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Who paints their tank track silver?


MBrzezicki

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Marc.

 

Although I agree with your point on the track color, maybe you could have offered some constructive criticism besides just pointing out a negative issue with the paint color. The reviewer appears to be a newer modeler, so let's help him out.

 

To reviewer Ken.

I thought your kit construction looked very good; even more so, if you are a newer modeler or new armor builder. Nice Job.

 

However, although I know your point was not to weather your kit too much, the color of the tracks looks "off". When I do tracked armor, I usually use a base coat of a dark drown/rust ish colored paint to simulate the look of tracks that has been out of the factory for even a few hours. I used to use Humbrol's "Scenic Track" color (I forgot the number), but it is either hard to find or out of production. Now I use a base coat of Tamiya Red Brown (XF-64?) and do some dry brushing with gun metal, rust and other colors.

 

Keep up the nice work.

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Marc.

 

Although I agree with your point on the track color, maybe you could have offered some constructive criticism besides just pointing out a negative issue with the paint color. The reviewer appears to be a newer modeler, so let's help him out.

 

You have a point. Yet the review does reference "So checking on modeling forums the answer and reason became apparent." Asking in these forums if the instructions calling out steel as a color of the track being correct or just even looking at other built up models and seeing what color the tracks are painted.

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What I've also found to work well is a base coat of floquil red oxide, followed by a dusting of floquil engine black followed by Testors Gun Metal Non-Buffing Metalizer and dry-brushed with some metallic gray. When followed by an oil wash, it looks pretty good...

 

To reviewer Ken.

I thought your kit construction looked very good; even more so, if you are a newer modeler or new armor builder. Nice Job.

 

However, although I know your point was not to weather your kit too much, the color of the tracks looks "off". When I do tracked armor, I usually use a base coat of a dark drown/rust ish colored paint to simulate the look of tracks that has been out of the factory for even a few hours. I used to use Humbrol's "Scenic Track" color (I forgot the number), but it is either hard to find or out of production. Now I use a base coat of Tamiya Red Brown (XF-64?) and do some dry brushing with gun metal, rust and other colors.

 

Keep up the nice work.

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I wasn't sure how to chime in on this one but here goes. Not knowing the reviewer from Adam, I have to assume this may have been one of his first tank kits. I loved thae fact that he did a relatively nice pin wash (noticeable on the underside pictures). I too agree that he (if he plans to continue building armor) needs to work on his track painting. But hey.....so do I! And a lot of other items when it comes to finishing.

 

Mark

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Ken's only been building about a year, after a 50+ year hiatus...and everything in scale modeling, as all of you know, has changed. This is his second armor piece, the first being an field artillery piece...and I think this may only be his third review build. Although he is not active on this forum, he has alway been VERY open to constructive criticism...the key word in the phrase being "constructive".

 

His comment about checking on various forums was to clarify his understanding of the "remove" indicator in the instructions...he was not sure if it meant to remove the raised detail or to cut out a hatch that was indicated in the same area.

 

Ken does obsess a bit about the deadline for completing the reviews, and the pictures that he submitted were actually taken before he completed the weathering process (which he is learning, and seem fascinated with it). Having seen this particular build personally, I know that, as of this date, he has "dirtied" this one quite a bit more than you see in those photos. With the weathering, the tracks have been toned down significantly.

 

We have ALL been there...at the same point on the learning curve as Ken...and hopefully, we can all hold onto some small part of that same fascination that he has when he opens a new kit.

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Mark, I've mentioned the forum to Ken, as well as to all of our chapter members...and it's promoted in our club newsletter every month.

 

Ken is active on our club forum, and maybe on one or two other forums (I'm not sure about the number). He is a great guy, and I've definitely enjoyed watching him study and learn the art of scale modeling. He approaches modeling a bit differently than I do, perhaps more focused on the technical aspect...he's also very critical of his own work (aren't we all?) and a bit impatient with himself. But, he's coming along nicely...and most of all, he's having fun!

