"Schnell, Mach Schnell!" Update Feb.8,09 "Claycrete"

 Thanks Chris for your thoughts and encouragement. The "Claycrete" is basically the same product as "Celluclay", I found it  at "HobbyLobby" in the crafts section. And yes there will be stones in and along the stream bed. Also I will have grasses and scrub brush in the bed as well as the rest of the upper elevation.

                                                                      Thanks, doc

doc-hm3 wrote:

I mixed 1/2 bottle of "Tamiya" red brown and 1/8th cup "Elmer's" glue to the "Claycrete" and water, to a cold oatmeal consistency. After I masked off the frame I applied the papermache making sure to keep my tools wet so it would not stick to them.

Oopse! Sorry, you did sneek it in there. Thanks for the info, I'm going to try and pull that off next time around. You say "Claycrete"- is that a modeling product- or is it basically just a papermache?

Personally, it makes sense to me, and as a recon unit, one would hope they'd have all the time in the world

I do like the brush camo idea, and the stream bed is really cool- I'd put in a bunch of those rocks that you have around the grave- in the bottom of the stream bed, both to signify that it's not a road, and also to explain where the gravedigger acquired them

I really like the groundwork too, very realistic, even before painting- I'm sorry I scrolled through a bit to catch up, did i miss it or did you mention the process? The tree looks very natural, burried in quite nice, this is one of the better "from the ground up" dios I've seen in a while 

 Manny, Thanks for the input. You are correct about the cross, but I have also seen this version in pictures on the web. I initially had the cross with the upturned arms with a sort of roof coming down over the top of it as in this picture,  but I thought it too elaborate for what time the crew may have had to make it.

 Manny I am trying to portray a lull after a skirmish that the crew found the time to lay their  brother to rest, and just as the driver is placing the last few stones on his resting place, the ever watchful commander has spotted a new column of the enemy on the horizon urging the driver to hurry. I don't think that you can see this, but the gunner has a pist look on his face. The 8rad will have temporary camo of brush laying on it and they are sitting in a dried up steam bed putting them out of view.

 Bodge, Thanks for looking!

 The motto of the Recon units was "See but Not be Seen"

 I do appreciate and value your historion opinion. Does this make sense and do you think that I can pull this off?

                                                              Thanks, doc

 Things have been changed for the better, I hope. I have applied the "Claycrete" to the styrofoam base after I cut reliefs in the foam for a better anchor/bite for the papermache.

 I mixed 1/2 bottle of "Tamiya" red brown and 1/8th cup "Elmer's" glue to the "Claycrete" and water, to a cold oatmeal consistency. After I masked off the frame I applied the papermache making sure to keep my tools wet so it would not stick to them.

 Right now I just have these things on the base for perspective

 Next, I am going to paint the base an earthtone, even though I have already mixed paint in with the base material.

                                                             doc

Holy !!

You were right! Those totally look like trees...

So much for my lichen/oregano idea haha that's amazing- even the little purple flowers!

haha now quck! Wrap them up and hide them again until the groundworks done!

ps nice work on the stones and shovel- very cool detail with the grave.

 Chris, I thought what the heck, show what it's going to look like in my minds eye so the rest of you can get the picture.

                                                              doc

Ah good good, just looking at the amount of realism with your homemade trees, didn't want to have that offset by the lichen.

Looking forward to seeing this built up!

  Chris, you are correct about the temporary lichen for setting the scene. I have some vegetation that looks more like small trees and bushes but did not want to damage them.

 Thanks for the comments and help. Thats what I'm after.

                                                                    doc

Hey, still looking really good! The only thing I might point out would be the bushes. Looks like you're using Model Railroad lichen. It looks... ok on a small scale railroad, but for 1/35- I think it works good as a base for a bush- but I think it could use some kind of leaf like material sprinkled over top. Not sure if you were planning on this or not as it's a WIP, but even from a normal viewing distance, any close inspection reveals the lichen to look more like a bunch of scale "sticks and twigs" colored to look like vegitation. I think some oregano or basil (any leaf like spice really) might do the trick. If you sprayed the lichen with some kind of 3M tacky adhesive and then dumped a bunch of your choise of leafy material over top- then painted the whole thing in various colors, I think it would look much better and in scale. You could also sprinkle some orange and brown "leaves" across the ground from the trees- but that'd be more of a final step. Again, I know this is a WIP and you haven't even put the groundwork on yet, so if the lichen is more of a place holder for bushes of the future then no worries- as for their locations, they look great!

 Steve, thanks for the encouragement.

 Here's an update on the progress. I'm learning to build and paint figures with the help of a friend Sean. He has lent me a large set of "ANDREA" paints with a guide book. I tried a couple of older guiena pigs first so that I hopefully would not ruin the main figures for my "DIO". I think that thier turning out. I know that the pic's are'nt that good, but I wanted to show what I've been working on. So guys here's a few pic's.

 Comments and critique welcome.

                                                          Thanks, doc

Looking good! Awsome detail on the vehicle! The trees are incredible...I'm in tree mode as we speak, the bar is a little higher now! Thanks for sharing..Can't wait for more!

  John, Thanks for the comments. I will have an MP40 lying close by, and a shovel stuck into the ground also.

  Hans, Thanks a lot for the comments.

Doc, the trees look amazing. The figures are coming out great too. The only I might add is a rifle stuck in the ground at the grave maybe? Not sure if the Germans did that though. Looks great so far.. Can't wait to see it finished.

John

fermis, I used the twisted wire method in Richard Windrows book Terrain Modelling in the osprey series.

                                                          Thanks, doc