We continue to be safe and well at
Awdry Towers; I am truly grateful to be home. That said the idea that enforced isolation brings with it an excess of free time has been proven to be a fallacy here on the Sunshine Coast. No sooner I am returned from my residential duties at school, then I am press ganged into cheffing duties at home! Add to this the daily route march that the
Saintly Mrs. Awdry has devised* and I find that those quiet moments, to slip away to daub paint on metal and plastic, have become few and far between!
*All 10,000 steps in one go I might add!
This, then, is just briefest of posts to kickstart my month and to document the latest progress; two Opel Blitz trucks, again from
'Rubicon Models'. As I have come to expect from the company there are plenty of construction options, but I went for the most basic and even then managed to break off some extraneous detail in their relocation from school to home.
With regards to painting I had envisaged that they would just have a base coat of Mechanicus Standard Grey, followed up with a series of washes. This is pretty much what happened, but as they sat in front of me on the painting desk, I decided that a couple of additional processes might be in order. To that end there is some dry brush weathering, subtle chipping effects created by using a sponge and some rust streaks using an
'AK Interactive' enamel. The last technique was new to me and I was a bit heavy handed with the first truck, but learning from my mistakes used a wash of thinners to help manipulate the medium more successfully on the second.
The trucks will have no real function in the game other than mark the jumping off point for the SS Troops, which we have located out of sight in the bottom corner of the furthest board from the castle to give them a chance to deploy, comparatively unmolested from the withering fire of the defenders. There was some debate as to whether they should be based or not, but in this instance, given that they are more for scenic purposes, have left them unimpeded.
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Bloody great looking trucks. School was never this much fun when I attended, the most excitement was dodging the board rubber being thrown by the teacher.
ReplyDeleteThank you Phil. I remember the flying board rubber days, different times. ;)
DeleteNice trucks Michael :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Tamsin, mind you in the time it has taken to paint these you would have finished an entire convoy.
DeleteVery nice work indeed
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Ross.
DeleteLovely looking trucks Michael!
ReplyDeleteTat's very kind Rodger, thank you.
DeleteI suspect it's time for a "twisted ankle", missing a step on the stairs and a bit of thesbianism. All the exercise can't be good for one imho.
ReplyDeleteThe trucks look excellent too, btw, but I have come to expect nothing less.
Now there's a ruse Joe, mind you give that the Saintly Mrs. Awdry is a PE Teacher, she will probably tell me to run it off!
DeleteA very nice work on these.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much my good man.
DeleteI really like what you have done with them, they look well used and worn
ReplyDeleteIan
Thank you Ian, I had put off finishing them for so long and mow thrilled with the results - go figure!
DeleteSweet looking trucks, somehow they even feel essential for the overal look of the project.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you're staying active.
Thank you and yes I agree, I can see these popping up all over the project when we finally get to photograph it.
DeleteFine looking motor pool Michael. Stay healthy!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Peter and your good self.
DeleteLovely pair of Opel Blitz's, finding time does seem difficult!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thank you Iain. Don't know where the time is going!
DeleteGreat looking vehicles Michael, and great to hear all is well at the towers, it's always surprising how much stuff needs doing ! LOL
ReplyDeleteThank you Dave and yes the list seems endless. I shouldn't complain we are well and spending time together which is lovely.
DeleteGreat looking utility trucks, Michael. I love seeing them in German grey.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Dean. I had opted for the grey for ease, but then went and spent an age on the weathering! :)
DeleteExcellent painting Sir M. I do like the dirt and weathering effect.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ray, I enjoyed playing around with the AK Interactive enamels, certainly worth another go.
DeleteWell done Michael, splendid trucks!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Phil.
DeleteSuper looking trucks there Michael. Be gratful you can go on your "route march" I'm not allowed to leave the house!!
ReplyDeleteCheers Roger.
Thank you Roger and I am sorry to hear that! I shall be more grateful as I am dragged around the five mile hike tomorrow!
DeleteThose trucks really look the business.
ReplyDeleteI'm in pretty much the same boat as you regarding this shelter-in-place malarkey, Michael. Although I enjoy cooking I now have gardening to do, and my wife insists we go for a walk every day.
Thank you so much A.J. Now best we don't mention the gardening as I am acutely aware I have been neglecting that too!
DeleteThey look great.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Kieron.
DeleteFantastic job on those Michael. Just the right amount of weathering.
ReplyDeleteThat's really kind Nate, thank you.
DeleteGreat work sir!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Michal.
DeleteTrucks look great! I know what you mean about lack of time. I'm trying to get a MWWBKs field force painted for a new Africa campaign and it's a slog. I try to do just a bit each day to move things forward. Will get there eventually!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lee and best of luck with the force, every little bit helps. I am worried that I am going to get to the end of the lock down and wonder what I have actually achieved. I suppose the thing to do is be grateful for the time with family.
DeleteGreat trucks, I like the weathering very much. I agree about the 'no-bases'. I prefer my vehicles without bases.
ReplyDeleteThank you Martin. I am still not decided as I enjoy a base to add a few details to, but in this case wanted to be able to have them around the boards for the photoshoot.
DeleteWonderful paint job & the extra bit of work really adds a lot.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Frank, certainly glad I persevered with them.
DeleteGreat trucks Michael! I have loads of projects that started with: Oh these are simple they only need a few layers drybrushed on, 10 weeks later... they're still on the desk due to added layers and effects.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sander, if anyone can make something more complicated than
Deleteit needs to be then I'm your man. :)
Hi Michael, I hear you on the whole time whilst working from home. The time is often filled with the mundane tasks which are now foremost in our wives minds. Although I am getting a bit of lunch break painting in. Lovely work on the Opels. I am often curious about their size in comparison to other kits. I've had the issue in the past where different manufacturers scales are not compatible. This has led me to sole source a specific vehicle from 1 maker.
ReplyDeleteThank you Terry, if truth be told I find them a little small in scale, but all the vehicles for the project have been from Rubicon so, as you say, there is a compatibility.
DeleteSplendid work Michael i have a couple of these myself but they dont have quite the same panache
ReplyDeleteThank you Matt, lovely kits to work on.
DeleteWhat a lovely brace of Opels, Micheal. I've never thought of using Mechanicus Grey for early war German vehicles. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteThank you Curt. Mechanics Standard Grey has become my primer of choice, a little more forgiving than black. It might be a bit blue for the purists, but slap on some washes and it is certainly passable. :)
DeleteFor some reason I love how these cargo trucks look. I even have two at 1/32 scale that I would love to paint one day. For sure you did an excellent job on this pair at this scale.
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