M998 HMMWV Desert Partol

S

steezy

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
153
Well this would be my first non-gundam kit (got it at a flee market for $2). I was waiting for some top coats to dry last night and got the urge to start a new kit. Didn't expect to get so into it. :eek:n fire: Glued everything in about 3 hours and started painting this afternoon. Didn't take long to get to where I am now. The paint needs to dry +12 hours of dry time before I can lightly sand it to take down the edges of the camo. Then weathering!!! Can't wait... I might take some regrettable short cuts.





























If anyone would like to get a set of the masks I used check out www.facebook.com/plamomasks and be sure to click like!!
 
Well, my ratio of diorama supplies to finished dioramas is way off. I had a base all shellacked laying around intended for a different project currently on hold... so this happened.







Waiting for things to dry will be the death of me.
 
The Dio is looking sweet. What did you use for the sand? It has imprinted really well and looks nice and granular and natural. Will you spray it with acrylic.

Can't wait to see this progress...

Your camo is better than the artwork on the box!
 
Lurcher Two said:
The Dio is looking sweet. What did you use for the sand? It has imprinted really well and looks nice and granular and natural. Will you spray it with acrylic.

Can't wait to see this progress...

Your camo is better than the artwork on the box!
Click to expand...

Thanks!! I used sculptamold modeling compound. It's great stuff, just mix with water and apply. Starts to set up in about 15 minutes. That's when I used a toy dirt bike, dipped the wheels in water, and made the tracks. Total build time was about 30-45 minutes.

I'll be painting it today using acrylics as the base, then using enamels and oils to add details.
 
Weathering
First a light filter was applied using a really thinned down African dust effect. Then some dust effects were created using some Tamiya XF-52 and XF-55 mixed together.




To tone it down, a thinned down earth effects was was brushed over everything.


Next MUD!! I used plaster and earth effects to create the spatters. Then went back with earth effect and dark mud and airbrushed some more on the armor and undercarriage.






And a little dry brushing with pigments.


Need to add in the windows and dirty them up some. Still waiting on the diorama base to dry enough to start to paint.
 
The dio is starting to take shape. So far I've used tamiya acrylics as the base colors with a dark grey pigment wash. I focused on the road first and used a bunch of AK mud effects and oils to fill the recessed treads.

Did I mention I have no idea what I'm doing? lol I think my next steps will be to start to add grass and bushes. I'll be making some static grass tufts that will go great between the tracks. Maybe some fallen trees, and branches. Also some larger rocks. Not sure yet if I'll be using many fibers or sand, maybe in some places.

Any advice/ tips would be awesome!! I think I could weather the HMMWV a bit more, some advice there would help:)


Enamels are still a bit wet.








 
Some progress. I honestly am out of my comfort zone working with 1/35. I'm much happier in 1/100. That's how you learn and get better I guess.

Started laying down bits of static grass.

Here's my sketchy applicator. It's a dissected bug zapper.


Actually zapped myself. You can see an entry and exit would on my pinky, around 500 volts. I extended the wires so I won't accidentally brush the circuit board again.



Worth it...






I'll keep chipping away at this between projects. By taking my time I may do a better job and learn a bit more.

Any tips would be awesome!
 
Hey man, very nice build. It's really taking shape. I judge armor and dioramas every now and then at competitions and I would give you a few things that I would look for.

1. Diorama
What temperature zone is this and what season is it. Do the plants and natural surroundings reflect that?
Are there different levels to the detail for the diorama, in other words is there a ground, a medium, and a top.
Are things different sizes?
Is there more than one type of tree/plant and are they appropriate?
How long has the vehicle been in this area and does it reflect it?


Those are some simple things that I mentally check when I judge them. My specific critique for you would be to really make the vegetation portion more natural. Those trees are going to drop things on the ground around them. There will be leaves, sticks, and other assorted weeds growing everywhere. Nature follows the sunlight. So if you have grass, you are going to have weeds and possibly some blooming flowers of some sort. A couple of dandelions can go a long way. I saw one guy airbrush some random browns on a piece of paper and then had a cutter clip out leaves.. and spread them around. Looked amazing.

As for the tire tracks, I see the tracks but what kind of vehicles were they? Were they heavy? If so, you are going to see potholes, spreading of mud to the lower end as the heavy vehicles slide down it.

Just some thoughts man, keep up the great work!

Here is a pic of a Forest Path for some inspiration. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Forest_path_in_Yvelines_-_France.jpg
 
Looking good dude! Nasty jolt to the finger, I tend to go the safer route, and just blow a balloon up and rub it on my head to get the static electricity. If you have little to no hair, just use your kids, wife, etc., and don't tell them why...nice to keep them guessing! ;D ;D

But the grass looks great!

Something you might want to do is add some of the surrounding dirt/grass to the weathering of the vehicle, simply take whatever mud mixture and grass you used on the side and put it on the vehicle where mud and dirt would normally accumulate, this way the vehicle looks more apart of the diorama, rather than just places in there (not saying it does now, but just makes it more so).

Otherwise, looking good, keep up the good work!
 
Man, this is some beautiful work--you've got a pair to use that bug zapper for your grass, but I can't argue with your results! That grass look superb! The Hummer's camo is really terrifically done as well!
 
@RonUSMC
Thank you very much Ron!! That's very helpful! Those are things I never put much thought into.

@Elm City Hobbies
Thank you! The Humvee could use a little more weathering to make it at home with the terrain.

@dogfish7
Thank you!
 
@the doog

Thanks! The zapper is a little dangerous, but a static grass applicator is priced way too high.

@Ken Abrams

Thank You!!
 

Similar threads

Phil57
Desert Matilda
Replies
13
Views
1K
GaryG64
GaryG64
Kurnas
HMMWV Tank Simulator - 1/35 diorama
Replies
7
Views
3K
Kurnas
Kurnas
DoctorK
Desert Shield Sheridan WIP
Replies
4
Views
1K
DoctorK
DoctorK
Ian
Italeri 1/35 Desert Rats S.A.S. Combat Car
Replies
17
Views
4K
Ravhin
Ravhin
PANZERMAN
Desert Deception
Replies
12
Views
2K
Eastrock
Eastrock

Latest posts

Back
Top