WIP Stalingrad Winter 1943, Street By Street

[pmfs]

This "combat" scene are very dramatic and intense.

Hi again David!

Great scene mate, 120mm.
Waiting to see this beauty painted.

 

[Dr Force]

Hey Guys, thanks for all your support, this has been a tough build so far, but I think and hope I have got the scene to work in respect of the drama that is unfolding and the replication of the the street by street fighting.

I now have some time to add the tiny details that add so much, like the hinge on the blown through window opener (which you probably cannot see on the pics) the broken glass, the odd cup, conduit etc

It's a big model but I just love this scale so it suits me, but I recognise the challenges that lay ahead for the painting, however we are here to push ourselves to improve and that is what I want to do.

As my favourite period is WWII I am thinking about creating my own website specialising in the history of the great battles of the War through the eyes of my figure models, accompanied by text and historical data.

My aim is to scratch build everything, including the figures so I'm here for the long haul....................thanks so far to all of you for your help and encouragement.

Dave

 

[Dr Force]

I decided that the A frame cable reel was a lot of work but I loved Jason's idea of the soldiers laying it before being caught out by a Russian shot, so i did a bit of research and found they also made handmade ones that stretched for around 1km, so I made this, ready for primeing, not 100% accurate but not far off:-

 

[1969]

just the job mate and a lovely bit of scratch work there, should tell the story perfectly and will be a great asset to the scene.

Steve

 

[JasonB]

I decided that the A frame cable reel was a lot of work but I loved Jason's idea of the soldiers laying it before being caught out by a Russian shot, so i did a bit of research and found they also made handmade ones that stretched for around 1km, so I made this, ready for primeing, not 100% accurate but not far off:-

Yep, I was thumbing through my awesome reference book "German Cable Dispensing Devices of WWII, Heer edition " and saw some inaccuracies in yours. I think yours might represent the SS style...

Thats awesome, and nice solution. I was looking at the backpack cable reel, and could they have made that thing any more complicated for what it did? Seriously, was a wooden spool just not advanced enough for them??? The thing is, now I want to make one just because its so...mechanical...for the want of a better word. Nice work, yours fits the bill perfectly.
And btw, if there is a reference book as entitled above, I would not be surprised in the least!

 

[Dr Force]

Yep, I was thumbing through my awesome reference book "German Cable Dispensing Devices of WWII, Heer edition " and saw some inaccuracies in yours. I think yours might represent the SS style...

Thats awesome, and nice solution. I was looking at the backpack cable reel, and could they have made that thing any more complicated for what it did? Seriously, was a wooden spool just not advanced enough for them??? The thing is, now I want to make one just because its so...mechanical...for the want of a better word. Nice work, yours fits the bill perfectly.
And btw, if there is a reference book as entitled above, I would not be surprised in the least!

Lol

I think there might be a penny washer missing from the turning handle :-P

That A frame contraption must have been so awkward to carry and operate, but it was meant for longer distances so obviously needed more cable and thus easier to tangle.

Anyway i am done now, ready to start painting so will update as I go along.

@ Steve, thanks for your comments, took a long time to do but definately worth the effort.


Thanks
Dave

 

[Dr Force]

Tiny bit of progress on the painting front.

Managed to paint the cable dispenser and most of the wood, took a long time but I am quite pleased with the results.

I thought a darker wood would be better due to the cold/damp conditions I did not want to have a dry looking wood in the middle of the russian winter:-

 

[Ferris]

Nice progress David.
So you see, I'm still following!
And eager to see your continuation of this project.

Adrian

 

[JasonB]

Hey Dave,
Would the wire on the reel be bare copper, or is there more painting to be done? I would think it would have some sort of insulation to prevent shorting, but thats just an assumption on my part.
Just my opinion on the wood (and we know what opinions are like ) I think a more gray, washed out wood gives more sense of bleakness and cold, whereas the darker, richer wood seems more fresh and warm, like a freshly cut tree. I would think that in Stalingrad, with the temps as cold as they were, it would be a rather dry atmosphere even with the snow. I wouldn't think it would melt much at all. I don't think theres anything wrong with the wood as you have painted it, and it looks very good, just that I think an impression of freezing temps and misery are reinforced with washed out and dull colors. Can't wait to see more, keep up the great work
Cheers
Jason

 

[Dr Force]

Hi Jay

Thanks for your feedback.

Still more painting to be done on the cable, I'll just do a paynes grey wash to take the obvious copper look away.

I thought long and hard about the wood, and looked up several types in different conditions and found the washed out wood is reflective of arid conditions that have been subject to heat, whereas the darker wood looks new because moisture (frozen or otherwise), keeps it fresh and "alive" hence the deeper browns. The greyer washed out look is more akin to desert/beach conditions (not always of course) but I also want to think about contrast with variable, deeper colours to help bring out any snow in the scene.

I'll experiment with some thin light gey washes to see if it looks better, the same or worse.

