Tamiya Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D 1:35 diorama

Post by **Hank** » Mon May 18, 2015 10:02 pm

That shed!

Post by **cib2265** » Mon May 18, 2015 11:02 pm

outstanding build - lots of great ideas, workmanship and attention to detail!

Post by **localjedi** » Tue May 19, 2015 4:44 pm

Thank you so much, guys! I'm glad you like it so far. Your feedback really means a lot to me. And I'm glad that you like my step by step documentation in this thread. I'll keep posting but for now I gotta got to the bench and airbrush that tank. Cheers and talk to you soon.

Post by **localjedi** » Mon May 25, 2015 12:19 pm

Another quick update before I go back to the bench: I primed the dio base in black.

And I finally put some paint on the tank model. Primed with Revell 09 flat anthracite, base with Revell 79 flat greyish blue and some highlights with the base color mixed with white. It looks a notch too light to me right now, but maybe it will look better (->more accurate) once I start with the washes and weathering. I'll see...

And now my question to you more experienced modellers out there: How should I paint the insides of the turret hatches? White or grey??? I found both on the internet but I couldn't find out, which one's more accurate. Can anybody help me here? Thanks in advance!

Post by **Coen** » Mon May 25, 2015 12:32 pm

That looks fantastic bud!! I love that shed. That turned out awesome.
This is going to be a hell of a piece if that's a sign of things to come.

For a pz IV D I'd paint the side turret hatch interiors an ivory white. The driver, radio/mg operator hatch, and the commander's hatches I'd paint the same colour as the exterior.

Post by **Nige99** » Mon May 25, 2015 12:47 pm

Just caught up with this build thread

it's amazing work mate. Did you finish the modelling degree with honours?? This is breathtaking work. Love the dio's composition which adds comedy to the whole thing. That scratch built shed is top notch work.

Post by **localjedi** » Sun May 31, 2015 9:30 am

@Coen: Thanks a lot for your expertise on how to paint the turret hatches! That was a very swift answer (as opposed to mine now...

).
@Nige and Coen: Thanks for your praise. Having seen the level of your skills this means a lot to me.

Alright, so here's the update on the dio.
Tank: Painted the tools and other details. I wasn't sure about the color of the cleaning rod. Maybe you have more tips for me.

This time I tried a glossy coat before applying the decals. I used Revell 01. The instructions call for the turret numbers to go over these little "bumps" (I wonder what they are for... Need to brush up my tank knowledge) next to the hatches. Since this will be difficult task, I ordered a bottle of MicroSol. I really hope this will do the trick. I guess I'll see next week.

Dio: I painted the fence basically the same way I painted the shed. Base in various colors.

Then a heavy brown wash with Ammo of Mig 1000 and heavy drybrushing with Tamiya deck tan.

Some slimy grime light (Ammo of Mig 1411) here and there and blended with odorless turpentine.

And finally some pigments and pastell chalk.

That's it for now. Next up will be the tricky task with the decals and I want to try an oil dot filter for the first time. Should I do this before applying the decals? And which colors do you recommend?

Scale modelling > rocket science.

Post by **Coen** » Sun May 31, 2015 9:55 am

She's a beaut dude

Excellent work. That wood work is completely atypical and came out looking perfect.
I love it when a plan comes together

I would add the gloss coat and then the decals before you do any filters bud. After you add your decals you'll need to add a flat coat, otherwise your filters won't work properly.
There's a guide here on the forum on weathering AFVs and when and what stages certain effects could be applied if it's of use.
http://www.intscalemodeller.com/viewtop ... ring+guide

Post by **localjedi** » Sun May 31, 2015 10:36 am

Coen, you are a true modelling mentor. Thanks for the advice on the filters and for the link to the weathering guide.
As for the atypical woodwork: Most of the time I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing but I'm sometimes surprised about the results of my noobishness.

Post by **localjedi** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:21 pm

Updates, updates, updates:
My order of MicroSol arrived this morning so I started with the decals right away. Now, whatever miracle stories you've heard about that stuff... They're probably all true. It's fantastic! As I've posted earlier, the turret numbers on my model had to go in a very bumpy place and this is the result...

