Pak40 anti tank gun

[Guest]

I've just built this pak40 and crew and I have the figures a coat of humbrol Matt varnish (in a spray can) and they have gone all fuzzy so to speak, with a white powder on them? I shook the can for a good 2-3 mins before using it. And I've not had that problem before with it. I am going to weather them up anyway with washes and highlighting so it doesn't really matter for now. But anyone know why it's done it?

Also I'm struggling to decide on a colour scheme for the gun? I know the early ones were german grey? But I wanted to do a camouflage pattern like the later ones.... but don't think I'd be able to achieve a nice finish without using an airbrush? I only use brushes.

[Snowman]

Have you tried the Matt varnish(Humbrol) in the bottle ? That goes on well with a brush - used on "Bruce Wayne" in my "Tune Up" dio with the Batmobile.

[col68]

Hi jack nice base mate.
Can you take a close up of the figures so I can see what happened to the varnish. As for the camp you should have no problem painting it with a brush base coat it dunkelgelb then draw the pattern onto the model.I use Tamiya NATO green and NATO brown for the camo pattern.

[Guest]

Thanks mate. The base is just one I was practicing on the other week for my 'star' diorama. I'll be using a different one for this when I get it finished. Here's a close up you can see it looks really powdery [ATTACH]286797[/ATTACH]

[Guest]

And I just thought brush painting the camo would look a bit bold, this is the kind of finish I am wanting...[ATTACH]286798[/ATTACH]

[spanner570]

Can't help with your powdery problem, as I don't use sprays.

Using a brush, you can achieve the same finish as your picture. Paint wet on wet - i.e. don't let the first coat go dry. Keeping the paint wet allows the two colours to run together.

Ron

[Guest]

I think the problem you have with the varnish is that you may have put a little too much on. Alternatively it might have been a little humid when you were spraying.

[col68]

I had the same problem a while ago using humrol acrylic varnish humbrol reckoned it was the propellent in the can hadn't been mixed properly. There suggestion was to stand the can in warm water for 5 minutes then shake vigorously before use it seemed to work.

[Guest]

It might well be down to the matting agent used in the varnish.

If the varnish is not mixed enough then you can get more matting agent than solvent and carrier coming through. The matting agent is heavy so over time will sink to the bottom of the tin so you need to spend a considerable time shaking, top to tailing, shaking and so on to get the components mixed correctly.

As mentioned already putting it on to thickly can also be a problem. Here you can see the matting agent settling through the solvent giving this sortbof result.

Sometimes you may just have been unlucky to have picked up a rogue tin that has not been "brewed" correctly.

Sorry you had these issues as your little diorama looks really neat

[Guest]

Thanks guys. I'll try the warm water trick. And also spend a bit longer staking it next time I use it.

[Guest]

Can't help with your powdery problem, as I don't use sprays.

Using a brush, you can achieve the same finish as your picture. Paint wet on wet - i.e. don't let the first coat go dry. Keeping the paint wet allows the two colours to run together.

Ron

Ah right thanks Ron, gonna have a go at this technique. Will practice on something else so I don't ruin this

[spanner570]

Ah right thanks Ron, gonna have a go at this technique. Will practice on something else so I don't ruin this

Good plan, Stan!

Get the colours ready, and work very quickly with no faffing about. You will have but seconds. I use two brushes, ready loaded with the chosen paints...

[Thorbrand]

I use Humbrol matt varnish but from a bottle and I brush it on, after i've done a clear gloss coat. I do know that the matt varnish is temperature sensitive, too hot or cold and it will go cloudy, also it needs vigorous stiring. I think it's hit and miss with matt varnish but so far i've not had any problems using it on a clear gloss coat out of the bottle.