Florian Geyer SS Calvary Division

[Ryan K]

I see what you mean, Ryan. Maybe I should rub them down more with the powdered oil pastels. I've heard that dullcote can disintegrate pastel details, but I don't remember that experience personally. Any thoughts?

Yes, at this point dullcote would undo your pastels work. I would chalk it up to first time and change  techniques on the next project.

General guidelines taken from armorama.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=140764&ord=&page=1

1) Primer
2) Base coat (acrylic preferably), you can pre-shade prior to if you want
3) Camo (if applicable)
3a) Color modulation (if applicable)
4) For hair spray - seal, use hair spray and then top coat of white, etc.
4a) chip and scrub off hair spray (if applicable)
5) markings
6) seal decals if necessary (I use spray templates as masks as much as possible with armor)
7) detail painting such as tools, rubber tires, tracks, etc.
pin wash (w/enamels) around molded detail, color should be neutral brown/gray mix depending on color scheme
9) oil paint fading or airbrush post-shading, or a mix of the two (this step can be moved around a little)
10) chips and scratches with thinned acrylic vis small brush, or sponge
11) filter - overall to unify the scheme and basic effects
12) more oil paint fading if applicable for extreme examples, or rain streaks
13) any details that need fresher colors like exhaust and periscope glass can be hit again
14) pigments for chassis and tracks
15) pigments for hull areas and turret
16) detail washes, darker colors for hatches, etc.
17) redo any chips to be newer looking, (if applicable)
18) oil and fuel stains on wheels and engine, or service areas
19) graphite for edges, hatches, MG's, etc. (if applicable)
20) another layer of dark pin washes just for primary examples like engine hatch areas
21) re-layer chips, scratches, pigments, pin washes, oil paint staining, etc. for final look and effects

[Bob S]

I see what you mean, Ryan. Maybe I should rub them down more with the powdered oil pastels. I've heard that dullcote can disintegrate pastel details, but I don't remember that experience personally. Any thoughts?

[Ryan K]

Very interesting Bob.

The horses and equipment look too glossy in the photos.

[Bob S]

The 8th SS Cavalry Division "Florian Geyer" was a German Waffen-SS cavalry division during World War II. It was formed in 1942 from a cadre of the SS Cavalry Brigade which was involved in the Bandenbekämpfung ("bandit-fighting") operations behind the front line and was responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of the civilian population.  It continued "pacification" operations in the occupied Soviet Union, leading to further atrocities.

I found this excellent 1/35 scale Dragon kit at Raleigh Hobby, and this represents two "firsts" for me: This is my first Dragon model kit, and it is also my first time modeling animals. The kit was from 1995 and had no flash at all - just a few mold lines to sand away. It also included photo-etched stirrups for the riders, but did not include any hardware for the bridals, so I went to the parts box for some leftover P/E hood pins from 1/24 race car kits. I had to super-glue them twice to the harnesses on the horse's heads before I could rig the reins. The figures came in the usual separate pieces, but the horses - not so much. The ears were formed on a triangular wedge that fit into the skull, which was difficult to contour putty because of the manes right at the connecting points, but I have some dental tools that did the trick.
Everything was brush-painted with Tamiya acrylics. Once dry, I then added highlights and lowlights onto the horses with oil pastel chalk colors scraped into powder with an X-acto knife and applied with swabs. The figures got a wash of Model Master Raw Umber enamel to bring out the details.