Chapterhouse studios rapid response Chimera Conversion

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Hey people! A few weeks back I picked up a conversion kit from Chapterhouse Studios. I got it in the mail after just a couple days, and boy was I pleased. This kit is really nice. The details are crisp and clean. The parts were straight. Not a bubble or hole in sight. There was also very little flash. Some material needed to be removed for it to fit on the chassis just right, but it was just making a few small internal adjustments. Check out the pics and let me know what you think.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n248/Fade_13/DSC00334.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n248/Fade_13/DSC00331.jpg

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http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n248/Fade_13/DSC00332.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n248/Fade_13/DSC00333.jpg

[Multigeneral]

OK, see, that's dead sexy that is!!

[Denzark]

This is better than the one they use to advertise the kit with!

Awesome tanking skills, I take it you have read IA Masterclass?

[Gotthammer]

That looks really good - making me consider getting a Chimera just to use the wheels on it.

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This is better than the one they use to advertise the kit with!

Awesome tanking skills, I take it you have read IA Masterclass?

Read it, absorbed it, love it, live it. That book was the most influential thing I can think of when it comes to how I paint.

Thanks for the comment!

[JxKxR]

That is an EPIC paint job! Thanks for sharing. How long did it take for you to paint it from start to finish?

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That is an EPIC paint job! Thanks for sharing. How long did it take for you to paint it from start to finish?

Good question. I would have to say that it took me about 4-5 hours. I have done tons of vehicles so I have the steps down to a science. I lay out everything I need for each step before hand and have a picture of it in my mind as i'm working. As for the steps,
1. clean and assemble
2. spray primer
3. brush primer very thin coat
4. airbrush grey base and highlight
5. tape off camo stripes
6. airbrush stripe color and highlight
7. paint metal bitz black then base and highlight, apply decals while waiting for parts to dry
8. sponge on battle damage
9. airbrush gloss coat (future floor polish)
10. Oil wash (black and brown)
11. blend oil wash and add pigment streaks and rust (if any)
12. matte spray
13. finish all bitz (lenses, gun housing, etc.)
14. matte spray
15. tracks, tires, dust effects etc

It may seem quick to do all that in just a few hours, but I find that the longer I fiddle with something the worse it looks. Thanks for the comment!

[fuzzbuket]

apart from the fact the wheels look like they are from a toy that is one awsome tank :)! the painting is amazing and really realistic!

[Meph]

Hurray for wheeled APCS's. Nice paintjob mate.

[Psyberwolfe]

Nice tank. I noticed you have some decal silvering. You can fix that by applying the decals after the gloss coat and by using Micro Sol. Other than that great job and I want to see more of your stuff.

[theHman]

WOW!!!
At first I thought it was Chapterhouses studio tank. I was already sold on the tank book from forgeworld, but now I must have it asap!

[dwez]

Nice tank. I noticed you have some decal silvering. You can fix that by applying the decals after the gloss coat and by using Micro Sol. Other than that great job and I want to see more of your stuff.

Do decals always do that [although in this case very minimal], even after a coat of Purity Seal, for instance? I'm doing some Dark Angels and at some point will have to decide whether to decal - neat but potentially obvious or freehand potentially rubbish.

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Do decals always do that [although in this case very minimal], even after a coat of Purity Seal, for instance? I'm doing some Dark Angels and at some point will have to decide whether to decal - neat but potentially obvious or freehand potentially rubbish.

Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. My decals all actually look great until I photo them. It may be something about the harsh sideways light. Or even the settings on my camera. I (and psyberwolfe apparently)
use some products to help out with it. You want to have some gloss on the surface you intend to decal, spray or brush on, doesn't matter, as long as it is smooth and glossy. Get yourself some Micro Set and Micro Sol. They are sold on amazon.com. Micro set is brushed onto the model, it takes care of oils in your paint and gloss coat, it also breaks the surface tension of any water you use for putting on the decal. While it is still damp with micro set, apply your decal. Use a large drybrush and press all the liquid out from under the decal. Then hit it with the micro sol. It really softens up the decal itself, don't leave it on a long time though. About 20 seconds, then press all of it again. When it's dry, just gloss it again. Once that is done do whatever you like, paint around it, battle dmg it, matte coat it once you are done.

Btw, Try to always use fresh decals. I seem to have worse results when the decals have set around more than a year.

[weeble1000]

I would have to say that it took me about 4-5 hours.

Man, it takes me 4-5 hours to clean and assemble a tank, let alone paint it. The model looks great.

How closely/carefully do you trim your decals? Do you have any suggestions about that? I've mostly been doing free hand work on my models, but I'm considering adding decals to my IG infantry.

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Man, it takes me 4-5 hours to clean and assemble a tank, let alone paint it. The model looks great.

How closely/carefully do you trim your decals? Do you have any suggestions about that? I've mostly been doing free hand work on my models, but I'm considering adding decals to my IG infantry.

I trim them pretty close most of the time, Some stuff I do freehand on infantry though. The cadian decals are pretty good for shoulderpads.