If you're like me, you probably bought an airbrush because you don't want to waste time doing that most boring of tasks - undercoating and base coating!
An airbrush can be so damn helpful that it will revolutionise your painting workflow so that not only will you get more work done in a smaller period of time, you'll also probably start to enjoy those menial tasks.
If you're like me, you also got straight into airbrushing without a thought for the layering of paint and the slightly odd way in which you need to highlight using an airbrush.
This is called pre-shading.
Here is an example of models that have not been pre-shaded -
Note the flatness of the armour. I'm showing you this on my night lords because pre-shading is so much more important with darker colours. Lighter colours can easily be washed and a great effect can be achieved. Dark blue for example, however, is not a forgiving colour.
My method for pre-shading with an airbrush is simple and effective, allowing for a dark colour of your choosing to go over it flat without too much hassle.
1. Start with a black undercoat.
2. Using a smaller nozzle (I recommend a 0.2mm or 0.3mm), carefully apply a light-medium grey to areas you want to highlight.
In my case, it is from the top, down, as I like to achieve a semi zenithal highlight effect to my flat armour panels.
example
3. Being extremely careful, use your 0.2 nib to highlight those grey areas to white.
example
These models are now fully pre-shaded and ready to basecoat. For my Night Lords, I like to basecoat with a 2/1 mix of vallejo model air french blue and signal blue. I find those two together are probably my favourite colour for night lords. Add a drop or two of thinner with it to make sure that pre-shade comes through - signal blue is quite dark and I find its' pigments ro be quite overbearing if not kept in check with some light dilution.
Here are both of those squads fully basecoated.
I hope you enjoyed my lesson. Stay tuned for more midnight clad antics.
One lesson I also learned when pre shading...make sure you are using semi transparent paints over top! Otherwise you'll cover up the pre shading with opaque paints. If you stick to thin layers you are usually ok, but its easy to accidentally delete the preshading while you work.
ReplyDeleteBut as one blogger put it, sometimes the preshading isn't there for the effect, but to help remind you where and how to paint the various sections. Helps release us from the "everything should be the same tone" mentality.
That is certainly important! Super thin layers are always the best. With my blue, I always add at least 1/3 vallejo airbrush thinner. It's a perfect medium for thinning. You can even use it as a wash medium.
DeleteI think the good thing about the above method is that without putting a colour over the top, it looks very pre-heresy space wolves. A nice cold grey, much more effective than the classic blue-grey that the eavy metal team loves to use (Just in my opinion).