The steps are a little out of order here because I wasn't anticipating that I would be documenting this build so thoroughly. The first photo shows the method I used to get the turret numbers painted. The turret has already been camouflaged and weathered. I washed the turret (the whole tank) with Polly Scale Roof Brown and Tarnished Black. These colors are very nice for ageing the finish and popping out details by creating shadows. Instead of dry brushing to bring out highlights, I scrubbed areas with isopropyl alcohol. This is where the clear coat of Krylon came in handy. I also rubbed some graphite powder onto edges and on the lower part of the tank, I dabbed on my typical mix of pastel powders I mention in another article.
The turret numbers were typed in Photoshop and printed onto white label paper. I used a sheet with 2" x 4" lables and just guessed where they would print. I printed a few of each size in case I messed up cutting them with an x-acto. This procedure wasn't too difficult and I kept telling myself that they were supposed to be handpainted looking. I dabbed red paint through the stencil and then I painted white, "hugging" the edges of the stencil, leaving a red center color. I removed the sticker and then began the process of painting red inside of the white and back to white for touching up. The white cel paint I use is ideal for this because it covers dark colors completley with no problem. It did take quite a bit of red/white/red fine tuning but it wasn't terrible and it really did seem to be the best way to get the markings over the Zimmerit. The crosses on the hull worked the same way but were much easier.
The diorama base was created using some wallpaper I found at Lowe's home improvement store. This photo shows the roll. This is another very inexpensive product that will last you a long time. The roll was about $15.00 and it measures 21" x several yards. It comes in a few colors but the tan and ivory are perfect for Mediterranaen colors. It can be painted very easily because it's paper/vinyl. It will stick to your base by soaking it in warm water but you can also use thinned white glue to make it conform better.
This photo shows some quick little bases. The pavers measure out to be about 1' square at 1/32 scale and they are suitable for 1/16 scale. They even look like small cobbles if you want to put a 1/6 scale figure on a base.
This photo shows the Panther base ready for the tank. I cut the phone lines where the treads sit to keep the tank flat on the base. The large size of the stones works nicely with the tank.
I think this product is a very good answer for modelers who want a larger base for their dioramas. It is perfect for our customers who have purchased our North African buildings and who want a continuous street with more depth for their scene. It will also work perfectly with our Northern Italian Church. There's more material on a roll than you are likely to ever use on your models.
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