Thoughts/tips on mixing different styles of painting

[RobL]

Hey all

 

I  have on the way a "model kit", this to be precise -

 

 

 

 

As we can see, there are very few panel lines, and most are on the tail section.  Also as we can see the way such models are generally painted is using the edge highlighting technique.

 

Now, I don't want to paint mine quite like the above example, mostly because I'm not that good at the edge highlighting technique around panel lines.  That leaves me with a bit of a dilemma - I would want to panel line shade the rear portion of the model where there are panel lines, and only edge highlight the sharp angular external edges, for example those around the front area.

 

Problem is that means that in order to do dark panel line shading (white or light panel line shading would just look all manner of wrong, wouldn't it?) I can't paint it black, but I also don't want it to look grey.

 

So, two things occur to me - how do I paint it black whilst not using black, but also how do I make the not-black light enough that it's not grey but will still show a black panel line wash!?

 

Would appreciate some thoughts and tips on this.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited February 10, 2021 by RobL

[Graham Boak]

Generally it is poor modelling to use pure black, so I find a very dark grey and mix black with it to get an off-black shade.  This allows you to use the true black to bring out holes, gaps, vents etc.  It is the same problem as with tyres, and a number of companies produce a Tyre Black.  At least one company produces a NATO Black which can be used for tyres, or presumably for  this role.  Panzer Grey is a very dark grey, as is RLM 66, both fairly widely available.  At the moment I'm using a superseded tin of an old RN dark grey for tyres, but this would not be dark enough to represent black by itself so requires mixing.

 

Hopefully you can get something useful out of the above, perhaps get a few tins of different colours and experiment until you find a tin or mix that satisfies you.

[AndyP72]

I’m new to model kits, but have 20 years of being an illustrator and black although sounds easy, is actually one of the hardest tones to work successfully with in my experience. 
you could experiment on a spare kit or plastic spoons with a few grooves carved in as panel lines and try something like Payne’s grey base and add black for the panel lines. 
I would say the best answer you will get won’t come from a forum but from experimenting. Try a midnight blue or better still have a go at mixing your own colours. Make a swatch of base colour, shadow and highlights and find something you’re happy with. once you are happy with the base colour, you’re pretty much there. 
finally I would say that it will appear different to any tests that you do once you scale it up.