Some old and new stuff from a new member.

[finescalerr]

Alexandre, if you would be willing to describe your techniques step-by-step, your experiments would make a very good modeling article. -- Russ

[Barney]

Just catching up with this one ! but first "Welcome" and thanks for posting the Photos of some of your work -very interesting and some lovely techniques
looking forward to more - just keep it coming
Barney

[Alexandre]

Hello gentlemen and happy new year. Thanks a lot for your always useful feedback!
Russ, I'm always open for writing articles 

I've been a bit slow on modelling due to end of year and Xmas period, but I've not been totally inactive.
I know this is probably not your area of interest but since it's about painting and weathering :

Here my last work on a Maschinen Krieger armored suit, called AFS Polar Bear.
Making mud and earth effect have always been one of my favorite part of weathering.



Alex.

[Gordon Ferguson]

I like that Alex,

has the subtlety and lightness of touch in the colouring and weathering that seems to allude me most of the time ......... Almost tempts me to dig out the couple of "polar bears" I have stashed away, but made my New Years resolution so lets get the 1st of January out of the way first

[marc_reusser]

I agree with gordon, the subtlety is great, and I am really taken by the lighting effect, and the coloring of the suit. No matter how often I look at this, I can't figure out how you achieved that.

The mud coloring and transitions are perfect...but if I am really looking hard to find something to pick on...or be dritical of  (and only because of the magnification of the image)...it is the equal size of of the grains of mud/dirt. Looks like you may have used/added some fine sand with grains of equal/similar size.

[Gordon Ferguson]

Good God Marc,

I know I still bear the scars of the "tapered roots" and I hold grudges but now you are picking on the size of grains of sand used!

Take bit less water with that drink and chill

[finescalerr]

I like the way blades of grass stick to the bottom of the shoe. -- Russ

[lab-dad]

I like it!
I like all the subtle effects and especially the "dynamic" pose.
-marty

[Ray Dunakin]

I like the slight metallic sheen showing through the grime.

[Alexandre]

Thanks a lot gentlemen!
Hehe Marc your comment went really far in groundwork rivet counting (? ) but I like that a lot. And you're right BTW. The next step is the final layer of mud splatters, this time with grass and plaster, it should add enough variation in the grain texture. 
You've got the better eye I've seen for noticing this kind of things.


BTW, concerning the finish, here's the WIP pictures :

Black primer :



Hand painting with acrylics, in order to get the "sketchy" "watercolor" look of the boxart painted by the Master Kow Yokoyama.



Whitewash with AK chipping fluid and Tamiya XF white.



Enhanced White with oil colors.

[Alexandre]

Hi gents,

I'm trying to write an article out of this new AFV build, so can't post all the pictures, but here some test about replicating tires texture.
These are painted styrene. Of course there's no dirt, dust, mud on them so far, but the challenge for me was to match the texture and coloring of clean although used tires.
This is for an early 30's armored car used in urban Police service, so it was important for me not to load too much dirt/mud on the tires and get an appropriate look because later viewable.


 
A.

[Andi Little]

Look pretty good to me - visually attractive pieces. If you insist on some criticism? You've managed to pick up a "shine" on the edges and corners of the tyres - I suspect it's where you've worked on them.
Unfortunately I don't think it's an effect you'd see unless the tyres were perished and hardened with age!! I'm thinking a completely Matt look would serve you better?

Just a thought...............

[Alexandre]

Ouch, long time without updating this post.
I had little time to experiment on my small pieces of junk these days. Hopefully by the hand of April I'll have time again to work on some diorama.
I've not been totally inactive though and here are two models I'm working on.

This Jagdpanther is 1/48 scale, and it's a test piece to practice on mud effects.
Here I've used 3 shades of AK pigments, with pigment fixer, as a first layer.
A second layer with AK earth effect solution mixed with microballoons for another grain and another texture.
A third layer with AK dark mud mixed with microballoons.
And a final layer with various pinwashes of AK earth effect, AK dark mud, AK damp earth, and AK africa dust.

Layering is really the key of mud effects.




This one is a SF garage kit from the french designer and artist Walter Pezzali. He owns a range called "Futuristic modelkits" and produces some funny and cool 50's-60's retro future robots, very atomic age.
I'm doing this one for an article about mud.
So far, I'm here, with a winter whitewash done using AK worn effect and Tamiya flat white.
Some filters, pin washes, and I'm reworking some area with white oil paint, to give more depth and brightness with pure white.

Chipping is brush and sponge, with acrylic paint. the rust spots and dots are realized with oil W&N paint.



Hope it wasn't too long and boring.
Have a great day gentlemen artists!


Alexandre.

[finescalerr]

Not too long and anything but boring! That tank looks terrific. Most satisfactory. -- Russ

[Ray Dunakin]

Very nice! I especially like the effects on the robot.