Friday, June 30, 2017

Model of the week: Ian Hill's 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf110

I saw these in progress shots on Facebook last night, and had to share. This is the cockpit of a Dragon 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf110 C-7 built and painted by an Australian modeller named Ian Hill.  Ian is also a military artist, and runs the website 3D Battle Art (www.threedbattleart.com) which I recommend you visit if you want to see meticulously researched WW2 art - but more on that later...







As you can see, there is a lot of detail in this cockpit. But what really caught my eye was the dirt on the floor and up the side of the cockpit wall in the above photo. I have to say, this is the most realistic dirt colour I have ever seen in a cockpit. It's strikes a great balance between dusty, and showing previously damp mud which has dried out (those little moisture tide marks up the wall - I love them!).  That dirtiness is great - I can see crew members climbing in from muddy airfields and many, many hours of flight time right there.

Just perfect.


The tonal variation in the whole cockpit is just bang on. Interesting modulation, not too heavy, not too light. I've painted a grey 1/32 Stuka cockpit before, and my grey was nowhere near as good as this.



It seems a real pity to close this up inside the fuselage, where so much of it will be hard to see.

That paint wear and chipping is again balanced just right.

This is the kit Ian is building.





I tip my hat to you, Mr Hill.

It wasn't until I looked at Ian's website www.threedbattleart.com that I discovered he also built one of my Favourite Dioramas Of All Time. This sounds like hyperbole, I know, but in this case it is completely true.

Check this out:

The dragon and the wolf - scale model diorama by Ian Hill

That is named "The Dragon and the Wolf" and it won Best in Show at the 2001 Australian Model Expo.

I've seen photos of this floating around the interwebs for years, I believe I've even pinned it to a Pinterest inspiration board in my time.  I had no idea it was built by an Australian in the same city as me.

Good lord, Ian, it is a masterpiece. You can see more photos here - it's incredible.

So what do I have to say in summation? It's inspiring to see pics of a master modeller's build in progress, and I'm excited to see where this Bf110 ends up. Plus it'll be cool to be one of the select few who know exactly what is inside it once it's  all closed up!

Thanks for sharing Ian.


Until next time,

Cheers,

Dave

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Video tutorial: How to strip paint from scale models - remove enamel or acrylic paint

My latest video is up, dealing with how to safely and easily strip paint from scale models. I'm never much of a fan of stripping paint: it means I've wasted effort and time on the unsuccessful original coat. But sometimes it's unavoidable, and like I mentioned in an earlier post about the Mustang's propellor spinner, if something is bothering you it's better to deal with it than leave it and not be able to see past that flaw every time you look at the completed model.


In that situation, you need to know how to strip paint, effectively and without hurting either the underlying plastic or (more importantly) yourself.


Video tutorial on how to strip paint from scale models, remove enamel or acrylic paint


This video shows you how to remove both acrylic paint and enamel paint from your scale models. All you need are some common household items you probably already have at home. If not, you can get them at your local supermarket for a couple of bucks. Nothing expensive or exotic is required.


Video is embedded below, but in case it doesn't work here is the link:
How to strip paint from scale models: remove enamel or acrylic paint





Good luck. Get stripping.

Cheers,

Dave



P.S. Here's a little musical inspiration for you - "Music to strip by"


Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Temporarily lost my mojo

I'm a model maker in Australia. This image says it all.


Source.



All the wildlife here is out to get you.



In all honesty, it's been a fairly shitty fortnight for my model making.

I've had two freelance graphic design gigs which have eaten up most of my normal modelling time.

Plus I'm not really happy with the natural metal finish of the Mustang, and I need to airbrush a lighter tone to fix that. Every time I look at it, I think to myself, "Meh, that's not what I was after".

Plus I've been in a slight funk since the Model Expo, which really bothers me as it doesn't actually matter a damn what model competition judges think. I do this for myself and my own pleasure. But it's tough to be told you're not quite as shit hot as you thought you were! ;)



BUT - there is light at the end of the tunnel, each of these points has a bright side...

The freelance jobs will be completed tomorrow night.

I'm hoping to get some airbrushing in on the weekend.

Critique = improvement.



... and screw those judges.


