234/2 Puma

[Finnmodeler]

Here is Puma 234/2 by Mars in 72-scale. It's all-resin and very nice especially suspension.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/1_puma.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/1_puma1.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/1_puma2.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/1_puma3.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/1_puma4.jpg

Painted and decalled with Kagero decals. Ready for washes etc.

Sorry about the pics, I'm still learning to use it.

Niko

[Finnmodeler]

I want to add some interest to this vehicle so I will add a base to it. As I'm not very good at bases I start with easier(I hope:)) by doing a cobble stone street. I have some styrofoam pieces that can be used sa diorama bases. Styrofoam is durable but light and easy to cut. It doesn't stand enamels so I have to use acrylics to paint it.
Here is the base and some stone rowes already added. I got the idea from Minitracks where this technique was introduced. It is quite easy and looks convincing, at least to me that is:D
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_street2.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_street.jpg
I broke old paint brush to use as a tool for stones. Size is about3x3 millimetres. To avoid symmetry in cobbles stones I turned tool irregularily to get some "life" into street.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_street_tool.jpg

Puma fitted to base. As you can see base isn't very big. That is because I'm not sure if I want to add any figures.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_street3.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_3.jpg

Here are the walkways made of plaster. I thought it was easiest to add from plaster; it could be easier to carve walkway plates straight to plaster.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_walkways.jpg

Two pics of Puma itself with with width indicators and antenna added. Also I have added one Humbrol 62 filter which has toned colors down a bit. Pics didn't come out very well as I can't get focusing right. Any suggestions?
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_puma.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/2_puma_puma2.jpg


Niko

[Finnmodeler]

I've been working on walkways last night and today. I want to get this done quickly so I can concentrate on other models. I didn't realize how easy it is actually to use plaster. It is hard enough to scribe and sand. Of course it must be undercoated as it absords lot of paint, I guess.

Here are the parts fitted to base. Just rough estimation if those fit at all.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/walkways%20003.jpg
First scribings done. Atthis point I wasn't sure how to continue and if roughening looks TOO rough. I sanded down edge stones right after the shot.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/walkways%20004.jpg
I decided after a small reading of books to scribe small stones to walkways. First rows scribed. It doesn't matter if scriber slips a bit as you can correct it to scenery.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/walkways%20005.jpg
Line across have been scribed and now starts the tedious part as every stone must be scribed around. This way each stone will be different and rows a bit skewed.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/walkways%20008.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/walkways%20009.jpg
First version done. It looks rather symmetrical but I add more chaos to it later:)
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/walkways%20010.jpg

Niko

[Jakub Talib Jastrzębski]

This Puma from Mars is a very good piece of resin. I like your model :)

Also base looks fantastic, so far.

[Finnmodeler]

Originally posted by Jakub Talib Jastrzębski@Apr 10 2005, 07:57 AM
This Puma from Mars is a very good piece of resin. I like your model :)

Also base looks fantastic, so far.
Hi,
you are right, Mars version is excellent. Only setback is closed hatches. More pics will come as I get washes etc. done.

Base is getting along nicely, too. I've painted it once now with Vallejo grey and start painting actual colors soon.

Thank you for praises :)

Niko

[Stuke Sowle]

Excellent work on the base (oh and the model too :) ). It's amazing what one can do with some ingenuity!

I look forward to seeing how it looks under some paint.

[Donovan]

Very nice job. You've seen mine on the board no doubt and I can say that both the Mars and Hase have their good and bad points. One thing I would like very much to have had in the Hase kit was smoke dischargers like yours. They look so much better.

As for pics, have you tried using Apeture Exposure setting on your camera? If you have this option then use a tripod and this setting with the cameras timer and you will get more in focus. Send me PM if you have questions about this and I'll be glad to see if I can help.

I love the base, I need to save this thread so I can use that technique before I forget it, it looks very convincing to me.

Cheers,
Christopher

[Finnmodeler]

Now I really wanted to get base done or at least to have it on good momentum. I decided not to start thinking forever colors etc.

I used all the time Vallejo colors as due to the working conditions, odours are not preferable:D I mixed colors, thinner and slow dry allowing me to work with different shades quite a long time.
Here all parts are painted with dark gray and glued to base with white glue. As you may have noticed I lowered height of base.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base%20005.jpg
This is where things started to go wrong. I tried to add medium gray drybrushing but it didn't go as planned. I started painting stones one by one.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base%20010.jpg
Not even in halfway yet!
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base%20011.jpg
Different colors mixed in jar and stones painted randomly to get an even color chaos.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base%20012.jpg
After an hour and half of brushing and mixing colors this is the result. I'm not sure if if looks good or just like s**t.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base%20014.jpg
Puma fitted to street. It looks very odd as colors don't blend in at all. Lot of work ahead with this project still.
By the way, I tried using landscape program in my camera when taking these pics. It actually helped with focusing.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base%20017.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base%20018.jpg

Please give your honest opinion regarding coloring etc:) It's not ready yet, I have to add wash or similar to tone it down.

Niko

[Finnmodeler]

Originally posted by Donovan@Apr 11 2005, 12:50 PM
As for pics, have you tried using Apeture Exposure setting on your camera? If you have this option then use a tripod and this setting with the cameras timer and you will get more in focus. Send me PM if you have questions about this and I'll be glad to see if I can help.

I love the base, I need to save this thread so I can use that technique before I forget it, it looks very convincing to me.

