Some old and new stuff from a new member.

[finescalerr]

I've seen worse. Satisfactory. -- Russ

[lab-dad]

Thats some damn fine mud!
never thought I'd say that, much less write it!
I hope I can learn about all these techniques and materials someday.
Marty

[Alexandre]

Thanks friends.

Calling it done, and that's the last preview, too.
Here's a 5x5cm detail of the scene. The whole vignette is 15x17cm.

Full article about the making of this groundwork in the next TWM issue hopefully.

Thanks for the advice and help gentlemen, and for the entertaining and very useful posts I enjoy everyday on the forum.

[Chuck Doan]

Wow!

[Peter_T1958]

Oh yes, that's looking very, very good. I especially love the color of the smooth mud on the bottom of the puddle.

Peter

[finescalerr]

Most satisfactory. -- Russ

[Ray Dunakin]

Very nice!

[Alexandre]

Wow!

I feel as happy with this quote than with a gold medal in a model show. Thanks you very much Chuck, very appreciated.

Thank you guys. Happy you like it. I wish I could post more though.
I'll do a small arid scene next (Australian Ouback), with some clutters here and there, in 1/20 scale.  It'll be the chance to experiment again with wood boards weathering, some rust and details, plus some dust and sand.

[Gordon Ferguson]

I am sure I and a few others can understand your feelings over "wow" .......... But it very well deserved a quite brilliant bit of modelling.

[Malachi Constant]

Wow!  You are the King of Mud!    But seriously ... that is some truly amazing and inspiring groundwork.  -- Dallas

[danpickard]

I hate it when I drool into my keyboard.....
Superior finish with that ground work for sure.

Cheers,
Dan

[Alexandre]

Hi, 

Got time again for some small test pieces.
I've been toying with wood this week. Figure for scale, it's 1/20.

I now have to add all the details, nails and wood texture etc.
Not so convinced so far. Plus it seems I've lost my "wood" mojo since I've been mostly painting plastic and groundwork for the last months.




Oh, and as there's a thread about how to organize all the workbench stuff.
That's how I do :

Positive aspects : none
Negative aspects : unlimited, including losing every piece you need, and having a 15cm2 free area to work. 

[finescalerr]

About that bottom photo: Somehow Alexandre has taken a picture of my mind -- and I thought I'd already lost it!!! -- Russ

[Alexandre]

Hello gentlemen.

Well, I wasn't about to show this stuff on the forum, but the recent talks and comments about the forum members and lurkers, as well as Russ's post about subscriptions, push me to share this here.
Just few words before showing the pictures.
This is a Maschinen Krieger model, and as with any other Sci-Fi genre it has is own aesthetic. A sketchy, raw, grungy one. Initiated by the creator of the serie Yokoyama-san and the way he's painting his own models and the box arts.
Since I'm interested in this genre some years ago, I've tried to get this look models after models. This look can be surprising for the modelers used to super clean finishes, and if I would certainly not use it for any military or historical subject, I love this way of handpainting my Ma.K models. This is a very free, quick, raw technic where you're only pushed by your hand and your brush, and that's a great amount of fun when you're used to do complex, layered, hairspray, airbrushed super long painting finish. Very relaxing.

Well, that being said, I've also an AFV modeler background and I like to implement some of the finishes one can see in the military model world.
So I'm really trying to paint my Ma.K models mixing these both worlds.

The genuine look is maybe 50% due to the paint used. Lacquers. They're reacting in a very special way when handbrushed and each layer of paint kind of reactivating the past one.
As they're hard to find in Europe, and as I don't feel very comfortable with them, I've tried to develop a similar technic using acrylics, where the layering transparency is the key effect, since water based acrylics don't react with previous layers as Lacquers do.

I'm always priming these models Black. And with a wet on wet process, I'm building the color variation and sketchy/watercolor look with extremely diluted layers of paint.
The black is important cause it's giving perfect control over the color build up, and also help creating artificial lights and shadows. Basically, the darker parts of the model don't receive as much paint as the lighter one.
As I also wanted some of the AFV texture and look, I've done classic Hairspray chipping on the pink part of the camo pattern, using AK worn effect.
I've reworked the top part of the Pink with the sketchy look until having an interesting gradient from pale flesh to orange pink.
You can also see the global gradient on some parts of the model, such as the big frontal armor plate, where we're from grey to tan. Not really using it as with the modulation technic but more to have this watercolor feeling I like.

Once all that's done, I'm coating by hand (always by hand) the whole with Future/Klear/Clear/Klir to protect of course and also trying to reach the lacquers look. Lacquers paint are really bright, vivid and glossy out of the jar so it's a nice way to replicate this. I've also noticed that coating varnish by hand doesn't kill the chromatic variation and textures as a varnish can always do.

Weathering is just started heren with a few washes from AK, but you already have an interesting and busy canvas for further effects.

Sorry for the long words, hope it wasn't too much boring and it can give you some ideas on your own work.



PS : this strange camo scheme is motivated by the diorama located in Outback desert, Australia. And even more because it's tons of fun to go outside Olive Drab or DunkelGelb with a touch of Pink.  
 

[Tom Neeson]

Umm...your crates and pallets are kinda helping with my "wood" mojo...

Who makes that figure?

Tom