Preferred panel line wash for Dark Green subjects.

[Red Dog]

What panel line wash do people prefer to use on Dark Green subjects?

I have seen Light Grey used to good effect on Japanese a/c and have used Light Grey/Off White for Black P-61B and Sea Blue/Intermediate Blue    F4U-1A Corsair to depict these a/c operating off carol atolls in the Pacific and being covered by the fine coral dust.

 

Working on an RAAF Boomerang in all over Foliage Green and wondering what others prefer for dark subjects. Go darker or lighter?

4 Sqn RAAF Boomerangs operated off airstrips in New Guinea so will use dirt coloured pastels for adding more weathering but wondering what to use to enhance the panel lines. Yes I'm going for an artistic enhancing impression not totally realistic representation.

Cheers.

[Drop Bear]

Hi @Red Dog I am new to this but recently faced similar issues with Mk21 Beaufighter, Mk V and VII Spit and Wirraway.  For the Beau, I liked the look of a dark green wash, it looked OK as a shading plus added some variation to the foliage green.  On the Spits and Wirraway I've done a limited brown wash along the wheels/tail axis to represent wheel/mud spray, in addition to a grey for the whole underside.  I'm finding the experimentation process is rather fun......

[pat d]

Couple of things.

if the colour is a dark green like RAF dark green a Ivory Black wash works well  as it is not a dead dark black but has a tinge of umber in it(  I use oils) Note this photo was taken with a flash...

 

If the green is a bit lighter or warmer a (Payne's Gray) works well for me

I think to overwhelm the look of the model with too dark or clashing panel colors defeats the purpose of panel lines IMO subtle is better.

Edited July 15, 2021 by pat d

[FinnAndersen]

Try a darker color (grey?), but refrain from using black, as you intend. I've done a number of Spitfires with panel lines done this way. 

 

The important thing is to match the line color with the camouflage so that you do have a contrast, but only just perceptible.

 

I use heavily diluted artists oil paints in order to have the wash flow in the panel lines.

 

/Finn

[85sqn]

Personally I’d go for a dark brown. I use W+N raw umber with a dash of their black.

[Red Dog]

Cheers guys, thanks for your input. 

Went with a dark green on the Boomerang. Used water colours mixing green and black to get something that would be dark enough to subtly show through all the green already on the a/c. Still need some cleaning up in places. 

Paint is SMS (Scale Modellers Supply) application is a coat of base colour then a darker version over panel lines with squiggles and random splotches over most panels then a lighter version of the base colour in the center of the panels and to highlight raised parts, followed by a recoat of base colour to blend. Tamiya X-19 Smoke was applied over entire airframe to blend the white and green together. 

Gloss coat for panel lines and decals (insignia and serials have been sprayed with masks). Some scratches have already been applied with Dark Grey and Silver.

 

 

 

 

Tried a different approach with this South African MB 326 'Impala'.

Used a Grey on the Dark Green and Brown on the Tan and Medium Green. Not to sure about the results.

A bit starck maybe? Opinions

 

I know that there is a place for different panel line washes on the same a/c as in the Artic Cow scheme on F-16's where white is used on the Black and Black on the White and Light Grey but it just doesn't look right here.

 

Keep your expert advice coming as I'm looking for any help I can get thanks.

Cheers.

[fishplanebeer]

As someone who has never used panel washes except to run into panel lines how do you use them to achieve these faded and lived effects please on the main colours?

 

Regards

Colin.

[Seawinder]

10 hours ago, Red Dog said:

Cheers guys, thanks for your input. 

Went with a dark green on the Boomerang. Used water colours mixing green and black to get something that would be dark enough to subtly show through all the green already on the a/c. Still need some cleaning up in places. 

Paint is SMS (Scale Modellers Supply) application is a coat of base colour then a darker version over panel lines with squiggles and random splotches over most panels then a lighter version of the base colour in the center of the panels and to highlight raised parts, followed by a recoat of base colour to blend. Tamiya X-19 Smoke was applied over entire airframe to blend the white and green together. 

