Miniart T-70

This is my Miniart T-70. I built it about 2years ago, leaving the tracks, fenders, mantlet, wheels, exhausts, stowage bin, drivers hatch and turret hatch off for ease of painting. The parts I did build went together superbly and have excellent detail. The exhausts had been stippled with Games Workshop's Liquid Green Stuff to give a rough texture. The pipes had strips of masking tape wound round them to recreate the insulation. I altered the right side of the hull so the T-70 only featured 1 stowage bin as I have plans to use the space it would have occupied for jerry can storage. Two tiny pieces of wire were used to add wiring to the small lights. This may not be accurate, but I am one of those people who are'nt too bothered about the vehicle being perfect in terms of accuracy.
Anyway, it had been sitting in it's box for, as I said, the past two years, but this week I decided to finish it. I base coated it Halfords Grey primer, followed by Vallejo Black/Grey in the corners and panel lines. Then, Vallejo Olive Green was sprayed in the centers of the panels. Finally, Vallejo Russian Green mixed with the Olive Green was dusted over the vehicle. This gave the model a basic depth, providing false shadow. It was then coated in Vallejo Matt Varnish to seal it prior to oils, etc.
Firstly I painted all the rivets and some small details a lighter colour than the base tone to begin my attempt of colour modulation. Sin Industries's 'Green for Bright Green' filter was used on some parts such as the pistol port on the turret hatch. This adds some tonal variation. Washes of black and brown were then applied into panel lines and around rivets, giving some further depth. The tools were painted a light woody colour. After this had dried, reddy/brown acrylic, slightly diluted with water was applied. As it started to dry, the part of the tool that would be held by the crew was wiped as to reveal the new wood colour beneath. The metal of tools were painted a black/steel colour then a sharp pencil was used to create a sheen to the the tips of blades etc.The wires to the lights was painted red, again, maybe not totally accurate but adds some colour. The markings (as you can tell due to the bad quality) were hand painted in oils. To try and protect them and the previously applied pin washes from being streaked, the model was again varnished. I do have a vast supply of Soviet markings but felt like having a go at doing my own since this whole project is just for practice, testing techniques that may get used on my more important Modern Russian kits, if they work. Chipping was achieved by painting the outline of the chip in Vallejo Olive Green, then filling in the middle with a dark grey colour.This was done prior to heavy weathering so that the grime and dirt would blend and subdue the starkness of the chips. To obtain a streaking, aged effect, Abteilung oils were used, being dotted onto large surfaces and pulled down by a large, flat brushe slightly dampened in thinners. I accidently used too much black on the front glacis, as a result making it far too dark. I dipped a brush in thinners and coated the surfaces I wanted to lightened in it. I then took the corner of my modelling T-shirt and scrubbed vertically. This cleaned the area either side of the driver's hatch but left the area bellow the driver's hatch suitably dirty, something  I was going to try and recreate anyway! Stains around the caps behind the turret were made by firstly adding a small amount of thinners to black oil paint and dabbing it round the edges of said caps. Various intensities of this mixture were created and applied after each coat had dried so to build up layers of stains. A couple of lighter stains were also applied on the area surrounding the caps. Then Abteilung 'Engine Grease' was mixed with Tamiya Clear, thinned and added to the caps. After being allowed to dry a little, one greasy stain was dragged down over the panel where the spare wheel would go. Unfortunately the wheel covered most of this. Black stains were also added to where the exhaust pipes connect to the body. Running black streaks coming down from the large, long vent were made in a similar way except less diluted. The tape round the exhaust pipes were dry brushed Games Workshop's
Citadel Dry-Long beard Grey. One new technique I did try was 'Speckling' as named by the great Adam Wilder. I read about it in Issue 66 of AFV Modeller. It is basically consists of mixing a tone slightly lighter than the base and flicking it over the model. A rust colour may then be used to enhance chipping further. Adam  uses a number of consistencies to achieve different intensities of chipping, etc and it looks AMAZING. He recommends using enamels, but me, being unfamiliar with them chose to stick with oils. I only used one consistency for each colour as it was the first I had ever tried it. I am very pleased with the way it turned out. Although being scarcely visible, it does definitely add to the over all appearance. I am going to try and practice it more so I may attempt to exploit it's full potential which Mr.Wilder so teasingly demonstrates. The whole model was then dry brushed with Vallejo Olive Green, making the edges look worn. Mig 'Russian Earth' was then applied to most to the tank in a liberal fashion. The mud was a mix of polyfiller, fine dust, static grass,oil paint and pigment. This was then applied to the lower hull and left to dry. Pigments were then added to darken it. The thicker collections of mud, e.g. around the attachment points for the suspension arms, were made darker to represent damper mud. Mud was also applied to the tracks, being generous and then wiping the top of the track leaving it in the tread. This was made lighter than the mud on the hull as there was less of it, there for drying quicker and turning light brown. Mig 'Rubble Dust' was used for this. The painting of the exhaust was rather complicated and I am still not happy with it. I cant actually remember what I did! The insides of the hatches were painted white, chipped with green and then pigment was applied in the corners to represent dirt accumulation. To finsh off, everything was stuck together and the wheels were spattered with oil paint. From base coat to final construction only took 4 days and I ma fairly happy with it. The only things I am unsatisfyed with are the exhausts and the markings. I may weather the exhausts further, adding more rust. I will also have to practice my markings! :)
The two crew figure posing with the tank are from Miniart's 'Soviet Tank Crew at Rest'.

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