Thanks Gamera!

I got lazy and just slobbed on the oil paint on the lower hull, then used a clean brush dampened with thinner to work the paint where I wanted it.  It went surprisingly fast - I'm learning more and more how to use oil paints every day!

Now on to the chipping and filtering stage!  Maybe I'll try some "mapping" on the horizontal surfaces first.

I'm re-learning how to weather armor kits all over again

Again, she looks good. After all that the wheels can't be that much work! 

Oil pin washes are complete topside.  The model is getting grungy already, so the filters that will follow will not have to do so much work!

I started painting the putty "mud" that was applied during construction, using Mig's "Starship Filth", to contrast with the "Starship Bay Sludge" pin wash.

The running gear has also been pin washed, but the lower hull still needs to be treated.  I have been out of this so long I forgot how tedious and time consuming it is to weather so many wheels!  I may need to switch to stamp collecting or macrame!

Thanks Gamera!  The scary part is after the pin washes are done - the weathering that follows is unknown territory for me.

Oh nice!!! She's coming along great! 

Thanks Panzer Joe!

This is the first tank kit I am trying the oil paints on.  I did a sci-fi kit in oils about 2 years ago that fell short of my expectations.  I recently tested out a more controlled method of oil wash on some small Star Wars kits that turned out well.  What I am trying to do is to move to a more modern weathering approach.  I am seriously behind in this department.

 Wow very professional. Looking good.

Dear Comrades,

The State is pleased to report that oil pin washes are progressing.

Mig's "Starship Bay Sludge" oil brusher was used, but put in a pallette, thinned with dirty old paint thinner, and applied with a fine brush.  The applicator in the oil brusher lays way too much paint down, which results in excessive cleanup and waste.  I am using a combination of brushes and pointed cotton swabs to clean up excess oil paint.

The decals look good- even Boris and Natasha seem to approve! 

All four decals went on last night - it sure beats fully stenciling a hi-viz Phantom!.  Trumpeter's decals were reasonably thin, strong, opaque, and conformed to details with the help of Gunze's Mr. Mark Softer.

At high magnfication, I can see that the decals even conformed to the light rolled steel texture molded on the turret sides.

The figures had a little seam filling and seam cleanup as well.

I'd better switch back to a regular camera, as my phone seems to have a hard time photographing small figures.  Camera phones have made me so lazy.

Gamera,

Yep, a deft hand will be needed to do a paint job worthy of these figures.

The big “For Stalin!” decals go on tonight.  I feel patriotic fervor welling up in my heart...  Or is it the onions from dinner?

Looks good to me. The pre-shading looks perfect. A few pin washes and that detail is really going to pop out. 

"In Soviet Russia, you no make model kit.  Model kit make YOU."

I got some gloss on the quick fried tower last night.

Before:

After:

Decals next!

They look pretty nicely molded to me. Looking forward to seeing them all painted up. 

GreySnake,

Tristar figures are not bad.  The relief detail is not super deep, but what is there looks good, and the mold parting lines are light and clean up fast.

The box art for the set I’ve taken the figures from is a little deceptive, since the female figure looks like Martin Short.  Fortunately, as you can see, the actual figure looks nothing like him!

"You want see tank?  Is big, like Mother Russia."

"Nyet Comrade.  Nyet."

Some Tristar figures I was planning on displaying the KV-2 with.

Painting continues.

Try #1, wrong color:

Try #2, bad execution of shading:

Try #3, highlighting strengthened, but still not adequate:

One more go, and it should be OK.

Thanks Gamera!

Now to proceed to the virtuous soldier the thermodynamic power inhibit, in that backstroke break war!  (Or a gloss coat, decals, and some weathering.)

She looks good to me. Nicely big and brutal. And the shading looks good. 

Gamera

Hmmm, looks like there's some pre-shading there to me. Am I seeing things?

MJames: Interesting site, thanks for posting it. 

 

Yeah, there is pre-shading, but not so good pre-shading.  

Okay I had a read thru of the 4BO website, and decided I had to choose a different base color.

Before:

After:

I need to add some more highlight color, as this is where I have ended up in past builds.  Gotta move that ball further down the field to reach the goal.

Hmmm, looks like there's some pre-shading there to me. Am I seeing things?

MJames: Interesting site, thanks for posting it. 

MJames70,

Wow, a SITE called 4BO?  Greenish it is then.  Many thanks!

http://www.4bogreen.com/

I had a little bench time and realized I have been away from the airbrush too long.  I started painting the KV and ended up with a disaster.  All the black basing was for naught, as I messed up and everything just looks awful.  At least the paint was highly thinned so the finish is smooth and easily over painted.  Arrrrgh.

Oh well, I just have to get back and redo it the right way this time.  

BTW, an age old question that gets asked a million times, but I gotta ask again.  Was Soviet early WW II armor painted a greenish or olive color?  I understand that there were significant variations, but what is the general consensus?  Looking at some of Tamiya's WW II Soviet armor kits, their color recommendation of XF-58 is very green.  Is it a case of "paint it any color you like, so long as it's OD or green"?  Inquiring minds want to know.

I like that mottling effect. Cool!!!

This project is moving as slow as the real KV-II, but it is moving.  Last night I was priming another kit white, and I underestimated the opacity of Tamiya's white bottle primer so I ended up with lots of leftover paint.  So not wanting to waste it, I pulled out the KV-II to start the painting process.

Hee-hee, you guys are killin’ me!

I’m taking the day off tomorrow because the long delayed fixes for my house begins (contractors doing the work, not me).  So I’m hoping to get some bench time and finally roll out the airbrush while the contractors demo concrete out front.

stikpusher

 

 

Gamera

'Does the black have a slimming effect on my giant turret?' 

 

Cool to see you moving forward on this! 

 

 

 

 

Does this make my bustle look fat? 

 

'No, you look GREAT!' *

*If someone has a 152mm gun I'll tell 'em whatever makes 'em happy...