Color Modulation Techniques Zenithal Light.pdf

I grew up in San Sebastian, but now live in Madrid. My first kit was a 1:48 scale Tomcat that was a present from my father. I'm sure he always regrets this present as I have always asked for one thing since then: more models! I then became interested in 1:35 scale, and later on I discovered the possibilities of dioramas with the Verlinden books, which are currently my main focus of interest. Panzernet and my model club “Mochus” have made this hobby a constant in my life. I have met a lot of wonderful people in this circle and learned a lot from all of them. Modeling is currently only a secondary part of our relationship. The main part is the friendship we hold, and the nice time we spend together when we go to a show, to purchase some models, or simply to have some beers together. I want to dedicate this handbook to the “Mochus” and, especially, to Rubén, who has always helped me to take the next step in modeling.

José A. Azorín Editor Javier de Luelmo Designer assistant Matthew Malogorski English revision Black Star #3 Color Modulation Techniques: Zenithal Light © Xtreme Modelling Publications, 2009 [email protected] www.xtrememodelling.com

A new way of making models more eyecatching by playing with the highlights and shadows in the base coat of paint have recently become popular amongst modelers. The potential of this technique has been extensively developed in figure painting. I have liked this effect ever since the first time I saw it, and most especially when I saw Jaume Ortiz's beautiful articles in Xtreme Modelling. His technique influenced me to try painting my own figures this way.

Zenithal Light

of 1/72, 1/48, and 1/35. Airbrush makes it possible to steer the point of light, making the audience focus on a specific area. This can also be enhanced with a paintbrush by varying the color shades with the brush, but the base of this effect is accomplished by the airbrush. Adam Wilder´s wonderful articles and models have livened up this discussion lately, reaching a point where we can even identify two different trends in painting the base coat of a

Different spots of light

Instead of highlighting the figure volumes from different spots of light, we illuminate them from the upper side, emphasizing the light on the upper part, and the shadows on the lower part. This makes the maximum lighted area in the torso, the shoulders, and the neck, and the maximum shadowed area the armpits. To use this technique with effectiveness, the highlights and shadows must have different intensities. It´s more or less as if we put a light on the upper part of the figure and we check the way all the folds have a shadow below. But, can we transfer this technique to the painting of a model vehicle? I think that it is a valid and effective technique for the usual scales

Zenithal Light

model: one more conservative, and another more risky, which explore these effects. We can call these paint effects by several names. Color Modulation is the fancy name due to Adam Wilder's technique, but from my point of view, the most eye-catching of these kinds of effects is the Zenithal Light Technique: The light comes from one point, in this case, from directly above. Regardless of the name of the technique, and the discussion of whether or not it looks realistic or effective, I will show my approach to it. I will paint four different models with different camo schemes and in different scales to explain the techniques in detail.

1/35 PANZER GREY Considerations on color After several discussions about

That´s why it is really important to think

the scale representation of the German

about what the final color you want to

camouflage colors and schemes, my

achieve will be from the very beginning

conclusion, learned from the Master

of the painting process.

Rodrigo, is that almost anything is

When painting figures there is a

possible. It´s possible to see pictures

general rule: The base coat should be of

with a variety of Panzer Grey color

a color similar to the final shade that we

tones from very dark to a very clear

want. By doing it this way, after making

g

.

it lighter with the high lights and darker

These can be caused by the effects of

with the shadows, the final shade will

the elements after a four months

remain quite similar.

r

e

y

campaign, or by accumulated dust.

However, it´s always possible to

When we paint several highlights

use a general filter on the entire model

and shadows to a base coat of paint,

to change the shade of the whole thing.

the final color is unavoidably changed.

Zenithal Light Let´s consider that the light

model and it is impossible to recreate

comes from the upper side. This is a

this effect in a perfect way. For

general rule that we will punctually

instance, check the armored turret:

break to make the model more

each armor panel has a different light

attractive. There are some light angles

plane, in addition to the upper light.

that change when we go around the 4

STAGE I BASE COAT AND HIGHLIGTHS WITH AIRBRUSH

Sd.Kfz. 221 Bronco Base Coat

I chose Gunze´s #401 Dark Grey for the base coat. I prefer a slightly bluish shade, so I mixed it with a bit of light blue. The light blue lightens the shade, so I added a bit of black to darken it.

