KV1 Shelf Queen 1/35 - 2022 update - base and figs completed

[Brokeneagle]

This old Tamiya kit had been painted and weathered for some time(years and years) and needed tracks and an update.
Rubber band track were replaced with Bronco indiviual link which feel just like 'Model Kasten' ones except on the sprue and way cheaper.

This will be the first 1/35 tank I have painted for 5 years so I am a bit nervous.

Stage one was about adding some more mud with Tamiya soil effect - brown, which I really like and recommend as a solid base texture and for a base color.

The green had had an light dust pass with an airbrush but I had not added any mud or gone further with any effects at the time as I was still thinking about what to do (20 years of thinking).
I am still building the final length of track link to put on the tank at the final weathering stage. They go together very easy using white glue and remain movable. Just don't loose the small pins.

as you can see in the photo above they give you a small jig as well which works great!

Stage 2 was some toning over the darker greens using Vallejio paints, as I had already painted the dark black green base with Tamiya and put on dry decals years ago(this has some more fancy name now as coined by the big names to sell more books, but I have always just airbrushed varying lighter shades on 1 tone base color to randomise its appearance using panels/ surfaces) .... the decals are not exactly correct as I think they are for a T34 but this is not a comp build and as long as it looks Russian I am happy for this one.

The seams on the external petrol tanks were softened but not hidden as close-up photos of real vehicles have shownd these are there as fine welds.

Back soon with stage 3 which will add more weathering and shadowing.

 

[Iron Mike]

The KV is looking good, can't wait for the next installment.

Yesterday, I reread your StuG on a rail car from start to finish, what a gem! Any plans to finish that one? :drool

:drinks

 

[moon puppy]

 

[fledermaus]

IAn great work so far as always

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Looks good Ian! Maybe this will make me get a couple of my 30 year old shelf queens out and try and finish them.

 

[Brokeneagle]

Thanks guys for stopping buy to check out this old soldier.
As i said earlier it's been a while so don't expect too much - I am woefully out of practice! :smack
I am finally getting a small window of time to do some models
Mike, yeah I was looking at that the otherday as well....a coincidence? I really loved that build , i just need to get up the confidence to paint it. Maybe after this if I feel I have ironed out my rust .

HE - do it, it feels pretty good.

Thanks again Fledermaus and MP as well.
Next stage posts hopefully tonight.

Ian.

 

[lupanzer]

Great painting job!...as always , of course... the colors contrast rocks ldguy

Luiz.

 

[Brokeneagle]

Great painting job!...as always , of course... the colors contrast rocks ldguy

Luiz.

Thanks Luiz I know you always enjoy my paint process, I just hope I am prepared properly this time.

Ian.

 

[Brokeneagle]

KV1 Shelf Queen 1/35 19/02 update

Stage 3
So stage 3 has been about adding some coats of very thin Valleijo greens, then, once dry, going across to thin pools of washes of greens and mud colors with pigments. Once these have dried I start detaiing and creating complimentary contrasts through weathering and then bring back the green base colors.
What I want to achieve with this one is a bit of a challenge due to the nature of the KV series and it being an OOTB build aside from the tracks.
KV tanks are quite bland really but their 'blockyness' can be made to work in your favour. The straight panels and defined segments to the detail can be used to highlight different colors of mud, as well as breaking up the greens and bringing highlights forward where they can be given more interest, next to straight panel segments.

I also wanted to weather this tank without chipping much or sending it to the scrap heap. Tanks get dirty but they dont just start disintergrating. The tool boxes on the fender are an obvious area for highlighting as these are made from a much thenner metal and are more prone to scratching and damage.

I find it pretty hard to get a ref pic of an operational Russian tank with it covered in chips and rusting everywhere, unless it is a knockout or a survivor in the campaigns moving into Germany in late 1944 or '45.
Sometimes you have to be subtle, which is a lot harder because you can't rely on the realism coming from hardcore damage, so I decided to go for a real dusty and dried mud look from a hot and dusty Russian summer. I would recomend a number of Masters here at MA for achieving some spectacular tank builds without much chipping or damage such as John Steinman, Bob Letterman or Mr T.
John in particular is someone who achieves rich color and subtle weathering with a realistic finish, that is also artistic at the same time - I have used his work as a personal painting ref standard for over a decade.
Besides you don't want every tank in your collection all looking the same. :frantic

OK enough of that....back again with stage 4
Stage 4
In regards to my painting process this is the hardest part with the real 'make or break' effects being cemented here, sorry about that pun (No i'm not .
If I stuff it up here there is no way out unless I do a total repaint or throw it in the bin. By about half way I can tell weather I go on or crash and burn.

I will come back closer to the final stage to rework parts of the decals with paint - the hard part about a shelf queen with markings already on.
and when you really get rolling with the paint and pigments it ends up looking like this at about 2am on a Sunday morning

Here you can see I have used Artists oils, pigments, acrylics and pencils with wet and dry applications using brushes, sponges, rollers as well as ripped up edges of foam and soap pads. One of the most important elements is the dryness of the medium, combined with brush length and width. Never under estimate the importance of knowing the right brush for the right job. I am not up with the latest in the books available at the moment, so I am probably just talking about stuff most of you may have read about already, but as I like to continually experiment with each build using whatever I am hoping I cam maintain a unique style. If I see a nice effect on someones model I try to replicate it with my own methods rather than buying another book.

Next up we 'sink' into further madness with small detail time and attaching the tracks.

 

[Iron Mike]

KV1 Shelf Queen 1/35 19/02 update

That's looking pretty grubby, Ian.

 

[errains]

Awesome job! The range of effects that you are achieving is impressive. :v

 

[JSteinman]

The venerable Tamiya KV's! I use a KV-II as my paint test bed now, they were awful kits - kudos to you for the restoration!

 

[Sherman 18]

You woke that project right up!

 

[jknaus]

Very nice restoration. Looking very good
James

 

[lupanzer]

Just amazing!...and an authentic artist workbench :frantic :frantic :frantic

Luiz.

 

[Brokeneagle]

Thank s for the positive comments - all appreciated.
A small update on the track work - great idea to replace the tracks with nice workable Bronco's but one change with these old kits always gets you in deeper water. Tamiya rear wheel guide horns are too large and don't fit the Bronco tracks - i'm guessing the tracks are correct as they are way more recent than the 1970's Tamiya kit.
I cut off the horns were they slot into the track - mud and dust will do the rest.

Track painting began before fixing to tank....a very painful job that was completed using white glue on the seperated sections. :gogo

 

[Iron Mike]

Someone didn't wipe their feet before climbing aboard. :laugh:

It's all coming together very nicely, Ian! I really like how the colors work.

 

[Brokeneagle]

Someone didn't wipe their feet before climbing aboard. :laugh:

It's all coming together very nicely, Ian! I really like how the colors work.

:laugh: plus a few river crossings and some dust on top when it dries after rolling across the vast Russian step.

Thanks Mike. :dude

 

[Brokeneagle]

KV1 Shelf Queen 1/35 completed

Basically I am calling this done. Out Of The Box 1970's horror story from Tamiya [if you don't count the tracks].
It was fun though
Just a couple of MG's to add and maybe a simple base and figure a little later. I am also thinking of adding a few dark green chips to the lettering on the turret side.
Time Lapse

An old kit and a basic project but I found it very cathartic for my modelling and it has got me 're-wired' for some more, which I really needed at present.

COMPLETED

 

[Iron Mike]

KV1 Shelf Queen 1/35 completed

That's pretty sweet, Ian! I like it very much!