Of course I had to apply three layers of MicroSol (give it enough wait time in between layers!!!) and do a wee bit of touch ups here and there, but although this was presumably my most difficult decal job yet, I'm pretty happy with the result. Of course I wrecked one of the Balkenkreuzes

,so I had to resort to a spare one from another very old Tamiya kit. As you can see, it's kinda yellow and doesn't look like the other ones on the model, but ah well... I guess I'll just have to live with that.

Next up is an extra coat over the decals to minimize silvering.

Then I worked on the dio base some more. I mixed white glue, dish soap, water and dirt to a consistency similar to yoghurt and applied it to the base. Be aware that at early stages of this process it looks like your cat has vomitted all over your dio

so don't panic. Just sprinkle some more dry dirt over it and it will look quite natural. When the stuff starts to dry, you can add the track prints and other features. In this case I tried to simulate some animal tracks in the pen.

If you get some weird looking clogging in some places you can stipple it away with an old wet brush. Originally I was going to airbrush the base with different earth tones but maybe now I won't have to. It looks good to me as it is right now. What's your opinion?

And while I was busy with this, my cat watched some of Coen's tutorials and is now more of an expert on how to build a diorama than I am.

He's a huge fan of yours, Coen!

I'm looking forward to all your comments and will post more updates soon. Take care and keep modelling!

Post by **peppie** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:56 pm

That colour is spot in indeed, maybe just some darker spots indicating wet spots.

You are a brave man letting your cat into your mancave...

Post by **Hank** » Sun Jun 07, 2015 7:51 pm

This is looking ace. I, too, think the colour of the dirt looks spot on. The animal tracks look great too.

Post by **panzerman** » Sun Jun 07, 2015 8:25 pm

Inspired work. Great attention to detailing. All are coalescing into a fantastic diorama. Keep having fun.
Bill.

Post by **Donkeywalloper** » Sun Jun 07, 2015 10:10 pm

Great job, really great job.
John

Post by **Coen** » Mon Jun 08, 2015 2:30 am

Damn!! That's freaking spectacular!
That groundwork is perfect. I don't think there's much need for spraying more tones other than as was suggested for the low laying areas for damp spots.
I really can't wait to see what you do for the ground cover.

Post by **ComradeBrad** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:56 am

I really like how you chose to do the fence. It still being broken gives it more action instead of it being already broken through and the pieces strewn about. Pretty neat!

Post by **ForbesHutton** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 4:17 am

Nice work!

I'd love to see the cat's reaction when, out of the blue, a screaming goat appears and empties both lungs....

Probably something like:

Post by **localjedi** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 10:45 am

Thanks to all your positive feedback on the groundwork and your tips!!! It makes me even more happy about my dio. Yeah, my cat is a serious modeller, so he can always hang out with me in my mancave. A screaming goat would probably make him jump out of his skin, though...

I was thinking about the fence and if I should have shown it more broken and everything but I decided to model it in the process on being broken. So I'm glad that you share my opinion.

Anyway, I had family over for a couple of days, so there wasn't much time for modelling. Still I made some progress that I'd like to share:
I took your advice and added some darker and wet spots by using a selfmade acrylic wash (a lot of water+browns and greens+a lot of gloss). In the picture the paint in these areas is still wet. It looks better now that it's dry.

I covered the ground with all sorts of different material, mainly from a company called Mininatur (I think it's Silfor in some countries). I also used a mix of camomile and peppermint tea. It looks like scatter and makes your dio smell healthy.

You can use different kinds of tea for other effects but make sure that you first try how the tea reacts to water and weathering products!!! Certain kinds of tea (e.g. rose hip, cranberry, ...) will make your dio look like a fairy on a unicorn has peed all over it.

I'm afraid I got a bit carried away with the grass and plants so the dio turned out quite green and lush... Ah well, I guess that's ok for a scene in the French countryside in summer, but as always I'd love to hear your honest opinion, guys. Cheers and enjoy modelling!

Post by **Coen** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 10:57 am

Dude!! Carried away?! Not a chance.
That's perfect, you completely nailed this bud. The dio alone is a total success, with the tank and figs it's just going to get better.
Wonderful job.

Post by **trekfanj** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 11:02 am

Well, to be completely honest, I think it's just a bit too...

FREAKING AWESOME!!!

The scene looks great; I would go so far as to say lifelike, and I want to try some of your techniques on my next diorama, if you don't mind.

Keep up the outstanding work!

