Hi,

Maybe this is asked before, but I can't find it.

Can someone give me a run down on how to pre-shade a AVF?

Tnx
#:-)

Preshading is done by laying down a dark color (usually black) to the model before the base coat, i.e. a primer coat.
If you are using OD green for the base coat, for example, you could use straight black or add a few drops of black to the OD green until it's a black-green.
Very lightly spray the entire vehicle with the dark color, just enough to cover up the plastic. Allow this to dry.
Now with your base coat (the color you want to paint the vehicle, as long as it's lighter than the preshade color), use a small diameter spray needle or setting with your AB. Hold the airbrush back about 3 inches back from the model and spray the center of one of the panels placing a 'hard' spot of the light colour in the center of the panel. Now moving in a circular pattern (tight as the panel is small) work the color out from the center to the edges. Allow the preshade color to dominate the edges. Work in this way around the whole vehicle. In any case, if the panels are not distinct, just fill the center areas leaving the edges to allow the preshade color to show through.

I use the Badger 150 DA airbrush, but I only have one needle/nozzle the Medium type, is this a problem?

wow this is neat, what Preshading colour would you use if the base coat is german yellow?

I have used both red-brown or a dirt color, Polyscale dirt I think. I think it depends how much you want to weather your model, but these two colors are better than black for Dunkelgelb or any other desert scheme.

Cheers,

CDT Reimund Manneck
U.S. Army ROTC

That should not be too much of a problem.
You could thin the paint a little more than normal and lessen the psi on your compressor so you can spray closer to the model. With the AB closer to the model, the spray's width will be reduced. Be careful not to get too close, as "spidering" could result.
Experiment a little on scrap card or something simmilar.

Whatever color you will be using as the base color or overall color, just add a few drops of black to darken it. You only need the preshade color to be a darker version of the base color. The darker the preshade, the more shadeing or contrast. The lighter the preshade, the less the contrast.

Ok,

I think I got the idea , but ... I don’t understand how I do this on the undercarriage (see picture).



I mean, putting the dark color on is no problem, but when I would try to put the basecoat on it then it seems to me that whatever I do it will turn out in one color without the black showing thru (because in 1/35 it is kind of small). right or wrong?

#:-) #:-)

With the pic you showed, as an example, this area is easily delt with by ABing light misting coats. You do not want to entirely cover the pre-shadow. You could feather the base coat, starting from the very bottom of the hull and feathering it towards the upper lower hull. This way you'll keep a shadow effect caused from the upper hull overhang.

One thing you may consider for something like that suspension is "post-shading." This is like spraying a wash through the airbrush. Thin down some dark brown paint (maybe 70 thinner / 30 paint?) and spray fine lines over the recessed areas. Works good on road wheels to and "post-shading" has been used effectively by some to replace the wash altogether. I am not that skilled with the AB yet, though.

Nic

To go along with the great tips from Ken, here is a video:

http://www.scaleworkshop.com/workshop/video4bg_2.htm


From Scaleworkshop .