When all is dry I dry-brush - silver for steel tracks and don't forget those Shermans with the hard rubber track pads.

On modern - I use flat black as the base.
Wash - alcohol, sand/dirt color and little rust
Drybrush - silver for the high spots and don't forget the hard rubber track pads.

I was facing this very situation just a week ago and I found the instructions in a sticky thread here on Armorama to be very helpful.

They are not really step-by-step and you'd better get used to the idea of using a wash (hey, why not?) but they are good instructions indeed.

Hi Michael, as Frank said don't be afraid ofn washes they give very realistic finishes and are very easy.

Firsty I base coat my tracks with a black/brown/blue base coat.

I then wash with a rusty wash a number of times depending on how "old/worn" I want the tracks to look, which also depends on the theatre the tank is in and how beaten up you want it.

Lastly I high light the parts that come in contact with the ground and the running gear with a silver shade.

When the model is finished I usually use pastels and these are great for the finishing effects on tracks and running gear.


Very simple and effective

Hope this helps

Neil

I use a slight different method. I use Testors Model Master Enamels; the colors are Flat Black, Rust (1785), and Steel.

I initially start out with falt black as a base coat. This is due to new tracks, tanks or apcs are usually black.
Next I apply thin wash of Rust. NExt comes a drybrush of steel on the high points. LAst I go back and apply a black for all rubber componets of the tracks.

I guess this is another topic where we each have our favourite methods so I'd suggest a bit of experimentation until you find your prefered style - after all we're all individuals and build differently.
My base mix is kept in a Tamiya paint jar which I top up every now and then, and consists of Tamiya red-brown, titanium and a touch of desert yellow. Over this I use a silver highlight dry-brushed on. Next I paint the rubber pads if any, and then a wash- either dark black/brown or rust depending on the vehicle, it's age and setting.
The tracks are finished with a drybrush that's the same as that used on the vehicle - I feel that this helps to tie them in and make them look as if they've been fitted for a while!