Post by **gustavlekstal** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:30 pm

Mininatur rocks!!! And the grass is not ott! The bushes are the mininatur? If you feel like the grass is to green, you can tone it down with small amount of pigments.

outstanding work

Post by **peaceduringwar** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 7:30 am

I think the lushness adds a good diversity to the base itself. Excellent overall presentation. Can't wait to see the final product.

Post by **localjedi** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:58 am

Dear fellow modellers,

first of all: Coen, trekfan, Gustav and Chris, thank you very much for your praise! When I work on a project like this, I sometimes tend to lose focus and your feedback helps me to stay on track.
Trekfan, I'd be flattered, if you used some of these techniques. I'm glad if this is of any use for you.
Gustav, I took your advice and toned down the grass a notch. I sprayed on a very thin layer of Tamiya deck tan. Yes, all the grass and bushes are from Mininatur. It's great stuff!

Now here comes the update:
The last couple of days have been a rollercoaster ride concerning my mojo for this diorama. First I tried an oil dot filter for the first time. It was in fact more difficult than it looked. The tricky part was to find the right balance between the effect being too subtle and an expressionist Picasso kind of look...

The result was more on the too subtle side, but for me that seemed to be the better choice.

I also added some chipping with light and dark grey and I really liked that effect.

Then I didn't keep in mind one of the most important rules for model painting: LESS IS MORE!!!

I gave the whole thing a clear flat coat and overdid it. As a result most of the washes, filters and chipping got lost. Big mistake that I will definitely avoid next time. I was very disappointed with myself and had to take a break from the bench. So I went for a joyride in one of these big boys here...

Fun time!!! So after that back to the bench and redo some of the work. It still looks too blurry and smudgy in many parts to me and some nice details got lost, but oh well... Learning is a lifelong process I guess...

As you can see in the last picture, one of the tiny little chains on the Nebeltöpfe got snapped off and lost in the Nirvana...

I'll just have to live with that. This is what it looks like in the dio:

I'm ok with the model as it is, but next time I would do these things differently:
- more pinwash and more (oil) filters for more contrast
- no (or just a very light!!!) flat coat
- same goes for the dust coat
- glue on the exhaust AFTER it's been painted and treated with pigments

Alright, that's a long update. Thanks for bearing with me here and feel free to leave your comments. Next up is figure painting...
Cheers!

Post by **Coen** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:06 am

She's wonderful buddy. 100% old school gorgeous!!!

Post by **localjedi** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:13 am

Thanks, Coen! Old school... hahaha.

Post by **Coen** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:18 am

That's a compliment Pete. Old school as in Francois Verlinden, Shep Pain, Bob Letterman, Ron Volstad, Lewis Pruneau.
You have that same look.

Post by **localjedi** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 10:31 am

Wow, now that is a compliment in deed. Thanks again, Coen!
I guess I just had a very clear picture in my mind of what I wanted the tank to look like and it didn't turn out that way. And I'm very pedantic, which is probably good for modelling in general but can also drive me crazy sometimes... As I said, it's a learning process. Build, learn, improve. Isn't it a great hobby?

Post by **localjedi** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 3:42 pm

Just a quick and brief update: Wooof!!!

More figures coming soon...

Post by **trekfanj** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 7:15 pm

The more of this project I see, the more impressed I am!

I've had the same issues, too; when I get my weathering perfect and then I put a flat coat on top....whoosh, gone!

Post by **localjedi** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 2:40 pm

Thanks a lot, Jarod! What did you do with your model after you flat coated away the weathering? I'm thinking about going over it again, redoing some of the weathering, but I'm not sure...

Anyway, here are more protagonists, antagonists and side kicks:

Right now I'm painting the panzer crew. Updates will follow soon.
Keep modelling!

**Felis Barcinonensis YouTube Channel** · Post by **felisbarcinonensis** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:01 pm

Wonderful project!!! Wow!!!

Post by **Alkosh** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:47 pm

Very neat diorama. Can't wait to see the scene all put together.

Post by **trekfanj** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:17 pm

localjedi wrote:Thanks a lot, Jarod! What did you do with your model after you flat coated away the weathering? I'm thinking about going over it again, redoing some of the weathering, but I'm not sure...

Well, that's actually what I did; re-weathered it.

And then never touched it again.

