Dynamo Models - SS-s Pz.Abt., 101 Normandy, 1944

Moving on to the second "half" figure from the set. 

 Cheers,

Calvin

Tamiya Pro II Brushes

This is my overview of the Tamiya Pro II brush set.

As you can observe below, the Tamiya Pro II is similar in design to the W&N Series 7 brushes. It is an economical alternative to the more exorbitant (and unfortunately less reliable) W&N Series 7 brushes.

 

Cheers,

Calvin

What Brushes Do I Use?

I’m often asked about my go-to tools, so I wanted to break down my brush kit for you. 

My workflow relies on three main types: round, flat, and filbert brushes. For flat and filbert brushes, I’m not loyal to any specific brand. Since I use these primarily for general coverage and aggressive dry brushing, I treat them as 'expendable assets'. They take a beating, so the bristle quality is less important than the price tag. I stick to affordable synthetic bristles that I can replace without guilt. 

Round brushes are a different story entirely—I view them as a long-term investment. A poor-quality round brush with a splitting tip is a nightmare that wastes time and ruins fine details. Being a 'prudent artist', I look for the sweet spot between high-end performance and reasonable cost. While some European brands are difficult (and expensive) to source here in Asia, I’ve found my perfect balance with Tamiya Pro II and Nevskaya Palitra. For me, these two brands offer the best precision for the price."

Tamiya Pro II - Kolinsky Sable

Nevskaya Palitra - Kolinsky Sable

That is all for now; in my next post I will elaborate on the performance of these two brushes. So stay tuned...

Cheers,

Calvin

SS-Sturmbannführer, KG-LSSAH, Kamenets–Podolsky Pocket, 1944

Here is another piece completed for this month of January. What started out as a side quest got completed ahead of my box art assignment. This is the first time I experimented with AK Quick Gen paints to render the U-Boat leather jacket. I found it relatively quicker and easier to replicate the black leather effects as compared to using artist inks. Employing AK's Ultra Matt Varnish as a painting medium has been a game changer for me to achieve smooth tonal transitions without struggling with watermarks.

The groundwork consists of sandbags from MiniArt Models (skinned with Super Fine Milliput). The frost is recreated with glass powder secured with AK Ultra Matt Varnish. Tellermine and containers are from HD Models. 

Cheers,

Calvin

SS-Sturmbannführer, KG-LSSAH, Kamenets–Podolsky Pocket, 1944

The groundwork is coming along. Tellermines are from HD Models. Sandbags from Miniart. 

Cheers,

Calvin

SS-Sturmbannführer, KG-LSSAH, Kamenets–Podolsky Pocket, 1944

As the enthusiasm for the box art assignment for Dynamo Models started to wane, a side quest appeared. The premise was simple: I attached the spare head from Alpine Miniatures 35324 WSS Grenadier & Flare Gun on the body of 35075 Joachim Peiper in the Ardennes and a new idea was conceived. Such is the bane of an overactive imagination.

The Oak Leaf pattern(Spring/Summer) is undercoated with a 4:1:1 mixture of Waffen Red Brown and Light Earth and Deep Orange. Highlighting is done by increasing the proportion of Light Earth. The light green areas are painted with a 3:1 mixture of Light Green and Golden Olive, and outlined with two tones of green. The first is Waffen Green and the second is a 1:2 mixture of Tenebrous Grey and AK Quick Gen Field Grey.  

That's all for now. I will start planning on the groundwork before proceeding further with the painting.

Cheers,

Calvin

Dynamo Models - SS-s Pz.Abt., 101 Normandy, 1944

The first figure from Dynamo Model's #35DM108 WSS-Tiger "222" Crew Normandy 1944 (Big Set) is completed. Moving forward to the other three figures (2 full and one 1/4 for the driver.)

Cheers,

Calvin