Painting a Panther:

A few people on the Fine Scale Modeler Forum have asked me how I paint and finish my models.  I decided to post a short guide as to how I do it.  If only one person gets only one thing out of what I have written, I will consider it well worth my time.  However, please remember that all of the information below is my personal preference and is by no means the only way to do things.

STARTING WITH THE GUIDELINES:

-  If you are serious about the hobby, I believe an airbrush should be one of the first modeling tools you purchase.  It is a personal preference, but I prefer airbrushed finishes to brushed on finishes.  This is not to say that using the latter method cannot produce fantastic results.  My reasoning is simple.  You will probably build your way up from cheap kits with little detail to more expensive kits with a lot of added detail.  Why then would you want to start learning how to use an airbrush on kits you have spent a lot of time and money on?

-  It is much easier to spend an extra half an hour setting up everything you will possibly need for painting, than running around trying to find the correct item before the paint dries on your latest mistake.

-  Careful planning can drastically reduce the number of finger prints on your model and the amount of times you have to clean your airbrush.

-  As soon as possible, get yourself some sort of protection against paint fumes.  I learned this one morning after a long night of painting.  I blew my nose and what came out was OD Green!  The thought of that stuff in my lungs made me run to the local Home Depot for a paint mask.

-  Always test on the bottom of the model before applying paint.

-  This is one of the most important rules and unfortunately,  also the one that I ignore the most.  NEVER try a new, untested method on a model that you have spent a lot of time building!!  Ignoring this rule has caused me more headaches than I care to count.

-  I did not have to learn this tip "the hard way" but it has been quite valuable in my learning curve.  Tamiya Model Magazine issue numbers 97 and 99 are perhaps the best two painting guides that I have seen in a hobby store.  Issue 97 has a detailed article on building a T-55.  This article includes 3 full-color pages that outline the painting of the best finished model that I have seen, anywhere!  Here is a link to the Tamiya Model Magazine web site:

http://www.tamiyamodelmagazine.com/

Issue 99 is a special issue dedicated to describing the methods of painting that the Tamiya Model Magazine staff uses.  At about $9.00 each, these two magazines will be the best $18 you will spend to improve your painting skills!

WHERE TO START:

The model that I will use as an example started as part of a group build for the Fine Scale Modeler Forum.  The kit is the Late Panther G from Tamiya with Eduard barrel and Royal Models detail set.  Anyway, enough with the kit, now on with the painting.

The first picture is the Panther before painting.  Preparation for painting begins before the kit even starts to get built.  I try to always wash my resin and photo etched parts with warm water before applying them to the model.  This gets rid of any chemicals from the manufacturing process that may interfere with the paint adhering to the part.  I then run some fine grit sand paper over any photo etched sheets that I plan on using.  I don't rub so hard as to remove any detail, but just enough to let paint get a good grip on it.

Having a good plan for painting is always a good idea as well.  I usually like to paint my tools separately and then add them to the model right before the final dull coat. However, in this case I decided to paint the tools while already applied to the model.

BASE COAT:

The next picture shows the model after the initial coat.  I ALWAYS start with an enamel base.  This is to ensure that the paint grips the plastic.  Trust me on this one.  I know from personal experience that enamels adhere to plastic much better than acrylics.  In the past my enamel base coat was always light gray, but to keep the thickness of the paint from hiding the details of the kit, I have recently started applying the first visible color as an enamel paint.  In this photo, you can see the first coat of Testors enamel.  For this model, I mixed my own color.  I always allow at least two days for the enamel paint to dry before applying the next coat.

Once the enamel base coat is dry, I start with the acrylics.  I switch to acrylics because they dry much faster and the cleanup is much easier.

POST-SHADING AND CAMOUFLAGE:

I like to "post-shade" my models.  This means adding a slightly darker color to highlight the details of the kit after the initial color is applied.  This is opposed to "pre-shading".  With pre-shading, a light base coat is applied, followed by a much darker color highlighting the details.  The highlighting is then allowed to slightly show through the next coat of paint.  I prefer post-shading because it is much easier to fix a mistake and you will have to put one less coat of paint on the model.  This photo shows my application of post-shading applied with Tamiya acrylics.  I used Dark Yellow mixed with a little Red Brown for the shading.  At this stage I have also started the weathering process by adding streaks running down the side of the tank with the same color that I used for the post-shading.

Next, the camouflage can start to be applied.  In this next photo, we see an application of Tamiya's Red Brown applied in a random pattern across the model.  While I have the airbrush loaded with Red Brown I have also start to paint my tracks.  When painting vinyl tracks I always use Tamiya's Red Brown acrylic paint for a base.  My experience tells me that enamels don't stick well to vinyl tracks.