I did not paint any shadows as the base color is quite dark. I painted three different highlights by adding more clear blue each time. I added a bit of white for the last high light. I have started from a dark color to lighter without making it too light. The objective is to achieve a lighter and more bluish shade. I made this picture next to a finished Krupp Protze as a reference to compare the shades.

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Upper Vertical Surfaces

I start with the highlights. It is a simple process: for the upper vertical parts of the vehicle I lighten the upper part of the panels. I used a mask when necessary.

It is very important to control the dilution of the paint and the air pressure from the compressor. The more diluted the paint is, the smoother the effect will be. A lot of thin layers are better than a single thicker one. It is also a good idea to use a mask to avoid overspray or undesired effects on the model.

I decided which side the light will be directed from to bring out the differences between panels, and placed the mask vertically. 6

This effect can be clearly seen on the turret. If you lighten only the upper part of the panels, the result will be monotonous. In this case it is not a strict application of the zenithal light technique, but it makes the results more attractive.

I also used some Tamiya tape. I stuck it to a few different surfaces a couple of times to remove some of its adhesion to avoid damaging the paint.

This method of painting is a laborious process. You must do it carefully, thinking of each step, and using highly diluted paint. Planning is essential. If necessary, cut out and use a mask. 7

It is not necessary to paint the highlights in one day. You can paint the highlights in several sessions, and if you have a bad day, wait, and try again tomorrow.

I painted the 2nd and 3rd highlights to smaller areas. If you don't do this you will lose the effect as there will be no transition. Don't forget to check the dilution of the paint when you lighten the shade.

The arrows show the direction of the light on the upper vertical surfaces. 8

Lower Vertical Surfaces

In order to paint the vertical or sloped lower surfaces that generally stay in shadow, I put the shadow in the upper part, and the highlight in the lower part of the panels. The lower parts of the panels receive the most light. However, these parts will be toned down by the weathering later by either dust or mud.

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Horizontal Surfaces I painted the highlight by trying to make it contrast with the darker areas, i.e.: the part of the roof next to the turret. The clear areas close to the turrets armored plates make it stand out.

Mudguards The front mudguard highlighted area. I painted the highlight in the inner part, contrasting with the darker vertical armor plate.

The rear mudguard shadowed area. The inner part is in shadow, so I painted the highlight in the outside part of the mudguard.

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STAGE I. Summary of the highlights

I have used the following Gunze Sangyo Paints: BASE COAT: #401 Dark Gray #12 Flat Black #67 Light Blue HIGHLIGHT 1 AND 2 #401 Dark Gray #67 Light Blue

THIRD HIGHLIGHT Color used for highlight #2 + #11 Flat White

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STAGE II: FILTERS I applied some filters to the different parts of the vehicle to improve the paint. This adds chromatic variety that is almost imperceptible to the eye, and breaks up the uniformity of the base shade. I used three different filters by Sin Industries.

The first step is to unload the paint brush on a piece of card.

The filter is applied to specific areas: in this case a mudguard. 12

A sight.

A hatch.

The same parts with the other two shades applied in different areas. Sin Industries Filter #'s: P240 BLUE P241 BROWN P242 TAN 13

STAGE III: PIN WASH

A coat of clear was applied to blend the decals and make the wash flow through and around the details.

I used the Mig Productions dark wash and a fine pointed brush. The wash was put around the details after removing the excess paint.

When the wash dries, the edges won't be sharp. Clean the brush with thinner, dry it a bit…

...and rub off the excess paint.

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STAGE IV: WELD SEAMS I used Vallejo #906 Pale Blue to remake the weld texture. I painted small spots to make them more visible on the upper part to enhance the Zenithal effect. You can also paint spots with very dark grey to enhance the welding texture.

