AFV Club Scorpion Build

[chromdome35]

I'm going to set that M4A3 to the side for a few days and try to bring this one over the finish line.

I started this build of AFV Club's 1/35 Scorpion about 6 weeks ago. The kit included resin components and Photo Etch.



Building basically done at this point.


Base Coat down, I decided to add some stowage I crafted from Epoxy Sculpt (1st time for this) and wrap the gun barrel as many real-world pictures show. I'm getting ready to redo the barrel wrap, I tried using a lint-free wipe, but it didn't want to stick and popped open. It shouldn't be too difficult of a fix. I will make the wrap out of epoxy sculpt this time.

Once that's complete, I'll paint the stowage in the base coat and then start shadows and highlights.

[Leon]

Looking good CD
I built this as a UN vehicle

[mustang1989]

Man that's looking good Brian!!! LOTS of little details all over that thing!!!

[mustang1989]

Dec 25, 2022 6:01:38 GMT -5 Leon said:

Looking good CD
I built this as a UN vehicle

Good to see you ol' buddy!! 

[chromdome35]

Thanks guys!

[george]

Nice cute tank.

[Tobi]

I like your tarps Brian, only the straps appear a little over-sized thick to me?
Lead foil or something similar could be a better choice.

BTW,    www.scorpion-miniature-models.co.uk/shop     have a large selection of conversion and update kits for the Scorpion/Scimitar (and more).
It's run by Michael Shackleton, the guy behind Leopard-Workshop and Trackpad publishing. 

I'm excited to see your next weathering job. Nice build and base-coating.

[chromdome35]

Dec 25, 2022 14:37:52 GMT -5 Tobi said:

I like your tarps Brian, only the straps appear a little over-sized thick to me?
Lead foil or something similar could be a better choice.

BTW,    www.scorpion-miniature-models.co.uk/shop     have a large selection of conversion and update kits for the Scorpion/Scimitar (and more).
It's run by Michael Shackleton, the guy behind Leopard-Workshop and Trackpad publishing. 

I'm excited to see your next weathering job. Nice build and base-coating.

Tobi are you referring to all the straps or just those on the gun barrel? I think the ones around the barrel look too big.

[Tobi]

They all appear a little too thick to me, though I'm aware also in real life there is quite heavy webbing available in the inventories.
But given the delicateness of the strap on the Jerry can, they just don't match too well for my overall aesthetic perception.

It's not a big issue, only a matter of personal preferences.

[chromdome35]

Update, base and detail paint.

Question: How do you prevent getting paint where you don't want it when you are brush painting detail parts? As much as I try, I always end up with a dab or two of paint somewhere I don't want it.

When I'm done, my goal is to have a tank that looks very dusty, so the colors will be much more toned down than where they currently sit.






Heat shield

[mustang1989]

I detail paint all the time and it happens all the time to me too Brian. If I’m using acrylics, using a clean tooth pick gently is handy for “picking paint up” from the unwanted areas. If it doesn’t get all of it up, I usually just dab a little of the original color over the blemish.
BTW…..this is looking GOOD!!!!

[Tobi]

I most often leave a lot of detail parts off as long as I can and paint them separately. Afterwards gluing with cyano, white glue or even flat clear to avoid marks. Depends.

Sometimes it's possible to place thin strips of paper under entrenching tool handles and such, or try Kabuki tape or liquid mask.
But the best way of avoiding is a lot of practice and the toothpick (or a sharp blade for dry paint), as Joe said. Try leaving your hand on the desk as much as possible to help steadying it.

In emergency situations a strong pin washing can hide little mistakes as well.

Nice rust effect on the heat shield!

[Steve Zuleski]

Love the build so far!

[Prop Duster]

This is a treat to see. Great use of color on the details.
Oh, and about the "how to keep paint where you want it and not where it wants to go".  As  been advised, paint off the model as many items as possible, use tape, paper, postit notes etc to mask. For the inevitable, pick and clean and over paint with other color.  Buy some small 0, 00, 000 artist quality brushes.

