Hi All,

I'm pondering doing a tank in the modulation style. I have the Mig 'Modulation & Light Techniques' book, which I think is nice, and I've seen examples of AFVs painted in modulation style, BUT I have not seen a tank with a really rough surface painted in that style. By rough, I mean either anti-skid or Zimmeritt. It seems to me that the modulation style SEEMS to be more applicable to smooth surfaces, and then, those surfaces being generally large flat panels. Somehow, I"m having a harder time visualizing modulation painting with these rougher surfaces. I would admit that it probably shouldn't matter what the texture of the surface is, but does anyone have examples of a modulated tank with a rougher surface, as these are most of the tanks I build.

Krupp and Bob,

Thanks for your thoughts. Actually, what I'm talking about is airbrushing, and creating what is called "Zenithal lighting" in the Mig book. If you have access to that book, or photos of this type of modulation effect, you'll note that each panel seems to have a gradation of tone. The Mig book uses, primarily, a Sherman tank model, and, for example, the upper hull sides, smooth panels, transition from lighter to darker from top to bottom. Using the airbrush SHOULD make it less difficult for that smooth transition, even with rough, anti-skid or ZImmeritted surfaces, but it does seem to me that those surfaces do pose at least something of a challenge to the concept. I'm sure that the Mig book, and the wonderful (at least to me) series of 27 videos that Adam Wilder did (available on YouTube) on weathering, that starts with an already built and Zenithal lit modulation painted KV-1 model, chose to use 'slab sided' and larger smooth paneled models in order to get the point of modulation across to newbies to the concept. I'm not saying that the modulation painting concept can't be applied to rougher surfaced models, just that it seems it would be more challenging, and perhaps less 'obvious'. For that reason, I decided to get the same KV-1 kit that Wilder used on his video series, and will be trying to duplicate his methods. Maybe after doing it on a more straightforward slab sided tank, it will be easier to apply to a more challenging tank, with the surfaces I've been discusssing.

Will a flat surface at the same angle of incidence from a light source (typically the sun) display much of a variation in lighting from one end to the other, given that the plate on even the largest tank isn’t exactly huge?

I can’t recall seeing that myself, unless there is something causing part of the surface to be in shadow.

Krupp and Bob,

Thanks for your thoughts. Actually, what I'm talking about is airbrushing, and creating what is called "Zenithal lighting" in the Mig book. If you have access to that book, or photos of this type of modulation effect, you'll note that each panel seems to have a gradation of tone. The Mig book uses, primarily, a Sherman tank model, and, for example, the upper hull sides, smooth panels, transition from lighter to darker from top to bottom. Using the airbrush SHOULD make it less difficult for that smooth transition, even with rough, anti-skid or ZImmeritted surfaces, but it does seem to me that those surfaces do pose at least something of a challenge to the concept. I'm sure that the Mig book, and the wonderful (at least to me) series of 27 videos that Adam Wilder did (available on YouTube) on weathering, that starts with an already built and Zenithal lit modulation painted KV-1 model, chose to use 'slab sided' and larger smooth paneled models in order to get the point of modulation across to newbies to the concept. I'm not saying that the modulation painting concept can't be applied to rougher surfaced models, just that it seems it would be more challenging, and perhaps less 'obvious'. For that reason, I decided to get the same KV-1 kit that Wilder used on his video series, and will be trying to duplicate his methods. Maybe after doing it on a more straightforward slab sided tank, it will be easier to apply to a more challenging tank, with the surfaces I've been discusssing.