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STAGE V: HIGHLIGHTS WITH OIL PAINTS I stressed the Zenithal light effect in small areas difficult to access with the airbrush. These effects can be painted after painting the base coat and highlights in case you feel they are necessary, or useful to achieve the desired final look. You can also do them in different stages of the painting process.

I started by applying a bit of oil paint with a pointed paintbrush without thinner. Use only a small amount.

Carefully blend the oil paint with smooth strokes of the brush. Use a good brand sable brush.

Try to achieve a subtle transition. 16

Do the same on the side box, engine hatches, and exhaust pipe armor.

Continue with the armored sights, roof, and upper part of the glacis armored plate.

Here is a shot of the turret sights. 17

STAGE VI: FADING WITH OILS

I also used some oil paint to give a faded look to the paint. I did not want to add too much in this case. First, moisten the area to be done with thinner.

Apply small amounts of oil paint. The lighter shades go on the upper parts: White, Buff, and Mud. Faded grey goes on the bottom parts.

Pull down along the paint. Repeat the process as many times as necessary. Mix the oils in circles on the horizontal areas, trying to make varied effects. 18

STAGE VII: CHIPPING

The first step was an application of flat varnish to reduce the gloss of the decals and protect the current effects. This is not crucial as a general rule, but in this case I decided it was necessary. Usually when you paint with clear gloss you will have to flat it afterwards.

I do the chipping in three stages. First, one with pale blue, and then with a mix of black and red. I finish by adding a bit more black to the prior mix. I preferred restraint on this model as I did not want it to be heavily chipped. The chips are very attractive visually, and it is easy to overdo them, but in certain vehicles it is far too different from the real thing.

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STAGE VIII: WEATHERING The area the vehicle operated in calls for a different paint. My Sd.Kfz. 221 will be in France, so I will represent a dusty aspect. Not completely dry, but with a bit of glossy almost dry mud. I started with some oils, and then followed up with some pigments.

OILS: Gently pour the oil paint on the undercarriage without any fear.

Work on the sides of the vehicle as in stage VI, putting small dots of paint and blending it. 20

PIGMENTS I now applied the pigments.

I used the following: P027 Light Dust P028 Europe Dust P033 Dark Mud P034 Russian Earth P232 Dry Mud

I apply them with an old messed up paintbrush, biting here and there without blending too much. Try to put the darker pigments in the shadow areas.

Try not to cover up all the oil paint. You want to keep some glossy areas and more richness of shades. 21

STAGE IX: FINAL OILS With this stage we add more shade variety and balance to the model. Don't overdo it. Carefully put drops of different shades of paint here and there to differentiate between areas.

22

STAGE X: SPLASHES

Use very diluted acrylic paint and a #1 paint brush. Pick up a bit of light earth colored paint. You can also add a bit of pigment.

Press the brush against a wood stick or pin, and splash. You should practice this on a scrap model or a piece of paper first.

Make sure to remove most of the paint, and when the splash is thin enough, do it over the model.

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STAGE XI: OIL AND GREASE STAINS

I painted some grease stains and gloss/dirt in the areas rubbed the most to finish off the model.

I started the grease effects by using Bitumen oil without any dilution. You can also add some gloss varnish and thinner to make a lighter mix. I like to use the Mig Productions Wet Effects in this mix instead of the Gloss varnish.

Paint a vertical stain.

Use a bit of thinner to clean the paintbrush and rub the edges of the stain, trying for different intensities. Once dry, use a bit more Bitumen oil to paint over the same stain, but a narrow line this time. 24

Add stains in different areas, always trying to make the effect as natural as possible. To achieve this, try to avoid symmetries. Paint an irregular stain, with a medium sized one beside it, and some smaller ones around it. The superposition of stains also works well. You need to wait a couple of days to let the work dry and then retouch some areas because oil tends to lose its brightness and volume when it dries completely. The most visual areas are usually those around the radiator or fuel caps.

