Sometimes being a professional is not about the moments when things run on rails, but dealing with issues when the train jumps the tracks, and your precious cargo ends up in the ditch.
18th August 2025
Today should have been straightforward. A nice simple day, that involved little more than some final assembly and then the application of the Jackson’s basecoat. Simple. Easy. Quick.
Except that’s not how it turned out.
I mentioned last week that I often have battles with armour models and that more often than not, I find them a struggle to complete to my satisfaction. Part of that is down to my up and down levels of interest, but mainly, it’s because unlike aircraft, I don’t really have a system that I’m comfortable with when it comes to painting and weathering.
Welcome to today.
I decided early on that I would paint this model using water-based acrylics as a change of pace and in the process, bring into play the ‘hairspray technique’ to allow the application of chips, scuffs and general wear and tear. All was going well enough. Basecoats were on, chipping fluid in place and upper layers of colour in place and dry. All nice and easy. All nice and quick. And then I started to deal with the chipping…
What an absolute shambles. The paint wouldn’t release properly. When it did, the chips were either too big or not big enough. I struggled to keep control and as the paint was worn away, it left a residue over my model that almost completely covered all of the contrast that I’d so carefully applied. Happy, I was not.
At this point the model looked dreadful, so it was great that Liz suggested a walk to clear my head and clear it, it did.
Upon my return I reassessed the finish, covered it over with a Raw Umber shade, dispensed with the chipping fluid and then reinstated the upper green camouflage. As it stands, I’m happy with the paintwork and the recovery that I carried out to ensure the model passed through this less-than-successful stage on its way to completion.
Today has taught me a number of things. Firstly, don’t experiment with ideas when deadlines are tight (which I still do despite knowing it’s a really stupid idea…) and secondly, that sometimes being a professional is not about the moments when things run on rails, but dealing with issues when the train jumps the tracks, and your precious cargo ends up in the ditch.
The morning will bring renewed levels of enthusiasm I am sure, now that the basics are done and drying out. The weathering and details shouldn’t present too many hurdles so long as I stick to what I know and don’t, as I did today, try and be clever.
See you tomorrow.
SPENCER POLLARD'S KIT BOX 
Hi
Looks fab. I rarely do chipping anyway, esp. on OD vehicles, rarely lasted long enough !
Bit of a fad sometimes.
Andrew
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Andrew has a great view point that I’d never considered. Fortunately I rarely do armor myself. The vehicles that I do are usually support vehicles for aircraft and jeeps or kubelwagens, those do get damage and wear but I usually just do minor damage and a fair amount of dirt and grime.
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