Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work. (FINALLY COMPLETED!!)

[luisito8m]

Hello guys,

Here I shall present my very first work, this is a Tamiya Set that consists of four army guys each with a unique main weapon and the add-ons for each are basically the same.

These are 1:35 figures, I plan to put a base for each of them with sand, rocks, grass, etc.

I'll try to update this thread at least once a week, since I am in engineering school and it definitely takes a lot of my time.

Definitely hoping not to mess this up, since I am making this project public. :P

All comments, suggestions, questions are definitely welcome!!

So this is the front of the box:

This is the back of the box, here I can see which parts to put together and which weapons and add ons each one has and where:

The brand new yellowish sprues, interesting color choice:

This one contains all the parts for the bodies:

This one has the weapons, pockets, knives, flashlights, gas masks, helmets, and what not:

Lastly, I have removed the pieces for the four bodies, each one is made up of 5 different pieces. Will be removing the flash lines (is this the right term) a consequence from the molding dies. I am pretty sure this will take me some time, since every piece has them and they are quite noticeable.

Had fun figuring out how to add pictures to the thread. I thought it would be much harder.

 

[urumomo]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

The brand new yellowish sprues, interesting color choice:

... Our New World Order

Had fun figuring out how to add pictures to the thread. I thought it would be much harder

lol , Hey Texan ! What photo-share you using ?
I'm still using Photobucket -- it appears to function well , though I still have occasional hiccups .

Good subject choice with the figures ------ we'll see what you're made of ;D

Keith

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Hey Texan !
What photo-share you using ?
I'm still using Photobucket -- it appears to function well , though I still have occasional hiccups .
Good subject choice with the figures ------ we'll see what you're made of ;D

Keith

I am using flickr, too me a while to figure out where to find the codes for the images but finally got it. I was going to use Picasa from Google, but I didn't want to download any software to my computer, so I went with flickr from Yahoo.

Luis

 

[urumomo]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Groovy ...
Glad to see you back in the fray ;)

..... I see the Engineer in you , with your impeccable setup , lol ;D

 

[longlance67]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.



Real nice set you got there,

built it a few yrs ago, and found it a real nice set to put together and paint up :)

looking forward to seeing them come together


shane.

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Real nice set you got there,

built it a few yrs ago, and found it a real nice set to put together and paint up :)

looking forward to seeing them come together


shane.

Any chance you still got it around? Would love to see it!

Luis

 

[longlance67]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.


Luis,

sorry buddy their long gone now, im trying to think if they might lying around somewhere

ill have a look and get back to you :)


cheers,


Shane

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

No classes tomorrow! Yay! ;D

Anyways, here is a nice update:

I am using Squadron Red Putty, I know this stuff is toxic if inhaled while sanding, but didn't know that it also has a negative affect on the skin, my hands were very dry for a couple of days. I know now that I must also use gloves!

After putting them together using the Testors' Cement for Plastic, the red tube; I also added the putty between the gaps and also between the arms to create a bigger angle for the weapons to lie perfectly. The default angles are quite short.

I've not added the helmets because I want to be able to paint the face with great detail.

Here is a shot, after a sanding, more putty and a final sanding.

Honestly, it was a bit tough to sand down on the tiny parts. I have learned that for next time, I should use some Tamiya 6mm Masking Tape to prevent the putty from reaching certain areas and do less sanding.

Temporal basing, priming and color base on the next update! ;)

Luis

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Saturday update!

For the first time I will be using Vallejo Primer and Vallejo Retarder. No idea what to expect, hopefully everything goes well.

But first, order to start priming or any sort of painting, I am giving my figures a temporary base. For better holding purposes of course! My best guess, to use a hot glue gun to adhere them, as it turns out, may not be the best option, since everytime I remove them from the base, some of the primer strips off. And doesn't hold pretty good, but at least is what got me working as of now.

Now, this is how my figures look after the first coat of primer. The primer is very translucent at this stage, I am using thin coats.

I am using a Winsor & Newton University Series 233 Round Brush No. 5, this bad boy is synthetic and I am using it for the first time. Definitely love it, it has an insane amount of spring and keeps its point perfectly.