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there are advantages to silver tracks....thirty years ago when I weathered my 1/32nd scale Sherman tank with half a bottle of Testors tan my mother told me to "get that filthy thing off the table and out my kitchen"

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Come one, looking at that review of the Flampanzer III. Who really paints their tank tracks silver? Really?

 

Ummmm... I do........... Really.

 

I've got over 650 tanks built and all of them have silver tracks........ heavily weathered with dirt, dust, rust and anything else to make them look good.

 

 

 

 

But they are painted silver......

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Maybe its just me, but man do armor and plane builders pick things apart. Personally I build 1/700 scale ships, and, again it might just be me, but I know that if someone would show me a ship that had 1943 camo on a 1942 ship, that that wouldn't bother me in the least. I've heard people complaining at shows that one tank should have won over another because the green paint should have been one shade darker. Really? If minute details get you going, great, do it. But if someone does their absolute best on something, please don't critique their model to death. I've seen models that I really thought looked bad, but if the builder asked me what I thought of his project, I would find the best thing on it and compliment him on whatever it may be. After that I may try give him tips on future builds. As my wife says if you want to critisize, always compliment first. This is a hobby, it's fun, and it's supposed to be fun. I think sometimes we all get a little carried away. Sorry for the rant.

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Brian,

I think that was what the majority of us have stated. That there are better ways to make constructive critisims. The orignal poster made the obvious comment. Many "old timers" in our club often forget that they were "first timers" once and made many mistakes. However, the builder has to have a thick skin or a "take all comments in stride" attitude. We are human and all of us have not attended sensibility training. Comments (good and bad) need to be taken in by the builder and accepted. If you are brave enough to build and display your work, be ready to have it critiqued. If you can't handle the comments, you might want to get a thicker skin. This is a hobby and it is sussposed to be fun. The one thing I always remember is that....I had fun building that last or current kit. I try to listen to the comments on my builds and learn fromthem. They will only make me a better modeler.

 

Mark

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I think there can a fine line between "Constructive Criticism" and "Destructive Criticism"...

 

Constructive Criticism could be something like, "y'know...I think you could have better represented this particular area with a darker shade of paint...or maybe weather it more to darken it"...or even something like, "I like what you did with this area, but I think you could have a better overall presentation if you (fill in the blank)". In any case, I think Constructive Criticism has the capability to inspire any and all of us to do better on the next build.

 

Destructive Criticism could be as brutal as "Man, you suck at building models"...or as complicated as "Your widget is actually placed 2mm too low on this 1/48 Fluegelmaster, and the paint is all wrong for this year". Destructive Criticism is just that...it destroys the inspiration, and makes the modeler more likely to give up on a particular-genre-or-technique-or-even-modeling-altogether, rather than want to improve their technique or skills.

 

No one that I know, or have ever met, wanted to build a mediocre model...we all want to do the best that we can. The trick is finding a way to say something so that it encourages the modeler to try new things, to rise up to the challenge, to build their skills, and to become a better modeler.

 

Just my thoughts...

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You know, we all have different levels of experience and skills. As a modeler, reading the directions, of perhaps an subject I may have never seen, I must rely on the guidance of said directions for color and placement of objects on the object. And we can all agree that the directions can go from the most vague to 'do this in this order or else' (I love AM!). Building a SOB kit for the reviewing process is so modelers will have some idea of what they are going to face if they take on the challenge of making this particular kit. If the directions say ‘paint it steel’ (which is a color palette unto itself) then that is what I am looking for. Later on down the road, I can enhance it with colors, weathering, dry brushing, etc. of my own choice and skill level. But if the tracks don't fit in the first place, or you have to remove the parts you glued on in step two so you can do step four, I would like to know these pitfalls in advance so I am ready to deal with them. The review is supposed to be a review of the kit and not a review of the modeler (as well said by my wife).

 

You all have a great modeling day!!

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Fruilmodel steel, if that's a color. Thanks so much for posting this one, RG, this will put many arguments to rest. I'm printing it and taking it to the next contest I attend! :P

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I am just trying to point out that here is a picture of a tank with fairly clean (not mud or rust covered) tracks. Ten of us could look at it and each call it a slightly different shade of whatever and use a mixture to come up with what each one of us sees.

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