Again a conversion! I'm the converter!
This time it's the partly demolishing of a Aufklärungs Panzer.
I didn't like the look of the small turret and I wasn't satisfied with my paintjob.
So I decided to convert it into a Marder type panzer.
I gathered a lot of scrap metal (plastic) and unused parts and started constructing an upper hull and a gun.
I know this is absolutely not historically accurate in any way, but that's fine.
I'll just imagine that it was a chassis that was being put to good use by some field mechanics.
they took out their welding equipment and constructed an upper hull unit and put an old
(none existing) flak gun on it and a 'field' build Marder type was born.
In response to my last upload, the Matilda Tank, UKguyInUSA (Martin) asked me for some instruction videos
on how I do things in painting and weathering. Now i'm not into making videos but I will use this build
to tell more about what kind of techniques and materials I use.
I started by taking (breaking) of certain parts:
Than I constructed a gun from left over parts and a upper hull from plastic board.
And added some stuff, like a chest, a jerrycan, a drink can and a gasmask drum.
I painted the whole model panzer grey:
I applied 2 light coats of hairspray. Brand is not inportant, if you ask me:
Then comes the final base color. A light sand color. I use Revell's acryllics. Deluded with water, they make excellent paint
for airbrushing:
As I was getting into the fantasy themes and not really concerned about being historically accurate, I decided to apply a
'field painted' camo aswel. I marked of the parts I wanted to paint with the camo colors green and brown:
Painted the camo color with a brush:
Toned them down with a buff color, to reduce the contrast and to simulate some dusty/weathery effect:
Detail painting:
Did the chipping. As I am using the hairspray method, I now just wet the surface, I want to do the chipping effects on, with
water and give it a little time to absorb. Than I use the non sharp edge of my scalpel, a toothpick or a tough brush to scrape away
the paint in those places a want chips:
Dark wash with grey from Vallejo. Deluded with water to make the effect more subtile:
Next steps:
- I added grey paint around the chipped parts with a tough brush in a dry brushing technique to simulate worn of paint areas.
- I use brown oil paint to paint rust streaks, and rust areas in the chipped parts.
- The tracks: First I paint them dark grey. Than I apply a dark wash with undeluded Vallejo Dark Wash. Then I dissolve brown Vallejo
pigment in water and paint the entire tracks with it. When it's dry, I brush of most of the pigments with a tough brush. Most of it
sticks in the cravisses giving it a dirty / semi rusty look.
- Mud: I paint deluded white glue on the surfaces where I want mud. Then I apply brown pigments over the glue. This way it piles up like mud.
For wet mud I apply a darker pigment and afterwards I apply a shiny varnish on top of that to give it the wet look.
- For bare metal edges I use a pencil and graphite. With the graphite I put a little on the tip of my finger and go over the areas where I
want the effect of bare metal.
I added some tarps and camo netting.
For the tarps I use wet tissues, that I let dry first. Then cut them to the right size, apply deluded white glue with a brush
and then fold them and stick 'm to the place I want them. When they are dry, they are hard and can be painted, and weathered with pigments.
For the netting I use gauze bandage, also in white glue and stick grinded up leaves on top of it. I paint it green and brown.
From thin cardboard and a tiny peace of wire I made a water bucket.
Then my conversion was complete:
That's all folks!
cheers
..what they say ? "give and take" 
