Global Scale Modeller

Lego wrote:Nice one Michael.


Love the sign on the back. The little pieces of extra really make it shine.

Wait till you see the scratch built pop machine and garbage dumpster I'm going to try hahaha. I may lose my mind trying that one.

plasmahal wrote:Fantastic looking armour there.

Have you got to explain the chipping technique please?

I didn't notice you using a chipping product so how did you do it?

Cheers.

Toby.

I use a piece of packing foam ripped into a small jagged rectangle and stuck in a pair of squeezers. I use Vallejo model colour's germ cam black brown 70822 for the colour. I'll dab the sponge in the paint then take some off on a piece of paper towel, then I'll lightly dab it and turn it over all the high wear edges of the vehicle. I'll add a few chips and scrapes to the panel centres as well.
I use burnt sienna for the rust colour. A dab on a chip then I drag a thinner dampened brush over the dot to create the streaks.

wookiee76 wrote:So, basically identical to what i used on the m2a3 then, at least now i know it's down to me, not the products I'm using.

I've been practicing with this stuff for over a year now bud, so I've got lots of experience using it. With lots of patience and practice things will certainly improve for you, I have no doubt at all.
I had no idea what I was doing with clay washes when I first used them (I mad my own for ages), in fact it was so bad that I stopped using them all together for a while.
With the high quality and extremely tiny pigment size (that I could never achieve) of these new washes you can do so many cool an natural effects. It didn't take long to rekindle my interest in them. With a lot of time and experimentation I discovered all sorts of cool effects that can be done, and now I rely heavily on them for my weathering.

Coen wrote:

plasmahal wrote:Fantastic looking armour there.

Have you got to explain the chipping technique please?

I didn't notice you using a chipping product so how did you do it?

Cheers.

Toby.

I use a piece of packing foam ripped into a small jagged rectangle and stuck in a pair of squeezers. I use Vallejo model colour's germ cam black brown 70822 for the colour. I'll dab the sponge in the paint then take some off on a piece of paper towel, then I'll lightly dab it and turn it over all the high wear edges of the vehicle. I'll add a few chips and scrapes to the panel centres as well.
I use burnt sienna for the rust colour. A dab on a chip then I drag a thinner dampened brush over the dot to create the streaks.

Thanks Coen, I used that technique on my Star wars trade federation tank. I'm just contemplating what technique to use on my Tamiya M51 super sherman build.

It's a similar series of colours so you could use the same method. You could add a second layer to the chips with a lightened version of your base colour first, then put the chips inside. So chip once with a lighter version of the base coat, then go back over all of those chips with the dark brown colour.
It gives a nice multi-toned appearance for an older tank.
I've used the method many times and I've always liked the look. An M-51 would look really cool with a multi-layered chipping.

Beautiful work Michael! That's the real thing You can feel the heat of the desert... the damn sand in those shorts is killing me

Mike she is beautiful brilliant weathering wow.

Fantastic Mike!!! I'm not familiar with tanks , but could you please tell me on the front part of the turret what the green square "This side off" is.
Looks great!!! Love the weathering.

Thanks

Outstanding !!!

As always mate stunning awesome work

Thanks fellas.

ladip63 wrote: Fantastic Mike!!! I'm not familiar with tanks , but could you please tell me on the front part of the turret what the green square "This side off" is.
Looks great!!! Love the weathering.

Thanks

I'm not all that familiar with modern armour either bud, but I think that's part of the thermal friend or foe identification system. The weird looking panels with the vent structure on them on the sides of the turret are part of the same system.
They're called CIP I believe.

Beautiful work as always!

Those guys look so real mate great work.

Simply awesome! The attention to detail really makes it come alive! Brilliant

Love the work Mike, as always, and am happy for you getting family time. Your daughter looks so happy !

Bret

This is looking great Mike. She looks so happy running through the corn fields. Wonder if it is to late to join this SIG, but I don't know if I'll be moving in October and be able to finish.

Your daughter is really happy there! Nothing like Fall!Looking extra good Michael! Love the details in those figures Clay based weathering is a plus in this kind of sandy environment, it doesn't have the oily residue that comes along with chicken tit enamel for purple surfaces after sunset in a cold morning.
Will we ever see you again in a tutu!?

Love the pic of your Daughter Michael! Precious!

First Like a lot the picture of your daughter running freely in the corn field , makes me wish to have her age again and to be free to do this kind of stuff , no worries , also enjoy your family time , as it is the best thing that we carry from life !

About your build , some comments on you mentioning always that really do not paint well the figures ,well wish that I was such a bad figure painter as you ...these are just great !

Now about the diorama layout , it is just great ! AS always you making the buildings from scratch adds a lot of value in the finish ...still I didn't try to do some scratch build , maybe one day with such nice examples , we start to think how much fun should be !

Then the tank is just awesome ! the paint and weathering are just superb buddy !

Think you did it again ...a very nice build/diorama on the way !

Happy modelling and enjoy your family time !

Very kind words Antonio.
Thank you

Just getting cooler every time you post mike, awesome work fella.

That is looking great Mike!!

Looks really excellent thusfar!

It's becoming a very-very cooool dio!

Just caught up with this. Its looking great so far Mike. I like the small additions to the diorama, I find its these details that make or break a diorama.

The Abrams looks top notch mate, if the Bradley comes out as well this will be an awesome piece. Very nice!

Good stuff Michael!!

Mike this is scary good buddy so real I've never been to afghan only done Kosovo but it's so realistic it's as if I'm there mate.
Really can't wait to see it finished.

gee willikers thats good, lol, loving that interior, amazing and inspirational as always!!!

now I'll go back to fumbling around in the dark

Impressive build so far!

Awesome paintwork buddy.

Painting interiors, the armour equivalent of a cockpit. Very nice mike.

Brill work mate love the interior.

Don't know if this has been pointed out but the tracks on the Abrams are on the wrong way. They're inside out. Too late to change them now.

Your M1 was nice but the M2 i like even better both look GREAT!

un-freaking believable, Mike.
Your skill and attention to detail is second to none.
When I grow up ( ), I only dream to have 1/2 the skill as you.

Bravo.
Where's the popcorn, I'm hunkering down for the rest of this build!

OH my word...just AWESOME!!!!! I hope I will master painting like that.
Standing by for the finish dio..

Very nice here. So good in fact, that on one of your pics, I thought it was a photo of the real, life size vehicle.

That is one cool Bradley
Now i really regret not buying one

As always awesome work there mate

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who gives a Brad Pitt about facebook - its just a spy platform created by the CIA. Besides, I don't see anything on this form close to your build - this is so good you could turn it into a book titled: How to Build Scale Model Awesomeness!

Another fine model Michael, I just love the interior pics. Very realistic in the last batch of photos I actually thought the empty interior photo was real.