how to paint a tank

[Guest]

got most of my leopard A4 together , as this is my first tank , so before I stuff anything up ,is this how you paint them


1/ take wheels and track off


2/ give everything a primer coat


3/ bottom coat


4/  mask up camouflage pattern , and paint


5/ add decal's


6/ do your weathering


7/ add tools


does this sound about right guy's

[monica]

nice build,Steve,like the water ,thing,


sounds like you have a plan,and its a good ,one,


much that way I do thing,will look forward to seeing what you do camo wise,and then the fun part the weathering,


me I ,like harsh,as you will see in my builds,just the way I see thing,and not to all liking at times, :$ 9_9

[Guest]

is that the way you would do it monica ?

[Guest]

Steve, between points 4 & 5, I'd add putting down a gloss coat. That will prevent any silvering of the decals & allow you to pin wash the Leopard.


Then you can matt coat it before the weathering.

[Ian M]

I would put the tools on before weathering as well.
West German army units kept their tanks cleaner than most people do their cars, so dont go to mad! Sure if it has just beaten a path through a muddy field out playing dirt is the order of the day but if its parked up at the base......

[Guest]

Sounds about right Steve, however what I would normally do is assemble the upper and lower hulls with everything on them, then before attaching the upper and lower hulls together paint them separately, this allows me to fully access the running gear, then once painted attach both upper and lower hulls. 

[monica]

is that the way you would do it monica ?

mostly yes Steve,but I paint the wheels on the spur,and then touch them up ,before placing them on,


work on tthe lower hull as much like Scott,has said,so do tracks,paint around running gear and weather,place tracks on


join both hulls,


then do my base coat,and top coats be it flat color or camo,


then decals,


I don,t tend to do the matt coats as  Patrick dose and a lot others, O.o don't real know why or why not lol,


I do tend to paint the tools on the spur also,the,once placed touchup with them before weathering,


then I tend to do the pin lining and the rest in one go,as I do try to wet blend,


very good points that Ian said about how the Germans do look after there gear,is very well,


I tend to do mine as in a combat state or just after,so that's why there some what grimy, O.o


and when I do Russian I have watched to meany cold war movies were all is in disrepair lol,


the above advise give is very good by all,I just do things that suit my style of building,and painting that's all, h34r:

[Guest]

thank's for all the great help guy's , will post pic's when I have done some painting

[Guest]

started playing with the jagdpanzer , while I wait to get to some painting done on the leopard, got really ticked off 1/2 hour ago , ordered the 1/16 panza 4 for a not bad price start of the week , just got informed ,really bad delay so do I want to cancel 4 day's later , just hope they are as quick to refund as they were to take my money

[monica]

looking good,I real like the figures you got with this one,

[Guest]

had a go at the painting , hasn't stopped raining hear , nothing is drying , serve's me right for being impatient .LOL . the paint work is just , when I weather it , it might look better

[Guest]

gave it an oil wash , starting to feel better about it .

[Guest]

Definitely looks better after the wash Steve. As expected, it's given the necessary depth & tied the camo colours together.


I really think the Leopard I is one of the best looking modern(ish) tanks. Like modem cars, since the 90s they're all much the same to look at

[monica]

agree with Patrick,the wash ,has changed the whole,look of her,I do like it,what I like about oil washers is that,it adds so much more death to it,


I think once thats dryed,maybe wrong on saying,but think some dark brown or blue/brown pinlinning would look good,to me, 9_9

[Guest]

never worry about giving your opinion monica , I'm a boat guy , at tank's I'm a real novice , this is a practice model I'm going to give it a lot of chipping etc , as I've never done it , sorry Patrick . I'll have a go at that blue pin wash too ,