Let's continue our series of modeling tips for Flames of War! This series of tips will cover some of the things already mentioned in the podcast, but we think it is important to get these on the site for reference. Enjoy!
Decals: Decals are an excellent way to improve the look of you models. They are available through Battlefront, I94 Enterprises and others. For applying decals, make sure that you have a good pair of tweezers available. I use them to hold the decals in the warm water -- keeps me from burning my hand!
Always use a spray or brush-on Gloss Varnish before adding decals. Finish all of your block painting and highlighting, then put on the gloss. This helps to fight the silvering effect caused by air bubbles under the decal film. After applying the decal and letting it dry, I like to use a Liquid Decal Film to really set the decal in place and make it form over the model. Once that is dry, I use my shades and washes on the model. Finally, I hit the model with Testors Dul Cote -- which is sooo much better than any other matte varnish I have used.
Sponge Bob, Wear Pants: I often like to create a battle-worn appearance to my tanks. This is especially effective when modeling German Armor in the desert, but is also great for the Western Front. Right after I apply gloss and do decals, I like to take a piece of the foam/sponge thingy from the Battlefront blisters and rip a section up so it is rough. I then wrap up the sponge thingy tight and dip the rough end into some paint -- usually Grey -- getting just a little paint on the sponge. Next, I dab the sponge around high-use, high-wear areas to create the impression that the paint has been worn down to the primer.
Don't be afraid to sponge some paint/primer on the decals -- it actually helps to tie them in to the model. Also, do some research on the primer colors - I think a rusty red was popular for German vehicles.
Uses for a Pencil: The simple pencil is a great tool for modeling! For tracks, I like to take a pencil and drag it across the edges just before I matte varnish the model. The pencil graphite is pretty dark, but still somewhat shiny and makes the tracks look worn. I find that most of the silvery metal colors are a bit thick and sometime bright. You can even use the pencil on tools, like hammers, jacks and shovels for a nice effect.
I use the pencil graphite to help my turrets move more smoothly. After a buildup of paint and varnish, your magnetized turrets might stick and catch. What I like to do is run a pencil around the inside rim of the turret hole and also on the turret itself. This is hidden from view and helps the turret move more smoothly.
Above, see the worn grey areas around hatches and where tankers would step up on the tank.
I hope this helps out a few n00bs! If you have some particular tips, how about heading over to the WWPD Forums to share?
