Mick's Panther A

[Phil Woollard]

Morning Mick. some reference pics for the depth of wash, this can be built up with many or you could leave after just one application , it all depends how weathered you want it look . The darker red oxide wheels will need a tad more than the lighter dunkelgelb

how about applying the wash to one of the dark yellow wheels and see how that goes.

The wheel hubs need more pigment as this area would have often been wet with oil and grease, also turning more slowly being close to the center of the axle and so not throwing the muck off so much ....Phil.

[michael hilton]

Morning Phil, I can see what you mean, it's all in the eye of the beholder. To heavily weather or lightly weather. I'll go with the lighter shades at first ....I can always increase the depth as I progress. On my Panther, the 'muck' around the wheel nuts looks far more realistic in the flesh, than it does in the photograph. It's very interesting and I am enjoying the challenge....Mick

[Phil Woollard]

Morning Mick, how about getting some wash on the yellow wheels now and see the contrast there? Then we can move on to a bit of rubbing removal and how that looks.
I know what you mean about the shades being darker in reality, I have to over weather for VT work as it just won't show up. I still think the inner hub needs a tad more, if you apply to a smaller area like the hub and get "daywork" lines you can gently rub those to blend in with a damp thinner applied rag ...Phil. We may have to call this "THE MICK AND PHIL SHOW"

[michael hilton]

Never mind Phil, there's plenty of room on the Forum, I have weathered one of the Dunkelgelb wheels, see results in attachment, I rather like the look....The other darker wheels are Flecktarn Braun base paint, by the way I have wiped some of the black wash off the Dunkelgelb painted wheel... Mick

[Phil Woollard]

Looking Good Mick, the trick is developing the technique of removing the wash, sometimes from everywhere that you can get to, sometimes leaving areas and sometimes rubbing right through the whole lot to expose the underlying paint.

Try to make it random or it will look to clinical.

Applying just enough thinner to the rag is very important to, very very important . Too much and it's uncontrollable, it's a bit like dry brushing it needs to be damp not wet. More finger pressure will remove more paint. smaller scale modellers often use a Q tip or cotton bud but we have acres of the stuff to work off.

Don't rub the pointy bits like bolt heads to much or as much, also be careful with edges or you will easily rub right through.

With lighter colours like the yellow you will need to keep turning the rag as the dirty wash sticking to it will leave nasty streaks.

Just experiment, this will prepare you for the large plates on the Panther where more skill is needed to blend it all together, just think of the effort Stephen has put into that Cent, washes are just the easy part and relitivly quick and effective on thier own!

[michael hilton]

Hello Phil, this is a Dunklegelb wheel, heavy wash then wiped with Meths...first attempt....Mick

[Phil Woollard]

Well you have mastered that! Very satisfying init, from a factory fresh to a been about for a while wheel , now delve through the yellow with some rubbing on the big flat surface as if it's lost a bit of paint in the mud but keep it random though just here and there and maybe rub them nuts a bit ( no pun intended ), then you can try some gentle scratches , just a couple mind that can look false if your not careful.
Remember we can paint over it all if your not happy with it ...Phil.

[michael hilton]

Hello Phil, I rubbed the wheels as you advised, and weather sprayed the underside of the hull with Modelmates weathering dye, mud brown and rusty red. I am pleased with the result and will leave it, as is, I'm a bugger for over doing it and spoiling the first result....I haven't touched the upper hull other then a camouflage and a light sanding....Mick

[Phil Woollard]

Looking good Mick, I like the colours and your rubbing! You could do with a few vertical water/dirt streaks running down the large open hull area above the wheels ( the nature of the "A chassis" means that this is a large exposed plate) use the hull plugs and any other fittings to run some dark wash/pigment down the hull side and maybe a few here and there but go steady, be subtle! (you can always go darker).

Back to the wheels for a mo, the Panther wheel rims often rubbed each other and created a distinct shiny metallic look just under the tyre, if you paint 2 or 3 of the rims (inner and centre wheels only) this really enhances the running gear look, I use just a Tamiya brushed silver, I will look for an example.

If the upper hull is a lighter shade of weathering than the lower hull then it's going to look just fine. You have lots of interesting fittings on the upper hull which affect the weathering ie the water/rust streaks as the vehicle lives out in the wet but we can go into detail on those points in a bit.

The deck is another matter altogether.

Oh and the tracks will need some attention also, I love the colour by the way. You can let the natural wear just happen as you use the thing or I do have a quicker way which involves some dry brushing.

Phil.

[michael hilton]

Brrrr, lovely morning this cold and frosty morning, bring it on, 1947, now that was a deep mid winter, I still had to go to school though. Progress with the weathering of 'me Panther', thanks to Phil, Stephen and the Knowledge Base. It's difficult to know when to put down the brushes and leave well alone. I think I am nearly there, it is pleasing to the eye, so I must be close. All acrylics and brush painting with copious thinning and careful use of kitchen tissue to remove the excess paint. Time for the bacon and egg....Mick

[Phil Woollard]

I was beginning to wonder where you were Mick but I can see you have been busy!

That's a nice tidy job Mick, she looks new but not that new, been in service for a few months in the summer time maybe.(but not seen the front line as yet)
I would say that's a mild to mid weathering and is unique to you, she will develop some nice natural wear on the running gear as it's used.
Very very nice you should be well chuffed , regards Phil.

[Vince Cutajar]

Very nice model Michael. I hope I can get my Tiger to look as good as yours.

Vince

[michael hilton]

Thank you Vince and Phil for your very kind comments. I like the look and it is more or less what I had in mind. I can appreciate the skill and effort that I now realize goes into 'weathering'. Many more enjoyable hours of practice required however. It is rather like learning to ride a bike with many mistakes and falls before you can finally stay upright....trial and error...but good fun.
With a limited building area I was obliged to spin the old girl around to access her rear...she's a big lump ....Mick

[Stephen White]

Well done, Mick, you must be very pleased. It’s a big step to get started with weathering and not an easy decision to stop! Now you’ve got a method, youcan perfect it at your leisure and try other ways. Great thing about it that everyone develops their own style and finds out what works for them. There are many different approaches to try. Much better than leaving it without anything.

One small point on the Balkenkreutz, the Wehrmacht cross. The white edging shouldn’t extend across the ends of the black cross. The white bits were chevrons not a border all round. Easy to fix with some masking.

All the best.

Stephen

[michael hilton]

Good morning everyone, I'm just going outside....I may be sometime....or words to that effect, Phil, ref the Famo, if only I had answers to your questions,
Thank you Stephen for your observation, I have altered the Wehrmacht Cross. As I am enjoying the said 'weathering' I finally over did it, with the result I was obliged to cut back the 'wash'. I have reapplied the filters and with a coat of matt acrylic varnish I will now leave well alone. I have tried a little rusting on the exhausts.