"The Konradus Stuart" or "In Way Over My Head"

[CharlieC]

As to the question - I usually edge colour the parts before assembly. Where there are part locations indicated by white areas on a hull I edge the white area as well. Unless you've got the hand eye coordination of a neurosurgeon it's easier to edge the parts before assembly. Also small disasters with paint aren't usually a problem on parts before assembly - easy to wipe off the mess.

Regards,

Charlie

[k.warner]

Thanks for the tips, guys... Don, I will have to look up powdered pastels.

The reason I ask these questions is because on a Polish thread about this model, the guy paints the entire thing olive drab because he does not like the original color. I am thinking on doing the same because I am having ALOT of edge problems (gaps, that it), and I think that since I have little hope of matching the color of the printed paper, i can cheat and cover up all the gaps with paint, paint, and more paint while I cover the rest of the model with paint. Then I will go back, and put all the details on top, stencil the Army star on the side, and hope that no one calls me on the boogered edges. If it does not work, I have had enough issues since I started skinning this thing that another restart might be in the offing.

With that said, attached are the photos of my work yesterday and tonight. You can see, I have cut a few corners here and there tonight, namely on the edges. I stopped worrying about coloring them because of the coming advent of paint to my household. The stress from gaps here and there has lessened for the same reason. I improvised in some other places, and had to go on a hunt for grating.

The cut corner: I simply could NOT figure out the damned dirty front sprocket oil well gear casing thingy. I cannot remember what we called that bit, but it is the part on the front where the transmission engages the front drive sprocket (i guess). The model calls for three parts that make up the assembly, but I could simply not figure out how to assemble it properly. From the two Polish build threads I could find, I could not get a good photo of how the builders put that part together, as none of the angles on their photos were right for such a discovery. When I thought I had it right, I could not figure out how it fit on to the hull. So, rather than losing my cool and throwing the whole model across the room, I lost my cool and threw the first try attempt on the model (the one with the too-thick formers) across the room. The thing, ironically, is built like a tank. Super-glued 1.5mm board is not easily damaged. Sending a half-built bundle of CA and cardboard speeding into a wall at 45 miles per hour is extremely satisfying despite the lack of damage; so much so that I think I will keep half built mess-up models close at hand for all of my modeling tribulations. So, rather than fiddling with the bits any more, I just took the part that actually makes up the cover of the piece and laminated it out to 1mm or so thick, curved it, and stuck it where, as a former tracked vehicle driver, I thought it should go. Bobs your uncle, I am not revisiting the part no matter how historically inaccurate it turns out to be. If the rest of the model does not work out because of this particular cut corner, then phooey. I took a close up of what I did, so in the future, someone else can ogle my inaccurate drive well thing.

Now then, the improvisation: I realized I had not grating of any kind to go on the back vents… Lo and behold, a trip through the Garage Surplus Store that is conveniently attached to my house contained dry wall tape. I helped myself to a few inches, and some black sharpie-coloring later, I have some grate-ish looking grates. It is, by far, not the best solution, but it is what was at hand, and I think it is not too awfully bad looking. I think I will hit it with a thickened coat of paint to close the holes a bit, but I will test that theory out before I apply it to the model.

Otherwise, just more skinning getting done. I really do not like skinning. It just is not looking right. I think it will turn out ok in the end, though.

[Don Boose]

This looks really good to me. I see the white edges you are talking about. Coloring before assembly would deal with much of that, and you can take care of the white spaces on this assembled model with some careful painting (here is where I would make a judicious and heavy application of the Neocolor II crayon, but I'll bet you will will be able to stir up a batch of that gouache paint that makes a close enough match). You know and I know from personal experience how much spot painting there is on a real full-sized armored vehicle. I'll bet your Paladins had plenty of edges and spots that were a different shade from the rest of the creature.

Don

[Leif Ohlsson]

Hello Karl,

I'm reading with sympathy about your framework and skinning troubles. I can very well put myself in your position, since I have just remade a section of fairly simple model I am working on after getting the framework sanded too much (leaving empty air spaces between the skin parts and the framework).

After reading much of what the really expert builders on this site say, I have started to think in another way about frameworks and skins. I am used to thinking about framework being the foundation of everything, and that the covering parts should be tailored to fit the framework. I now realize papermodels are designed from the outside in; i.e. that the skin, thin finished outer layer, comes first, and the framework designed in afterwards.

Some experts actually make up the outer layer first, the insert the framework, after sanding it to fit. This is most relevant for aircraft fuselages of elliptical sections. However, the general thing to learn is that the framework has to be sanded and adjusted to fit the skin parts. For tank building (which I don't have any experience of, so you are already more of an authority than I), the learning experience would be another thing the experts keep coming back to: Dryfit, dryfit, and dryfit again.

Which means, I suppose, that if any parts of your skin doesn't cover the framework, the framework has to be adjusted. Which sometimes of course is not feasible, since you have already mounted several other skin parts.

