Tahnks!

It's just powdered artists' pastels, some dry, some mixed with denatured alcohol.

That dust/mud looks very nice. However is it glued or fixed?.

Im alwasy concer of just powdering pastels or any dust over it, because, over time it will get some real dust from the environment, so how do you keep it "clean"? and also afraid a wind gust may take away the beatiful dust when taking to a show or contest.

Anyway, yours looks fantastic.

Hugo, sorry for the late reply, I've been traveling....

I apply the dry pastels with a large brush. My wife's old makeup brushes work great, and she goes through them quickly. For heavier applications, to show build-up or even wet dirt and mud, I'll mix up a slurry using denatured alcohol as a carrier. I then fix it all in place with clear flat. One draw-back is the the clear frequently darkens and blends the different colors of pastels, so the final step is usually a light application of lighter, dry powders over the flat. Once that's done, I generally restrict handling of the model to an absolute minimum, but the finish is surprisingly sturdy.

Gamera

Wow, brush painted!?! I have a M60 I want to build in the MERDC scheme and thought about brush painting the small sand and black patches. I have some Vallejo paint in black, I'll have to see about picking up some sand and giving it a whirl! 

 

i've thought of that too. i think i would base coat sand, mask for the green and brown and hand paint the black.

the dust looks really good. anytime i work with powders or pastels i wear latex gloves to keep fingerprints away. i will try mixing some with alcohol on my next weathering.

I like alcohol for a couple of reaseons: It's cheap, it's easy to clean up, and it leaves a dead-flat finish.

So I got up way too early this morning, and instead of planting my butt on the couch, drinking too much coffee and watching the "news", I went to my little room and finished the rear lights, started the front and got some primer on Karl-Heinz:

And because I enjoyed this build so much and have always wanted to do an -A4, grabbed this whil at King's in Austin on Tuesday, for a paltry $20:

I peeked at it, and it looks really nice, but time will tell.

Almost there: Karl-Heinz is painted (excuse the face, I am lousy at faces) most of the small bits are on and antennae have both been broke off twice, so for the moment I drilled the mounts to accept wire until I can shop around and find some replacements.

Aside from possibly adding some camo nets in the turret stowage bins, the model's done. I started on the base as well, nothing fancy, but something more than a wood plaque:

Hello!

It's looking good! Karl-Heinz looks almost like my German work colleague, Marco :-) I only have some objections as to the wall corner - it needs more filling between the stones, and a bush! Other than that its looking great! Thanks for sharing, and have a nice day

Paweł

Looks good to me!

I'll agree with Pawel, the wall needs a little something there but the Leopard looks great.

Thanks gents.

I agree, I need some more vegetation for sure, and the wall segment is a piece from Armand Bayardi, will get some mortar or something closer to the bottom. It's been laying around in the stash forever, thought this would be a good use for it.

Your Leo II looks real good! I spent a little time in Kosovo a bit over 10 years ago, and once thing I recall is that the earth tone was much lighter/sandier in color. Lots of grass and low bushes, but no trees in any of the places that I went. The stone wall is a good idea too! The prevelant tone of those was a medium or lighter gray. If you do an image search for Kosovo landscape or Kosovo scenery you can get a good idea of what the place looks like.

Thanks, stik, will do.

I really like the finish on this, the dusty look is very realistic, great work. Look forwrad to seeing it on the finished base.

Thanks, Bish. I hope to get it all wrapped up in a couple of weeks.