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Finally, here we go after the third coat of primer. Even surface, even color and no traces of brush lines. The primer grabs into the figure very good.

Lastly, I will add the base color, which is a mix of 2/3 Tan Earth (70.874) to 1/3 of Pure White (70.971). This color is the undercolor for the uniform as you can see it on the picture on the box. Painted with the same brush.

It was my first time mixing colors, took me a while to get the hang of it. The first couple of tries, I didn't get matching colors.

Thanks for watching!
Luis

 

[Quaralane]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Off to a very nice start here

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Off to a very nice start here

Thanks! ;)

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Time for an update.

This time I paint the faces.

I started by using Vallejo Model White (70.951), Ivory (70.918) and Black (70.950). I decided to add the Ivory to the white base coat to make the eyes a little more realistic, I think pure white would look ridiculously fake. I traced a vertical for the pupils that was removed as I applied some white and then the base color for the faces. The hands are the color corresponding to the faces.

To my surprise, my Winsor and Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable No. 2 brush had a defective point. Called the company and they are sending me a brand new one. Yay!

For the color of the faces I decided to have some variety, I used White (70.951), Burnt Umber(70.941), Light Flesh (70.928) and Sunny Skintone (70.845). I used a mix of those colors.

Lastly, I add the hair and the eyebrows. I used Black (70.950), Burnt Umber (70.941), Light Flesh (70.928), Beige Marron (??) (70.875) and Deep Yellow (70.915). I used a mix of those colors.

But, then.. "Mr. I want to jump off the working table" broke his arm when he hit the ground at terminal velocity. Just great!!!

All the details on this update such as eyes, pupils, eyebrows, mouth, helmet cord, hair were made using a Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable No. 000

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Update Time!

I have finally managed to get some post tack at my local Home Depot, I've found that most office stores do not carry this product as often as I would have expected.

And now I made the transition from hot glue to post tack, which I may say, it is a great improvement. The hot glue would snap of the bottle and strip down the primer from the figures.

Now I have transitioned into paining the uniform. I have chosen to use a US Woodland pattern.

I used Beige (70.875) and giving a good try to the Retarder Medium (70.597). I have found that the retarder works pretty good, and extends the life of the palette's paint by at least 3 times if you were not to use it. I still need to figure out the appropriate ratio though.

On this update, all the work was done using a Round Brush No. 3.

It was a bit hard to paint the pattern while trying to avoid to look like if it was purposely made, creating a random pattern take some skill I may say.

Now I am set to finish up the uniform and start on the addons for the figures, which I have tried to avoid so far, the addons are so small that I need to figure out how to hold them for priming and painting.

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Hello guys!

Wow, it has been a long long time since I've updated this thread, I think it has been almost a year since I began with this thread.

School kept me away, but now I have finally graduated and have the summer off for myself. Definitely a great time to get back to the hobby and pick up the brush.

On this update, I have finalized adding the green camouflage to the miniatures. Here is how they look now:

I used Luftwaffe Cam. Green (70.823) slighted diluted with water, and a little Retarder Medium (70.597), to prevent repaid evaporation and used my university Series 233 No. 3 Brush:

I have also started to prime the first set of accessories, the helmet, guns, water jogs, etc...

For that, I used the trusty Surface Grey Primer (73.601) with NO water added and used a No. 5 brush.

As usual, any comments,questions and critiques are welcome!

Thanks!

Luis

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

The figures are getting into shape! ;D

I have finished the uniform camo, I have retouched the green a little and added all black spots, as well as the boots and the basing.

I am a little unsure about the basing matching the uniform, I may add some washes to the base and other green components. I would appreciate some input here. ;)

This is what I used for the base.

The bases are just about the size of a US quarter (:

And lastly, I started on the accessories. They were a pain to prepare and remove the flash, specially when you got so many of them! and so tiny! :P

Thanks for watching!

Luis

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

As I mentioned on my last post, I didn't quite liked the color of the base, it didn't fit the camo of the uniform so I went ahead and added green & black.

This is how it looks at the end, I will had a brown wash to the base when the figures are done, it should bring everything together...

I have also cover a lot of ground with the accessories.

