Kevin Dallimore’s book might be the one-stop shop for the figure painter. It briefly covers the basics of figure preparation and painting (showing step-by-step pictures of the 3-color method) on the first 30 pages and then dives into different painting styles and projects. Some of the techniques described in the book include: 5-color method, dry-brushing; diluted washes; non-metallic paint for metallic looking finishes; textured leather; ancient shield painting; skeletons and more.

The above techniques are applied to a wide range of subjects, from Napoleonic figures, to Ancient Romans, Sci-Fi, Fantasy figures (Orcs of all kinds and colors), WW2 paratroopers, Old West characters and animals. Step-by-Step pictures clearly explain and show how to achieve realistic finishes by methodically applying the techniques described in the book.

If some of this review seems like déjà vu all over again, it is, as this is the second time that I have been afforded the opportunity to review a Master Box BMW R75 motorcycle. But there are some great changes with this release. Included in this delivery is a photoetch fret containing parts to build up the wheel spokes, as well as five figures (two Russian and three German). A separate sheet is included for instructions on the wheel assemblies, with directions for assembling the figures shown on the back side of the box; along with a photo of the parts sprue for them.

I am still very impressed by what the folks at Master Box have released, as this remains a solid representation of the R75.

Matt Swan keeps providing us with more modeling blessing on the 4^th installment of his instructional series. The scope of this set is water dioramas and salt chipping technique. The subject is a 1/48 Tamiya Rufe and a nice beach scene, including everything you can imagine, even scale fish in the water!

Towards the end of his 3^rd set, Matt shows how to build some simple bases to display your model. This time he goes into town showing step-by-step how to create a base, a sandy beach, foliage and more importantly: water. That is not all, as he will build a Japanese float-plane and show how to replicate paint chips using the ‘salt chipping’ technique.

Before showing how to build a diorama, Matt devotes some time to cover the tools and materials needed to build a diorama, including where you can get most of them and some comments regarding the cost of them.

As a devotee of SciFi and the related genres, I was always a fan of Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 movie Dr. Strangelove. It had a great cast with George C. Scott, James Earl Jones, Peter Sellers and many more including the subject of this diorama, Slim Pickens as Major “King” Kong who most notably rides a nuclear bomb out of the bottom of a B-52 to detonate in Russia. I could go one more but you really need to watch is to appreciate the subtle and extensive humor thrown around.

One item that is the curse of all figure painters is that molded insignias and badges on the figures are way out of scale. They are usually raised and if in scale, they would stick out about an inch or more. Now, Authentic Decals has produced a set of decals for modern US soldiers with insignia, rank and regiment badges. With this release one would think that their prayers were answered. Unfortunately they were not with this set.

I realize that the modern US soldier does not have the colorful badges and insignia that were seen in WW II, but these are all monochromatic. Not only that, they are too small for 1/35 scale. I would also note that the regiment badges seem to be out of register.

There is only one set of each rank so if you screw up one, you will have to change the rank of the figure. The decals are so small that it is hard to distinguish one from another. They are numbered on the decal sheet, but there is no other reference as to which one is which.