I've just finished Tamiya's Bf109E-3. It was painted with Hannants Xtracrylics, given a wash with oils and the matt coat was Gamesworkshop matt varnish applied by brush. Please feel free to post criticisms.





After I started the painting my airbrush died so I had to get a replacement. I bought an Aztek Contempo, I've heard good and bad reports on the Aztek airbrushes but it was the best I could afford. Anyway it seems to have been up to the job.

She's a real beauty mate....well done!

Well whether the airbrush was "up to the job" or not , you certainly were. Nicely done.

That is a great looking 109 Really nice work

Wayne

You could have shown us more pictures of this beautiful and excellent model!

Jean-Luc

Excellent 109 Martin.
1:48?.
Great job on the mottle,really subtle.
Very nice,,and I agree with Jean Luc,,more pictures please
Nige

Yeah, one, why isn't this an "On Display" model .
Great work Martin. The camo is very well done and the whole thing is weathered just right.
Andy

BEAUTIFUL! I can hear the Spitfires scrambling.......

Martin:

You have an excellent 109 here! I'd be interested in hearing how you painted the splotches. Did you use a soft mask, or just freehand?

The overall paintjob is nice and subtle. Your washes don't seem too heavy-handed. Just right.

The only thing that seemed a little out of place to me was the color of the tires. I'm by no means an expert, and perhaps others will prove me wrong, but they seem a bit flat in color and almost too gray. Maybe it's the starkness between the dark hub and the tire, but I think they could use a little darkening.

Thanks for sharing your beautiful work with us!

John

Martin,

Great job, thanks for sharing your build.

Oh yeah, I agree with Jean-Luc more pictures please.

Many thanks for all your kind comments.




I used the airbrush freehand to do random splotches along the fuselage sides using dark green RLM71. I then went back over them with the base colour light blue RLM76 to tighten them up a bit. (The third camo colour was RLM02.)




You are right. I used my normal dark grey for the tyres but the gloss black wheel hubs seem to make it appear too light.




Neither the model nor the photos are good enough.




OK here's a couple more.

Hi Martin!

This is was one of the first things you learn in an Art School. The same grey doesn't appear to be the same when the background is different.



The "Pointillist" painters like Seurat used this "anomaly" to make their masterpieces. Take a look at the way the artist painted the water in different shades.



The perception of the color is always influenced by the surrounding colors. If you add the quality of the paint used, the amount of paint used, the transparency of it, the lighting conditions, the atmospheric perspective, the weathering, the cleanliness or dirtiness etc... you will soon realize why I don't worry to much about that "exact shade of OD". It's always a question of perspective... and sometimes you try to please people who are color blind, have a bad eyesight and look at your models through a computer monitor which is not correctly calibrated.

I don't say that to for you John! You point about the tyres is valid.

Martin, based on the remarks you've got for your model, this could well become the next "On Display" model... maybe with a nice base!

Jean-Luc

Not True!
Go for it. We all want more, more, more

Lovin' the 109, brandyoguk!

Hi Martin

She's a beauty! And neat work with the new airbrush - it's not always easy switching to a new type.

One point I noticed in the first pics (it's not so apparent in the later ones) is that the antenna mast looks slightly bent back. You could also add the cable midway along the wire which ran down to the fuselage as the icing on the cake.

I certainly think this is "On Display" quality - despite your protestations to the contrary!

All the best

Rowan