Weathering Tutorial--the doog's DML HETZER

Why don't they just pin this bugger huh?  Doog, why not just turn this into an article and submit it?  That way it can go up in the electronic versions of the articles.

dupes wrote:

Post resurrection day! Doog not sure exactly how I let this one slip by the first time? Great great stuff that needs to be in "my forums". Thanks for taking the time to go through all this!

It's an honor to see this post get so much commendation and use from the members here! I'm just thrilled to know that everybody has gotten a little something from it--it feels like "payback" for all that I've learned here!

Glad you all are enjoying it! ! ! !

Thanks for the excellent guide on weathering, doog! Excellent result on that Hetzer! I can't wait to use some, or all techniques on my next armor build.

Good luck with the article!

Azgaron

bultenibo wrote:

Hey Doog! I just been away for a month and you guys keep on delivering masterpieces! That is one fine Hetzer, doog! The hull is as great as the interior. I really have to learn the technique with painting from small dots of artists oils, and from your tutorial I will probably be off for a good start. The results on your Hetzer (and Biffas and Tredwells latest T70 and KV I kits) are really astounding. What kind of colors did you use on the German camo? Ordinary brown, orange, blue, red, white and yellow - is that correct? /Tony

If you're talking about the "dots", then yes, that's correct--Stay away from the "standard wash colors"--raw umber, black--becuase they are first, too dark, and they rather defeat the intent of what the dot effect is supposed to achieve; that unexpected patina of subtle hues. Save them for pin washes, and ideally, precede the "dots" with an overall raw umber wash to give that proper initial-grunge-look to it.

"Ianisbored" did a bang-up job on his KV-II with the dot method using some different colors and did a tutorial on it as well--make sure you check it out, it's really fantastic! 

Good luck with your attempt! Thanks again!

Hey Doog!

I just been away for a month and you guys keep on delivering masterpieces! That is one fine Hetzer, doog! The hull is as great as the interior. I really have to learn the technique with painting from small dots of artists oils, and from your tutorial I will probably be off for a good start. The results on your Hetzer (and Biffas and Tredwells latest T70 and KV I kits) are really astounding. What kind of colors did you use on the German camo? Ordinary brown, orange, blue, red, white and yellow - is that correct?

/Tony

the doog wrote:

At this point, I carefully cut out the balkenkreuz decal with a razor blade and aplied it directly to the side of the model, snuggling it down with Micro Sol. I didn't feel the need to apply a gloss coat beneath it, as there would be no decal film to tempt with "silvering".

You can always mixed your camo and basecolor with gloss. 

Just a tought ....

---
Ben

the doog wrote:

espins1 wrote: Excellent post!  I am going to try out some of your weathering techniques.  And congratulations on the upcoming articles!  I can't wait to see them in the magizine.  Good work amigo!  Thanks, espins! Hey are you managing to stay cool down there in Reno? I wonder if your kits are melting?! Glad to hear you enjoyed the post!

That's one of the best things about these forums, I've learned so much here! 

Thank goodness we have central AC in the house, plastic and me don't handle handle heat well. 

espins1 wrote:

Excellent post!  I am going to try out some of your weathering techniques.  And congratulations on the upcoming articles!  I can't wait to see them in the magizine.  Good work amigo!

Glad to hear you enjoyed the post!

9 Toe Tanker wrote:

Thanks Doog...again ...great job on the Hetzer! ...BTW ...what kind of music do you play? I started playing guitar in the mid 70's and traveled all over the east coast during the 80s from Key West Fla to International Falls Minn. and dang near all points in between. Still have several old Marshalls and bought the reissue 2061x 20w a couple years ago.

EH? It's a livin'! 

Thanks Doog...again ...great job on the Hetzer!

...BTW ...what kind of music do you play? I started playing guitar in the mid 70's and traveled all over the east coast during the 80s from Key West Fla to International Falls Minn. and dang near all points in between.

Still have several old Marshalls and bought the reissue 2061x 20w a couple years ago.

9 Toe Tanker wrote:

Great Job on the Hetzer and tutorial Doog! A couple of questions however concerning the weathering... 1) I've never really used oils in weathering due to my days as an art student and recall them     drying glossy....how do you get around this? ... dull coat? 2) I've always used Tamiya paints and sometimes flat base with others diluted with denatured alcohol for airbrushing...am I using the wrong thinning agent? (the denatured alcohol).    I ask this because if I put other colors on for weathering (oils included) and use denatured alcohol or mineral spirits to blend in to the model...it seems that I would be risking the original paint job ( i.e. rubbing it off the surface or exposing the plastic below) 3) I've never really used pastels either...can you explain this please? 4) Sorry for all the questions but I've been out of modeling for quite many years and am finaly getting back into it again after a long absence.    Thanks kindly. TJ.

Oils do dry a bit gloossy but if you seal them with a LIGHT coat of dullcoat, you'll be able to tone the gloss down. They might've dried a LOT MORE glossy though if you were using Linseed oil for the medium.

