Small Scale Military Headquarters

hey guys,

I've just started to learn how to paint, i wanted share my current project with y'all.
I started building plastic kits in between collecting pre-painted collectors stuff just a little while ago now. The biggest reason for that is that where i'm located brands like Forces of Valor or 21st Century stuff can only be found online, so I started building kits just to get more into this hobby.

As I said, I've just got started in learning how to paint. I began with a few cheap infantry sets, i'm onto my third infantry set now. In between my latest infantry project I saw a AFV techniques video by Mig jiminez. So I stopped painting my current infantry set to try out painting armor.

I've only built about three armor kits just to learn assembly, i'm painting my first armour piece,a 1:32 Panther tank by 21st century.
The video said to practice techniques on a kit you don't really care about. I had two of these to begin with, here's one that will stay as it was upon purchase.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/k ... directlink

The other, well as you'll soon see has undergone some changes.

To set the scene the inspiration for my painting project is this image.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/x ... directlink
And here is my 21st century panther which i've started to weather and change.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/h ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8 ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0 ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7 ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/l ... directlink

This morning I got back into some more weathering, this is to keep with the theme in the previous photos.
I'm using a variety of Mig pigments and Vallejo paints.
The techniques used (so far) include chipping as brushwork, sponges for application of painted on rust and then brushed on pigments both dry and wet, i'm also using some matt varnish to fix to the under carriage.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/I ... directlink
more work on the engine area with white ash added this morning.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Y ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5 ... directlink

i'm using a variety of techniques on this project and also trying out new stuff i've picked up from watching videos on youtube. it's a work in progress, if the paint job turns out good i'm going to try and build a diorama for it. I was thinking of the Tunisian campaign, Road to Rome. This panther would be disabled, a knocked tank as roadkill. I have a couple of tamiya american troops from my current infantry project that i might have walking past the wreck. I dunno yet.

i have a way to go but with all the stuff that's out there now for beginners like me who have always wanted to delve deeper into this hobby, and if my attempts here are of any indication, then i'm sure it's possible for anyone to get into this and achieve awesome results.

i'd love to hear your ideas on what else i might consider doing with this painting project.

Damn, that looks great!

Wow, you already look like an expert to me! Looks great! i Finally have all the equipment, to try painting, just trying to find the time to start my first attempt.
Can you post the best YouTube help that you found?

......... very nice weathering & aging technics for a novice. Keep up the good work mate ! ! !



- MG

CW4USARMY wrote:Wow, you already look like an expert to me! Looks great! i Finally have all the equipment, to try painting, just trying to find the time to start my first attempt.
Can you post the best YouTube help that you found?

there's a tonne of good video's and experts happy to share skills...
I subscribe to this guy - http://www.youtube.com/user/ScaleModelMedic
He covers a lot of cool techniques that are easier learnt by watching a video
I also subscribe to this guy's channel http://www.youtube.com/user/888HamilkarBarkas888
He sometimes adds reference footage from WW2 to show off the piece, to lead you into it.
While i don't collect this stuff I found his posts good reference material nonetheless
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tsuthoggua
I dunno if you know of this, Plamo, it's some TV show in Japan, each episode is dedicated to a professional model maker doing a particular kit. I don't understand japanese but this show is inspirational. This guy is posting alot of the series, it's brilliant.
http://www.youtube.com/user/sleepylafiel
Another good one - http://www.youtube.com/user/mrscratchmod
And this too - http://www.youtube.com/user/jgn69

To get started I read this book by Mig Jimenez
http://www.amazon.com/Q-Frequently-Ques ... 373&sr=1-2
and if you're wanting to paint infantry read this other book.
http://www.amazon.com/F-Q-Frequently-Qu ... 373&sr=1-3
They've become expensive now but they also did DVD's which are really good and cheap too. Google search Mig FAQ Vol 1 - The Pigments and Mig FAQ Vol 2 - modulation and you can also get them by other means too.
This is also a great book by Sheppard Paine http://www.amazon.com/How-Build-Diorama ... 601&sr=1-3

I've begun to research alot more too, using Osprey books as reference material.
A mate of mine put me onto this site recently, citing this as the best source for battle damaged tanks. I'm not up to this stage yet but I kept it book marked nonetheless.
http://www.panzerwrecks.com/index.html

thanks for the kind words guys, will update once i'm done.

Thanks Bird!

Doing great! Keep it it up!!!!