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Doog's "Silly" Helo Hetzer painting tutorial

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  • Member since
    January 2007
Doog's "Silly" Helo Hetzer painting tutorial
Posted by the doog on Sunday, November 11, 2007 11:17 AM

"Oh gaaawd! Sigh [sigh] Not another Hetzer tutorial! Banged Head [banghead]" I'm sure you're all saying!? Whistling [:-^]

Well, this one's a little different--for those of you who may have not used "Silly Putty" to mask hard-edge lines on camoflage schemes, this short tutorial is designed to help. There are some hints and tips on using this cool stuff to paint any kind of scheme--modern, winter, WWII, MERDC, NATO--where you want a hard line between colors. 

First, you should know that Silly Putty is affected by ambient temperature, This means that, the warmer it is in your home, the more and quicker Silly Putty will "run" or "ooze". You can slow the tendency of Silly Putty to absorb run "Blob-like" down the vertical sides of yur model by placing it in the refrigerator or freezer for about 15 minutes. In very warm weather, it is prudent to do this, as the putty could "absorb" certain details of your model--think of the movie "the Blob"--but can be seperated from them if that happens by simply putting the model itself in the fridge until the putty congeals, and then using tweezers to fish out the putty from around the details.

So--to start, you should start with the lightest colors first--in this case, a greatly-lightened Tamiya Dark Yellow. In the first pic here, I flatten the SP down on a hard surface (an old tile here) and then cut out the shapes I want with an Exacto knife:

...and then apply it to the model, making sure to lightly press down the edges so as to "seal' the edges and ensure a hard line...

Here you see the initial masks taking form over the DY base coat...

Then the first color, Tamiya Red Brown sprayed on. I recommend spraying in the reverse order of percentage of color that you want--in this case there will be more green so I'll spray that last.

In the next picture, I have added more SP over the original putty lines--DO NOT REMOVE THE FIRST LINES! (unless you only want two-color camo--otherwise you'll only spray right over them!) Use your imagination, or follow a pattern--just lay more "lines" over or between the existing putty lines. I then spray next and last color, Testor's Model Master Panzer Olivgrun over it all. *NOTE* If you get called away during this phase, put your model in the fridge to slow the SP's tendency to "run"!!! *NOTE* see the putty on the "floor" of the model through the loader's hatch? That is an example of the putty "running" and dripping a bit, as I was spraying and photographing on a relatively warmer day...

And....voila! What ya got when you remove the putty. You should only wait until the paint is dry to the touch--additionally, if the weather is on the warmer side, you may want to put the model in the fridge fro a few minutes until the paint dries to the touch, to stop the putty from  running even a bit... Also, be aware that if the putty seems too "stretchy" or difficult to remove at this point, it just may need a little bit of cold to firm it up--stick your model in the ol' freezer for a few minutes, and the putty will return to a more workable, forgivable consistency.

And oh, what the heck--another take on the oil dot method wouldn't hurt? Heres just a few photos to show the size and distribution of the "dots"--I used various oils--Grumbacher, Windsor and Newton, it really doesn't matter which--for this model I used White, yellow, red, orange, Cobalt blue, and Olive Green. This palette too, is open to variation, just try to stay away from the darker colors--black, raw umber--Raw Sienna is a good choice too, although I simply forgot to include ot here! *NOTE* This is all going on AFTER two preliminary washes of 1 raw umber, and 2 light tan mix of white+a mere touch of both raw umber and yellow as well. Note too, that I do not seal or "dullcoat" the first washes--I simply allow overnight drying time!

...and again, draw them all down with a thinner-soaked brush...

...til they're almost gone...

...what it should look like...

...and dab it off with a soft tissue...

...after that, chipping and powders or pastels is your option as well...here's a few shots of "The Twins", as Ian so apty termed them--it's gonnna be hard to split them up! Sigh [sigh]Boohoo [BH]Laugh [(-D] DML early kit in front, Tamiya in the rear...

 

Well, there it is--FOR ANYONE READING THIS FAR INTO THE FUTURE, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE FIRST TUTORIAL, SIMPLY ENTER:

                   "Weathering tutorial: the doog's DML Hetzer"

                                                      INTO THE "SEARCH" FEATURE OF THIS SITE. Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

Hope you all get as much use out of this one, guys! Thanks for all of your kind compliments, and recommendations of these tutorials to the "new guys"!  KARL, "the doog" Big Smile [:D] 

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2006
  • From: Queensbury,NY
Posted by panzer88 on Sunday, November 11, 2007 11:27 AM

Thanks for sharing. More very helpful info.By the way, the twins are beautiful. Did you name them?Big Smile [:D] 

     

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Left forever
Posted by Bgrigg on Sunday, November 11, 2007 12:39 PM

Karl,

Thanks for this tutorial! Great job!! 

