Blog – Page 10

Interview: Jose Rodriguez of MiG Productions

Nearly a year ago, I connected with Jose Rodriguez of MiG Productions via email. I asked him to answer a few questions for the blog, and he kindly agreed. Interesting stuff, and I’m sure you’ll agree. Thanks, Jose! Sorry it took me so long to get this published! --- Jake: Tell me about yourself...how did you come to start MIG Productions. Jose: I was born in Havana, Cuba in 1962 and immigrated first to Madrid Spain, moved to Barcelona a year latter and then came to the USA in the Summer of 1974. I have been a modeler since I came to this country, and started building the big Monogram 1/32 scale bombers. I started my Tiger Productions Diorama Products cottage industry company back in 1993 to try and fill voids in the scenery market. I started first with only plaster based products such as buildings, cobble stone streets, rubble and [...]

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00July 28th, 2014|Modeling thoughts|0 Comments

Tank Art 3 Book: And the winner is….

Drum roll please...... The winner of the Tank Art 3 book is Aaron ! Aaron will be getting his book in the mail shortly. Thanks again to Rinaldi Studio Press for their kind support! And don't forget to watch the blog. I'll be running another Monday Giveaway soon... maybe as soon as ... Monday! (Methodology: Counted the number of submissions, used Random.org to randomly select a number between 1 and 13, then counted down the number of comments from the top.)

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00July 25th, 2014|Contests|1 Comment

Friday Finds: July 25, 2014

I skipped last week's links due to vacation. So I'll try to make it up this week! Have you wondered why you can't find the high quality sable brushes? Now you know. One of the local club members turned me on to these tiny (and I mean tiny) LEDs. Can't wait to put them to use! Check out the full line. They have some super cool stuff. Check out this cool "third hand" tool, FixO. The Armorama review is pretty positive, so pop over and support the crowdfunding project on Indiego!

By Jake|2014-07-24T17:56:27-05:00July 25th, 2014|Fun Finds|0 Comments

What I’ve learned about painting figures

I've had the luck (and the pleasure) of having met Bob Bethea, a local and amazing figure painter, at my local club meeting. Bob has been incredibly kind and generous with his time as he teaches me the fine art of figuring painting. I recently republished an article Bob had written for our local club newsletter sharing some of his tips on getting start with figuring painting, and if you haven't read it, it's well worth the time. I thought I'd also share the newbie viewpoint on what I've learned. Often, the things that screw up the newbies don't even registered on the minds of the experienced folks. So in no particular order, here's a few of my tips. And remember, this only applies to acrylic paints! Wet palette Don't use the paint trays with small recesses, buy or make a wet palette. Google it for more info, but basically, a [...]

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00July 24th, 2014|Modeling thoughts|0 Comments

Guest Post: Introduction to figure painting

My friend Bob Bethea has been helping me learn the fine art/madness that is figure painting. I've been collecting tips and tricks that I've learned, but he recently published an article in our local Austin Scale Modelers Society club newsletter. It was a great read, and a great overview of the instruction he's been giving me. With permission, I'm republishing here. Thoughts on Figure painting by Bob Bethea For your first figure you should choose one that is well sculpted and of a subject that will keep your interest. A good sculpture will make it EASIER to paint, and the affection for the subject will keep you at it until you finish. The average person feels that they should start on a cheap figure and work up to the "good", expensive ones. That is a total misconception as you cannot make a silk purse from a sow’s ear, as they say. [...]

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00July 23rd, 2014|Guest Post, How to|1 Comment

Great tip: sharp masking tape edges

I found this cool tip when browsing Facebook yesterday. Anyone tried this trick? If you have trouble with paint creeping under masking tape, here is a simple fix. After applying your masking tape, spray the edge of the tape with the color already on the model.This will seal the edge, and any paint that creeps under the tape is the paint that is already there. After the base color dries, spray over the joint with the new color. Remove the tape as soon as the new color is dry to the touch- don't wait for it to cure. This will give you SHARP edges without touch ups!

By Jake|2014-07-21T13:39:51-05:00July 22nd, 2014|How to|0 Comments

Monday giveaway: Tank Art 3

UPDATE: I love the response! I'm extending through Friday. I'll pick a winner then! UPDATE 2: A winner has been selected! Due to a twist of shipping snafu, I find myself in possession of an extra copy of Tank Art 3, the new book from Rinaldi Studios. Rather than sending it back, Rinaldi Studios offered to let me keep it and put it to good use. I've not yet cracked my own copy open yet, but if it's as good as the first two volumes, I'm in for a treat. Or should I say, we are in for a treat. Me, and maybe you, fine reader. That's right, I'm giving away my extra copy to one lucky reader. Entering the contest is easy: Enter a comment below (be sure to leave me your name and email address or else I can't get in contact with you!) Tell me a story about [...]

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00July 21st, 2014|Contests|17 Comments

Friday Finds: July 12, 2014

I missed last week due to an international summer vacation with the family, so I'm going big to make up! It's not armor, but it's amazing! Tutorial for printing your own diorama "title plaques" at home Modeling buckles and straps tutorial Bob Letterman's Sayonara diorama walkthrough Big list of highly rated WWII movies (a bunch on this list I haven't seen... yet!) Impressive gallery of wreckers A gaggle of video tutorials from the Baton Rouge Scale Modelers club Nebelwerfer diorama Strange Series of Photographs Show Hitler Practicing His Body Language Hidden amid the foliage and scrap metal, abandoned fleet of WWII fighter planes lie rotting in the backwoods of Ohio "Battleground" movie figure build

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00July 12th, 2014|Random thoughts|0 Comments

Friday Finds: June 27, 2014

Another batch, here we go! Pink as a camouflage color? Illawarra Plastic Modellers' Association (IPMA) show galleries - Part III - Tanks trucks and troops Better colors for the photos of your models Very cool Opel variant One hell of a diorama! (Forgive me if it's been posted before... it's too cool not to share again!) Cool build log of a scratchbuilt Italian home

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00June 27th, 2014|Random thoughts|0 Comments

Replacing AFV width indicators

If you've built just about any German WWII AFV, you will know the pain of snapping off the width indicators on each fender. I seem to do it multiple times throughout the build process, even if I wait until the very. last. step. of the build process. I do it so much, I apparently don't even notice when I knock them off. This weekend, I looked down at my Sd. Kfz. 7/2 and noticed one of them missing. I searched high and low and couldn't find it. Then as I was checking inside the kit box, I knocked the other one off. I headed to the web to search my sources for turned brass replacements. Voyager makes them, but I'd be waiting a week to get them. After several failed attempts at different techniques, I turned to the forums. By far, the best suggestion was the "dip a rod in paint" method. [...]

By Jake|2016-10-29T19:09:34-05:00June 24th, 2014|How to|0 Comments