Dark yellow = done

My friends, AK Real Colors are pretty sweet for post-shading! 

No alchemy, no messing around, just straight from the bottle. I started with a rather dark reference (can't remember the number, but it'll be in the video) sprayed in the corners, then I gave the model an overall coat of the RC060 followed by a round of Grime (that's my mixture of black and brown) around every detail. This helps a lot! I wasn't sure how I wanted to approach the shading at first, but a round of airbrushed pinwash will immediately tell you what needs to be done and where. From that point I just kept lightening the 060 with 088 (sand beige). I ended up doing 3 layers of highlight, but I sprayed it in a softer pattern compared to the T29 or Panzer II. The reason? I didn't want to spend too much time on it as 2/3 of the tank are going to be painted in green and brown. 

So that's coming up next. I'm looking forward to it but also a little nervous at the same time!

Also, the dark brown primer did wonders. Note how the Zimmerit has pretty much "shaded itself"! Now there won't be any need to apply pin washes into the pattern (which is always a big no-no in my book). 

PS. compared to Tamiya colors (XF-60 and 88), AK Dunkelgelb is more yellowish. Tamiya has a strong green tint. Which one is more accurate? I have no idea. And I like both options. AK RC looks warmer and it's pretty pleasant to look at! 

PPS. the base layer was diluted with Mr. Leveling Thinner. Tamiya Lacquer Thinner Retarder Type (orange cap) for everything else. 

PPPS. Zimmerit needs to be painted in a lighter shade than the rest of the tank. It's just its textured surface that makes paints look darker than they really are. So the Zimmerited areas have a thicker coat of the highlight colors, even though it might not look like it.