Oh, and have cold beverage handy to help cool the steam popping out of your ears

[chromdome35]

Dec 30, 2022 14:24:11 GMT -5 Prop Duster said:

This is a treat to see. Great use of color on the details.
Oh, and about the "how to keep paint where you want it and not where it wants to go".  As  been advised, paint off the model as many items as possible, use tape, paper, postit notes etc to mask. For the inevitable, pick and clean and over paint with other color.  Buy some small 0, 00, 000 artist quality brushes.

Oh, and have cold beverage handy to help cool the steam popping out of your ears

Thanks. I have some winsor and newton series 7 sable brushes on the way. If I like them I will pick up a complete set, after I sell a kidney.

[rbaer]

I'm with Joe here since I paint detail parts on the model as a general rule, especially stowage. A soft toothpick with a sharpened end works great most of the time, other times I'll mix up a bit of the color I got the blob on and touch it up. Also, I like to use a pin wash to define color changes where I can, like the edges of rubber tires at the wheels, or on straps for stowage, etc.

[chromdome35]

The current state of the build

Painting is done, decals on, pin wash applied.

Next up, Drybrush it, seal it, weather it

[reserve]

This is very well done, posesses what I feel is the right quantity of contrast. Were I you, I'd go very light on any drybrushing so as to not overdo the effect.

[chromdome35]

Thank you!

I'm going to drybrush it lightly with a very light dust color to make the highlights stand up.

[Tobi]

Agree on the drybrushing!
You risk your model may look as if made from stone rather than steel in the end, so be gentle.
Only pop out some details that may have been lost throughout the washing process and don't go with a color too light.
Drybrushing with a chocolate color or the underlying green on the other hand, can give some nice worn off effects here and there.

[chromdome35]

Tobi, would dry brushing with the darker color not be almost the same as chipping?

[Tobi]

It depends on how you do it, but in general the effect will look slightly different from a classy chipping effort. It is a worn off effect, not a flaking or scratched look.
Very minimized chips on edges are possible, of course, but the shape won't be that random and might look quickly boring and unrealistic if it occurs in too many places around the model. On flat surfaces I would even rely rather on speckling. What might work for you is start the chipping process with a little drybrush to get an impression where the chipping effect should best occur, and then enhance it with a pointed brush in selected areas.

Also drybrushing needs control like any other technique. Sadly quick stages are scarce in this hobby. 

[Tobi]

I don't want to conceal from you a DVD by Mig Jimenez with the title "Weathering a SD.Kfz.222 in one hour".
The sub description qualifies that down to "almost" one hour, nevertheless it was an experiment and an impressive real time demonstration by the master himself (without large cuts) about what can be achieved by simple means in such a short time, for the impatient.

But, as a fellow modeler has put it: it's exactly what the model looks like in the end. Surely no winner.
If the goal is mass output with reasonable effect, then this is your blueprint. However, I don't think it's very satisfactory to go like that over a longer time.

[Tobi]

Available here (for better quality you will need to buy the disc):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIYgRJY3wCU

[mustang1989]

Freakin' WOW!!!!!!!!!! That looks FANTASTIC!!!!

[chromdome35]

Tobi thanks for the link to the video/DVD! I will watch that as soon as possible!

[chromdome35]

Thank you, I am pretty happy with how it’s going. My whole goal is to make each build just a little better than the last one. At the pace I am on, I will be up to you guys quality outputs in about 20 years.

[Tobi]

Jan 7, 2023 9:54:28 GMT -5 chromdome35 said:

Thank you, I am pretty happy with how it’s going. My whole goal is to make each build just a little better than the last one. At the pace I am on, I will be up to you guys quality outputs in about 20 years.

You're wrong. You assume it's a linear slope, but in fact the learning progress is rising exponentially before turning again into a saturation curve with asymptotic solution to perfection. 

[chromdome35]

Decreasing returns to scale…

[Steve Zuleski]

Try some OPR for fading the center panels, build up the contrast a tad. Looking good so far.