I ALWAYS use Tamiya thinner for thinning Tamiya paints. It costs a bit, but it I've never had a problem using it. It may interest you to know that I NEVER seal my Tamiya acrylic finish before I wash with oils; if you let it dry about two hours-even less in the right conditions (low humidity) you can wash with mineral spirits after about an hour. If you wash over a dark green or panzer gray finish, use a hair dryer to help speed the drying of the wash, so it isn't even tempted to attack the finish.

I either just dust on the pastels witha big soft brush, or, for rust or thicker dirt, I use mineral spirits on a brush and dip it into the pastels and swab 'em on. You can also add clean spirits to the part thatyou want to affect, and then drop the pastel onto the wetted part from a brush; get it on the brush, hold it over the piece and tap the end of the brush and hold the brush close, tapping the powder onto the part. Some people seal it with dullcoat, but I've found that the thinner can adequately hold it in place, as long as you're not handling the model a lot.

You can also use flat acrylic coat/paint to stick the powders/pastels. Just put a bit in a mixing cup, dilute it about 50% with water, and add/scrape powders/pastels into the mix until it becomes like a thin mud. Then add with an old brush. This will give you a somewhat thicker application. The key is; EXPERIMENT!

Mike, I've heard of, and used that method you described. It works well! I'd be careful on a 1:72 kit though, I think I'd apply it dry with a brush first and seee how it looks and then seal it with dullcoat. It will look more "in scale" than droppped piles/clumps of dirt, rust etc on a small model.

ROO--SORRY! I hope you didn't ruin the model! It just completely slipped my mind when I was writing the tutorial, probably cuz I never use it, so I didn't even consider it! Hope you saved it! That was a fine Panther!

now you tell me not to use black. hmmm, i found this out the hard way, on the panther actually, i just had a great save. black always leaves streaks for me, and i can't seem to blend it. where ever it lands, it stays. i guess the pigments are too strong. anyway, i'll be heading to the LHS tomorrow hopefully to get a few more goodies.

the doog wrote:

madmike wrote:  the doog wrote: Anyhoo...madmike: that's right, I remember now, you've got those lousy neighbors! Well I must say, your ME109e is gorgeous; much better than I'd ever do! The finish is perfect, I concede! Comment on "brush strokes" retracted! Mate that Me109E was an airbrushed build. sorry I should have been more clearer with that I will try and get some pics of the Sturer build so far, hopefully the pics might show the effect I am trying to achieve with the fading of the grey. Like others I would say go for the FSM build article...seriously! cheers Mike  I can't wait to see that Sturer! And the Me109e is stil fabulous! Kinda glad to hear it WAS an airbrushed build--I was wondering how the heck you got such a PERFECT finish with a brush!?!? LOL!

You would be amazed at how good Vallejo paints are to brushpaint and when you add their retader to the thinned paint, the results are even better. 

Well the Sturer is coming along and as I said before, pics on the weekend when I can set up my  photo area. I am currently picking out moulded details.

Aircraft are my main focus but I do love armour especially braille scale. 

Actually, on weathering, one of the blokes at the club who is an armour modeller of note used pastels in an interesting way. He washed the area to be weathered in turps, dipped the wet brush into a pre prepared pile of pastel dust then applied the brush to the area. The turps evaporated leaving a really convincing result. Have you heard of this method?

I was wondering if it was too heavy for a 1:72 kit as his converted Aussie Centurion was 1:35.

Great Job on the Hetzer and tutorial Doog!

A couple of questions however concerning the weathering...

1) I've never really used oils in weathering due to my days as an art student and recall them 

   drying glossy....how do you get around this? ... dull coat?

2) I've always used Tamiya paints and sometimes flat base with others diluted with denatured alcohol for airbrushing...am I using the wrong thinning agent? (the denatured alcohol).

   I ask this because if I put other colors on for weathering (oils included) and use denatured alcohol or mineral spirits to blend in to the model...it seems that I would be risking the original paint job ( i.e. rubbing it off the surface or exposing the plastic below)

3) I've never really used pastels either...can you explain this please?

4) Sorry for all the questions but I've been out of modeling for quite many years and am finaly getting back into it again after a long absence.

   Thanks kindly.

TJ.

madmike wrote:

the doog wrote: Anyhoo...madmike: that's right, I remember now, you've got those lousy neighbors! Well I must say, your ME109e is gorgeous; much better than I'd ever do! The finish is perfect, I concede! Comment on "brush strokes" retracted! Mate that Me109E was an airbrushed build. sorry I should have been more clearer with that I will try and get some pics of the Sturer build so far, hopefully the pics might show the effect I am trying to achieve with the fading of the grey. Like others I would say go for the FSM build article...seriously! cheers Mike

And the Me109e is stil fabulous! Kinda glad to hear it WAS an airbrushed build--I was wondering how the heck you got such a PERFECT finish with a brush!?!? LOL!

disastermaster wrote:

I'm absolutely, and without a doubt, happy for you on your acceptance with the Finescale article(s). Your humility for not wanting to upstage another's accomplishment shows your integrity.  You deserve Finescale modelers attention. I'm sure that this will, without a doubt, inject some life into their sometimes rather repetitive agenda. You have an excellent handle on this subject and a fine manner of communicating with your fellow modeling colleagues..... so, when all is combined, qualifies you as the perfect contributor for Finescale. Go doogie go.  I can see from your desktop picture (another thread) that you are a very creative person by the montage you have created and the content that is displayed.                                                                                  Steve Davis

 

Seriously though, Steve--coming from a guy as immensely talented and creative as you are, that is one heck of an awesome compliment! Thank you , sincerely!

