COMPLEMENTARY PRE-SHADING - Trying out a new pre-shading method

You can even go further when doing a "virtual light source" method (I don't know the proper name :)) and introduce "warm" colours for pre-shading "cold" base colors in areas which will be in shade and vice versa, "cold" pre-shading for "warm" ones. This is done in painting. 

Will try that as well one day. 

Best, 

Nikola

Congratulations on spelling 'complementary' correctly! Even art magazines get that wrong about half the time. I like the way you think, but I usually just go with a darker version of the base color. The only thing that matters is whether you like it or not.

Nikola

You can even go further when doing a "virtual light source" method (I don't know the proper name :)) and introduce "warm" colours for pre-shading "cold" base colors in areas which will be in shade and vice versa, "cold" pre-shading for "warm" ones. This is done in painting. 

 

 

Best, 

Nikola

 

You are already doing warm over cool by virtue of choosing complementary colors--they are naturally opposite in temperature.

Hi Hypertex, 

Haha, didn't know it was a tricky word. :) 

Thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated! You are absolutely right about the opposite color temperatures. 

What I meant to say when I said to take it further was to maybe introduce various colors which are not necessarily complementary, but are opposite in temperatures, as colors have many variants and shades. For example, green can be warmer or colder depending on how close to yellow or blue it is, but it's not complementary to neither of the two. Same for purple.

Don't know, maybe I am completely wrong. Will definitely experiment further. :) 

Best,

Nikola

Looks good and a very interesting idea.

Thanks Tickmagnet,

I am interested to see how far it can be developed and improved on.

Best,

Nikola

Hi gents,

Just an update on the Zeke. 

Almost finished. I decided to try and paint some of the markings instead of using decals. Turned out reasonably OK.

Need to finish the landing gear, the prop and the canopy, and Das Is It.

Again, my phone photos are terrible  Also, I didn't remove the liquid masks from the wheel wells so they are visible.

The model needs some touch ups overall, but it turned out OK.

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

Looks good and those painted markings look good.

Hi guys, 

For those interested, below is the link to the finished model:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/183618.aspx

Thanks for looking!

Cheers, 

Nikola

Hi guys,

Just wanted to share with you, in this topic section as well, my rough "virtual test" for the complementary pre-shading method for my current build - P61 Widow. The colors are approximate. Here it goes:

Step 1 - Dark yellow primer:

Step 2 - Complementary pre-shading:

Step 3 - Base color:

Bellow - Regular pre-shading for comparison:

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

I have a question. Why did you install the clear canopy prior to painting the model instead of after painting the model? 

Hi Johnny, 

For this one I just temporarily fixed it to the fuselage, covered it with Vallejo liquid mask and used it as a mask for the cockpit. I removed it later and painted it afterwards. 

Sometimes I install the canopy permanently before painting the rest of the plane and paint them together in order to have no difference in color and weathering.

Depends on the model I guess. 

Cheers, 

Nikola

Hi guys,

Step 1 and 2 (priming and complementary pre-shading) finished:

- Primer - Vallejo German Dark Yellow Surface Primer 73.604
- Complementary pre-shading - Tamiya XF-7 Flat Red (and darker shade of it made by mixing with XF-1 Flat Black) and X-16 Purple.
- Highlights - Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan

Next step: Base colors - Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab and XF-53 Neutral Gray.

Thanks for looking.


Cheers,

Nikola

Hi gents,

Here she is with the first set of thin coats of base color (Tamiya's XF-62 Olive Drab) over the complementary pre-shading scheme.

I think that the color variation should be subtler so I might go with a couple of more thin coats of OD or go straight to filters and do it that way.

I will decide on that when I see the model tomorrow in daylight. 

Apologies for the image quality.

Thanks for looking!

Cheers,

Nikola

Hi guys,

Update on the complementary pre-shading effect on the Widow:

She received a second set of very thin coats (85%, thinner) this time those being Tamiya XF-59 Desert Yellow. I chose to lighten the OD with a yellow since OD is actually a mixture of yellow and black. 

The effect of complementary pre-shading is subtle, but I think that it does add richness to the color scheme of the model. 

The first couple of photos are taken outside in daylight and the rest is from the study. This is as close as I could get to showing what I actually see in reality without taking fancy photos. 

Criticism and comments are more than welcome!

Again, thanks for looking!

Cheers,

Nikola

Hi gents,

Just thought that I could share an almost finished work in progress where the subtle effects of Complementary Pre-Shading can be seen after weathering:

https://imgur.com/a/jPxnz4l

So far, the toughest thing for me is to control paint coverage and weathering so the effect does not get lost.