So long folks!

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: AusTx, Live Music Capitol of the World
Posted by SteveM on Sunday, November 11, 2007 12:48 PM

Thanks, Doog. This makes sense to me now. Bookmarking... ...  now.

Steve 

Steve M.

On the workbench: ginormous Kharkov dio

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
Posted by Slightly Altered on Sunday, November 11, 2007 1:21 PM

Thanks Doog for the great tutorial, it will most certainly be very helpful. Had no idea silly putty would "run".

Dale 

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Czech Republic
Posted by Petr V. on Sunday, November 11, 2007 3:08 PM
Great job again Doog, this realy helps a lot! I see You are becoming a "Hetzer Star" of FSM frorum Laugh [(-D]
  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: The Socialist Republik of California
Posted by Sic Semper Tyrannis! on Sunday, November 11, 2007 3:18 PM

 

Doog,

     What a great set of "Twins"! Thank you for the tutorial. I especially like the oil dot method as you have explained here. I think I might experiment with this today.

Lookin great as usual!

SST

On the losing end of a wishbone, and I won't pretend not to mind. ----------------------------------------------------------- 1/35 Dragon SdKfz 251/1 sMG Various 1/35 Figures 1/35 Dragon Stug III Ausf B. (Balkans)
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Sunday, November 11, 2007 4:17 PM

Thanks so much guys! Glad you enjoyed this one as well!

Yeah, I feel like I could probably crank out enough Hetzers in a few weeks to make my own "Post-war salvage lot" at this stage! They're easy to build and I have to say that I was surprised at how quickly this build went together. I'll be shipping it out on Tuesday, and the figures should be done by the time I get home from Germany on the 30th of November. 

I'll post the date when they'll be available, and maybe Anders will even let me post a photo of the finished sculpts? Watch ths space!  Big Smile [:D]

 

  • Member since
    October 2011
Posted by koenigtiger on Sunday, November 11, 2007 4:41 PM

where was this tutorial all my life...??Bow [bow]

 

fantastic, thanks, i already bookmarked it! 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Perth, Western Australia
Posted by madmike on Sunday, November 11, 2007 4:59 PM

Another excellent turorial, many thanks doog for going through the effort of providing "in action" shots to illustrate various techniques.

We do not seem to have an equivalent in Australia for Silly Putty, so the old standby of blue tac is the best choice for Aussies. Having seen some excellent footage of Leopard 2's in action, I am now keen to try a multicolour armour camoflage in 1:72 soon.

cheers

Mike 

 

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: The Green "Mountains", Vermont
Posted by IanIsBored2000 on Sunday, November 11, 2007 5:43 PM
Thanks, I'm just starting to look into camo, and tha silly putty tutorial is just what I wanted.
"Scanlon: work your knobby hands on the table in front of you, constructing a make-beleive bomb to blow up a make-beleive world."
  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Sunday, November 11, 2007 6:03 PM
telling the story with pictures and words-- another top class tutorial Doog!Smile [:)] way to go manThumbs Up [tup]-- I hope you don't mind me saying, but I like the paint job on the tamiya build the best-- also, I DO NOT think it looks to dark at all-- a lovely set of twins !----treadCool [8D]

   

 

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Somewhere over the rainbow
Posted by m1garand on Sunday, November 11, 2007 6:13 PM

Doogie,

Thanks for the tutorial!

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: USA
Posted by steelrudi on Monday, November 12, 2007 3:37 AM
You ruined the "Silly Putty"!  Thanks I can really use this.  Another fantastic job.  Great! 
In space, no one can hear you scream. Except the people on the ship with you. Oh, and the Alien.
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, November 12, 2007 8:32 AM

 steelrudi wrote:
You ruined the "Silly Putty"!  Thanks I can really use this.  Another fantastic job.  Great! 
Actually, I think the Putty is reusable "as is". I just balled it back up and put it back in the "egg" and it seems to have retained all it's previous qualities! 

Mike, we have bluetack here in the US as well--I'm sure that this would be an alternative to SP if anyone didn't want to deal with the "running" SP issues, like in a Southern climate? 

