This is Tamiya's ancient toolin' of the KVI. This, understandably is even bigger than the T34! I've pre-shaded it with XF-27 Black Green, then a colour coat of XF-26 Deep Green, and finally a highlight coat of a 60/40 mix of Nato Green and XF-4 Yellow Green.

I can certainly appreciate your application of the preshading technique. Nicely done, it's working well for you.
I fear the first time I applied this technique I was a bit too "heavy" with the subsequent BC...

I've nearly finished weatherin' and filterin' the upper hull! I gave it a pin wash, and used the filterin' technique to selectively weather parts of the hull. I also added some paint chips to the supply boxes and fuel drums, usin' a Scotchbrite pad! I still have to add the tiny exhausts that sit behind the turret. Tamiya have moulded them as jus' shaped pieces of plastic with no vent in the end of 'em, i'm kinda' wonderin' if I can get a PE set that can replace these parts. I'll do some searchin', I guess!

This is where i'm at, at the moment with this! I've been applyin' some paint chips to the areas of the hull, where the tow cables were used, I don't want to go overboard with these paint chips otherwise it would suggest that this tank was around for far longer than it's time. The attrition rates for russian armour were high, and were never around long enough to acquire such heavy wear and tear! The decal has been weathered to suggest a 'hand painted job', I still think I need to apply some paint chips to this, also! I've still a long way to go!

Superb Paul! I love the effect of the corrosion on the fule drums, and the paint runs on the slogan are very effective! Well done!

Vinnie

Very impressive effects! Very well done!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

Dude, your an artist, it looks great! I'm really impressed.

It may be an old kit, but a good paint job like this will surely lift it a lot. I like the weathering so far ... the slogan looks great as well. Thanks for sharing!

Very nice, I like your preshading a lot! Are you going to stick with the rubber band tracks or use aftermarkets?

Thanks a lot, for your comments! I ordered these from Accurate Armour about a week ago. I'll be usin' these beauties. So many links, so many ejector pin marks. These are workin' type, I don't mind all the work, these are beautiful tracks, and worth it!

I've muddied up the hull, with a mix of MIG Pigments and matt varnish! For the track wheels I mixed X-20 enamel thinner with the pigments, this combination fixes 'em, and makes 'em permanent. The upper rollers will be less weathered than the lower track wheels, so they'll be done last. I still have to add a few finite touches, like makin' the tones on the muddied hull less contrasty and more subtle.

I've jus' finished preppin' these for paint! The links have had the ejector pin marks brushed with Mr. Surfacer 500, sanded back, and then primed with Alclad's Grey Primer/ Microfiller! I gotta' tell ya', that this stuff is lethal, goddamn, the fumes. I had to airbrush it outside, i'm not sure whether i've started a process of killin' myself, oh well! I'm gonna' shoot some Alclad II Steel 112 onto 'em, and then the fun begins...with the weatherin'!

Here is the heavy metal! All ready for weatherin', russian earth, anyone?

These tracks have now had a very thin XF-1 Flat Black wash! Alclad II paint is very impervious jus' like real metal, it does not soak up paint, and therefore the wash looks more natural, jus' layin' where it should, with out any hard edges, at all! After this I applied a MIG Pigment wash of russian Earth thinned with a lot of X-20 enamel thinner. After it dried, you can jus' see some of the Alclad paint showin' through on the hard edges of the track, jus' like the real thing, this is why I do not paint the tracks Flat Black, like many other modellers! Also, I do not have to resort to applyin any metallic effects with either graphite or silver paint, it's already there! I'm not done with these yet though, I gotta' get my head around doin' some more weatherin'! It's not easy ya' know! lol

Keep those pictures coming, Cannot wait to see the finished version, looks execellent so far!!!!!!

Looks good Paul, my compliments.
043

Thanks all! I've jus' noticed that this old Tamiya kit doesn't have the periscope eyelets moulded in! Tamiya, duh! Goddamnit!...So i've gone ahead and drilled them out! I've also added some more paint chips! People love or hate this technique, because it borders on artistic license, and is not really representable of the real thing. Attrition rates an' all that, but hey, what the hell! I'm a lover!

Another error with this kit, is the exhaust stacks! Tamiya have jus' moulded them as a single piece of plastic, with no openin'! So guess what, I drilled 'em out!

This kit has a lot of gaps in the lower hull, due to it bein' of an ex-motorized nature. Here i've jus' fitted some thin, short strips of styrene! I'll then fill these areas with a little putty, and then load the area with some mud effect, keepin' it consistent with the rest of the hull! Please ignore the gaps in the bottom of the hull, these I feel would be a waste of putty to fill, not worth it, really!

Thats a nice one eddie! Gonna be a real beaut and its not
trumpeter, amazing. I cant wait to see her finished!

Cheers
Pedro

Thanks, Pedro! I've fitted one set of tracks, and I gotta' tell ya', that these tracks are strong, and beautiful to behold...Jus' look at my sag!! lol The tracks and wheels look a little bit monochrome, but I can guarantee, that there are subtle earth colours at work, here! Where's the rust, I hear someone say!? It is an improper proposition to see rust on tracks, that have been driven through mud and dust! lol

I've been makin' slow progress on weatherin' the upper hull, it's comin' along real fine, now! Too little, and it looks like a museum piece, but too much can ruin it! I've jus' cut these to the right length and put 'em together, some soviet heavy tow cables, from Accurate Armour! As for the weatherin' on the lower hull, I mixed some MIG Pigments with matt varnish, and dipped an old toothbrush in the paste, and applied it by flickin' it onto the hull, to simulate mud splatter!

The flicking method seems to have paid off, that's some very nice mud effect you've got built up.

Paul, is pigment powder mixed with thinner that brownish texturing on the lower hull?

Very nice work Paul! I like the pre-shading a lot. The paint chips on the tank look great too! What did you use (paints, colours?) to achieve that effect?