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Sgt.Squarehead

Details of daniel7891's diorama build will be reported here.

daniel7891 · Posted: Mon 08 Sep 2008 18:41 pm Post subject:

I am contemplating using the Forward command post as a base and putting an interpretation on the Film "To hell and back"

Cheers

Daniel

daniel7891 · Posted: Tue 09 Sep 2008 17:01 pm Post subject:

I have made a decision i will do as i had thought it will involve the Forward command post as the main feature on a base that is grass/ mud the americans will be the ones who occupy the post.

The germans will include some German infantry and a tiger tank or equivalent (still to be decided).

I may include a 25 pdr but i am not sure if the Americans used them in Italy or at all?

I would appericate some help as i cannot find where it was used

Cheers

Daniel

I may have to sit an watch the film so check on the outline in the interests of "research", what a chore

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Tue 09 Sep 2008 17:38 pm Post subject:

I believe the Americans may have used the 25pdr in Tunisia, but I'm not too sure about Italy. Think

Might I further suggest that a 25pdr is normally a rear area, indirect-fire weapon. You might be better off using a direct fire weapon like an antitank gun. The Airfix 6pdr could (with some effort) be modified to an American 57mm ATG.

HTH & All the best

daniel7891 · Posted: Tue 09 Sep 2008 19:17 pm Post subject:

Thanks Sarge,

I was not all that fussed about using it its just because i have one in the stash, i might just stubstitute it for a half track that i have or maybe nothing at all, i will give it careful consideration

Cheers

Daniel

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Tue 09 Sep 2008 23:10 pm Post subject:

Perhaps you could leave out the Germans and model an emplaced 25pdr pounding the hell out of distant positions.

You could use the FCP as a battery command post which is receiving fire coordinates from forward observers within sight of the target.

Just a thought, all the best

daniel7891 · Posted: Thu 09 Oct 2008 18:02 pm Post subject:

daniel7891 · Posted: Wed 15 Oct 2008 18:47 pm Post subject:

Right, having studied several pictures of Farm buildings in Normandy around 1944/45. I have come to the conclusion that the walls are a sort of dirty whitewhashed stone. with the roof tiles the Red/ terracottta like on the box of the FCP. Also the terrain is grassy with mud tracks and slightly bumpy
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Cheers

Daniel

daniel7891 · Posted: Wed 15 Oct 2008 19:08 pm Post subject:

Right here are the sprue shots, plus the scatters that i will be using

The figures from the 25pdr will need a lot of work as they are mainly flash
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Cheers

Daniel

daniel7891 · Posted: Fri 17 Oct 2008 18:12 pm Post subject:

I'm sulking now. I wanted to make a good start to the 25pdr today. and what do i find, i am out of the paints needed for the uniforms and boots. It will probably mean a trip to modelzone
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Cheers

Daniel

daniel7891 · Posted: Sun 19 Oct 2008 20:24 pm Post subject:

Right the FCP is just calling buil me , build me. So I have a question: how would be the best way to detail the bricks/stones in the wall, the way i was considering is to go around them with a pencil and then spray a light grey over. Will this work or may I have to spray a coat of grey, outline and then spray a top coat. Or is this a bad idea all together. I can't ever seems to manage to do a wash properly so I was ruling that out

Thanks in advance
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Cheers

Daniel

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Mon 20 Oct 2008 04:22 am Post subject:

I would recommed using a combination of techniques, but I'm afraid that washes are included.....Don't be afraid of washes, as once you are confident with them, they are very useful indeed.

When applying a wash to something like brickwork, where you want the wash to settle into recessed detail, keep the face you are working on horizontal. Work on one face at a time and keep checking for runs onto the other faces. If you find one deal with it immediately, but calmly. Soak up the bulk of the run with tissue and tidy up the remnants with a moistened brush.....Above all don't panic and move the piece too quickly otherwise you will suddenly have dozens of runs to deal with!

Keeping the above in mind, start off with a pale grey basecoat, the matter and rougher the better, so a spray can would be a good bet for this job.

Pick out the brickwork with drybrushing in a brick red, take your time over it and be careful not to fill in the layers of cement betwen bricks/courses. Don't panic if you do have a problem or two as it can all be hidden.** Equally, don't worry if the middle of the bricks are still grey, as you can fill them in with a fine brush once their edges have been defined by the drybrushing. Once the base brick red is dry, mix two more shades of brick red, the first with just a dash of black added, the second with just a dash of yellow or sand. Use these colours to pick out odd bricks or groups of bricks here and there to add some variety. Use exactly the same technique as you did with the bulk of the brickwork, but considerably more care. Further interest can be added to the brickwork by highlighting with very light drybrushing wth subtly different shades of red. You might carefully pick out the edges of some bricks with a darker shade while others might receive the same treatment but in a paler colour.....Let pictures and your own judgement be your guide here.

