Taigen Metal Tiger I Kit Build - Page #7

The below picture shows the cable brackets, which were made from Evergreen - White Styrene Strips .250 x .250. The tops of the brackets were made from cardboard.

Before I put the tow cables on the tank, I did weather the tank with a black wash first. The black wash is basically black paint heavily diluted with water. I just used an empty 1/2oz (14.7ml) model master grass paint jar, a drop of black paint and fill the rest with water, then shake really well. Basically the wash is for blending all the colors together so one color doesn’t stand out more than the other. It will also give your tank a dirty look like it has been in action for a while.

One thing I did differently than other models I have done in the past is when I applied the black wash to the tank, I also color sanded it to help add ware and tare to the tanks colors. Also by color sanding, your also creating grit from the sanding, which can be used to add dirt to different area of the tank.

When using your wash on side pieces, like the sides of the turret. Always use a downward stroke to avoid any unwanted paint lines from going the wrong way. Remember, water runs down hill and that’s why you want to use downward strokes with your black wash.

Depending on how dark you want your lighter colors to be may require several coats of the black wash. Shown above is just one application. You will also see water run marks on top of the turret. This is very easily done by using a few drops of the black wash, let the black wash run were it wants to go naturally and just let dry overnight. You will be amazed by the affects you can create by doing this one technique.

After all the black wash has dried, I then started to use my PanPastel weathering colors to add more detail and weathering affects to the Taigen Tiger I tank, like rust, grime and soot. The PanPastel weathering kits come with a padded applicator, which are great for blending colors. But I will also be using a stiff brush to get into areas that may be to hard for the padded applicator to get into. The padded applicator I used on flat surfaces like the sides of the tank.

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