Comments and criticism are more than welcome. 

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

Hi gents,

This is my current build - Airfix 1/48 Ju87 B-1 Stuka, where I am experimenting with my complementary pre-shading method further.

Cockpit primed with German Dark Yellow, then "complementary pre-shaded" with German Red-Brown and highlighted with White. Next is base coat of RLM02.

I chose a red based hue for my complementary pre-shading method again since the RLM02 has a greenish tint to it. This time I decided to experiment with red-brown instead of plain red for pre-shading. We will see what it turns out to be.

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

Hi guys,

Below are a few photos of the base coat laid over the complementary pre-shading. I tried to represent the true colours as I see them in real life and this is as good as it gets for now with my photographing skills. 

The finish itself is not great, as I realized some problems with my compressor and air pressure only after I finished painting (I noticed there was something odd during the process but was stupid and lazy enough not to check immediately). 

Anyhow, thanks for looking!  

Best,

Nikola

To retroactively add a few things:

You can see the subtle effects of complementary pre-shading method, but I wish it was a bit more pronounced. I should try to go lighter with the base coat. Some of it gets lost in weathering and washes.

Most of this isn't seen anyway so it was more of a practice. 

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

More retrospective on the Stuka:

Well, I got my multi layer chipping relatively ok, but I completely messed up the rest, as this time, I haven't waited long enough for pre-shading and the base coat to bond properly and started chipping too early resulting in two colors chipping separately.

Thanks for looking.

Best,

Nikola

Somehow I have worked my way through multiple layer chipping. 

Not 100% satisfied with the results due to few mistakes I made in one of the early steps, but lesson was learned definitely. 

Pre-shading is intentionally left a bit stronger to avoid losing it due to weathering and potential "tonal crush" effect after white decals, wing tips and rudder are done. 

Panel line washes will cover the more reddish tone in the recesses so it should be ok in the end (it's slightly more red in the photos than in real life).

Pics below. Thanks for looking guys!

Best,

Nikola 

A link to the finished model is here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/186069.aspx

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

Hi gents,

Current work on Eduard's 1/48 Mirage related to experimenting with my Complementary Pre-Shading method:

- Vallejo German Dark Yellow primer applied.

- White highlights applied to simulate directional light later on.

- Sticking with my Complementary Pre-shading method and experimenting further, I pre-shaded with purple as it is in the complementary color range to the base color (Vallejo Middlestone) and also to the dark yellow primer.

Apologies for awful photos. My phone camera is not very talented. :)

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola  

Hi gents,

A few steps down the line in experimenting with my Complementary Pre-Shading method:

First couple of very thin passes of Vallejo Middlestone over the purple and white pre-shading scheme.

The paint withdrew from the panel lines in some spots (maybe it has something to do with it being very thin) but no worries, since more layers are coming along with panel line washes.

The color varies in the photos due to my bad phone camera and different lighting conditions. I tried to get it as best as I could.

I like it so far. We'll see.

You be the judges. Comments are very welcome.

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

Nice!

Up to this point, the hardest thing for me is controlling the base coat coverage. The effect seems to work in certain areas, while disappearing from other. 

One thing I like about it is that it creates grays and darker tones which are richer in color that would be with just black, like in painting, as shading with black and tinting with white dulls the vibrance of the colours.

I might use complementary postshading to try and enhance the effect, or even try complementary basing to see what it creates.

Best, 

Nikola

Hi gents,

Base coat finished - a few more thin coats of Vallejo Middlestone applied, followed by lightened version of the same, with a yellow filter applied over the whole model in the end. 

I like the color modulation, but in some areas I have lost the pre-shading effect which I will have to regain with post-shading later on.

Next - masking of the camo pattern and painting the second colour.

Thanks for looking!

Best,

Nikola

Hi Nikola !

 Hey , that is a very hard used looking J.U. 87. I bet your engine area is going to be awesome. Waiting for more.

Tanker-Builder

Hi Nikola !

 Hey , that is a very hard used looking J.U. 87. I bet your engine area is going to be awesome. Waiting for more.

 

Hi Tanker-Builder,

Thank you for taking an interest! Appreciated.

If you wish to take a look, the link to the finished model is here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/186069.aspx

Best, 

Nikola

I like the overall look, especially the red. Boy that was tough to look at before the top coat lol had to be hard for you not to want to cover it all up at 1st? 
was reading about your experiences so far. I wonder if it's the Vallejo that's making it hard to cover, some disappearing in spots and the like? I find it hard to paint those on in thin layers that have some transparency.