Hi, i am 14 and from England.
I am currently painting a Merder III and nearly finishing, i would apriciate some tips on how to weather or even make the tank destroyer seem battle hardened. Thank you

Hi Sam, welcome to Armorama! There are stacks of weathering articles on the site, here's a link to one of them

http://armorama.co.uk//features/34&page=1

A quick search through the features section should turn up some more, and I dare say some of the other members will also have tips for you.

Hi Sam and welcome to Armorama...Gosh that is quite the first question you asked ...There are lots of answers to that question... I think the first thing you should do is go to the feature section and read a few of the articles ... There are so many things you can do to weather a kit ..pre-shading ...post-shading...washes...filters...pastels....pigments...and the list goes on ... So read some of the articles and if you need more explanations on a certain technique...I or many others here will be glad to help...If you go back a few pages I have posted some pictures and explanations on some of my weathering techniques I used on my Challenger II here in the armor/AFV section..Take a look and if you need more help ..Just ask! ..Have fun with your Marder III.


Rick

Thanks alot, anothing thing, i have recently finished a Universal Carier Mk 2 and i am considering making a base, maybe a small diaramer. Would you suggest this?

I always make a small base for my kits ..it can either be just a plain base made of wood or I might add a little terrain to to the base ..It seems that the model looks more "finished" and also gives you something to hold on to instead of always picking up the kit itself ..(less chance to break something..



Rick

Hi Sam
Yes, I think you should make a small diorama or base. Why? I work with real tanks and Infantry combat vehicles, and I have never seen them parked on a mirror or a book shelf. On the other hand I've seen them covered in mud and dirt, driving cross contry, break down, firing at enemy positions etc etc. My personal opinion is that any armour model looks better with a little "nature" and maybe a couple of figures around it. It brings life to the model.



I allmost forgot: Welcome to Armorama

Sam,
As stated early lots of great articles here at Armorama. so check them out.

Everyone has their own technique and style. And, as someone mention it depends on HOW WEATHERED you want it. Here is some of what I do.


1. Ask lots of questions, look at lots of pictures and try to get a couple of books – Shep Paine’s “How to build diorama” (Vol I or II) and virtually any of the Osprey AFV Modeling. There many other books, some better in one part or another, but these to cover it. If I had to buy only one it would be Shep Paine book.
2. Weathering for me begins with what I am trying to reproduce. Russia Steppes, Africa, Pacific or wherever. The season Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring and of course the story line – fresh recruits, veteran, etc.
3. Weather begins with first paint job. I use an airbrush, but can do this with brush also. I tend to produce Veteran war scene so for my Shermans I lighten my Olive Drab with a couple drops of Khaki. I also spray in very fine layers and use rubbing alcohol as my thinner.
4. Once I get the basic paint job done I add in shadows by washes of burnt umber, raw umber and black. Paint diluted to a 50/50 ratio of more, then simple brush over the details areas and wear shadows might appear. Let dry… I will wash the tank many times during this process a needed.
5. Dry brush is next. Mix lighter color of the original Olive Drab and then dap the brush in and brush a few strokes on a paper towel till just a little paint is left and it is nearly dry (hence the term dry brushing) and the brush the model allowing the HIGH point so get the lighter paint.
6. The Washes and Hihglihgting/Dry Brushing continue until I gethe look I want.

Next I had the Mud, dirt, dust etc, The HOW depends on what I am recreating. While CONSTANTLY CEHCK AND RECHECK reference pictures

Mud – thick paint mixed with a bit of dirt or HO Rail road Ballast, painted slapped, splatter (with a toothbrush) and glooped on…

Dust - generally by drybrush, though occasionally by airbrush

RUST - for exhaust or heavy rust I coat the item with Super Glue ,the sprinkle on Baking soda. Once dry I brush off he extra and paitn it all flat back. then I drybursh rust color over the top. Give a great old riuted out look.

TRACKS -

1. I spray black, the dry brush to get look. After rubber or steel is highlighted I add rust and road dust by drybrushing. Then I go back over it with graphite… #2 pencil works perfect.

Hope that helps a little, PLEASE ask any specific questions you might have. If I do not know the answer, someone here will.

Neill
www.johnneill.com

Sam, I managed to get a used copy of Shep Paine’s “How to build diorama” quite cheaply through Amazon. Shipped from the USA but was still cheap and arrived within a few days. It's packed with info and well worth buying

The "how to's" have been covered. My own take on weathering., Be inspired by other people's models but try to use photographs of original equipment in service as references. Don't overdo things. Too often I see models of equipment that looks like it was abandoned in 1943 and hasn't been touched since.
As to a base, since I'm doing mostly figures these days, that's almost an absolute necessity. It gives the model context and a figure gives it scale.

Thanks alot, by the way, John neil why do you put pencil on your tracks, what affect would this create? also... where abouts in California are you from? I've checked out your web site aswell, do you make a living off that?/ don't mean to be rude

Welcome to Armorama Smeagol.

Putting pencil is not limited to tracks. Since your question is about weathering, pencil can be used to simulate the effect of worn paint wherein the the metal part is already showing. You can apply them to some edges of your AFV especially in areas such as hand rails, hatches, etc.

BTW, there are lots of article here as mentioned by the others about weathering. I suggest you read them and try experimenting on them....that's how I got to learn....

Cheers

The pencil is graphite... it give a metalic sheen to the metal parts of the track.




El Cajon, 15 minutes EAST of San Diego...




No, I make modelling-sculpting-vacation-hunting-fishing-backpacking money off of it. I mainly do commission work, but tend to sell what I build online or via Ebay. Starting modelling when I was 8-9 and continued until I was 24. Then just did sculpting unitl about 3-4 years ago when I found an old model in the garage and started the habit again.

After 22 years in Commercial Real Estate I now earn my living by being a High School Teacher - History and AP Art History... Having a blast freaking my students out on a regular basis... and we do lots of art in my US History Classes.

Neill

15 minute WEST of SD and you're sleeping with the fishes! LOL
16-17 years ago, (dang, has it been that long? ) I remember visiting a small hobby shop in El Cajon. IIRC, there were a lot of figures, unfortunately, before I was as into the dark side as I am now. Do you know if there's still one there? Seems there was a motorcycle shop nearby.

heres how I do it, read the whole thing, scroll down and start with the first comments made, my actual technique is near the bottom

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/56457&page=1

Probably the Military Emporium... off Johnson at that time. Greg owned it and could be found behind the counter workign on his lastest project and listening to German or Miltiary Parade Music...

He moved the shop and started focusing on Action Figures. shops closed a year or two back, saw some of his stuff on Ebay for a while, but have lost contact.

Neill

Ok thanks alot, i am just about to paint the tracks on my merder III any teniques i could use?

Hi Sam, and welcome.
You'll probably already got a lot of good ideas and tips, and I just wanted to throw in some of my own techniques more as an inspiration for your future work.

When I want my vehicles muddy and beaten by age, I use dried clay crushed to a fine flour-like consistency. Then I use a make-up brush to "paint" the grey clay-flour onto the vehicle - wheels, hull or whereever the dirt appears. Doing so the final result is dusty and dirty. That's just one of many methods one can use.

Recently I have tried to put Heki grass in a mixture of white glue and water. With a pair of tweezers you can place the grass where you want it. I use it if the vehicle has been driving through dense undergrowth in a forest or on a field.

Anywayz, just some ideas - use them or improve them. Its up to you.

Happy modelling