Cheers,
Christopher
Hi,
I tried using landscape program and it helped, at least I think so :) Next I will try to use tripod and timer to get better pics.
And thanks for your comments :)

Niko

[Donovan]

Niko,

I like your base a lot, but I agree with you about the colors, something doesn't feel right looking at it. I don't know what to suggest because I've neve done a street before but maybe a wash on the street and some dust and dirt. And I don't know what you plan on adding to the scene but maybe a lamp post or something to help with scale and life?

Someting I have a question about. Where did you get you star antenna? Did you make it or buy it? Either way I'd like to know how you did it, I still need to make one for mine or find a PE one.

Cheers,
Christopher

[Finnmodeler]

Originally posted by Donovan@Apr 11 2005, 06:27 PM
Niko,

I like your base a lot, but I agree with you about the colors, something doesn't feel right looking at it. I don't know what to suggest because I've neve done a street before but maybe a wash on the street and some dust and dirt. And I don't know what you plan on adding to the scene but maybe a lamp post or something to help with scale and life?

Someting I have a question about. Where did you get you star antenna? Did you make it or buy it? Either way I'd like to know how you did it, I still need to make one for mine or find a PE one.

Cheers,
Christopher
Hi Donovan!

Yes, street definately needs work, perhaps wet pigment treatment, washes. Can Vallejos be used for washes or filters?
About lamp post: I was planning the same. Also few figures are in in the list but we'll se about that :)
Star antenna came with the Mars kit. As you can see, it is not flat as it was in real life. I've been working on scratch build star antenna, I can show pics here how is that going. Perhaps there will be a PE one when Eduard releases(if they ever) PE set for Hasegawa Puma.

Niko

[Finnmodeler]

Last night I was busy toning down colors of stones. Also Puma got some treatment. Unfortunately it was painted with flat colors so it's a bit of a challenge to wash it.

Puma's exhausts were "painted" with rust pigments and some rain streaks were added with very thin Vallejo colors. Unfortunately it wasn't thin enough as turret's rain streaks are way too visible. I'll try to fix that later as well as will add scratches etc.

I added filters to both model and base with Humbrol colors. I think base succeeded better. Other than filters I added only Migments mixed with turpenoid to base. Depending on color I added migments either all area of stones or in places. Walkways were treated similarily with wet pigments. I will add dry pigments as a final touch to simulate dust and sand.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base2%20001.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base2%20002.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma_base2%20003.jpg

Niko

[Finnmodeler]

As was suggested to me and I agreed on that something should be added to street like lamp. I did search from local hobby shops for suitable street lamp but came out empty. For some reason there were no early 20th century street lamps in railway modelling scene:) So only option was to scratch build one. I had one in mind already from Concord Publication's Panzer-division 35-45, The early years. There is a good pic of one which I used as an inspiration. It was clear that I have no skills to make any ornaments etc. to lamp, just a basic construction.

I started with plastic tubes to find out right size for frame. It would be very basic with 3 different thicknesses.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/streetlamp1.jpg
Most difficult part is round glass part. I didn't see any other solution but clear plastic heated with lighter and pushed over a sharp end of a file. It succeeced quite well, in pic you can see stretched plastic.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/streetlamp2.jpg
With punch and die set I punched right size base for glass. I pushed carefully base part inside clear tube and super glued it in place. After drying I cut clear part from below base and in pic you can see the result.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/streetlamp3.jpg
Lamp needs a hat so similar technique to the rescue. Crayon had a suitable enough shape to use for hat part. Again clear plastic, it of course could have been normal plastic, pushed over crayon. Cutting to correct size was quite easy with new model blade.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/streetlamp4.jpg
Lamp glued to base. I drilled carefully a hole to plaster walkway, dipped lamp to super glue and put it in place.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/streetlamp5.jpg

Painting next:)

Niko

[Finnmodeler]

As hunger grows while eating, I found these:D

Extratech bicycle. That's a perfect cliche to any dio.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/bicycle.jpg

Mig productions Fallschmidtjäger's. If time allows I'll add these, too. Would be first figures ever shown in public:D
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/figures.jpg


Niko

[Finnmodeler]

This diorama gets a small update. I've been trying to make a story here and now I think I got one. Puma's crew is waiting to get orders for next assignment. It's a hot summer day in a small French village so crew is sitting outside of vehicle. Finally a dispatcher arrives with his bike and gives orders to commander. Bicycle in pin is not the one that messenger is using:D Fuel shortage is not that big yet.
I'm not sure yet but I propably leave bicycle out. Iwas going to use other figs too but maybe the space isn't quite enough.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/figures%20003%20(Medium).jpg

http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/figures%20004%20(Medium).jpg

Cheers,
Niko

[Finnmodeler]

Finally in a state of mind that something has to be done or this won't be ready in time! Inspired by Stuke in his Hotchkiss project I started doing local washes that helped a lot. No progress pics, only few of final result. Next some dry brushing and some chips.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma2%20001%20(Medium).jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma2%20002%20(Medium).jpg

Figures got some painting like Vallejo skintone base and shading to their clothes. Can't see much as pics or figs:D are so small.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma2%20004%20(Medium).jpg

Niko

[Finnmodeler]

This is the situ at the moment. I refined the base with old newspaper pics, some parts must be painted and filled as styrofoam is showing through. Figures are more or less painted, some detail paintings as well as patching.
Puma is also getting to be done, finally:D Dry dusting and some more finishing touches. It's good to take some pics as it shows nicely blemishes in paint job.
Dio composition is quite that in pics. Unfortunately no bike so messenger looks like he has lost something...

http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma3%20007%20(Medium).jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma3%20008%20(Medium).jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma3%20009%20(Medium).jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma3%20010%20(Medium).jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/niko.asposalo/puma/Puma3%20011%20(Medium).jpg


Niko