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Modeller Build Logs
Tasca Sherman Firefly Vc |
| By James Wechsler | | Started: | Dec 1, 2006 | | Updated: | Apr 29, 2007 |
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OK, I’ll admit it, when I got the opportunity to do a blog using Tasca’s new Firefly kit I was giddy with excitement. I’ve got Tasca’s Pz. II Luchs, and I’ve built about three of their Sherman suspension sets, and two of their 0.050 cal MG sets. Tasca has yet to disappoint.
Now as a total Shermanaholic, I’ll admit that the thought of building a Sherman model that requires only a little bit of extra work is hard to fathom. I mean what is Sherman modeling without a bucket of aftermarket resin parts, replacement tracks, and a huge photoetch sheet? It’s … like modeling German armor (noooo don’t say it’s true)! There, I’ve said it. 2006 has been an allied modeler’s dream and Tasca’s Firefly is the grand finally of the fireworks show.
But in many ways I’m glad to be doing a blog using a great kit. My last two blogs involved extensive use of resin conversion and scratch built parts to make unusual Shermans. So they were heavily focused on construction tasks. Yet I’ve noticed that most of the comments I receive when I post photos of my models are requests for more information on how I do my painting, weathering, and groundwork. So for this blog I will spend less time on the construction tasks and more time on the painting, finishing and techniques for making simple ground work.
Up Next: The Construction Starts.
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| Reverse Dry Brushing | Mar 2, 2007 |
Reverse dry brushing is a technique where a darker color is dry brushed over a lighter base coat. Usually it’s used to represent areas where paint has been worn off or dirt and grime has been worn in. It’s also useful to represent areas where dirt has been worn off revealing the original paint.
For this model, I used this technique on the suspension and lower hull to show areas where the dirt (pigments) had come off. After experimenting, I found that flat back is really the best for this process.
I tried to do the dry brushing in a manner that was irregular but followed a logical course to where dirt and paint would be rubbed off. This was mainly on the outer areas of the suspension and the high areas of the wheels, sprockets, and idlers. In general, this is a technique that should be used sparingly.
One final note. It may seem a bit odd, but you can dry brush right over the pigments. The brush will get pretty dirty but it cleans right up with paint thinner.
Up Next: Graphite |
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