Team Yankee: Chieftain painting guide 1 (air brush step)

As I mentioned in previous post will i document my painting steps for the Chieftain tanks for Team Yankee. The models are assembled with plastic glue and look rely good. I paint the turret, body and the tracks seperat it´s easier to get coverage in all locations and ad the masking for the camouflage.

I use an Iwata Pro+ for the air brush painting and it works well for me. As with all airbrushes it´s important to clean and keep them in good condition. I usually clean my 3-4 time a year with ultrasonic cleaner + pro paint cleaning fluid. This helps to remove paint in areas that are not possible to reach with brush or cotton tip. 

I also use steel balls in my paints to get them mixed well in the bottle. It makes the paints survive for longer periods and will work better in the air brush.

Here is my painting steps.

Step 1: Priming I use Vallejo primer 73.612 straight from the bottle

Step 2: Dark base coat to get shadows. MIG 931. Important to cover all underside areas where you would get shadows.

Step 3:  Base coat. MIG 932. Even coverage on all parts. 

Step 4: High light 1. MIG 933. First high light. This is the time when you need to decide of how your high light should work. There are to options. Either normal zenitial lighting including panelling or colour modulation. I prefer colour modulation because the models get´s an more depth and especially when I paint 15mm models. But it also takes mode time sins you have to mask and paint each panel separate.  So this is the first result of the modulation cover 50-70% of the base coat.

Step 5: High light 2. MIG 934. Second high light same method as Setp 4 but only 20-30%

Step 6: Masking. I use normal blue tack to mask this hard edge camouflage.  It´s time consuming but gives an good result and sharp edge towards the base coat.

Step 7: Camouflage base. Valejo 72.751. Base coating of camouflage important to keep the airbrush 90deg towards the surface.

Step8: Camouflage high light. 50/50 mix of Valejo 72.751 and 72.749 and added some acrylic air brush thinner. Same panelling method but for the high light cover gradual to 50% of base coat.

This is the air brush steps. I like the result. The contrast between camo and base coat if nice but and will look good on the table.Next is to paint tracka and and add decals. More about that in next blogg post.