Experience with dark colors over zenithial priming?

[depthcharge12]

Hey frater,

 

I wanted to experiment with zenithial priming or pre shading, but I was curious about using another darker color over that to build up to the color I want. Do I just need to make sure this darker color (dark reaper) is especially thinned/translucent through my airbrush to make it happen?

 

I was going to work up from dark reaper to thunderhawk blue over the models and was wondering if this was compatible with pre shading or if it'll just overwhelm the stage?

 

Thanks

[SW1]

I've managed to sort of butcher a zenithal highlight some trolls to use as BB players and having a black grey white base with a very thin dark green did all sorts of weird things I'd not expected. I did each at a different psi and it effected the look as well.

 

They've been knocked back to black as I wasn't happy with them.

 

I'd get some lumps of rock or other angular material and have a few hours playing around with an airbrush and the different colours. A lot of trial and error will pay off eventually.

[Major_Gilbear]

Yes, the technique that you're after is called pre-shading, with zenithal highlighting being a specific style of overhead highlighting. For bigger models like tanks or fliers, you may also be interested in a technique called colour modulation.

 

If you search YouTube for these terms, you will find lots of video tutorials on them. Even though many of these vids are for historical models, they are still well worth a watch!

 

Ultimately, I think these video tutorials will be much more helpful to you than someone on a forum/blog just describing it to you - there's a lot that needs to be seen in order to understand it, and even with step-step photos, this can be hard to convey otherwise.

[Bung]

Personly i would go full pre shading and do the black and white technic, if you have acces to an airbrush.

Its pretty easy but needs some more steps as zenithal priming.

 

You just need to decide which color will be your main model color cause you wont need others to highlight or mix something for highlights.

 

What you need is black, white, a black wash and your color

 

For marines i go with like this:

 

1. Prime with a dark grey (i mix Vallejo Primer 70 - 30 Black and White, while save you the step of priming black)

2. Do first layer of highlights with a neutral Grey (50 -50 Black and White)

3. Do a secend highlight with a light Grey (30 -70 Black and White)

4. Wash the recesses with black for the deepest shadows

5. Do edge Highlights with pure white

 

Now you have a monocromatic Miniature as a base.

 

You can start weathering here if you want, like doing some sponge chipping, scratches with a brush etc.

 

Last step you do your main color with a transparent layer. 

This stuff will help you to achive transparant colors:

https://dukmodell.com/Farben-Weathering-Produkte/AMMO-of-MIG/Zubehoer/AMMO-of-MiG-Transparator-17ml::17503.html

 

 

More information:

Book:

http://www.migjimenez.com/en/books/588-black-white-technique-english.html

 

Color set with a short tutorial:

http://www.migjimenez.com/en/acrylic-sets-six-colors/537-black-white-technique-set.html

[depthcharge12]

Well since xenos are finally allowable on the boards (as of yesterday), this was what I was trying to achieve:

 

http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac316/treacyjohn2/05EC99F1-FE5E-4859-9EF7-D14E9C1577B2_zpseayy1vkt.jpg

 

FW doesn't have the remaining paint scheme so I'm attempting to recreate it with dark reaper and thunderhawk blue as these are the closest colors I can find to it. I'm pretty sure they used P3 or Vallejo but those have so many variations that I want to just find a paint line I can use regularly and easily.

 

I have an airbrush that I am experienced with, but I'm trying to learn this technique though I'm trying not to make my models look over airbrushed (if such a term exists) because I hate the "pro painted" airbrush look. It's fake and comical to me. However, I've seen the tank community do quite well with it.

 

I've already started on the gradient:

 

http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac316/treacyjohn2/3B2A33CE-59C1-4973-9383-50D42F00EFDD_zpshax3icbn.jpg

 

But I'm worried that the darker color may hide some of the pre shading I've done. I haven't seen too many people on YouTube have similiar results because they are usually using grays, camo, or very translucent colors like yellow or red already :D I found one gentleman doing a Panzer III with grays and blues but I'm trying to find if anyone else has tried it as well.

 

Should I try to use dark reaper first, but thin it down to such a fine layer? Or should I skip it and go straight to thunderhawk blue?

[Bung]

You tried to email them about the paint sheme?

Normaly they to help with that.