UPDATE 10/08: 442nd RCT Go For Broke WIP

Awesome, wasn't sure if that was what was bugging you but that was the only thing I could think of. Like you said, I think it's just that "busy" factor that's the issue for me on the camo. I think the jacket looks good, nice even variation, it's just the pants, bellow the knees where it gets too detailed for the scale IMO.

I mean hey- if anything I think it's good to know that you have that ability to take your painting to that level of detail as it's an amazing application of paint- and all the colors look dead on. So I think it'll be easy enough in the future to kind of scale it up and make bigger overall splotches. There probably would be a few sections of just those individual dots, but I think a lot of the pattern involves big underlying splotches too.

Glad I was able to help. Really looking forward to your future figures in camo! This one's getting really close- especially after that ivy!!

Hi Coalmann- yeah, I gotcha.

I'll touch up some of the tips a bit with some washes. Good idea.

Just a thought, that level of destruction, do you think with all that timber maybe there would be fire damage at all? possibly a few end peices of the timbers burnt or scortch marks? But thats just my two cents you are obviously doing incredable work there. I envy you're ability.

Edit: I see the front of the building has a sheet of plywood with the ends burnt and thats kinda what im talking about.

Thanks, Pat- very kind of you to say!

Good to see you too, Chris. Thanks for the compliments, and for that astute feedback.

You've got a great point with the camo pattern- in fact I think you nailed it on the head. It does look too small for 1/35th, as well as maybe a bit too "busy"... I couldn't quite figure out what the deal was, and I'll definitely keep that in mind next go-round.

Thanks again!

Wow!!! I'm loving it, the ivy really makes it pop, and yeah- it's all beyond real! Very well done- that B&W picture looks like reference material haha

I think you were mentioning that your autumn Oak pattern wasn't where you wanted it to be or you weren't happy with it. I think it's awesome, some really great/fine detail. The only crit I could give you on that would be maybe the pant pattern is... almost like 1/40 scale instead of 1/35- you know? As in- if there is a problem it's that your pattern is too small, too much detail. But I do like it I like the amount of detail so I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure depending on the fabric cut, that level of leaf pattern is well within the plausible. He should blend in well with the rubble and the ivy.

deafpanzer

LOL!  That is way too real!   I want to move in there...

bring a roof...

LOL!  That is way too real!   I want to move in there...

Simply incredible, some of the best work I've seen. 

                                                                                         Pat.

Jon, Andy, thank you guys. The ivy starts with attaching small fibers to the front of the structure. Not sure what it's actually called- it's a Hudson and Allen product. Then I dry brushed for shading, highlighting. Next, glued down some catkin seeds, 2 different shades. I nearly dropped the whole thing while I had it sitting on my lap- woulda been GAME OVER

I'll go in soon with an airbrush and fade the colors into each other, then do some more highlighting.

Andy, your mention of B&W got me playin around in iPhoto:

Holy cow!  Loved the ivy part... how in the world you managed to do it right?!?!?  Everything will look real if the pictures were taken in B&W.  You are very close to the end!

Mic

Hope It's looking' kinda real.

Kinda real? It's looking very real! Good work as far as I'm concerned. Love the ivy. How did you do it?

I've got an update to the scene base; the facade was looking a little blank, "unloved". so I added Ivy to the front and side of the building. The entire base was treated with multi-toned oil washes. Hope It's looking' kinda real.

All comments welcome.

Competing for world's slowest modeler...

I am nearly finished up the figures for this scene. I ditched a Dragon overcoat figure, in favor of this one from Mantis, and have used the last of the Asian heads. Took a while to get this figure in from my "dealer" in Russia.

The photography is pretty horrible in these, I had missed the good daylight.

This next figure is my first attempt at oak leaf camo (well, to be honest, it's my FOURTH attempt, with the previous 3 attempts scrubbed off with acrylic cleaner under the kitchen faucet). Can't say I'm terribly pleased with it, but I gotta start somewhere. With the multitude of figures in the stash that will require some camo patterns, I might as well get to practicin'...

His skin tones have not yet been added, just the Beige Red base coat.

Might finish this up this week, and take in to the Austin Scale Modelers show next Saturday. If any of you Austinites out there are reading this, and are going to the show, say sumptin'.

Always warm and welcome to critique, so let me have it.

Steve

Great work!!!  

Thanks, guys. Yeah, I get a little "Rain Man" with rubble sometimes, only to have it look as if I simply dry brushed it all. Trying to move a little faster, as I'm getting the urge to move on to something else. So many figures, so little ambition...

Here's the latest progress: began working on the fallen German. The layout will (hopefully) suggest that (one of) the main characters picked him off as he was trying to scramble out the front door. The Mig figure seems like it might have been sculpted to be part of an armor crew (ie- no field gear, but I'm no expert in these matters). I'm adding a Y-strap to him with some left over PE, and digging out some gear from the spares box:

All critique and comments welcome :)

Steve

rtfoe

Love the rubble and debris work you've done Steve. You must have painstakingly weathered each and every stone.

The dio base is unique too. I'm glued to this post till the end.

Cheers,

Richard

AMAZING!

I thank you for the compliments, guys. Still hackin' away at it. Piecing together a fallen German figure for the base. Updates soon.

Steve

awesome work....Words cant even explain how great this dio is coming along.... keep up the good no no the Great work

Love the rubble and debris work you've done Steve. You must have painstakingly weathered each and every stone.

The dio base is unique too. I'm glued to this post till the end.

Cheers,

Richard

Agree 100% with Steve's comment... it has been fun following your work!  Keep posting to help us novices... thank you for doing this!

OUTSTANDING work..Figs are incredible and the building and debris is spot on...awsome work as usual Steve!

Here's the latest progress update. Began the hand-laid rubble and debris in black primer, then to gray. Bringing up the colors slowly... painting individual pieces, as well as dry brushing in areas. Got a lot more to go

   

FREAKIN BRILLIANT LOOK'IN UPDATE Steve~~!!

Just home after a few days--walked in to see somethin GOOD
been waitin for this too! 
Now I can see what you got in mind---makes sense I dig it. I like the look of the building exterior-I dont remember seeing that----nice way to form your 'patio' like a scaled-down concrete job--a handy method I might pinch.

Top marks----cant wait to see it all finished

Well, after 7 months or so, I'm ready to get back to work on this. The 442nd figures are nearly finished; I still have a dead German figure (Mig) to assemble and paint, but the central figures are almost done. Some transfers, minor touch ups, et al

Bringing this back over from the Figures forum:

Attaching the structure to the base with a wood screw. This allows me to remove it / put it back on / remove it again while working with the base:

The base will have a turntable base attached underneath, so there will be no actual "front" or "back" of the scene. In person, you will be able to spin it around for all views.

Here's dude in the structure:

Built the form around the base edge...

poured the plaster...

after a few hours, removed the forms...

took it outside and sanded it down. Then, I started messing around with the figure placement, settled on this arrangement:

Workin' the rubble arrangement, nothing cemented down just yet. The pegs represent where the figures are likely gonna be:

Next steps will be to secure the rubble to the base, prime it, and start painting it up.

If you're here, thanks for looking. All critique welcome.

Steve

wow!!!!

This is looking great- haha keep "hacking away" at it- it looks awesome

Can't even wait to see the figures, this is shelf worthy as is right now from where I'm sitting, it can only get better!!

Thank you, guys. I appreciate your looking in here.

Mike- the nails are simply drerssmakers pins glued in, and then trimmed.