Airbrushing Black Vehicles

[Firepower]

OK, so I'm considering the most likely poor idea of going back to touch up/repaint my Templar vehicles with my new airbrush.  I always hated my hand painted highlights, sloppy and dull as they are.

 

However, finding a tutorial for airbrushing a black vehicle has been something of an annoying issue.  By that I mean I can't find any :P

 

There are of course a couple of painting methods for tanks, the least likely of which seems to be pre-shading (unless I were going for a very 'light black'). 

 

Anyway, pointing to tutorials would be most welcome.

[DarkMark]

Wrong colour, but this is an excellent YT video on painting a

. Wise words about painting black from multiple GD winning GeOrc. I'd consider buying something like LifeColor's Black rubber shades & Co set, in order to get a bunch of premixed black shades.

 

Decide if you want a warm or cold black before choosing your base colour. I like Vallejo's German Uniform grey as its very dark grey on inspection, but looks black at arm's length. Tamiya's NATO black is a decent choice too. I wouldn't just paint straight black and then go mad with silver chipping! However, I reckon using pigments to add interest to the hull, tracks, or marines' boots is a good idea.

[skawolf]

You can keep the vehicle black, do watered down highlights to a sharp highlight of gray at the edges. After this spray the vehicle with a thin coat of black. I did this with a death company land raider and it turned out really good.... I don't think I'm describing this very well.

[Firepower]

Yeah, I would be looking for a cool black, because my Templar tanks have a warm dirty-bone coloring in some panels to set it off against.

 

Aside from finding the right colors, the question comes down to aim.  Often, when airbrushing a vehicle people highlight from the edges inward.  Very sharp, crisp, and a bit of a pain in the ass really on tighter areas.  And even then, to make it look really good, you have to go in and edge highlight with a brush anyway and seal the deal.

 

Other times, you get people that do this: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KFp5CaUiQaA/UTOXcgkCJ6I/AAAAAAAAE7k/XHvIQYhOoh0/s640/DarkAngelsLandRaider+004.jpg

 

All the highlighting is in the center of the flat surfaces, and the edges are left dark.  It doesn't make much sense at all really, but it can sometimes work quite well.  I just don't know if it would work well with black.  If it did, going back and touching up my tanks would be loads easier.  I'm not looking to strip them down after all :D 

[Marshal Magoon]

Try Vallejo "German Panzer Grey" it is what I use for base coat for the Templars (Ni!) , then dialing down the pressure and a high angle for some zenithal effects.