I find that Tamiya's Field Grey makes for the best WWII German green camouflage, but on this model I used Tamiya's Dark Green.  You can't have all your models exactly the same color!  If I were going to apply markings using stencils now is the time I would do it.  I prefer to use Eduard masks.  I have had good luck with both the photo etched masks and the vinyl masks.  Now is also a good time to add dust to the lower hull with a light application of paint.  If the tools are going to be painted while on the model, they also need to be done before the gloss coat.

GLOSS COAT AND WASHES:

One of the most important steps in my the weathering process is the application of a gloss coat.  Since I weather with enamels and artist oils, I use Polly's water based Gloss Coat.  First, the gloss coat lets the washes easily run over the flat surface of the model and into the crevices and corners.  Second the gloss coat protects the paint that has already been applied.  I use a water based gloss coat because it is less likely to react with the thinner used for the acrylics and artist oils.  I do not like using decals, but if you are going to use them, after the application of the gloss coat is a good time to apply them.  The gloss coat will allow for a smooth surface that the decal can to grip and less air will be trapped under the decal film.

After the gloss coat is applied, I use artist oils, (the stuff that artists use on canvas) thinned with odorless paint thinner for a wash.  How much pigment the wash should have is up to the individual, but I always make sure to test it on the bottom of the model before I apply it.  The following picture shows the effect of the gloss coat coupled with the wash.  Already, we can see the details start to "pop" out of the model.  I sometimes sparingly use washes with more pigment to simulate grime and rust.

A WORD ABOUT PAINT CHIPS:

Using Enamel Paints for Paint Chips:

-    After the wash, it is time to apply paint chips.  I did not add many paint chips to this model, but I ALWAYS apply them with enamel paint.  At this stage, if you use enamel paint and overdo the paint chips, they are easily removed with a little odorless paint thinner and a brush.  However, if you are using acrylic paints and try to remove a mistake with acrylic paint thinner, you will eat through the gloss coat and the underlying layers.  The M-10 in Gallery I was painted using this method for the paint chips.

Using a Pencil for Pant Chips:

-    I have recently discovered that using a 3B pencil for paint chips works really well.  The paint chips need to be applied before the gloss coat goes on.  The lead not stick to the paint well if you try to apply it to a gloss coat.  The StuG III and the Italeri Tiger in Gallery I have had paint chips applied using this method.

Using the Rubber Cement Method:

-    The rubber cement method involves brushing on a mask to create paint chips.  This method involves some thinking ahead but can lead to some very nice results.  I use rubber cement for a mask because it's cheap and comes off easily.  I have had bad luck with some commercial masking products so be sure to always test the method before using a new product.  The Marder III and the Pz II in Gallery II have had paint chips applied using this method.

DRY-BRUSHING:

Now the dry-brushing can begin.  I have used acrylics, enamels and artist oils for dry-brushing and had success with all of them.  A word of caution about using artist oils though, the brush has to be EXTRA dry!  Personally, I prefer using enamels to dry-brush.  Once again, if I make a mistake, it is easily erased with a little odorless paint thinner and a brush.  Also, enamels do not dry as fast as acrylics, so you can take more time.  I often use Testors Roman Tan for dry-brushing the model and Tamiya Chrome Silver to dry-brush the treads.

Recently I have had a lot of success dry-brushing with artist oils.  To make sure that my brush is not too "wet", I load it with white paint and then dry it as much as possible with a paper towel.  I then dip the brush into odorless paint thinner and dry it as much as possible again.  Once these steps are complete I start dry-brushing.  Remember, always test the brush on the bottom of the model first.  The results of this method can be seen on the M-26 Pershing, the Pz IV F1, and the Wespe in Gallery I.

Although many different types of paint will work for dry-brushing, it is important to have the right brush.  I use old flat head brushes and I use various sizes for different parts of the model.  The fact that I use old brushes, means that the bristles have usually started to curl back on themselves.  Depending on how dry you like your brush, it can be very important to make sure you trim the brush to get rid of these curls.  Even a few curls can mean you will get paint where you do not want it.

FINISHING UP:

One of the biggest breakthroughs that I have made since getting back into the hobby about a year and a half ago is the application of a flat coat to finish up the model.  There is some debate as to whether a flat finish is accurate or if the actual vehicles had semi gloss finishes.  In response to this, I merely point out my freshly waxed car that attracts dust like a magnet.  Even this small amount of dust makes my car significantly less shiny.  Considering this, I feel that it is quite appropriate to apply a flat finish to a tank that has presumably been out in the field for at least several days.  Plus, most importantly, a flat coat helps hide many of the defects in the paint and can really add a lot to an already great finish.

So, when I am satisfied with how the model looks, I will apply the flat coat.  I like to use Polly's Flat Coat.  If I have painted my tools and accessories separately they will have to be applied before the final coat goes on.  This is so the flat coat can hide any of the shiny CA glue that may show.  I usually add the track and road wheels after the dull coat is applied.  This enables full coverage of the back side of the road wheels and the side of the tank.  A picture of the finished Panther is seen here.  More pictures are in Gallery I.

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