Clean some dirt, add some dirt!

It was one of those days that you knew Autumn is not that far off. Sunny but the sun low with a little chill in the air. Suddenly all those jobs in the garden that need to be done before Winter come to the forefront. So I did make a start on cleaning the green house. Not much of a start but enough to see how much it needs a clean! Amazing just how dirty the glass gets and just how many spiders make their home in there. I will probably continue battle with the dirt tomorrow - you need to pace yourself with these types of job as I keep telling Mrs. Woody!

Whilst trying to remove dirt from the greenhouse my time with the Ryefield Models T34/122 today ironically has been centered around adding dirt to it. Unlike many modellers who actually know what they are doing and have a tried and tested way of weathering a model my method varies with every model. It makes weathering each model interesting! Anyway on this one I had already gloss varnished the finished paint job and had finished using Citadel Nulin Oil to highlight various features on the tank. Today initially painted the canvas cover to the gun a Military Green which appears to be one of many colours my research suggests that these were. It certainly adds a bit of colour to an otherwise dull tank.

 I followed this up first using a scrap of sponge from the kitchen pan scourer to apply some rust paint randomly around the tank. The idea is that you dip the sponge in the paint, dab it off on some scrap paper so that it is almost dry and then gently push it onto the model in those places where you want rust effects. The texture of the sponge means you get a finish similar to how rust breaks through paintwork. At this point I better make a note to myself to get some new pan scourers once I am testing negative for Covid and allowed back in shops which is hopefully before Mrs. W notices her slightly distressed scourer!

Having done that I then used some weathering powders to further add that all important tonal variation and the all important dirt - you can't have a clean tank!

MIG provided the Sand and Industrial Grime weathering powders whilst Tamiya provided some paste like material from a set I bought years ago and nearly fell over when I found out they were £6.99. Almost sounds like a bargain with todays prices! The MIG powders were applied and then using water to wet them once on the model, This creates a coloured paste and I was then able to use a mixture of brush work and swiping with a cotton bud to 'move' the pastes about and create the effects I wanted. The Tamiya pastes I used to highlight the edges of various items applied with a cotton bud. It took a few hours to do but there are no quick ways to do weathering. It is just about there but I probably need to add some soot to the exhausts and a few more scratches and rust effects.

I have also finished applying the Nulin Oil to the tracks but they still need some more work on them before being put on the hull. 

Once I get to the point where I decide enough weathering has been done I will matt varnish everything which will hopefully tone down everything  At this point I am pleased with the way things are going with this tank and enjoying, mostly, the build! Tomorrow it will probably be back to clean some dirt from the green house and add some dirt to the tank!