Work on the weathering has come along really well, i am rather please with my first Pz Grey. The outside was giving the dot filtering treatment. I use oil paints for this, MiG Faded grey and German grey and W&N white. This was followed by some AK streaking grime. The aim here for me was to create the ground in dusty look of a vehicle thats been in the field a long time.
Thewn i was finally able to add the wheels tracks and tools. One lesson for next time. Even though the wheels will be given a dusting, i think they would be better if painted a slightly lighter grey. Rigt now, it looks like its had a complete set of brand new wheels fitted, thoguh that has given me an idea for future builds. Also, there is the slight floating of the front wheels i mentioned earlier, but this can be solved on the base.
Next up, the dirtying up. I started out with a coat of AK dust effects inside and out. Then straight away i removed some in areas where it might be brushed or fall away. This included the sides, engine hatches, parts of the seats, around the forward MG shield and some parts on top of the radio's.
And then once that had dried, it was back to the spray booth. It got anotehr light coat of dust and then lower down seome earther and dark earth effects.
So, next up will be a flat coat folowed by the pigments before i can fit this to the base.
And speaking of the base, i felt now was the time to add the ground work. I was aksed about useing Celluclay earlier, so this is how i do it. The tols for this job are some acrylic paint, a jug and an old trusty army issue fork, white glue and the celluclay. I have to get this last thing on line. This bag cost abotu £10, but i have had this a couple of years and so far it done about half dozen bases, includeing a couple bigger than this one.
I then guesstemate how much i need, the intention being to make up a litle more than i need. That usually works, but now and again it doesn't.
I then add some brown paint, white glue and a small bit of water. The less water you have to use the better, as it does shrink, which is why i make more than i need.
Now, i don't get to upo tight about getting the right colour, its not like i travel the world collecting soil samples. But i do a bit of research to get a rough colour. This dio is set in the black soil of the Russian Steppe. So i added a bit of black paint until i had the colour i wanted.
Then it time to add it to the base. Tikme for that trusty old fork again.
I normally bring this in doors so it dries faster and leave the excess in the shed. But i didn't want this to dry to fast so left it outside.
And the question your of course asking your self is did i have enough.
Well, of course i did. Never in doubt.
And i even had some left over, which is handy because tonight i topped up around the edges where it had shrunk a little.
I often add the foliage after it dries. But because i want the 251 to sit slightly into the ground, i will add the foiage tomorrow in the area the vehcile will sit, then once i have done the pastels, i can add it. I can then leave the base to dry properly before finishing it off.