Gloss coat for panel lines and decals (insignia and serials have been sprayed with masks). Some scratches have already been applied with Dark Grey and Silver.

 

 

 

 

Tried a different approach with this South African MB 326 'Impala'.

Used a Grey on the Dark Green and Brown on the Tan and Medium Green. Not to sure about the results.

A bit starck maybe? Opinions

 

A couple of thoughts if I may.

The dark color along the span-wise panel lines in the bottom picture are really broad and look as if they'd been applied with a brush. I would want to bring them in considerably toward the lines using an airbrush. However, that's going to be difficult since the roundel is in place. Additionally, since you used the same type of paint for the darkening, it's going to be hard to use a thinner that won't also attack the base coat. I use and like (very much) SMS paints. Like MRP and Mr. Color, they are acrylic lacquers and impervious to normal white spirits thinners. Thus, one can use a normal enamel or oil paint for the wash and wipe it back with a swab dipped in white spirits without taking off any of the base coat.

 

I use both "post-shading" and panel line washes, although my preference is to keep the effect subtle unless I have photographic evidence that the subject was especially dirty. I do post-shading before any decals are applied: after base coating, I airbrush the darker color along the panel lines and then re-airbrush the base color to achieve a darkened panel line and a bit of soil (to taste) along each side. If I want to use a panel line wash (after decals are on), I generally use one of Tamiya's Panel Line Accent Colors and, as above, wipe them back with normal paint thinner. I also (carefully) cut decals where they overlap panel lines and apply decal solvent so the decals get pulled into the cuts. Besides making the panel line more convincing, it allows the panel line wash to be more continuous across the roundel. You may already be aware of this since the roundel panel line in the top photo is very clean and distinct; the one in the bottom photo not so much.

[Jackson Duvalier]

Your washes look pretty good overall, Red Dog.  

 

One criticism (reposting your photos for ease of reference):

22 hours ago, Red Dog said:

 

 

 

The areas in question are the slightly heavier engraved lines meant to represent the gap between the wing proper, and the flaps and ailerons.  I notice you've got a lighter colour wash along that gap where the dark green camo colour is.  This would be probably be fine along a typical panel line, but doesn't look right to my eye representing a control surface boundary.  Visually, I'd expect a consistent shadowy darkness all along the gap.  It's a place light coloured dust would be very unlikely to ever collect, and a consistent darkness is a visual cue that says "this here is the control surface demarcation" whereas a lighter coloured line tends to say "I'm just a panel line."

 

Control surface breaks are the only place I ever use a pure black anywhere on a model, and then only on very dark colours where only a true black creates enough contrast.  Usually making sure the gap is much darker than the overall colour(s) is sufficient.

 

I hope that makes sense, sometimes the technicalities of modelling commentary exceed my ability to communicate clearly.

[Red Dog]

Thanks Jackson that reasoning does sound true.

I am definitely going to redo the Ímpala, the light grey just doesn't look right especially as you explained in the join between control surfaces and wing proper. 

I cleaned up the Boomerang significantly and has turned out quite well with the dark green panel wash.

Will post some pics as soon as I take some. 

Appreciate all comments, thanks. 

Still keen to know what others use and tips or tricks for working out what to use and where.

Cheers

[noelh]

As Jackson pointed out the gap around the flaps and control surfaces is a shadow rather than a build up of dirt or grime. So different colours aren't appropriate. But it's the same with the panel lines. The dirt would be the same across all the colours. Like you did on the Boomerang. 

 

Edit: As I was typing I see you replied. Post some photos when you're finished. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by noelh

[Red Dog]

Calling this one done.

Was thinking about adding some nose art but couldn't find any decals of appropriate size. May get round to it a bit later.

Anyway a couple of shots here and the rest I'll post in 'Ready for Inspection' section.

Cheers.

.