Question regarding undercoating tanks in black AND white

[Kane]

Hey guys,

I wanted to know if anybody ever tried the following and if yes, where to put the white:

So I've got to Panther tanks primed in black. A good while back on Facebook I saw a guy priming his tanks in black followed by an airbrush coat of white, to immediately highlight through the painted layer.

My question, because I can't for the life of me remember: WHERE do I apply the white? Do I apply it to all raised or big flat surfaces, or rather to the edges? I've grown up in a 40K world where you did the latter so...

Any advice is appreciated!

[Hammers]

Hey guys,

I wanted to know if anybody ever tried the following and if yes, where to put the white:

So I've got to Panther tanks primed in black. A good while back on Facebook I saw a guy priming his tanks in black followed by an airbrush coat of white, to immediately highlight through the painted layer.

My question, because I can't for the life of me remember: WHERE do I apply the white? Do I apply it to all raised or big flat surfaces, or rather to the edges? I've grown up in a 40K world where you did the latter so...

Any advice is appreciated!

This is sometimes called "zenithal highlighting", meaning the highlights thrown at an object when the light source is in above it.

So, to achieve this quite useful effect you need to spray the model or miniature from a point above it. In practice, when I do this, I tilt the model to a horisontal position, keep the air brush in the way God wants us to, and spray the model from the side. (I hope this description makes sense).

There are plenty of videos onm youtube describig this technique.

[Kane]

This is sometimes called "zenithal highlighting", meaning the highlights thrown at an object when the light source is in above it.

So, to achieve this quite useful effect you need to spray the model or miniature from a point above it. In practice, when I do this, I tilt the model to a horisontal position, keep the air brush in the way God wants us to, and spray the model from the side. (I hope this description makes sense).

There are plenty of videos onm youtube describig this technique.

I understand the explanation. But... It's not zenithal highlighting I was looking for. Thanks though for this one, might look into it later too . I think I have found it though, looking at the Warlord webstore.

https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/us-army/products/sherman-m4a3-76mm <-- Like this. (sorry if i'm not allowed to link to a webshop, but is for example-purposes only. I'm not a fan of warlord anyway )
When looking at it, it seems pretty obvious they highlighted the large flat surfaces.

[Daeothar]

The way you describe it, and going by the example picture of the Sherman, I think you might mean pre-shading?

Which is where you undercoat in white or grey (or tan or green), and then airbrush the panel lines. And on top of this, you then airbrush the actual layers. The black will shine through, creating a subtle shading effect.

Doing white on top of black sounds like the opposite, with comparable results. Undercoat black and then fill in the large open areas between panel lines with white, before applying the actual colour.

I think both require about the same amount of effort and time and I suppose it's up to the object to be painted and personal preference which of the two is most suited...

[Kane]

The way you describe it, and going by the example picture of the Sherman, I think you might mean pre-shading?

Which is where you undercoat in white or grey (or tan or green), and then airbrush the panel lines. And on top of this, you then airbrush the actual layers. The black will shine through, creating a subtle shading effect.

Doing white on top of black sounds like the opposite, with comparable results. Undercoat black and then fill in the large open areas between panel lines with white, before applying the actual colour.

I think both require about the same amount of effort and time and I suppose it's up to the object to be painted and personal preference which of the two is most suited...

Exactly. Well, as I want to try my very best to make something "museumworthy", I'll put a fair share of time in it. Thanks Daeothar.

[Cosmotiger]

Doing white on top of black sounds like the opposite, with comparable results. Undercoat black and then fill in the large open areas between panel lines with white, before applying the actual colour.

From what I've seen and read,  different sub-groups in modelling tend toward different techniques in their preshading. Aircraft modellers tend to prime white and airbrush the black lines over the panel lines.  Mecha and armor modellers seem to like the black first, then the white. As you say, the end effect is similar, just a matter of preference.

[Captain Harlock]

First of all, you have to have an airbrush capable of making thin consistent lines. The technique is not about applying general zenithal lighting. Its based on the way that classic oil painting used to be done. You create a black and white undercoat which has already all the tone values checked in. Then you colorise it by spraying dilluted color thus adding the saturation and you accent it where its needed with more solid color application. Imagine of coloring a black and white photo in photoshop.
There are two ways to do this.
The first is the spanish school way based on classic preshading. You seperate your surfaces by masking and apply an edge highlight softly grading to one side. This is easier with the airbrush skills but takes some time masking everything. The result looks much more like an illustration that a realistic object but you can tone this down with washes and filters latter.
The second way is now the new fashion mainly in airplane painting. You have your black primed model and then with dilluted white or if you want more steps a light gray, you are filling freehand the panels with snake like doodles. You apply more to the center and less to nothing on the edges. Then you colorise as in the first case. The result is more subtle and achieves the effect of tiny discolorations.

[Dr DeAth]

I think you're referring to the method known as 'panel modulation', there are a couple of videos I've referred to to understand the basics of the technique:

[Kane]

Yeah? That's it. Effect works well with the dunkelgelb colour, but when adding camouflage (dark green for now) it's not that visible anymore. I'll have to highlight I guess.

[grant]

I do the same technique. As others have said, the key is having a very good airbrush - plus knowing how to use it. I use an Iwata Hi-Line HP-BH after having had two HP-B+ before (I actually wore mine out). Very low pressure, thin paints, and being patient are the best tips I can give you. Also, I had an old M113 plastic model that I used as a spray hulk to practice on; I'm sure it was painted hundreds of times before I really started into painting my own stuff.

http://www.warlordgames.com/gallery-grants-sherman/

Even in 6mm (GHQ Marder II, painted by myself)

[Blackwolf]

Yeah? That's it. Effect works well with the dunkelgelb colour, but when adding camouflage (dark green for now) it's not that visible anymore. I'll have to highlight I guess.

Hello Kane,you can also use the same trick with your base  colours and modulate them, it can turn out rather cartoony,however weathering  effects knock them right back to something more realistic; the basic idea is creating depth in a scale model (and interest)  which is otherwise lacking.
Hope that helps?
Cheero
Guy

[Kane]

Hiya Blackwolf, thanks for the tip. I found some youtube vids on that, might try it in the future.

Grant, I have a good airbrush, it's the using part that's still a bit iffy. But after adding some damage and streaking, the tanks start to look quite good.