Cheers,

Dave

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Back to the drawing board

I'm rather unhappy with my efforts at painting the Mustang's propellor spinner. So it's time to strip the paint and start again.



The yellow is grainy, and the red is dull. Plus the line between the two colours at the pointy end is a bit wonky unbalanced.

The other greenish piece is a test painted with acrylic paint for stripping as well.


I'm shooting a video showing the paint stripping process, because I know this is an area that many modellers have questions about.

Bit of a bummer to take a step backwards, but it's one of those things that if I don't fix it as I go, I know it will bother me every single time I look at the completed model. #fixthatshit

Cheers,

Dave

Friday, June 23, 2017

The importance of good references

All great models start with great reference photos, apparently.


I found this on facebook.



Can't go wrong.

Dave

Video: Weathering references in the real world

My regular readers will have seen my post a couple of days ago about weathered trains I found at Steamrail Victoria, and how useful these sorts of old abandoned vehicles can be when you are weathering scale models.  But I also have a lot of subscribers on YouTube who don't visit my blog, and I thought that it would be useful to produce a video showing my latest weathering references, as well as giving me a chance to discuss how to achieve some of the weathered looks with painting techniques.



Scale model weathering references video



My video has been up for a couple of hours now, and one of the first comments was "I've never seen one so happy about rust". Guilty as charged, your Honour. ;)

Video is embedded below, but in case it doesn't work here is the link: Scale model weathering references

Cheers,

Dave


Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Finally back working on the P-51D Mustang

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but in the last couple of days I finally got a chance to work a little more on the Mustang.


It's painted in overall AK Interactive Xtreme Metal Chrome (AK477).  I've also painted a couple of panels in a light tone of Xtreme Metal Gun Metal (Ak483) to vary the finish. I feel like it needs some lighter panels still though.




Rather happy with the red rudder though.


I've also worked on the propellor spinner, but I'm not at all happy with the result. It's too matte, and the yellow paint came out very blobby so that individual drops of paint can be seen on the finished result. So I'm thinking it's time to just remove all the red and yellow and start again on the spinner.

This should be much, much smoother and glossier. With less bits of fluff caught in the paint too!


Getting there slowly. I've realised that there are some pretty inherent flaws in this kit, which is to be expected in a 50+ year old moulding, but it's meant that I now just want to finish it and move on to the next project. I'll do my best, I'm not going to abandon it now after all the hours invested in it, but it's never going to be my ultimate aircraft build, so it's time to just finish it up and move on.

Is that too harsh?



Cheers,

Dave

Monday, June 19, 2017

Amazing weathering references at Steamrail Victoria


On the weekend I found a treasure trove of weather-beaten, abandoned-looking vehicles. I was in rusty heaven.


A friend at work mentioned to me on Friday that there is a rail restoration workshop at Newport, in Melbourne's west. (Thanks for the gold-plated tip, Patto!) It's called Steamrail Victoria, a not-for-profit organisation that repairs and restores old trains. As long as you sign the vistor's book and don't touch stuff, you can just wander around the workshop and railyards there. I'm sure if you are a rail buff, the guys volunteering there would share literal shed-loads of information with you.  If you're interested in going yourself, it's just off Shea Street, Newport. If you like engine oil, old machinery and antique industry, I heartily, heartily recommend it.



Weathering references for scale models
It gets the Dave's Model Workshop "Thumbs Up".


I would have enjoyed it regardless, but as a modeller the Steamrail Victoria yards are just chock full of perfect weathering references. I tried to photograph a little of everything a modeller could want: sun faded paint, mouldy streaks, damp, rust, dirt and dust, decaying metal, faded lettering and numerals, scratches.

text

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
Rust!

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
Moss and lichen.

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
Grime.

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
Weathered wood.

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
Rust, glorious rust!

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
Scratches!

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
This was my favourite.

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models
Oh, that greenish fading!

Weathering references for scale models
Even my daughter thought it was (relatively) interesting.
Not as interesting as My Little Pony, but somewhere on the spectrum of interesting.

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models

Weathering references for scale models



I've filed these all away for my next abandoned armour model, but I thought I'd share them as someone out there might find just the weathering reference they're after for their current scale model project.

Now I want to model something beaten up just so I can try to replicate some of these shots!

Cheers,

Dave