W.I.P. pics of new projects....

[DogfighterZen]

dunno about the 183 being "over" weathered. Looks just right for a bird thats seen more than its fair share of combat to me.

My feelings exactly!  You wanted to depict a very used aircraft and thats exactly what it looks like. I can imagine the extent of your research, the results are very good, makes me want to learn how to do something like that. Practice makes perfect, right? 

[matrixone]

Thanks for the comments about the weathering, I have found on these small plastic models that you almost have to overdo the weathering to be noticed once the models are finished...this makes it super easy to take things a bit too far.


Matrixone

[NARSES2]

Thanks for the comments about the weathering, I have found on these small plastic models that you almost have to overdo the weathering to be noticed once the models are finished...this makes it super easy to take things a bit too far.


Matrixone

A thing you so masterfully avoid. I've seen many over weathered models at shows but youre's just look so natural. It is part of the airframe as it should be rather then painted on 

[matrixone]

Thanks very much for your comment NARSES2!

I try very hard to add weathering at different stages of painting, full size machines don't get the wear and tear all at once on them and the best way to mimic that on models is to add weathering in stages during the build.

Here is an in-progress picture of a Me 410 I built a while back and the weathering on the wing root was done in several layers, I started by spraying on some tiny mottling of lightened versions of the base color and then some work with the paint brush with metal colored paints.

And below is the finished model, after the flat clear coat was added I went over some of the high wear areas with a silver artists pencil to add some fresh looking scuffs to the paint job.


Matrixone

[NARSES2]

 

[Ifor]

The 410 is such a good looking aircraft. Would you mind sharing how you paint the Italian smoke ring pattern and the squiggle on the DO335? Always built 1/72 but I'm going try 1/48 with those patterns.

[matrixone]

Ifor,

The way I painted the squiggles on the sides was with an airbrush. I use an Iwata Revolution BR airbrush on all my models from 1/144 to 1/32 scale, yes the Revolution BR is capable of painting small details but at the same time it is not expensive compared to most other airbrushes so I highly recommend it.

When spraying fine lines or small mottling I thin the paint quite a bit and lower the P.S.I. from the compressor. It really helps to have an old model or large model part to do a quick test spray before attempting to paint your model, its better to find out if your paint/air ratio adjustments are correct by doing a test spray than it is to goof up your new model.

Below is an 1/72 scale Arado 234P-1 and when I painted it I used very thin paint and the P.S.I. down to 8.



Matrixone

[Ifor]

Appreciated
Ifor

[zenrat]

Somewhere, possibly here, possibly in a copy of Finescale Modeller I was reading in the newsagents, I saw a technique for doing squiggle camo with water-colour pencils.  If I read it correctly you paint your base colour, draw your squiggles with the watercolour pencil and then airbrush a thin "filter" over the top which causes the watercolour pencil lines to blur.

[Ifor]

 I still haven't bought my airbrush, but I was wondering whether a mask of some sort by cutting out different patterns and spraying over. They'd have to be very small though.

[NARSES2]

Hannants use to sell (probably still do sell) a brass etch mottle mask. Had various patterns of mottle on it. In all honestly apart form some German aircraft which had mottled tails with the rest of the aircraft in late war two colour schemes it was nearly next to useless.

Masking for mottles would require the mask to be slightly above the surface of the wing/fuselage to get the correct "bluring". I honestly don't think there is a substitute for an airbrush and the ability to use it well. I'm a brush painter and have never found a decent technique. Pieces of sponge and a very light touch/correct paint mix can just about work on small areas but not on anything larger then the tails as mentioned above.

[Captain Canada]

Very nice work Matrix !

[matrixone]

Thanks Captain Canada!

Matrixone

[philp]

While I am not a big fan of the WWII Luftwaffe (except BoB and North Africa) I really love your builds.  The attention to detail, the flawless paint schemes.  Just great stuff.

[matrixone]

Thank you philp for your comments on my work!


Matrixone