Pre Shading, post Shading

Hmmm, I guess I've been confused about this all along. I've been pre-shading when I thought I was post-shading! Now I know what to call it! Thanks all!

I favor pre-shading and use different methods depending on the finish I'm after. Dunkelgelb based schemes are pre-shaded with MM Rust to simulate the red oxide primer. Dark gray or OD green get a pre-shade of MM Flat Black. The key with pre-shading is all about the pressure, thinner ratio, and angle at which you apply the follow-on basecoat color. The idea behind pre-shading is to produce depth and shadows along with dark/light fading. To achieve this I usually apply the preshading coat at high presure (20-30 psi) and broad coats and the follow-on coats at low pressure (10-15 psi) and thinned 50/50 depening in light mist coats with a detail tip to produce the desired effect.

I've never tried traditional post-shading but instead apply weathering using straight enamels and weathering powders or artist pastels to basically achieve the same effect in combination with the pre-shading and painting. I'm happy with what it produces but I encourage you to try out different methods until you find one that suits you. It may be a hybrid of different stuff depending on what you have handy and what you actually like doing. There's no one magic way to finish a model.

I have had some great results with post shading.... I am not sure which on is better, but I always post shade. It just seems to me like mistakes are easier to correct. As far as how to do it, well I have outlined the painting steps that I use for most of my models on my website:

http://home.comcast.net/~williamehler/frames.htm

hope this helps...

I do not thin mine down. I just do very light coats

I think I am going to try some pre shading first. (i'll be trying both). So do I really thin down the OD, or just use the regular 50/50 mix that I use.

You're right Jeff. Probably a typo. The problem I always have with preshading is I always put the paint on too thick in one area or anither, wiping out the color from below. I end up going back and respraying with a darker color in those areas. Call it my prepostshading technique

hmmmmmmm...confused??? is sh00ter not describing pre-shading? or is it instead of covering everything you only put the under shading normally darker in colour on cerain areas...I think technically both would be pre-shading. i.e. darker on first then main body colour goes on top. Post shading I thought is where the natural main body colour goes on first then is darkened?

I like to preshade. Probably because it allows you to see inperfections before you spray your main color. Check out Moses' StuG painting in the group thread, he has a really nice technique.

Reb,
I'm trying post shading on a Sherman right now. Got the idea from a workshop I attended at an IPMS nats convention a couple years back. The entire tank gets a coat of black (I guess you can concentrate most of the effort into making sure the black gets sprayed into the areas that are in the shade, etc.) then you add the OD in thin layers till it looks right. I've wanted to give this technique a try for a couple years and, after seeing finished results from other modelers, think post shading is the way to go. Will post my efforts later.

dt