Use some Wet Effects mixed with a very small amount of bitumen to paint the glossy /dirty areas in the places where the crew usually put their hands. On the hatches…

On the turret… 25

STAGE XII: GRAPHITE

The graphite gives the model a very nice and real metallic effect, but try not to overdo it. In this case I put a bit on the rubbed area of the turret, the Jack, the inner parts of some paint chips, and the shovel.

DETAILS: Shovel, Exhaust Pipes, Fire Extinguisher

The Jack It's nice to give a different treatment to the parts of the vehicle that have been used. Since the vehicle is not too worn with the paint chipping and dirt, and all the effects are subtle, I decided I could get even with the jack by making it heavily weathered with a lot more chipping and dirt.

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The Shovel The wood contributes some color to the model. It´s painted with acrylic paint. I usually paint a base coat with a wood brown color. Then I blend with a couple of washes with the same wood brown color darkened with some dark brown or black. I then paint some wood streaks with a sand color. I also mix a bit of deck tan to give a grey touch of wear. I paint the metal parts with chips mixed with black and dark red in a first step. I then add some orange to the mix and painted some more closer to the edges. A wash with a bit of earth colored oils and some graphite finished it.

The Exhaust Pipes I painted them with a dark brown and then added some orange to the mix and painted bits on the upper parts to keep the Zenithal Light Technique. Add some desert yellow to the mix for the last touches.

The Fire Extinguisher Give a different shade to the F.E. by painting some highlights with light grey acrylic paint. I also painted the sheet with black and silver acrylic paint. It´s in a shadowed area so it´s not very visible. 27

INTERIOR The Interior has been painted with flat white, with pin washes of dark brown and earth colored oils applied on the lower parts. The floor received a generous amount of pigments and graphite. The accessories such as the hand grenades, helmets, etc, have been painted with acrylic paints.

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1/48 Tritonal camouflage Panther Tamiya

2

1

Tamiya´s Panther ausf G is a good kit, but in my opinion it lacks detail. I used the Hauler PE to improve the finish. (Picture 1) I applied a primer coat with Gunze Mr. Surfacer and started with the base coat. (Picture 2) I started with a dark yellow base coat, adding some white and yellow for the highlights, and some brown and black for the shadows. The lower parts are darkened heavily (the lower part of the gun, the mantlet, and glacis). (Picture 3)

3

I carefully masked with Tamiya tape. (Picture 4)

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4

I now painted the green. I added a little white and yellow for the highlights. I chose a pale green shade. There were little amounts of paint available close to the end of the war, so sometimes the Germans even mixed the green with white. I followed the same "lighting" scheme as with the dark yellow of the base coat. Highlight the same areas, following the zenithal light scheme in several different paint coats.

This is the effect after removing the tape. I strongly recommend emphasizing the Zenithal effect for the camouflage schemes with several colors, because after painting the camo, the effect certainly "fades away".

The last step is painting the white. In this case the Zenithal effect is very subtle, as I will emphasize it later with oils. 32

I tried to replicate the original camouflage scheme as accurately as possible.

This is the look after removing the tape.

I finished the model with pin washes, oils, chipping, and weathering. 33

I used the Shadow Brown oil from Mig Productions to emphasize the Zenithal effect in the white areas. I also used the oil mixed with enamel. Rubén González showed me this technique (thanks Ruben!) that combines the virtues of both kinds of paint. I added some Tamiya brown and black enamel to the oil paint. This mix makes it easier to work the paint. I also added this additional shadow to the yellow and green painted areas. This helps to integrate the different colors.

You can see the final result in the opposite page.

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1/48 OLIVE DRAB M8 Tamiya

I chose an Olive drab painted

scale, the fit is excellent, but it lacks

model to complete the trip around the

detail. I used the Hauler PE and some

Zenithal Light Technique at 1/48th scale:

Black Dog and Legend stuff to improve

A Tamiya M8 Greyhound.

the finish.

As with most Tamiya kits in this

36

I applied a primer coat, and then started the base coat. I don't use shadows to paint the olive drab, only highlights. I started from the black color and lightened it with olive drab. I then added only olive drab to the black, and then some yellow and or white or buff depending on the final shade I want to achieve. The last highlight takes a little

more

white.