At most I have 3 different greens and no one gave me that olive-brownish military green that I wanted, so I experimented by adding yellow and browns to what I had..

Getting there.

First primer coat for the bazooka.

My most used brushes were showing build up at the ferule and were too stiff, so it was time for a heavy duty clean up. I used Winsor & Newton Brush cleaner, to be soaked for 24 hours. When I painted the boots time ago, the black paint stained the left brush, I hope this also removes that black stain.

Thanks for watching!

Luis

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Time for an update! ;D

One of the things that I last mentioned was about the basing; I didn't quite like it because it was too greenish and didn't quite matched the environment for which the woodland camouflage is meant to, so I added some brown wash to it.

If you scroll back to a previous photo, you can see the huge difference.

When I took the picture, the wash was not fully dry, I hope it doesn't change much.

This is the wash I used (brown one):

I was tempted to use the "Rust" wash, but after a quick test, I found out it was just way too orange and would completely mess up my project.

I also painted the straps/belts on the uniform, it still needs a second coat and detailed lines.

I also finished the helmets! ;)

This little things are some sort of flash lights, the are no more than 3mm long and 1mm in diameter. So tiny!!

This ones are the knives, thinner than the above flash lights. I may end up just painting them in black.

And lastly, I painted many details on the accessories!

Thanks for watching!

Luis

 

[WebbyNZ]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Brilliant. You must have some super steady hands

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Brilliant. You must have some super steady hands

Thanks! Just have to take deep breaths for the smallest details. ;D

Luis

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Getting very close to finish this awesome project! ;D

On this update, I am showing pretty much every figure at 95% completion.

I have added the helmets and accessories to the little guys.

I was a little hesitant to prime and paint the knives while still attached on the sprue. I couldn't figure another way of holding the super small pieces. I am sure there are better ways.

Thanks for watching!

Luis

 

[luisito8m]

Re: Tamiya US Modern Army Infantry 1:35.. My first work.

Hey guys, here is my last (ever) picture upload for this project.

I have completed it, and quite proud of it. For being my first project in the hobby, I am pleased of how everything came out. It was a great experience, and although I didn't get much feedback, I want to thank everyone that stopped here to enjoyed my pictures and updates, this thread as many views, so hopefully it is because you guys really like it!

Here we go!


I took out the tiny knives out of the sprue after painting them black.

Same thing goes for the weapons, I painted everything on black.

I don't think I ever uploaded how I painted the lamps, but I first added the red, and then the black. I figured that painting black first and red later would make things harder.

All the figures were completely painted with a last layer of brown wash. Everything but the face.

I also added very strong and tiny magnets to the bases of the figures.

If you ever need to magnetize a project, to either hold things in place, to add movement, or swap things like different weapons, I strongly recommend this magnets. Made in the USA, highest quality I have ever seen and ridiculously strong.

Yeah! Quite tiny.

This is the display case I got for this project, I got it at my local Hobby Lobby store.

I also got some cork to add it to the display case.

I cut to size the cork to add it to the bottom of the base in order to hide what I will be doing next, because the case is completely clear, from all sides.

I added magnets where the figures would be resting on the case's base. They are not evenly positioned because each figure needs different spacing.

And so...

Then we can close the case.

I meant to put July 2013 - June 2014, but I guess this works too... Haha.

Just for kicks, here is how strong each tiny magnet is. They can hold the weight of the figure.

Thanks for watching!

See you on my next project!!

Luis

 

[hook1169]

Congrats! Nice results!

 

[Steve Ski]

Beautiful wrap up Luis, great job!!

Cheers, Ski.

 

[luisito8m]

Congrats! Nice results!

Beautiful wrap up Luis, great job!!

Cheers, Ski.

Thank you guys! Glad you liked it!

Luis

 

[noc5659]

Nice work. Figures are always hard to do. Tip on attaching them to the painting stand. Use a small amount of ca glue. Just a drop and then u can crack it off when done. Very nice work

 

[luisito8m]

Nice work. Figures are always hard to do. Tip on attaching them to the painting stand. Use a small amount of ca glue. Just a drop and then u can crack it off when done. Very nice work

Thank you! & awesome tip! why did't I think about that?! Haha. Sounds much easier.

Luis