** Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican - Just Made it. Phew! **

If you have to ask, well ....
Runs April 1st to 30th. Your GB Leader is Lancfan
User avatar
Clashcityrocker
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 10781
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:31 am
Location: Adelaide. South Australia

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by Clashcityrocker »

Looks great. How do you determine the size of your instructions to use as paint masks?

Nigel
User avatar
Martin R
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4695
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:53 am

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by Martin R »

Clashcityrocker wrote:Looks great. How do you determine the size of your instructions to use as paint masks?

Nigel
Thanks, Nigel!

What I do is measure the wingspan and the total length of the kit, then measure the same dimensions on the painting guide.

Then I work out the ratio: wingspan of kit / wingspan on painting guide and total length of kit / total length on painting guide. I then get two quite similar numbers (if I don't, I've made a mistake!). In the Spitfire's case, the ratios came out about 1.60 (or, as a percentage, 160%). Then, if you have an enlarging photocopier (which I have), you just type the figure 160 as the percentage enlargement (it's usually quoted as a percentage) in the appropriate sub-menu.

Three things to think about:

1) It's easier to work with slightly over scale results (you just cut a bit inside the demarcation line), so it's often a good idea to give yourself a bit of margin on the size, so if I'd been concerned by this, I might have used the ratio 163% (say) in the photocopier.

2) For enlargement, you often don't get the full original sheet reproduced, so you have to do multiple copies moving the original about on the photocopier platten to ensure you get all the views reproduced,

3) If the painting guide is sufficiently small compared to the kit, the photocopier sometimes doesn't have sufficient enlargement capability. In that case, you just have to enlarge in two steps. For instance if you wanted to enlarge by 2.25 times (ie 225%) and your photocopier only allows enlargement up to 200%, just work out a two step enlargement so that you can do that. As an example, 1.5 * 1.5 = 2.25, so you could just enlarge by 150% and then enlarge that copy again by 150%.

Hope that helps and is of interest.

regards,

Martin
User avatar
Martin R
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4695
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:53 am

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by Martin R »

So, I've sharpened up the demarcation in some places, and blurred it in others. I then used Micromesh to polish down the rather gritty feel of the dark earth, followed by a few brushed coats of klear. I also added the undercarriage, which leaves us here:

Image

Image

Tomorrow, some more klear and some decals, perhaps.

Thanks for looking.

regards,

Martin
Martin R

"the 'R' stands for 'Representative'."
User avatar
TimJ
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4282
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:54 am
Location: Oldbury, West Midlands

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by TimJ »

Nice job on the paintwork.
2020 A:35 B:18. 2021 A: 51 B:25 C:21 2022 A:63 B:23 C:11 2024 A:4 B:4 C:13
User avatar
Clashcityrocker
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 10781
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:31 am
Location: Adelaide. South Australia

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by Clashcityrocker »

Great looking camo.


Nigel
User avatar
BlohmWolf
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 2355
Joined: May 15th, 2013, 11:21 pm
Location: Down under, TAS.

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by BlohmWolf »

Thats really smooth paintwork Martin.
"Can not finish a model at all"

"You can get more of what you want, with a kind word and a wallet, than just a kind word".

Currently Building: FROG Wildcat, Fokker DR1 Red baron and some other things...
User avatar
Martin R
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4695
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:53 am

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by Martin R »

Many thanks, chaps. I really appreciate the feedback!

regards,

Martin
Martin R

"the 'R' stands for 'Representative'."
User avatar
VickersVandal
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4991
Joined: October 4th, 2012, 3:37 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by VickersVandal »

Ooh-la-la! 8-)

Very crisp!
Must.....build....ALL the Sopwith Camels!...

My Biggles Model display website: https://tinyurl.com/y74ydzae
User avatar
DazDaMan
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 5643
Joined: March 7th, 2012, 3:45 pm
Location: Penicuik

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by DazDaMan »

Very nice indeed!
Daren

Half-assed Spitfire builder!
User avatar
lancfan
Avro's Rivet Rhapsodizer
Posts: 8755
Joined: May 2nd, 2011, 3:55 pm
Location: Nelson, Lancashire

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by lancfan »

Fantastic finish Martin.

David.
David.

If you forget the past, you may lose the future.
User avatar
Martin R
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4695
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:53 am

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by Martin R »

Main decals on. The carrier film is quite matt, but after multiple coats of Micro-set, I can't see too much silvering (touch wood). The colour density is nothing special, either, with the MSG being very washed out and the white being quite see-through. I may have to invest in some AM decals. On the plus side, they went on well, and were quite robust.

I'll let what's on dry, then do some of the stencilling tomorrow, just to make it look a bit busier.

Image

Image

Thanks for looking.

regards,

Martin
User avatar
DazDaMan
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 5643
Joined: March 7th, 2012, 3:45 pm
Location: Penicuik

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by DazDaMan »

Looking good!
Daren

Half-assed Spitfire builder!
User avatar
TimJ
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 4282
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:54 am
Location: Oldbury, West Midlands

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by TimJ »

Very nice.
2020 A:35 B:18. 2021 A: 51 B:25 C:21 2022 A:63 B:23 C:11 2024 A:4 B:4 C:13
K5083
Active Participant
Posts: 943
Joined: May 7th, 2011, 2:20 am
Contact:

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by K5083 »

Looks fine from here. The MSG looks about right for MSG, although I'm surprised the codes on the original weren't white, given the lack of contrast with the mid-stone which your model accurately shows. The camo looks terrific. I don't think stars n bars ever did much for the looks of the Spit but yours is a fine specimen.

August
A good model is any model you can walk away from.
User avatar
Old_Tonto
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 8049
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:41 pm
Location: Middlesbrough, Peoples Republic of Teesside.

Re: Martin's Mediterranean 'Merican

Post by Old_Tonto »

Very sharp Martin. There is something about Spitfires with stars that just look sexy.

Very impressed with your paper masks. I will give it a go some time.
2023 - A:0 B:0 C:0
Current Projects:
East German Air Force (1956-90)
South African Air Force (1958-93)
Locked

Return to “You Can Never Have Too Many ... GB”