Modulations?

Phil_H

It's really just a hijacking of a generic term to describe a specific effect. In this case, the the full description should be "the use of colour modulation to simulate the effects of light and shade on a three dimensional object", but that's a big mouthful so they've simply shortened it down to "colour modulation".

At its most basic level, modulation in relation to painting simply means varying the tone of a colour. This has been used (eg. highlighting the centre of a panel while leaving the edges slightly darker, ie. creating a gradation of the base colour) by many modellers long before the term "colour modulation" became popularised with a specific meaning. If you're adding white to a colour to make it lighter or black to a colour to make it darker, then you are modulating that colour. 

You may also come across the term "mapping" where successive layers of varying tones are applied over the previous in ever decreasing irregular  patches. This is yet another example of modulation but of course, it has its own particular buzz-word attached to it to make it sound super-special.

 

ahh i see that makes more sense. Thank you for clarifying 

It's really just a hijacking of a generic term to describe a specific effect. In this case, the the full description should be "the use of colour modulation to simulate the effects of light and shade on a three dimensional object", but that's a big mouthful so they've simply shortened it down to "colour modulation".

At its most basic level, modulation in relation to painting simply means varying the tone of a colour. This has been used (eg. highlighting the centre of a panel while leaving the edges slightly darker, ie. creating a gradation of the base colour) by many modellers long before the term "colour modulation" became popularised with a specific meaning. If you're adding white to a colour to make it lighter or black to a colour to make it darker, then you are modulating that colour. 

You may also come across the term "mapping" where successive layers of varying tones are applied over the previous in ever decreasing irregular  patches. This is yet another example of modulation but of course, it has its own particular buzz-word attached to it to make it sound super-special.

Tankluver

Honestly i just never knew. I always thought modulations were for the whole weathering effect 

 

Its an artistic approach thats passed off as weathering. AsStik says, it would be nice to see paint sets that focus on a realistic finish rather than anartistic one.

Tankluver

Honestly i just never knew. I always thought modulations were for the whole weathering effect 

 

 I sometimes use clear in color coats to have the base colors show through, never tried it with camo but it might be something to play with on scrap parts or plastic spoons. I use up to maybe 20 or 25% clear or so before thinning. For acrylics I have mat, satin and gloss. Mat and gloss for lacquer. Might be worth trying on some scrap pieces and see what you think.

Honestly i just never knew. I always thought modulations were for the whole weathering effect 

Well, why not sell sets of the camo sets without the modulation stuff for those who do not use that technique. 

okay that’s what i kind of understood but i was wondering if it would look weird doing all the modulations then applying camouflage on top. It just seemed odd that paint companies would sell a modulation set but then sell a camo set that didn’t include the modulations as well. 

Here is a thread link on this topic right here at FSM:  http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/3/t/171214.aspx

You might have to copy paste the link.

Tankluver

Can someone explain modulations to me,i understand using them for one scheme colors such as the German dunkagelb but can you apply camoflauge over it or are these better for just one color schemes to show the shadowing?

 

I think it's a fancy name for how one would sequence pre shading, color, post shading, highlighting and washes. You could camo or not and still use modulation coats, be it under and or over the camo. In looking at a couple of videos this seems to be the case, though I never called it modulation, never heard the term used for these steps actually till yesterday. and I could be all wrong lol ! Anyway, plenty of videos out there on this.

I thought I posted to this already so not sure where that post went, sorry to anyone who finds it in some strange location .