Evolution of a Blog

This blog has evolved as I have as a maker. It starts at the beginning of my journey where I began to re-tread my tires in the useful lore of micro electronics and the open-source software that can drive them. While building solutions around micro-electronics are still an occasional topic my more recent focus has been on the 3D Printing side of making.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Painting Tanks - Side by Side - Camouflage On and Detailing Underway

I am a crappy damn blogger.  I meant to capture a step or two between the base coat and where we are with these photos but got side tracked with all the other little projects that I have going.  I can't seem to multi-task!

As you can see the two models have had camouflage applied, have had some weathering done,and are getting their details painted as we speak.  Too much weathering in fact.  When the camo went on it looked cartoonish as it was so bright.  So I tried to tone it down.   Not knowing what I was doing in the first place, or what I was doing in the second place, this is the result.  No going back so I will rationalize it away and say I like the muted colors.  As I said, I am currently finishing the detail painting and will also do a little more weathering.


Battlefront Model
3D Printed Model

Details on the Battlefront Model

Details on the 3D Printed Model


 Side by Side Notes
3D Print 
Battlefront

Details
Significantly fewer details but the ones that are there are very crisp
Lots and lots of details to the point of almost too many as there is only so small that one can paint!
Painting
The larger more crisp details help with the painting, but,
The paint just seems to go on to the Battlefront model which I assume is due the the more dense materials.
Modd'ing
I think that 3D Models, like the one that I printed here, will start to evolve as users make their own modifications to them
Just as modd'ing the design for a 3D Printed tank requires some skills, so does modifying a model such as the one above.  Possible but not easy!

Next Post in Series:  Side by Side - Complete ... but for Final Touches

Previous Posts in the Painting Tanks thread:

Side by Side - Primed, Base Coated, and Ready for Camo
Side by Side - Ready to Start Painting
Side by Side - 3D Print vs Battlefront Model
First Blood

2 comments:

  1. Joe. Hope I can help. Number 1 you have the BF gun on 90 degrees wrong. The muzzle brake blows the gases left and right not up and down.
    Your base coat changed color because the printed material is absorbent and soaked up some of the paint as it dried. I notice the model appears to have less detail but that would allow you to actually zimmeritte the turret and side of the hull. I understand that you can smooth the model out with a light brush of acetone (it melts the plastic) which is another alternative.
    Camo looks good. The wash to darken the camo is very dark but looks ok to me. I don't think that is a major problem with either model. You should put your decals on before any wash or detailing. Paint some glossy clear acrylic over where you will put the decals. For wash I use ink and acrylic clear floor wax. This will give you the same effect as the wash you used plus seal the decals and dirty them. The printed Tiger will also look better if you just add spare tracks to the turret sides. Before the dull-cote a very lightly done light grey dry brushing of the model will also help pop out the detail. Finally, dull-cote the models when done and that should make them look flat and you should find out they look pretty darn good.

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    Replies
    1. Chuckle. Good eye on the gun! I realized after it had set that I had screwed up but since I don't actually play FoW that I would be reasonably safe from public ridicule! I have experimented with Acetone but never seen any good results. These prints are in PLA and the stuff that melts PLA is a little trickier than normal acetone (though I think it is in the same family). In any case I have not seen it actually work as in my experiments it also whacks the detail!

      Thanks on the tips, I am doing a couple little TD's and will apply new knowledge to them.

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