Try to highlight the upper sides as in the Sd.kfz. 221, and don't forget to highlight in smaller areas with each coat. Make sure you use highly diluted paint and take your time to complete the process. If necessary, do it in several different sessions on different

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days. This is the progression:

Sometimes it´s good to put a finished model with the

final color you are trying to match beside your model. After completing the base coat, I finished the model with all the techniques previously described: pin washes, oils,

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1/72 PANZER GREY Kubelwagen Italeri

The last model in this book is

used as a comparison to the M8 in the

Italeri's 1/72nd scale Kubelwagen.

step by step process.

It's a tiny kit, and only a few

When painting Braille scale models

centimeters long, but a subtle Zenithal

it´s always recommended to use colors

light technique helps make it more eye

lighter than what the original shade is. If

catching. Of course the effect is more

you use the standard color directly out of

spectacular in larger models, and the

the bottle, the final look will be too dark.

zenithal technique will be more obvious.

Don't forget this scale effect.

For an example see the 1/48th Sherman

The Italeri kit is very basic. I used the Eduard etch set and some scratch building to improve it.

I used Mr. Surfacer as a primer coat for the model.

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The base coat is German grey and a bit of blue.

Subsequent highlights were added with more blue and some white.

I used Hobby Boss colors #401, #11, and #67. 41

ZENITHAL LIGHT IN 2-D I will show my approach to this technique by trying to explain what appears to be the most difficult part to understand.

I prepared a template shape using a piece of cardboard.

You can see here the effect of light shading painted with a pen. This is what adds volume, and is exactly the same effect that the light adds in the real thing. What we have painted in two dimensions is exactly the same thing we will do in three dimensions on our model: to accentuate the effect of the Zenithal light.

A Dark Yellow base coat. This is the same effect of a plain painted model. 43

First highlight by adding a little bit of White. Will we paint the panels? No! We will mask and paint the lighter paint only on the upper side. The original color is used on the horizontal surfaces.

Second high light with more White added. Is it too clear? If so, we can add a couple of filters later, can’t we? Note 1: Look at the back part of the turret. The light is exactly where we need it to enhance the volumes. Note 2: To enhance the panels on the upper surfaces we just have to decide where the light coincides. In this case it is in the mudguards.

Shadows are added by mixing in a drop of black paint. I then stopped working with the masks. That's it! We now have a Zenithal painted dark yellow base coat. Is it too clear and White? If so, it's easy to add a general filter to make it darker.

Please note that the base color is only one shade. We can add a variety of shades by applying filters to each area of the mudguards with some oil paints. 44

What camo scheme should I choose? I tried two basic types and the Zenithal light technique on both: soft and hard edges stripes. I will cut the model in two parts to demonstrate the technique: The right side will have hard edged stripes and the left side will have soft ones. I used a simple painting technique of slightly elevated masks to make the soft edges. I prepared pieces of Tamiya tape that elevated the mask by 1 or 2mm. It's important to airbrush at a 90 degree angle, perpendicular to the plate you are painting. I used a mask to paint the hard edged camo.

The Green base coat. High light by adding Yellow. Shadow by adding black.

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Left side: soft edges. Right side: hard edges These are the finished effects. You can see the difference in the turret paint. In some cases the masks were too close to the stencil and the effects have been mixed. This proves that you need to use enough Tamiya tape to avoid these mistakes.

A filter was added with the base coat dark yellow color to blend and make the base shade darker. I used an airbrush, but you can also use a paintbrush as well.

It's now time to start with the other techniques, but starting with a "different" base coat. Remember that we have to use a lighter shade for the horizontal surfaces to paint a 3 dimensional model.

CONCLUSION The Zenithal Light Technique is only another one to use in our models, and you will have to check to see if it fits in your working methods. This is much the same way as dry brushing was widely accepted and used, and afterwards widely discredited. This is just a new technique that you should know and use to a certain extent. The color modulation and other possible light effects probably aren't the definitive techniques, but only one more to enjoy and use depending on the results we want to achieve when painting a model. 46

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