@Adrian, I appreciate your visits and comments, it inspires me to crack on so thanks for your support.

Just had a note from the postman to say my international parcel has arrived = 3 quality 120mm figures from Jeff Shui..................happy days.

More pics to follow as I go.

Thanks
Dave

 

[JasonB]

Hi Jay

Thanks for your feedback.

Still more painting to be done on the cable, I'll just do a paynes grey wash to take the obvious copper look away.

I thought long and hard about the wood, and looked up several types in different conditions and found the washed out wood is reflective of arid conditions that have been subject to heat, whereas the darker wood looks new because moisture (frozen or otherwise), keeps it fresh and "alive" hence the deeper browns. The greyer washed out look is more akin to desert/beach conditions (not always of course) but I also want to think about contrast with variable, deeper colours to help bring out any snow in the scene.

I'll experiment with some thin light gey washes to see if it looks better, the same or worse.


Thanks
Dave

Thats cool. Mine was more of an impression than perhaps reality. I look at the in progress pics and think how desolate and destroyed everything looks in gray, and how the figures would pop out from the background, but I see your point. It kind of reminds me of a line from the movie "Platoon", when Chris narrates something along the lines that they are like "ghosts walking through a landscape". I can imagine the Germans felt the same way. Looking forward to more, it inspires me to try and accomplish something with my collection of figures, most bought with an idea to use them in a scene of some sort, but I've never gotten to that point.
Cheers
Jason

 

[Dr Force]

It's often difficult to place colours in a scene when you are doing bit by bit because your mind has a picture of the whole thing so choosing "correct" colours or washes in the early stage is a challenge.

I have just begun the basic oil wash for the groundwork with a thin burnt umber, I'll go over this with a slightly lighter version (add a bit of yellow ochre) so it does not look so harsh.

Thanks
Dave

 

[Dr Force]

Basic groundwork painted ready to do the scattered/broken bricks and add some more highlights where needed.

I started off with a nice burnt umber with a hint of paynes grey, this fills in all the crevices and helps bring the rocks "off " the surface. This was put all over and allowed to dry. I then mixed in the burnt umber with some greens and put a lighter wash over the top, I waited for it to dry before adding any further washes which were made up of yellow ochre and dark green.

Once this was allowed to dry I then took some acrylic flat earth and mixed with deck tan to give a sort of cotswold colour to carefully dry brush. After dry brushing a very thin coat of yellow ochre mixed with paynes grey was put over the top to tone down.

There are area's that require some darker washes and further blending but overall the colours are not far off:-

 

[pmfs]

The wood grain are awesome.

 

[Dr Force]

The wood grain are awesome.

Hi and thanks for your comments.

The wood is so eay to do:-

1) get some super sculpy
2) roll out and cut out using a sharp blade and a metal ruler
3) carefully add the grain with the back of the blade
4) using the sharpest edge of the blade run off the side of the sculpy which gives a sort of feathered effect
5) bake in the oven at 130 degrees for 15 minutes
6) run under a cold tap to harden
7) once dry prime it up
8)Add a mix of burnt umber,yellow ochre oil washes at various shades (the darkest first)
9) Take acrylic deck tan and dry brush (very lightly) all the raised area's
10) Final coat of a very thin dark green to tone down

It is not difficult at all and I hope if you use this technique that it will serve you well.

I'll carry on with the groundwork today, blending and adding final washes.

 

[1969]

Nice to see some colour coming into the scene now Dave, looking good so far mate, at this rate you should be finished by end of the month

Steve

 

[Dr Force]

Nice to see some colour coming into the scene now Dave, looking good so far mate, at this rate you should be finished by end of the month

Steve

That is a good target Steve.

It's the figures that take the most time to paint though as the groundwork and incidentals allows a sort of free license with the brush, but figures take careful blending and much more attention to detail.

I've started on the bricks now after adding further highlights on the rocks and it's starting to take shape.

Appreciate the support mate

 

[Dr Force]

Made a start on the bricks and also wanted to show the 3 figures I have added to my collection in anticipation of future works:-

 

[Ferris]

Nice progress and purchases David.
Beautiful figures.
I have the two at the right and am just about ready to prime the running one.
Will post my work on him soon.

Cheers,
Adrian

 

[Dr Force]

Nice progress and purchases David.
Beautiful figures.
I have the two at the right and am just about ready to prime the running one.
Will post my work on him soon.

Cheers,
Adrian

Hi Adrian

The Jeff shui figures are simply stunning in detail and fine clothing, probably the best I have seen. I hope he continues to release further figures in the future because they do not get better than this.

The arm and hand on the "opeation Barbarossa" figure are so realistic, it's a must buy for any serious WW2 figure painting at this scale.

I have added another wash to the bricks (slightly deeper brick red) but it is time consuming so progress is slow at the moment.

Thanks for dropping by.

Dave