Question on pre-shading Hellcat F6F-3

First, you are not required to pre- or post- shade anything lol. But it's easier than it looks.

Well, once you get a consistent paint flow, which is not a consistent problem from one color to another in my experience. Tamiya is reliable though.

Now to answer your question lol. I've given this question a lot of thought for my own builds and I suspect I will start from a neutral grey and work my way slowly to a very light grey, but not pure white. That should add a slight shadow effect as if naturally lighted.

I read once that in scale modeling you should shy away from using pure white and so far I have found this advice to be solid. Pure white in small scales looks too white. Hard to explain until you see it I guess.

Just remember that you're building for your own pleasure and no one else's. This is supposed to be fun and relaxing. You don't have to do stuff you don't like nor wish to do. That kinda sucks the fun out of it lol.

I agree with Mr.B on the white. I add a little bit of grey and/or tan, just to take away some of the "starkness". I also never go with straight black (add a touch of white to it).

Anyway, to throw another method pre-shading your way...

I spray the whole model in black/very dark grey, then "marble" it with white...leaving the panel lines dark. I find this far less tedious than trying to keep a decent line on just the panel lines. It is far more time consuming though....and having shaky hands actually helps a bit!

For color coats, I thin the paint down about 50/50 (I am using enamels....zero experience with acrylics)...spray in thin layers, to slowly build up the paint. This will give you a blotchy, weathered looking finish.

Other colors hav been added already, but you can see a bit of the "blotchiness" on the large panel, just in front of the first round window.

It shows better to the eye...doesn't really show too well in pics.

Here's another example of the effect...

Regardless of what method you choose, I'd recommend that if you're going to preshade the bottom...presade the whole thing. Even with the darker blue on top...if it's thinned decently, you'll still be able to see the preshade...unless you spray too much.

Welcome....enjoy!

I've yet to try the pre-shading.  I've always done post oil washes, pastels and even post panel shading with tamiya smoke.  I do really like the mottling effect you have show in the pics though and may give that a try. 

But like the others said - do what you enjoy, its a hobby!

Thanks for all the input. The idea of painting the entire model in black, which I believe is called black basing, has crossed my mind as I'm not at all that steady with doing straight lines required for pre-sahding. Kind of like Don Knotts in "The Shakiest Gun in the West'!

If by chance I go that route and seeing that I already have the entire plane painted with Vallejo Grey Surface Primer could I simply give the entire plane a coat of flat black paint, or would I have to give it a coat of black surface primer? This also brings me to another question that has been on my mind. Seeing that Vallejo paints are water based acrylics is it safe to paint over them with either Model Master acryl, and or Tamiya acrylic paint as I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that both are solvent based? For what it's worth I use the same home brewed thinner for all of these paints with what seems like good results so far. (2/3 distilled water, 1/3 IPA, Flow Improver and Fluid Retarder).

Phil1947

   Other than that, and what I still would like to know is if I should first give the entire plane a coat of black primer if I choose to use the black basing method (which I’m strongly leaning towards), or if I can simply give it a coat of flat black paint? Sorry if I’m posting this question(s) in the wrong forum as I just recently noticed that there is a forum dedicated to Paint and airbrushing so I’m not at all sure if I should be posting my question about black basing/pre-shading there?

 

Once again, thanks for all of your input and patience with all of my questions. ;)

 

 

If you are wanting to do the entire model in black then you can go either way prime in black or spray black over the primer it's up to you. If it was me I would just prime in black and cut out a entire step. If you go the way of painting the entire model black instead of say only the panel lines then you want to work each panel. start by painting in the middle of panels more heavily and fading out towards the panel lines. If you have some back issues of finescale then the april 2012 issue Aaron Skinner does this step by step on a Challenger 2. (I keep a spreadsheet program where I list stuff from finescale and other model mags that I can then cross reference to later)