Glad to see y'all enjoyed the toot! Big Smile [:D] I'm wondering why the post didn't get a "star" from the moderator yet? Sigh [sigh] Weird, how that goes?! Confused [%-)]Laugh [(-D]

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Reno, NV
Posted by espins1 on Monday, November 12, 2007 12:17 PM

Another great tutorial my friend!  Cool [8D] Thumbs Up [tup] Thumbs Up [tup]

I discovered Silly Putty earlier in the year, it makes for a great masking material!  I used it to lay out the camo patterns on my P-40E and man did it make the job easy.   Smile [:)]

Scott Espin - IPMS Reno High Rollers  Geeked My Reviews 

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Monday, November 12, 2007 12:42 PM
Pretty nifty again! So are you actually going to go for an entire field of Hetzers? Laugh [(-D]
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, November 12, 2007 1:12 PM

Doog

Great information. I regularly use the "silly putty" for my Nato patterns and it works great. Always keep a couple of "eggs" in the workbench drawer. My method is slightly different but everyone modifies an idea for what works for them.

All your pointers are right on. My only comment is on the dot method (which I intend to use on my current build), I would think you should look at the base color and pick dot colors which may somewhat blend well with the base. I would think blue would not go well over OD green or yellow on sand. Question [?]

I have found that room temp (~70 degrees) works well for putting it on but... in order to prevent "stringing" as you remove it, it is better when it is colder. A quick blast in the freezer does the trick. Wink [;)]

As far as the putty itself, I agree, it does not get ruined. I am still using my first egg. I'm sure it will reach a point where there is too much paint on the putty but it seems pretty robust in that nature. Pirate [oX)]

It should also be noted that for those of us who don't quite have the airbush talents (big hands don't work well with small airbrush) to do camo free hand, this yeilds a great camo job and keeps you sane.  Banged Head [banghead]  

Thanks Karl for all your efforts putting this on the site and the work it takes to photo, write and assemble this type of information. Cool [8D]

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, November 12, 2007 1:24 PM

redleg, actually the "blue" really DOES work on the Dark Yellow base--see, the key to doing the oil dot thing is to leave only the barest trace--almost imperceptible--on the paint, so that the oil wash is not really visible, but exists more as a mere suggestion; besides, "blue" works very well over green--and so you will get some bleed-out over both the colors. Look closely at the finished build-you don't actually see any "blue" per se, but I garauntee you that it provides a chromatic tinge that "ages" the overall impression.

'Red" would not be expected to look well over a green tank, but I have tried it over a green-painted hull to experiment, and it really does look fine! Besides, don't forget; all of these colors blend in with each other--tinting and mixing together--so what starts as "blue" does not necessarily finish as such! That's the magic of this method--it imparts almost "subliminal" layers of color variations that somehow seem to mimic real-world conditions and visual impressions. I don't know exactly why or how--but it works!

Glad ya enjoyed the rest of the toot! (and I finally got my "star"! LOL! Laugh [(-D] )

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Los Angeles
Posted by dostacos on Monday, November 12, 2007 1:55 PM

Doog, have you tried SCULPEY? it does not harden until it is baked and it does not run in warm weather.

Dan {I have not, but I think I will give it a shot, you have a great techinque THANKS for passing it on} 

Dan support your 2nd amendment rights to keep and arm bears!
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, November 12, 2007 2:08 PM
 dostacos wrote:

Doog, have you tried SCULPEY? it does not harden until it is baked and it does not run in warm weather.

Dan {I have not, but I think I will give it a shot, you have a great techinque THANKS for passing it on} 

You know, I have not, but I'm sure that any putty-type material might work; the only thing you have to watch is residue--I like SP because it doesn't seem to have any residue to speak of.
  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: Peterborough, Ontario
Posted by Townsy11 on Monday, November 12, 2007 2:21 PM
Thanks for another great tutorial Doog!Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup] Love the Hetzer 10/10!
"The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his."-- General George S. Patton
  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: Peterborough, Ontario
Posted by Townsy11 on Monday, November 12, 2007 2:22 PM
Thanks for another great tutorial Doog!Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup]Thumbs Up [tup] Love the Hetzer 10/10!
"The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his."-- General George S. Patton
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Monday, November 12, 2007 2:42 PM
 the doog wrote:

redleg, actually the "blue" really DOES work on the Dark Yellow base--see, the key to doing the oil dot thing is to leave only the barest trace--almost imperceptible--on the paint, so that the oil wash is not really visible, but exists more as a mere suggestion; besides, "blue" works very well over green--and so you will get some bleed-out over both the colors. Look closely at the finished build-you don't actually see any "blue" per se, but I garauntee you that it provides a chromatic tinge that "ages" the overall impression.

