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6 days ago | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
The Tamiya 1/35 scale H39 French Light Tank plastic model kit captures the updated commander’s cupola and other subtle changes the Germans made after the fall of France. An evolution of the earlier H35, the Hotchkiss H39 featured a more powerful engine and an upgraded 37mm gun. Originally designed as a cavalry tank in pre-World War II France, the Germans repurposed many of these light tanks for security and policing duties.
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Mar 5, 2025 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
The multi-color, pre-World War II scheme on Takom’s 1/35 scale Skoda PA 2 Turtle is depicted beautifully on the box art, which inspired me to replicate it on the model. This build was all about the finish, so I built the model straight out of the box. The first step in finishing the armored vehicle was overall dark gray primer. Using mixes of Tamiya Neutral Grey (No. XF-53) and Flat White (No. XF-2), I painted panels and highlights to obtain the proper preshading and light mapping.
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Aug 22, 2024 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
Germany produced the SdKfz 250/1 from mid-1941 until the end of World War II. With 6,628 produced, it was common in German service. Dragon Models produced just about every variation of the SdKfz 250/1 halftrack, but those kits are now two decades old and more. The new Takom 1/35 scale SdKfz 250/1 plastic model kit is a welcome release and showcases the level of detail possible with today’s technology. The high part count for such a small vehicle tells you this will be a detailed model.
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Jun 25, 2024 | 
finescale.com | chuck davis |David Nelson |Ricardo Dacoba |Robert Raver
See the directory by following this link: http://finescale.com/products-directory
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Apr 25, 2024 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
Small details can often be where we challenge ourselves the most. When finishing painting a Sabot miniatures Viking bust, I learned that archeologists believe tattoos were common among Vikings. Satisfied with the face, I tried giving the warrior a bit of ink on the arm. The arm of the bust is a separate piece. I stopped short of the highlights and blending, but otherwise completed painting the flesh colors. Since the arm was a separate piece, I painted a Viking dragon tattoo wrapped around it.
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Mar 28, 2024 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
Light and shadow are some of the most important elements in figure painting. The depiction of light is essential to establishing contrast, which makes a figure more realistic and visually interesting. I primed this 3D-printed figure with Krylon Camouflage Brown. To determine the best direction of light, shine a small flashlight on your model from various angles. Next, spray a highlighting mix of Tamiya Deck Tan (No. XF-55) and Flat White (No. XF-2).
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Dec 7, 2023 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
Part four in a four-part series, water lilies can complete a scene at the edge of a pond or along a slow-moving creek. Although they are work intensive, making your own water lilies puts you in control of their final appearance and can be quite satisfying to model. I split making water lilies into two parts: first, the lily pads, and then the flowers. Start with punching out discs of green construction paper with a punch-and-die set.
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Nov 30, 2023 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
Part 3 in a four-part series, get creative with what you have. Several companies make paper or photo-etched metal ferns, but what if, like me, you don’t have any on hand? Make your own from what may be in your stash. For me, it was a Kamizukuri Camouflage kit (No. A-21). The product consists of pressed paper cut in the shape of small stems or branches with attached leaves.
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Nov 21, 2023 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
PART 2 in a four-part series, let’s tackle making vines. You’ll need a leaf-punch tool, construction paper, and micro roots (available from a number of sources) to model the vine. As always, find reference photos to help, or go outside and find a living vine as an example. First, you’ll need leaves for your vines. A leaf punch like this one from RP Toolz allows you to make scale leaves quickly. I wanted broad leaves for my scene, so that’s the type of punch I chose.
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Nov 16, 2023 | 
finescale.com | Robert Raver
You can find premade products to simulate scale vegetation, like reeds, for your scale model figures, scenes, and dioramas. But with a little work, you can create exactly what you want and avoid a store-bought appearance. Reeds have stalks and long, slender leaves. Looking at references, you’ll see they vary in height, with patches taller than others. Consistent, not identical, is the aim. Start with lengths and diameters of stretched sprue that would be a bit taller than the finished plant.
