Preshading

[cruiserguy]

Hi Everyone,

I've watched a couple of videos where aircraft and armour guys pre-shade some of their models before painting them, and I'd like to try it on my next ship kit. Have any of you tried it in 700 scale, and if so how did you do it, and was it successful?

Best Wishes,

Will1957

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Nope, wouldn't bother. I've tried it on aircraft models and found that the pre shading just disappears when painted over. I prefer to paint the base colour on, then fade that by adding a bit of light grey to it and spraying gently, so that the centre of the panels is a bit lighter than round the edges.

If you use acrylic paints for ships, a good way of doing some shading is by using AK interactive's ship enamel washes. Just paint them on the area in question and soak up the excess with a brush dampened with enamel thinner. Remember in 1/700 scale weathering etc needs to be fairly subtle due to the small scale. From a few feet away, you should hardly notice the weathering - remember 1 foot is equivalent to being 700ft away from the real thing, if you get what I mean!

thanks

Mike

[Paul J]

I think pre shading is like putting on dirty underwear and your best clean clothes on top! Dirt should be added after because isn't that when it does show up and not before??

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

I think pre shading is like putting on dirty underwear and your best clean clothes on top! Dirt should be added after because isn't that when it does show up and not before??

Agreed! I didn't pre-shade my 1/700 Z-31 and it took best in class at Huddersfield last year. There's a bit of a wash to make the details stand out and the whole model was very lightly drybrushed, which fades the model nicely and added some rust/dirt patches, especially around the anchors.

thanks

Mike

[cruiserguy]

Agreed! I didn't pre-shade my 1/700 Z-31 and it took best in class at Huddersfield last year. There's a bit of a wash to make the details stand out and the whole model was very lightly drybrushed, which fades the model nicely and added some rust/dirt patches, especially around the anchors.

thanks

Mike

Hi Mike and Paul,

OK, I get the message! I'll stick to standard weathering using washes.

Best Wishes,

Will.

OK, I get the message!

[Rob 1]

I've not been able to get pre-shading to work (on aircraft), but as Mikemx has mentioned, the method of gently spraying the same colour in a slightly lighter shade in the middle area of panels (for aircraft) or decks and bulkheads (for ships), then add the washes to edges and details, can have quite a good effect.

[markjames68]

Preshading is imho rubbish, to see it the topcoat has to be too thin, post shading with faded colours and washes and weathering is the way to go .

[Alan P]

Most of what passes for weathering in the aeroplane world is rubbish imho. There's a popular technique which a lot of people use (emphasise panel lines and shade each panel in a lighter shade) which gives a patchwork quilt effect which looks nothing like reality.

The key is study pictures of the real thing and use whatever technique produces the desired effect. I use washes, dry brushing and pastels all after applying the main colour as im comfortable using them and they produce the effects I'm looking for.

In 1/700 preshading really is splitting hairs. You can get far better results with more subtlety by treating the original painted colours after application.

Al