CHIEFSONN

They didn't get the extensive rust,in count that they used good quality steel and were contently in battle.

Pzjgr

Wonderful Panther! I wish I could do that kind of weathering. Could you please tell me in what order you did your washes? That would help me with my Panther when I get around to building it. Again your Panther is awesome!

CCC2012

beautiful tank Dave...

DaveBcool

Tanks again for the kind words...

Pzjgr
I learned so much on this project.
Most of the techniques I've "borrowed" from the pros like Mig Jimenez and others.
Take a look at the AK Interactive sight, I just saw that they have a "Weathering" Magazine!
I have not used their products yet, but have heard many good things on this site.

Anyway about washes...

In my opinion, a few important things to remember:
Use good materials - paints, brushes, thinner
Be patient - don't try to do the whole thing at once
Do one section at a time
Focus on the details
It is better to build up slowly with several coats
It is a give and take process - painting it on, and wiping it off
Use different colors in different areas (brown/rust around welds vs black around the engine deck)
Practice/test on scraps before applying to tank
Use your imagination, try to think where more dirt/grime/rust would accumulate

The materials I used are Windsor Newton Winton oil paints (student grade) andgrumbacher white spirit.
After I sprayed the base coat and cammo pattern, I airbrushed a light coat of Testors Semi gloss varnish thinned 2:1 (thinner:varnish), to seal it.
First, I do one light overall wash, a mix of mostly burnt umber and a little lamp black.
This wash is very thin, and I use a #8 round brush.
I brush it on (under control), and let it sit for a bit and wipe most of it off before it dries.
The only place I let it "puddle" is in the recesses,
Oil paint is forgiving, it has slow drying time, and can be wiped off easily.
I use a microfiber cloth to wipe it off, it is absorbent and does not leave fuzz behind.
I also use a lot of Q tips to dab clean any extra little bits.
I wipe in the direction of gravity.
I leave any streaks that I think look good.
For example on the front glacis, i wipe straight down.
On the wheels I wiped from the center outwards, again leaving a few streaks behind.
After I let that dry over night, I go back and add more to the details and recesses.
This wash is a bit darker, and I use a # 0 round brush.
On recesses (like welded joints), I load the brush and touch inside the groove and let it capillary along.
On raised details (Like nuts and bolts), I lightly load the brush and barely touch the detail and let it capillary around.
On the cupola I did an overall wash and wiped.
Then added darker washes in the welds and joints.
I also did a mostly brown wash around the base of the cupola, again barely loading the brush and letting it flow around.

Sorry if this is too much information.

Tanque

Not that it is terribly important but the greenery appears to be a form of lichen, perhaps even a form of Lace Lichen.

Lichens are really curious forms of life; unless you did something extraordinary to it I suspect it is still alive; they can remain dormant
for a very long time. Nothing really to worry about. I did some peripheral high level research on lichens when I aided on of the professors
in the SF State chem department in the mid 1970s for research into anti carcinogenic capabilities of a chemical found in some lichens.

Read up on them, they are quite fascinating.

Jerry

DaveBcool

It was a really interesting find.
My first thought was it would make perfect shrubs in a HO or G scale train layout.
All I did to it was break it apart and straighten it out a bit.
It grew in tight little bunches that were curled in on each other.
In my humble opinion, as scale foliage, it appears more lifelike than the common lichen used in modeling.
It has a trunk-like stem, branches and tiny leaves.

What you say about it being dormant makes total sense, as it was rather rugged and did not completely fall to pieces as I broke it apart.
And I picked it off the tree 2 months ago.

Thanks for the info.

Tanque

It was an interesting subject; the first time I'd been involved with any project of its type. The compound I extracted for Dr. Dreyer was Usnic Acid(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usnic_acid).
I remember going around to many oak trees where I lived in Sonoma to gather as much Lichen as I could get my hands on. They were interesting times. I don't recall that Dr. Dreyer
ever published any works on the subject but was rather aiding colleagues; for me it was an exercise in proper lab technique ( extraction of natural products ) and analysis of the results.

Oh yes and your Panther G really is superb! Should have said that before; just the right amount of subtleties...

Jerry

girltankette

Way to GO Dave!!! Awesome, fantastic, magnificent can't wait to see it in person!
You can tell that your heart and soul went into the build!

Karen/Girltankette

DaveBcool

Thanks Karen!

Eggman1965

My Feedback: (3)

Fantastic Panther! I'm not sure if see this kind of master modelling inspires me to do one too or just pack it in entirely in despair! Great Job. Video to follow???? PLease...

DaveBcool

Thanks Eggman.
I totally feel the same way sometimes.
The feeling that there is ALWAYS a builder/modeller who's work is humbling.
I am a graphic designer and studio artist, so I am constantly torn between finding another's work to be inspiring and/or discouraging.
Honestly, I have always wanted to detail a model like this, but it took me 10 years to build up the courage.
I say courage because a build like this is such a commitment of time and money that there is a risk involved.
There is always the chance that in the end, I would not be satisfied with the result.

Luckily for me I had time this summer and I won the Tamiya kit, radio, and battle system at the AAF Tank Museum raffle, so the cost was within reason.
So, ultimately, my satisfaction comes within the process of making and the challenge of trying something new.

Did you mean a video of the tank running or of build techniques?

CCC2012

whats yur next tank gonna b Dave?

DaveBcool

There are 2 projects I have been thinking most about.

Tiger I (late) so many aftermarket parts!
Panzer IV J w/ schurzen, I've been sketching a few ideas about how to attach the skirts with magnets

But for now, I am out of time and money so they will have to wait.

1sgt

Dave,
Sent you a PM that might help with the side skirts. I'm very interested in you idea to use magnets to help hold the skirts on.

Jim

DaveBcool

A few more pics taken outside.

Buckeye36

My Feedback: (3)

Nice pics Dave, awesome Panther.[8D]

MAUS45

I like the way you have weathered your Panther. It has the look of being used, which in my opinion, is more realistic then what seems to be a trend of presenting armor that looks like it has been sitting in an open field for several years when in reality most tanks during WWII were lucky to last more then a few months. So I would think with proper maintenance and care most tanks would look like yours. Used but not abused.

DaveBcool

Thanks guys.

This was really the first time I tried this chipped paint look, and was afraid I over did it in places.
I tried hard to think of how the crew would use it and where it would wear.

It was a meticulous and time consuming process, which probably helped me stay within a reasonable amount.
There are 4 layers of enamel painted with a 00 brush to create each area ofchipped paint.

yellowshaker

My Feedback: (1)

Time consuming is a good phrase for chippign like that. Very tedious, it is.....but the results are superb!