Lon,
The whole jewel look is way way more simple than people think. There's no need to muck about blending or trying to highlight 'C' shape curves on top .
Its nothing more complicated than a series of off centred circular blobs.
Start with a totally black base covering the whole area .Then an off set circle of the highlight colour , All just a little thin 'C' shape of the black to remain in the bottom left hand quarter of the light/ window. Then you can leave or repaint a small black circle in the opposite top right hand quarter. The you just paint a slightly thinned main colour over the whole thing
But remembering to leave a thin 'C' shape of the highlight visible in the bottom left quarter .Once dry add a second coat of thinned main colour over the whole thing leaving a thin 'C' shape of the first thinned coat in the bottom left quarter. Leave to dry.
At this point the original black circle. In the top right hand quarter should have toned down to a very dark circle of the main colour. If it hasn't you can add a third layer of thinned main colour just targeting the black circle.
Then you add a small circle of black off centre of the dark area in the top right hand quarter. Roughly at the 10 o'clock position.
Then it's apply a slightly smaller white splodge/ circle over 50% of the new black circle around the 2 o'clock position.
Then a much smaller dab of white off to the right of the larger white dab around about the 5 o'clock position.
That will give you a very similar effect to the more time consuming blending I tend to do on head light's. It's technically similar just it allows for inevitable cock ups and easier corrections.
That's said I did get bored half way through painting the port holes and revert to speed painting ' C' shapes.
The nice thing about using this method .Is it allows you to be visually subtle with out any real effort. For example all the ships port holes are grey shaded .With the exception of the state room/ cabin. Which has green shading on the exterior port holes and grey on the cabins interior port holes.
It's not something you'd normally notice .But it's just a nice and simple detail that's fun to add just for the fun of it.
Matt,
I thought that'd make you smile.
Leaps,
Cheers. Keep an eye out for the next ship build it's a little different and more odd ball than usual. (It's all Dag's fault I was quite happy to leave it to gather dust.)