Cheers Richard,
I must admit she really exceeded expectations and the real bonus for me was to have the pre-shade work. That showed through to the end and made a real difference imo.
The pigments (apart from the pigment work on the lower hull walls behind the running gear) has all been applied dry over a matt coat and no fixer has been used. I found the best way to get her looking good was to apply tiny amounts of different MIG pigments via the tip of a paintbrush and work in using a stiffer-bristled brush. I'd then go over the areas that I'd worked on with and old toothbrush which loosened any excess which I'd blow away then I'd repeat this step if needed.
I've struggled with pigments in the past in as far as applying them over a flat surface goes but have found that the only way to really get them to work well is to build up the pigments adding VERY small amounts at a time as they go such a long way!
As for the base - I have only made one before and really want this one to look the business. I haven't started it yet and hope to do it this weekend. I think I know how I want it to look but as it's pretty small and I'll be using Pollyfiller as a fixer for the scenery then it has to be right first time!
I'm looking forward to seeing how yours turns out!
ATVB
Ben 