'Red" would not be expected to look well over a green tank, but I have tried it over a green-painted hull to experiment, and it really does look fine! Besides, don't forget; all of these colors blend in with each other--tinting and mixing together--so what starts as "blue" does not necessarily finish as such! That's the magic of this method--it imparts almost "subliminal" layers of color variations that somehow seem to mimic real-world conditions and visual impressions. I don't know exactly why or how--but it works!

Glad ya enjoyed the rest of the toot! (and I finally got my "star"! LOL! Laugh [(-D] )

Good thing christmas is coming. Laugh [(-D] Hopefully soon there will be a sale at Michaels and I guess I'm looking for some Winston blue & red and a hint of yellow. Well...we will give it a try on the M4 tractor when I get to that point on it.

Thanks again and safe trip

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, November 12, 2007 3:27 PM
 redleg12 wrote:
 the doog wrote:

redleg, actually the "blue" really DOES work on the Dark Yellow base--see, the key to doing the oil dot thing is to leave only the barest trace--almost imperceptible--on the paint, so that the oil wash is not really visible, but exists more as a mere suggestion; besides, "blue" works very well over green--and so you will get some bleed-out over both the colors. Look closely at the finished build-you don't actually see any "blue" per se, but I garauntee you that it provides a chromatic tinge that "ages" the overall impression.

'Red" would not be expected to look well over a green tank, but I have tried it over a green-painted hull to experiment, and it really does look fine! Besides, don't forget; all of these colors blend in with each other--tinting and mixing together--so what starts as "blue" does not necessarily finish as such! That's the magic of this method--it imparts almost "subliminal" layers of color variations that somehow seem to mimic real-world conditions and visual impressions. I don't know exactly why or how--but it works!

Glad ya enjoyed the rest of the toot! (and I finally got my "star"! LOL! Laugh [(-D] )

Good thing christmas is coming. Laugh [(-D] Hopefully soon there will be a sale at Michaels and I guess I'm looking for some Winston blue & red and a hint of yellow. Well...we will give it a try on the M4 tractor when I get to that point on it.

Thanks again and safe trip

Rounds Complete!!

If you're going over an OD scheme, don't forget orange and white too! In fact I'd buy Orange before Red; also, you can find some pretty affordable oils at Michaels! Also don't forget the 40%-off coupons in the Sunday paper! Blue+orange looks good over OD for some reason!

Just be careful putting down the "Yellow"--for some reason the pigments are SO fine that a teensy-weentsy bit goes a LOOOOG way! Think "small" first with Yellow! 

 

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Los Angeles
Posted by dostacos on Monday, November 12, 2007 3:28 PM
 the doog wrote:
 dostacos wrote:

Doog, have you tried SCULPEY? it does not harden until it is baked and it does not run in warm weather.

Dan {I have not, but I think I will give it a shot, you have a great techinque THANKS for passing it on} 

You know, I have not, but I'm sure that any putty-type material might work; the only thing you have to watch is residue--I like SP because it doesn't seem to have any residue to speak of.
I just applied some on my practice tank, I think it may not clean up well enough. will spray today and strip tomorrow.

 Dan

Dan support your 2nd amendment rights to keep and arm bears!
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Monday, November 12, 2007 3:30 PM
 dostacos wrote:
 the doog wrote:
 dostacos wrote:

Doog, have you tried SCULPEY? it does not harden until it is baked and it does not run in warm weather.

Dan {I have not, but I think I will give it a shot, you have a great techinque THANKS for passing it on} 

You know, I have not, but I'm sure that any putty-type material might work; the only thing you have to watch is residue--I like SP because it doesn't seem to have any residue to speak of.
I just applied some on my practice tank, I think it may not clean up well enough. will spray today and strip tomorrow.

 Dan

Cool! Make sure you post some pics here in this thread! It would help readers who are looking at this tutorial to see your alternate methods! Tongue [:P]
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 12, 2007 3:52 PM
...okay, now that was just too cool---great "how to" post...
DHM
  • Member since
    September 2007
Posted by DHM on Monday, November 12, 2007 8:37 PM

All I can say is......

THANK YOU!!!

And GREAT JOB!!!Thumbs Up [tup]

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Monday, November 12, 2007 10:31 PM
Thanks Karl. What scares me is how simple this looks. Applying it to match you and others, is another story. Hey, at least it points me in the right direction. The dot method is covered nicely by both you and Ron. I feel more comfortable doing this now.

   http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

 Eric 

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