When all of this is dry carefully paint any areas of remaining plaster in a creamy colour and for extra depth give them a dampish drybrush with a slightly paler shade of the same colour. Try to feather the drybrushing into the base colour as your brush begins to dry.

If you want to add moisture or smoke stains to the plaster, now is a good time:

For areas of damp, make a very thin grey/green wash and apply it very sparingly to the plasterwork with a fine pointed brush. The wash should spread out a little and be absorbed by the matt surface, staining a small area. Once it looks like you have the stain about right, a quick dab with some tissue and it's locked into the underlying paint.

For smoke stains, mix a much stronger wash (I'd probably use oils for this) and brush upward, away from the source of the smoke. Build the stain up in small sections and multiple layers, don't try to do it all at once. This is a very tricky effect to get right and I must confess that I haven't truly mastered it myself yet.

Once you are satisfied with your brick and plaster work, you can seal it with Klear before a final wash. Nailbiting

To enhance the appearance of the mortar between the bricks, mix up a wash of a creamy colour, similar to the colour you used for the plaster, but much much thinner.....Like thinned ink. Using a flat brush, apply this wash to the whole of the face you are working on in gentle strokes. Take care over it and try to ensure that most of the wash ends up in the recessed mortar work. Don't use too much wash near the edges of the piece where it might cause runs. Once this is done, place the model under a lamp and let it begin to dry, but keep an eye on it. When you notice the raised bricks and plaster are just beginning to dry, you should also see that the pale pigment has settled into the recessed mortar work and made it look paler. Now is the best time to remove any last spots of wash that have settled where you don't want it.....Some of the wash could be allowed to dry on the raised detail too, pale washes are a good way to simulate settled dust.....Not inappropriate for a ruined house!

I hope you don't find all this talk of washes too off-putting.....They are a very useful technique and will improve the appearance of your models regardless whether you airbrush or use the 'Hairy-Stick'. This project is actually a very good one for learning to use these heavily thinned paint techniques. In applying the stains, before you put 'Klear' on the piece, you will see the way the wash is soaked up by the porous matt paint. When you apply the pale dustwash to the mortarwork after the piece has been 'Kleared' you will see the way the wash pools on the shiny gloss surface, making it much easier to flow the wash into the details and also to remove the excess once you are happy with it.

HTH & All the best
Sgt.S
** Accidental areas of overpainting in the mortarwork are easily hidden with moss, which often grows just there on older buildings. Simply dip a cocktail-stick in slightly thinned PVA and apply to the overpainted area, letting capilliary action draw it into the recessed mortarwork. Sprinkle on some fine flock, repeat as neccessary.

PS - All of the above is equally applicable to enamels thinned with turps/white-spirit or to acrylics thinned with water.....I use the latter as it is slightly superior for washes in my opinion and much less stinky!

daniel7891 · Posted: Mon 20 Oct 2008 06:49 am Post subject:

I can't thank you enough Sarge for that fantastic comprehenisve guide. I am not doing red bricks i am doing grey stones so I think I shall substitute the red with grey. I will let you know how I get on
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Cheers

Daniel

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Mon 20 Oct 2008 06:53 am Post subject:

I hope it made some sense.....Good luck with it!

All the best
Sgt.S

daniel7891 · Posted: Mon 20 Oct 2008 16:46 pm Post subject:

Right. I have painted the out sides of the building. I have taken a different track to Ratch, I have made the walls a dark grey stone with dark mortor. It is probably too dark but I like it and having tried 6 shades I am reasonably happy. Pictures later
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Cheers

Daniel

Ratch · Posted: Mon 20 Oct 2008 17:03 pm Post subject:

Looking forward to seeing your progress Daniel

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Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Mon 20 Oct 2008 17:22 pm Post subject:

Likewise!

It will be interesting to see how different you guys can make the FCP appear. I've got two of these on order myself, so I have a vested interest!

All the best
Sgt.S

daniel7891 · Posted: Tue 21 Oct 2008 17:08 pm Post subject:

Right. I have now made a lot of progress:

I have cut out the board and have created some hills type things and road out of Papier maché. I have also stuck the building together and will now paint the shutters and things

I promise pictures tonight
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Cheers

Daniel

daniel7891 · Posted: Tue 21 Oct 2008 20:25 pm Post subject:

Right. As promised here are the pictures. The board doesnt look much like it does in real life, but I think it will come together when I get the scatters on

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Cheers

Daniel

Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Tue 21 Oct 2008 21:06 pm Post subject:

Very convincing natural stone look and not too dark by any means....Very nice, restrained drybrushing too!

Great stuff.....I look forward to more!

All the best
Sgt.S

PS - I remembered the stonework as being much more regular than that.....Your idea for colours was definitely the way to go!