Master replicas studio scale at-at repaint

[Flyscriber]

Hi all again
Here are some images of a piece I did a few years ago now. I started as a run of the mill star wars at at from master replicas.
It is the Phil Tippet version with the dodgy crashed (out of scale) speeder in a really bad diorama !!
I started by removing it from its base. I made a new base for painting out of some old wood and bolted it down.

The surface has issues on this model, as it is covered in really badly placed "snow" which is really hard to remove without making issues on the surface, so I decided to cover the snow with my repaint and see how I could deal with it later on by trying to incorporate it into the finished paint.
So it looks like this to start with
pretty darn horrible I'm sure you will agree.
So as in any repaint the first job is checking as many references as possible to see where your going with the colours and details. Its tricky with the at-at's in the movie as they are shot in full light, shade and in between, so picking out the colours can be tricky.
I decided to do a version based mainly on this one.
bear in mind that this is shot in shadow and is not this dark grey as seen on film. I'm looking to try and replicate the surface detailing on this shot as much as I can, this means following the subtle variation in each panel, and following the sooting and weathering as much as I can. As it is the smaller surface details which catch the eye a give the overall impression.
So im looking for these details to be replicated if I can.
more to come as I get the time to post. Take care

 

[Flyscriber]

So this is what it looks like removed from its base, cleaned and degreased, and bolted to its new wooden base, covered in the initial primer coat. I did not sand the model to key any paints, as it has great adhesion using automotive paints, and no reaction with its original paint.
here is the same thing without flash.

now starting to build up the colour and detail layers onto the panels. Each panel is masked off and treated to slightly differing colours/tones. You can see how I'm trying to get the details sketched out on the first pass in order I can visualise the balance of he colours etc. This first pass has a little brown in the mix to warm up the panels a little, but overall im trying to keep some of that imperial blue hue to the model as I will be building a finemolds speeder to go into the case instead of the out of scale version supplied and it will be done with the slightly warmer browns of the rebel fleet.

second pass starting to work on the sooting from the doors and other details in slightly different colours

 

[Flyscriber]

third pass and im now starting to sharpen up some of the details with masking. The runs from the small details are masked off individually and airbrushed to give the nice fade to nothing. Also adding some more colour variance to each panel.
Also now working on the feet. I was tempted to go for the Endor version as it has great messed up feet from the forest, but I finally decided to only do the snow version, so I hit each foot with some fine plastic bags, scrunched up and dipped into the paint to randomise the small chipping/scuffing.

 

[Flyscriber]

so another pass later, some shading has been added and more coours to the chipping on the feet to reveal some "paint layers".
next step is mounting back in is diorama to see if I can live with the dodgy speeder and see aht else needs to go onto he paint to balance out the model if needed.

yep, I don like it at all on its base, and I need to add more to the weathering to give it a more grimy look, so its off the base again, never to return.
heres a shot of the other side, which is hardly seen on screen. I've taken some artistic liberties with this side and added some scorching from a strafing run to the side panels.