Hi everyone,
Since I'm an avid reader of the new SMA magazine (if one can call themself avid after just two issues!), I figured I'd share my latest project on here. I got into scale modelling through wargaming (Warhammer 40k) but over the last couple of years I lost interest in the gaming side and am now purely a modeller! My primary interest is scratchbuilding but have lately been focusing on getting some kits completed and improving my painting skills.
The Fiddler is a new kit that I helped bring to production and is being produced by White Dragon Miniatures. It was back in 2010 that I saw the original concept art created by the very talented Alex Iglesias, so to now have a stunning, completed model of it sitting in my display case is very rewarding!
It was painted using Tamiya acrylics (main colours airbrushed on), Vallejo acrylics (hand brushed on), AK-Interactive enamel/oil weathering effects, 502 Abteilung oils and Secret Weapon pigments.
I'm very pleased with the concrete sidewalk on the base, but by far my favourite detail is the Coke can in the gutter. It was a last minute addition that came to me in a moment of inspiration. It's simply a piece of 2.5mm styrene rod with a crinkle pattern carved into one side. A small hole and a piece of microstrip make up the ring pull on one end. It was then primed and painted with Vallejo silver. The sides were given a coat of semitranslucent red (in order to retain some of the metallic sheen of the silver underneath) and finally "Coke" was painted on the side in white with my finest brush. It turned out fantastically and as my girlfriend pointed out it gives a really good reference of scale.
I found that it was the pigments dusting that really brought it all together. Despite the concrete looking dirty from the oil paint application, it needed to be covered in dirt to simulate the arid environment and pigments do an amazing job of this!
All in all it's been a very satisfying project and as always I've learned a lot of lessons along the way! The biggest change that I think would have helped would be to add some warning sign and other aircraft style decals in a few spots. I just didn't have any handy when I was at that stage and didn't want to delay things waiting for some to arrive via mail order!
I do also have a 1/35 soldier figure to add to the base but the intention is to sculpt a futuristic looking helmet/visor system for him first. I'll get around to that one day and he can be added to the base then
On to the pics!
Progress pictures and discussions can be found on my blog.
Thanks for looking! Any comments are appreciated
Since I'm an avid reader of the new SMA magazine (if one can call themself avid after just two issues!), I figured I'd share my latest project on here. I got into scale modelling through wargaming (Warhammer 40k) but over the last couple of years I lost interest in the gaming side and am now purely a modeller! My primary interest is scratchbuilding but have lately been focusing on getting some kits completed and improving my painting skills.
The Fiddler is a new kit that I helped bring to production and is being produced by White Dragon Miniatures. It was back in 2010 that I saw the original concept art created by the very talented Alex Iglesias, so to now have a stunning, completed model of it sitting in my display case is very rewarding!
It was painted using Tamiya acrylics (main colours airbrushed on), Vallejo acrylics (hand brushed on), AK-Interactive enamel/oil weathering effects, 502 Abteilung oils and Secret Weapon pigments.
I'm very pleased with the concrete sidewalk on the base, but by far my favourite detail is the Coke can in the gutter. It was a last minute addition that came to me in a moment of inspiration. It's simply a piece of 2.5mm styrene rod with a crinkle pattern carved into one side. A small hole and a piece of microstrip make up the ring pull on one end. It was then primed and painted with Vallejo silver. The sides were given a coat of semitranslucent red (in order to retain some of the metallic sheen of the silver underneath) and finally "Coke" was painted on the side in white with my finest brush. It turned out fantastically and as my girlfriend pointed out it gives a really good reference of scale.
I found that it was the pigments dusting that really brought it all together. Despite the concrete looking dirty from the oil paint application, it needed to be covered in dirt to simulate the arid environment and pigments do an amazing job of this!
All in all it's been a very satisfying project and as always I've learned a lot of lessons along the way! The biggest change that I think would have helped would be to add some warning sign and other aircraft style decals in a few spots. I just didn't have any handy when I was at that stage and didn't want to delay things waiting for some to arrive via mail order!
I do also have a 1/35 soldier figure to add to the base but the intention is to sculpt a futuristic looking helmet/visor system for him first. I'll get around to that one day and he can be added to the base then
On to the pics!
Progress pictures and discussions can be found on my blog.
Thanks for looking! Any comments are appreciated
