WINTER TIME, 1/16th TAMIYA KVII

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The winter subjects is one of my passions. I really like white vehicles because offer me a large range of possibilities about weathering or effects. You can paint a winter vehicle with dry dust or mud or very fresh one. You can apply a faded whitewash or a very clean white. You can make very evideny chips or scratches, rust or grease, and all kind of dirt or effects. In this case, with my last winter KVII, I wanted create a very worn or faded winter camo, result of a prolonged period of battles. Maybe this KV is going to the the Spring. The sun and the rain entried in action and the winter color is coming inapropiated. This is what I mede under this concept. I hope you like the result:


The technique used for this case is a complex combination of hairspray technique, oils fading, chips by brush and much more. Everything covered by a coat of dirt, rust and dust.

Is important create a combinations of "more dirt areas" and more white ones, in a way to keep a random look and make it more interesting and real. Avoid do the same in the whole model.

The same with green and white areas. Is important make a good contrast between very faded green areas and new white ones.

Tool box chipped with hairspray technique and covered with dust.

See how there are very dusty areas close to clean ones. This is important to give volume to the model.

For first time, I added a big cuantity of leaves and vegetation over the fenders, like I have seen in many pictures. In fact, is hard to find a picture with very clean mudguards. Obdserv how the dirt is acumulated in the corners.

WINTER MODELS

I wanted collect all my preview winter vehicles in this page, in a way to see the paint evolution. The next ones is an example of some of my old models which was a good source to get experience to paint the KVII in 1/16th scale. Some of them is really old, but I feel proud because in that time was good enought.

And that's all folks. Now I need a couple of day of vacations after paint the KVII. It was really hard because it should be finsihed for Nuremberg toy fair 2010. Fortunatly, I was on time and the Tamiya staff will be able to show it in their stand!

Thanks, Nobuo Yoshioka.

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MIG AT WORK

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Hello friends. This is my frist post this year, and not because vacations (which was also long) but because I was very focus in a couple of projects.

The first one is one of my dreams, a T55 in Egyptian army, just after cross the Suez Chanel in 1973. This is a huge project because this version have many differences with standard T55, but also I wanted make it with PE and many upgrades. And finally, I will make the whole crew (4) in scratch. Now I have made only one, but it fit well and I am happy with the result. The KTM mineroller is another nightmare, beacuse it is trumpeter and is not like a Tamiya kit. BUt it is done, and now I am closer to finish this model. I will continue showing more steps of this one.

The second one is the well know KVII in 1/16th scale which I started months ago. The next photos is not the last stage, but I was not able to upload the last ones yet. Anyway, it is another funny project, even if I have a deadline. It must be ready for next Nurember Toy fair 2010, so...I am in a hurry. This is why I am so quiet the last weeks (my apologies friends).
The KVII is getting complex because the big surfaces, and is hard to create a nice general look like in 1/35th scale. In this big scales, the most difficult thing is to get used to this big sizes when we paint the effects. Is easy to fall down in the monotony and we must force our self to create big random areas in a way to make more realistic the finall look.
But the good thing is that the chip effects seems more realistic because the big size. Anyway, like all 1/16th scale models, it comsume a lot of time. To paint anything needs more than 4 times more than in 1/35.

I hope fin ish it on time for the end of this month and I will post some pictures here in my blog and another forums. Or you will be able to see it in Tamiya Stand next month in Germany.

And now, I must continue working with it. I cannot spend more time in my blog by now. Is time to finish the mud and the funny weathering, like oil, metal, rust....

Thank you for watching this and I will continue the blog very soon.

Mig Jimenez

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98% FINISHED KING TIGER

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Fianlly I am able to show you the finished King Tiger. After two months work, the cat is almost done. I must add small details but the general look is almost finished. It is a Radio Control tank for a collector, so...many details was avoided, and others was impossible to add, but I am happy with the result.
The big size made this task a bit complicated to me, used to 1/72, 1/48 and 1/35...it is too big and need a lot of time for each process or step. Sometimes you get tired to paint chips or effects in all surface...but...this is the 1/16 scale.

Well, so..it is almost the end and I must go for my KVII, also in 1/16.

Thank you guys and I hope you like it.

MIG

That's all folks!

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TAMIYA KV II, 1/16th scale

This is the second 1/16 monster that I am currently building and painting. I will show more pictures of this new kit, but...by now, just note the size of the turret. Seems small?? Check my hand size close to the turret!! I think that I will need more than one tamiya jar to paint this surface. But is really cool to build this tank in such scale. I cannot wait to finish it.

I must explain that I was forced to build the turret without instructions sheet because it was a pre-production kit, but after the bad time dicovering where I must place each rivet, screw and metals parts, finally it's done!!

To be continue....