  I'm absolutely, and without a doubt, happy for you on your acceptance with the Finescale article(s). Your humility for not wanting to upstage another's accomplishment shows your integrity.

 You deserve Finescale modelers attention. I'm sure that this will, without a doubt, inject some life into their sometimes rather repetitive agenda. You have an excellent handle on this subject and a fine manner of communicating with your fellow modeling colleagues..... so, when all is combined, qualifies you as the perfect contributor for Finescale. Go doogie go.

 I can see from your desktop picture (another thread) that you are a very creative person by the montage you have created and the content that is displayed.

                                                                                 Steve Davis
 

the doog wrote:

Anyhoo...madmike: that's right, I remember now, you've got those lousy neighbors! Well I must say, your ME109e is gorgeous; much better than I'd ever do! The finish is perfect, I concede! Comment on "brush strokes" retracted!

Mate that Me109E was an airbrushed build. sorry I should have been more clearer with that

I will try and get some pics of the Sturer build so far, hopefully the pics might show the effect I am trying to achieve with the fading of the grey.

Like others I would say go for the FSM build article...seriously!

cheers

Mike 

IanIsBored2000 wrote:

Wow, thanks for the step by step, absolutely wonderful.  This post  help me decide to order some Mig Pigments and artist oils, thanks for the inspiration! One thing I've already noticed, is with streaking/oil dot method you have to go VERY light with the black.  I tried a 1:1:1 ratio of dots of black, raw sienna and yellow ochre and all you could see was pure black when I started to "smear"! nice thing is its such a forgiving method, it's an easy fix (and of course this was just on a an old stug that was in about 30 pieces anyways. ) You seem to have the balance of colors down perfectly, which is why I like the technique- easy to learn, difficult to master.  Also interesting to see you used dots of blue and other crazy colors- seldom seen in weathering, but needless to say, whatever you did worked beautifully! Great work, and thanks for the time on the Step by Step!

jthurston wrote:

Hey, that's not a bad idea! You should submit this to the Mag for an article!

...but I shoulld tell you that I emailed a few photos to Matt Usher and asked him if FSM would be interested in it as a Build and Finishing Article, and he enthusiastically replied "Definitely!"!!!  SO I will be submitting a rewritten article for publication in the near future!

I should also add that it might take a while to see it though; I sold an article on my "Judges Best-of-Show" winner to FSM in the spring, and I only recently got confirmation that it will be published in January 2008's FSM! (on stands in December).  YAHOO!

So we may not see it for a while--IF they decide to purchase and run it, so...KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED!!!

Anyhoo...madmike: that's right, I remember now, you've got those lousy neighbors! Well I must say, your ME109e is gorgeous; much better than I'd ever do! The finish is perfect, I concede! Comment on "brush strokes" retracted!

Roo, thanks for weighing in; and try that finish without the Future. You've turned out some fine stuff using it, but just so you have the benefit of the experience of the results from NOT using it, you should try it and then decide what technique you prefer!

Redleg: Good suggestion on the graphite for green finishes! Thanks for the !

Manny: thank you again for your kind words, and I would LOVE to see some of your models weathered! Not that they lack anything really as you portray them; you are indeed a master of the "Greenland, clean" finish!--and your planes are the best I've ever seen! (Guys, check out this guy's planes!)

wbill76--I'm currently using your build review on "bpmodels" for a build guide on the 15 cm Sturm-Inf-Ges. III that I'm doing OOB for a break! Thanks for your help and invaluable advice!

Thanks to you too, Thomas!

Ron! (biffa) Hey I've been wondering where you've been! I have to admit that I was curious as to what you'd think about my Hetzer; it goes without saying that you are indeed one of the true "Masters" of Finishing on this and other sites, and I doubt that I could teach you anything that you don't already know! But I really appreciate your comment; it means a lot coming from a recognized expert, and I IMMENSELY enjoy your posts and models as well--got a few bookmarked for reference myself! I used your idea of a dunklegelb/tan wash on this model for the first time, so thank you for teaching ME something! And I can't wait to see your finished Tamiya Hetz!

Like I said guys, keep your fingers crossed for me! I'll surely keep ya all updated on any news!

Hey, that's not a bad idea! You should submit this to the Mag for an article!