Which brings us to the thing you are really asking about - paint. Now, gouache I use as well, and I am well pleased with it. It is easy to mix, you can leave it to dry in your mixing cups and still use it like a dry water colour paint cake, and it covers fairly well (although not like any solvent based paint of course). The thing to remember is that it is a waterbased paint, and as such will do things with your paper model.

Thus I would not use it to paint any large surfaces, only to touch up a seam here and there, and any small imperfections. Judging from your photos, a right green mixture would take care of the faulty seems really well. Try not to spread the paint around a larger surface. But you can sort of mix it into the rest of the model by applying more water at the edges of the touch-up.

You will also find - at some time in the future - that a final coat of some acrylic varnish will even out the different gloss of the printed paper parts, the glue stains, and the gouache touch up paint. I would go for semi-matt. But that's when you've finished the model.

Best for now, got to run...

Leif

PS. For your next model, Jim Nunn's tip about balsa is really good. Easier to cut than thick card.

[CharlieC]

Lief reminded me to make a point about spraying parts sheets with matt acrylic before cutting. This can save a lot of problems since glue and paint won't instantly sink into the card giving you time to wipe off any excess. It only takes a light coat to make the parts fairly impervious to glue/paint. It also allows the card to be soaked in alcohol to form complex curves without damaging the printed colours.

Regards,

Charlie

[Leif Ohlsson]

Charlie, let me apologize for not giving you the proper credit for the balsa tip. I scanned the thread too hastily. It is a really good tip. Another person who has also used it is Mike Nixon, in his build of the big 1/16 Corsair. That's where I caught on to it, and I am now using it much to my satisfaction (apart from the price of balsa these days, but what can you do...)

- L.

[k.warner]

Charlie, the matte acrylic spray you write about.. is that just the same thing as the krylon spray I use right now? I use the krylon matte finish, I think (I am at work) I also still have Don's workable fixatif, which is about the same thing, right? Can I paint over the spray finish? If so, can I apply paint to the entire model without worrying about warping due to the water base, as Leif pointed out (great name by the way, Leif... I once wrote a paper about Leif Ericson when I was in grade school. I still remember it, because it was my first real historical research work, even as a 12 year old)?

Leif: " I now realize papermodels are designed from the outside in" <--an epiphany! You have changed my reality.

I also was late to work today thanks to Don... I sat down before I got dressed and began "slathering" the edges of the model with the neocolor crayon he donated to the "Karl Modeling Foundation." The olive drab wax settled right into the cracks and now looks like a welded seam. I hope that I still need the paint when the time comes! I will just take a short lunch to make up for coming in to work late.

I am thinking I may go ahead and build this model out, use it as an extended learning experience, and then build it again. I am learning everything rapid fire; I build a bit and realize it could have been done better some other way, but the unforgiving nature of CA will not allow something to be fixed, so I muddle through and improvise even more. The nice thing about modeling in paper is that I CAN just start over and build new. We will see.

Thanks for the tips, gentlemen! I am reading them with intensity, taking notes, and actively implementing!

EDIT: one other questions... If painting is part of the plan, what medium do you all prefer for crack-filling? The wax crayon certainly worked well.... would thick paint work?

[Leif Ohlsson]

Ah, crack-filling - I meant to say something about that, but then I thought "not one more thing costing money...".

I've seen many using "spackle" of a non-descript quality, and I've used the stuff you smear on walls before painting or wall-papering ("sand spackle" it is called here).

I have finally settled down to acrylic modeling paste. Do I remember correctly that your wife is painting? Then she might already have it, since it is used for giving some structure to paint before applying it to the canvas (acrylic paint).

It is great, since it is water soluble, does not shrink appreciably, can even be mixed with paint (gouache & acrylic), and is readily overpaintable. It is easy to apply since it is slightly more runny than ordinary spackle, still without making it shrink any more. You can dilute it even more (not recommended, though), or mix it with other powdery stuff to give it even more sandable quality (haven't felt the need to do that, though). I was encouraged to use it by others on the site, and it was good advice.

In a pinch, you can also use it as ordinary spackle, to fill up a hole in the wall (your real full-size walls) before painting over it. Crack-filling deluxe...

Leif

[Don Boose]

"I am thinking I may go ahead and build this model out, use it as an extended learning experience, and then build it again." That sounds like a very good approach to me!

Don

[k.warner]

Spackle... I have that! It was right next to the drywall tape! Furthermore, I am an old hand at using the stuff on other projects, so I am familiar with its properties. What a great idea! I wonder at its usefulness in other parts of modeling? Rivets perhaps? hmmmmm

My wife is an avid OIL painter. She sneers at the thought of considering sinking so low as to even touch acrylics. She will make very sure you understand her point of view on the matter should you make the mistake of engaging the subject. She will, occasionally and only tentatively, depending on her mood, the weather, the position of Pieces, etc, except watercolor as a form of art,. Only barbarians and small children interested in using their fingers would think of using acrylics in her opinion. I will be using her brushes and painting ephemera, by the way… I will see what goodies are in her kit that may be of use.