Bandai AT-AT

[JediMichael]

Had this a few months and been wanting to out it together. So today is a good day.
My biggest issue is, to paint it or not to paint, as I feel that's my weakest part of building a model.
Not too far in yet.

 

[Toadmeister]

Oh yeah, this subject needs paint and heavy weathering. I just put a dark grey primer coat on mine and will be doing a top coat of Archive X SP Lettering grey next.

 

[jusdrewit]

Nice! I can't wait to work on mine as well, nice little Hoth diorama I have planned

 

[JediMichael]

I have a 1983 AT-AT my Mom had gotten at a garage sale about 20 years ago. (Probably for 50 cents) Built it around 2002 and at first didn't paint it. I think I probably painted it a basic grey years later and then needed it for an event and someone else painted it with this terrible spray and I've never tried to fix it. I can get a picture later.

 

[JediMichael]

Heres a picture I had made in about January 2007. My parents house. The weathering was all done in photoshop.

Here it is today with the horrible gritty paint job. You can even see where some of the old yellowed plastic is showing from up underneath.
To make the head move around, you had to use a rubber band hooked between the body and head through the neck.
Really surprised after all these years that the rubber band still has not broke.

 

[JediMichael]

Little more done. First leg anyways.

I like the details on the bottom of the feet. I imagine the filming models didn't have that detail, but I've never seen the bottom to know for sure. Anyone know?

 

[3Dsf]

 

[Analyzer]

Tamiya XF-19 over black primer is a great color choice if you are going to paint it

 

[JediMichael]

View attachment 1397514

Hmmm, easy to forget shots like this.....now I'm wondering....again....for such a close up shot, did they use one of the stop motion models, or did they built a big giant leg just for this shot?
I don't recall ever seeing just a big leg model ever (behind the scenes), but, you never know.

 

[JediMichael]

First leg done. Crazy how much detail and movement they can put in such a little model.

 

[The 48th Ronin]

Hmmm, easy to forget shots like this.....now I'm wondering....again....for such a close up shot, did they use one of the stop motion models, or did they built a big giant leg just for this shot?
I don't recall ever seeing just a big leg model ever (behind the scenes), but, you never know.

 

[The 48th Ronin]

Apparently the large scale walkers (tripping/tipping and falling versions) had the foot detail:

And it would appear that the stop-motion miniatures had some of the foot detail:

 

[JediMichael]

Had a feeling they had to of made a big leg. I can't actually remember if I've ever seen that photo before.

 

[Toadmeister]

Tamiya XF-19 over black primer is a great color choice if you are going to paint it

I agree, it’s pretty close to the ArchiveX SP Lettering Grey I have. I prefer airbrushing Tamiya acrylics rather than Enamels (fumes) but I paid so much for my ArchiveX bottles I’m using it for my AT-AT build.

 

[JediMichael]

Tamiya XF-19 over black primer is a great color choice if you are going to paint it

I looked into this. I do not have an airbrush and would have to have paint it, although I did see they have a paint retarder thiner to help keep out with brush strokes. Doing it that way, would I still use black primer? And what type black? I've always used grey in the past.

 

[Analyzer]

I looked into this. I do not have an airbrush and would have to have paint it, although I did see they have a paint retarder thiner to help keep out with brush strokes. Doing it that way, would I still use black primer? And what type black? I've always used grey in the past.

I used black since it help create some natural shading in recessed areas when covering with the grey paint

Tamiya is hard to brush paint over large areas. I find it works nicely for small touchups in areas but it is really hard to brush paint smoothly something that big

You would do better hand painting with Vallejo or even better Privateer Press P3 paints and use a larger brush

Something similar to the "Flat" one in this picture

Your best bet would be to find a spray paint of a similar color

I did my larger Revell AT-AT with Testors Light Aircraft Grey. Being Testors enamel though it took weeks to fully dry without feeling tacky. It dried to the touch within and hour, but felt slightly sticky when handling it for weeks.

Maybe the Model Master line has something similar

Of course another good alternative is just use Testors Dullcoat on the model, then weather it with some oil washes and pastels and skip painting all together. The Bandai plastic color after all is a very good color to start with

The dull coat will take away the plastic sheen as well as provide a bit of grit for the oils and pastels to cling to

 

[JediMichael]

I used black since it help create some natural shading in recessed areas when covering with the grey paint

Tamiya is hard to brush paint over large areas. I find it works nicely for small touchups in areas but it is really hard to brush paint smoothly something that big

You would do better hand painting with Vallejo or even better Privateer Press P3 paints and use a larger brush

Something similar to the "Flat" one in this picture
View attachment 1407206

Your best bet would be to find a spray paint of a similar color

I did my larger Revell AT-AT with Testors Light Aircraft Grey. Being Testors enamel though it took weeks to fully dry without feeling tacky. It dried to the touch within and hour, but felt slightly sticky when handling it for weeks.

Maybe the Model Master line has something similar

Of course another good alternative is just use Testors Dullcoat on the model, then weather it with some oil washes and pastels and skip painting all together. The Bandai plastic color after all is a very good color to start with

The dull coat will take away the plastic sheen as well as provide a bit of grit for the oils and pastels to cling to

I was thinking spraying is probably the best. I think probably a dull coat how I'll do it, just need to find a good dull coat.

 

[Toadmeister]

I used black since it help create some natural shading in recessed areas when covering with the grey paint

Tamiya is hard to brush paint over large areas. I find it works nicely for small touchups in areas but it is really hard to brush paint smoothly something that big

You would do better hand painting with Vallejo or even better Privateer Press P3 paints and use a larger brush

Something similar to the "Flat" one in this picture
View attachment 1407206

Your best bet would be to find a spray paint of a similar color

I did my larger Revell AT-AT with Testors Light Aircraft Grey. Being Testors enamel though it took weeks to fully dry without feeling tacky. It dried to the touch within and hour, but felt slightly sticky when handling it for weeks.

Maybe the Model Master line has something similar

Of course another good alternative is just use Testors Dullcoat on the model, then weather it with some oil washes and pastels and skip painting all together. The Bandai plastic color after all is a very good color to start with

The dull coat will take away the plastic sheen as well as provide a bit of grit for the oils and pastels to cling to

I like your recomendedations for someone who isn't airbrushing.

In your shoes I'd probably go the light grey rattle can, Tamiya spray can. Than weather with a brush.

Here's a pic of my work in progress from today for inspiration. I'm going heavier on the weathering yet.

 

[skahtul]

Of course another good alternative is just use Testors Dullcoat on the model, then weather it with some oil washes and pastels and skip painting all together. The Bandai plastic color after all is a very good color to start with

That is what I did on mine and it turned out pretty good. There is no right or wrong way to weather these unless you are going for a specific instance of a specific model... Just have fun and give it a try. When I first got back into modeling I had not painted anything since I was a kid, and that was a while ago...

If you don't want to paint this one right out of the gate, do what I did and pick up a few very cheap models and just experiment with those. There is a ton of great modelers on youtube showing many, many different weathering techniques.

Also, those legs (at least in my case) were a bit delicate so I would be careful. I ended up gluing mine in place when I made my mini diorama.

 

[JediMichael]

Weathering can be tricky. I tend to end up over weathering at times.