During the "Rising Sun" GB, Wappynutter(AKA Andy) said he used hairspray to seal in the pastel chalks he used to weather his Type 97 Chi-Ha. I haven't tried it yet, though, but I've got a few projects that could serve as test subjects.
Sorry for not being much help.

Post by **AgentG** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:43 am

I've noticed that a lot of times our weathering creates not only tonal shifts and color changes but changes in finishes as well. Oils tend to have a subtle semigloss finish which, when blended, adds a whole new dimension to the surface. We see this and like it as it conveys the look we are after. It looks like a used piece of machinery now, all polished and dirty from wear and tear. A flat coat unifies the effect thus destroying what we like. It also plays havoc on pigments. Don't ask ow I know........

Beautiful work nonetheless!

G

Post by **localjedi** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 11:43 am

@felis and Alkosh: Thanks a lot, you guys! Big mojo boost.

@Jarod: Still haven't decided yet whether or not I want to try re-weathering the model. I'm a bit afraid I might mess it up too much... I'll check out Wappynutter's hairspray method for fixing pastels. Thanks for that tip! Doesn't hairspray leave a gloss or semi-gloss on the model?

@G: Yeah, I guess I'll never use a flat coat on my models again after I weathered them. It was plain trial and error. This is my 8th dio, so guess I still have a lot to learn. Thanks for your comment!

No update today. It's too hot for modelling in Germany today...

Maybe in 2-3 days...

Post by **Coen** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 12:52 pm

Not only is this photo hysterical the work is fantastic. Superb painting buddy.
She looks like she's just unleashed the hounds of hell!

localjedi wrote:

Post by **rodrant** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 2:01 pm

Beautifull ! Amazing diorama ...

Great job on the terrain and the Panzer is a beauty ! I'm looking forward to see it complete with all the figures !

Post by **Nige99** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 9:19 pm

I think the Panzer is spot on!! Remember armour as so many tones and colour changes with the terrain it's going over.
The hair spray technique will give it a gloss effect and the more layers you put on it a dusty coating will develop. Once you've achieved your finish you can Matt varnish over it.

Keep up the outstanding work. Can't wait to see the fantastic work you've done on the crew.

Post by **HamilkarBarkas** » Sun Jul 05, 2015 1:14 pm

All i have seen in this thread so far is truely exceptional! very well done in every conceivable aspect

Post by **localjedi** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:20 pm

Thanks Hamilkar and thanks everybody!

I just had to take a few months off from the hobby because I realized that I just didn't feel what I think is most important about modelling: fun. So I decided to do some other stuff, like playing airsoft and such. The time out was good, but a few weeks ago I returned to the modelling bench and now I love it more than ever!!! I bought a few new kits and almost finished this dio. It's just missing the tank's antenna.

I need your expertise here: What color did the German antennas have? Were they black or were they painted in the vehicle's color?

I'll upload pictures and a slide show of the finished dio on ISM soon. As a little teaser here's a pic of the tank commander:

Talk to you soon on ISM and have a merry Christmas everybody!

Post by **rwsmith14** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 12:46 am

localjedi wrote:Thanks a lot, Jarod! What did you do with your model after you flat coated away the weathering? I'm thinking about going over it again, redoing some of the weathering, but I'm not sure...

Anyway, here are more protagonists, antagonists and side kicks:

Right now I'm painting the panzer crew. Updates will follow soon.
Keep modelling!

the painting of the figures, woman and animals are outstanding !! well done !

Post by **localjedi** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:06 am

@rwsmith: Thanks, mate! I appreciate it.

I couldn't find any reference about the color of German vehicle antennas, so decided to just paint them in panzer grey. Dio will be finished this afternoon. More pics and a video will follow in a few days...

Post by **Nige201980** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:38 am

Outstanding work through out buddy love the figures.

Post by **localjedi** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 6:09 pm

Thanks, Nige! I did what I could...

Anyway. without further ado... The dio is finally finished!!!

I'll upload more pictures and a video link in the land gallery in the next couple of days.

Post by **Coen** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:21 pm

Just watched the video on pootube.
Beautiful work Pete. First rate stuff bud.
Well done.

Post by **localjedi** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 9:59 am

Thanks for your kind words, Coen! Means a lot to me.

Post by **Morgoth62** » Sat Sep 17, 2016 10:27 pm

This is absolutely AWESOME. well done indeed.

thomas;)