Painting a T-34/85

[Dograt]

I am really pleased you are doing this as once and for all I can get the order of painting right ! keep it up I can also see an approximation of what my painting SHOULD look Like at each stage

 

[dubster72]

Got a bit more done on this over the weekend. Now that the main paint is on, it's time to protect it from the rigours of weathering.

First are a couple of coats of Klear (Future to our American cousins!). This much-discussed wax floor polish can be applied by brush or by airbrush as I have done. Not only does it seal your paintjob but also provides a good surface for decals, which is the other thing I've done.

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After that, I added a little bit of white paint to simulate runs as the markings on Russian tanks were often applied quickly-they weren't as bothered about appearance as the Germans!

Once the decals & paint have dried, I used very fine grit (10000 & 12000) sanding pads to bed the decals down. It gives them a real painted-on look. Then another coat of Klear is added to seal them. This helps to prevent the dreaded 'silvering'.

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The next steps are applying washes. Im going to try 3 colours: lamp black, raw umber & burnt sienna, all thinned with humbrol enamel thinners.

Patrick

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[Centurion3RTR]

Hi Patrick, is the Tamiya acrylic good to work with bud?

I do like the looks of it too, i know you have got to put a matt varnish on but, at the mo it looks wet after rain. This has given me an idea.

 

[dubster72]

To be honest John, I'm still undecided on that front. It does go on well but still seems to leave a slightly 'gritty' finish, even with some retarder added. I'm going to try using some lacquer thinner that I've got to see if that helps because I've still got quite a lot of Tamiya paint to get through! As I run my stocks down, I may try Vallejo because using the double-action means less paint & their 'eye-dropper' system seems great for popping it directly into the cup.

 

[Dograt]

That really is looking great already, Love it !

 

[Richy C]

Its looking superb Patrick

Richy

 

[Centurion3RTR]

To be honest John, I'm still undecided on that front. It does go on well but still seems to leave a slightly 'gritty' finish, even with some retarder added. I'm going to try using some lacquer thinner that I've got to see if that helps because I've still got quite a lot of Tamiya paint to get through! As I run my stocks down, I may try Vallejo because using the double-action means less paint & their 'eye-dropper' system seems great for popping it directly into the cup.

Thanks Patrick, i was thinking about Vallejo because all the reports i've heard are good.

John

 

[dubster72]

I have used Vallejo once John & it went on really well, very sooth so it could be interesting. Plus it's hard getting Tamiya thinner round my way so that's another reason to change!

 

[stona]

To be honest John, I'm still undecided on that front. It does go on well but still seems to leave a slightly 'gritty' finish, even with some retarder added. I'm going to try using some lacquer thinner that I've got to see if that helps because I've still got quite a lot of Tamiya paint to get through! As I run my stocks down, I may try Vallejo because using the double-action means less paint & their 'eye-dropper' system seems great for popping it directly into the cup.

I'm not sure about laquer thinner,it's very hot stuff. It will melt styrene undiluted. If you haven't got the Tamiya thinner I'd try isopropyl alcohol (90%). I don't use Tamiya but a friend does and he recommends it. His paintwork is always very good. You can get it from Maplins.

The Vallejo "eye droppers" are really good. I use a bit of their Modelair range from time to time and it works well.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Fenlander]

This is a stunning thread, superb paint job and so informative. I certainly could not get anything like this with a brush, just hoping that when I get my airbrush I am able to get somewhere near this standard.

 

[dubster72]

I'm not sure about laquer thinner,it's very hot stuff. It will melt styrene undiluted. If you haven't got the Tamiya thinner I'd try isopropyl alcohol (90%). I don't use Tamiya but a friend does and he recommends it. His paintwork is always very good. You can get it from Maplins.The Vallejo "eye droppers" are really good. I use a bit of their Modelair range from time to time and it works well.

Cheers

Steve

i've heard that lacquer can be very 'hot' Steve so I plan to test it out on some scrap first-don't want to ruin a perfectly good kit! All part of that never-ending quest for perfection!

 

[dubster72]

Well the washes went on very well (no pics yet) so while I wait for them to dry (being oils they take a while), it's time to have fun with... trackage!!

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There's alot of bits to glue together as you can see! Also, I've realised that it might be tricky getting them in under the fenders. So far I've been spoiled by the amount of room on the hulls of German tanks so watch this space!

Patrick

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[spanner570]

Patrick, you could well have done the tracks by now, but an easy way of getting over the fender problem is to glue enough links together to go along the top and get just over the drive sprocket and idler wheels. Then whilst the links are still plyable thread them along the top of the road wheels and quietly bend them over the aforementioned wheels and fix.

Then do the rest when you have calmed down!!!LOL

Ron

 

[dubster72]

Thanks Ron, as you rightly predicted I did have a go at putting them together last night & used the same method as the one you suggested! It wasn't too bad but an extra pair of hands would have been useful! I only hope I can remove them for painting once the glue has dried!

Patrick

 

[spanner570]

I hope you can get them off in one piece, don't see how it's possible if you've bent them around the wheels.

I usually paint the individual links whilst still on the sprues, then I remove them, give them a bit of a clean and glue them together. That way they can remain on the tank and only need a bit of touching up.

I hope I didn't mislead you with my earlier suggestion!!!

ron

 

[dubster72]

lol no, id already done it! I haven't tried your method Ron, probably coz I'm too sloppy with the glue which would end up taking off the paint! I usually do them in 4 sections: upper & lower runs with bits at either end round the drive and idler wheels. I find with a little careful pulling they should come off-famous last words! The main problem is with so many little bits of photo-etch, you gotta be so careful handling it to make sure bits don't get knocked off! I've lost count of how many grab-rails I've stuck back on!

 

[dubster72]

ok a few more pics to show the result of doing the 1st round of washes. I'm using oil paints thinned with Humbrol enamel thinner with a mixture of colours: lamp black, burnt umber, burnt sienna & yellow ochre. Some get applied a little more than others, especially around areas like the engine deck & rear hull plate.

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You can hopefully see how the colours vary a little with a slightly more pronounced orange tint in some places such as exhausts & hinges & darker, reddish-brown shades in other areas like the bolts & panel lines.

On the front of the tank, I tried to again vary the colours, with a rusty look to the fender sections & a darker tone around the large fittings like the drivers hatch & bow MG.

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The turrent generally had the darker tones applied with just a little light orange creeping in. The eagle-eyed might notice one of the rear grab-handles has become loose-the price I pay for too much handling!

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Overall, I'm very pleased with how it's turned out. There may be a little more done, perhaps a whiter wash to represent dust (as it's supposed to be in the Battle of Berlin). In some areas it needs toning down a tad but this will happen naturally during the drybrushing stages. While I wait for the oils to dry properly (their only drawback!), I'll make a start on the tracks.

Thanks for sticking with me! Patrick

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[Backbreaker]

:shocking:Top notch Patrick, top notch.

BB

 

[yak face]

excellent stuff patrick!! this is a great looking job that can only help people like me, who havent done much armour, to get a good idea of what we should be aiming for. And its russian to boot !! cheers comrade , tony

 

[Fenlander]

This is stunning, the washes are superb, very natural and realistic.