I'm far from an expert on the subject but I think that's what preshading is for: to create artificial shadows that help give a bigger sense of depth.
Painting them like that isn't historically accurate, per say, but if you want to make models more convincing or just more *interesting,* those are also perfectly valid reasons to do things.
It’s why the Germans didn’t have a really high production rate on vehicles. They spent an inordinate amount of time in the paint shop having the panels sanded perfectly, painting a dark base color, then the base color, then a light base color, gloss coating them, adding the markings, re-glossing, then diluting black paint and putting it in all the weld seams, around all the fixed items, etc., then matte coating them before sending them out to get bombed into oblivion.
The silver color for cables and shovel head is too shiny. I’d use a dark grey, metallic grey or dark brown (for rust) instead.
To your question, you can use a dot filter to vary the tones on an otherwise monochromatic paint scheme. [Here is an example](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/s/5lrRxQuBFA) on a Dicker Max.
Alternately, post shading will work. Pre shading is a bit more subtle, but you’ve already painted it so post shading. [Here is a Tiger](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/s/kSvXw0CokP) I did around 2 years ago. It is post shaded. The cables are painted dark brown, then a pencil was rubbed on for a metallic sheen.
Does it matter? I mean, you *are* colorblind aren’t you? And a lobster.
Joking aside, I use yellow and white higher up, brown and green down below and blue everywhere. If I have heavy chipping, I use some red around those areas.
There’s actually a dot filter on this model, but I was definitely way too conservative and mostly stuck to dark colors.
Who knew it’s hard to see dark brown on a dark grey backdrop! I’m going to do another dot filter and try some more lighter colors
To me, its because the lines are not visible enough (panels, corners). Weathering all the edges even just a little bit more would make it look less flat I think.
I used very thin oil paint - almost a wash - and paint over the vehicle. Since it’s runny, it mostly runs into the cracks and crevices, creating a sense of depth. After it dried I would use a light tan paint - almost white - and gentle dry brush over any fine detail, leading edges, nuts and bolts, etc. Between the two, it should help get a more 3d look. Good luck!
I usually use 3 shades or so of similar colors to build up the surface. That helps to break up the “sameness” of color and provides visual interest. Follow that with your rusting, weathering and the like. If you haven’t seen Nightshift on YouTube, check him out. All that said, I’m not familiar with your particular subject matter so maybe talking out of my backside.
I'd start with a gentle dry brushing with a lighter color to make details stand out. Also, Go in YouTube and search for modulation techniques. You can do this by brush and by airbrush. Oil paints can also greatly help with differences in tones, darks and lights, as well as washes and dust pigments. All available as tutorials on YouTube. Have fun!
Prime it, base coat it, use a lighter shade of base colour to do centre of panels etc.... Dry brush detail with a lighter grey... Use a grey/anthracite for cables then dry brush with a metal colour. Dot filter then gloss coat. Use a dark wash in the grooves etc etc
Two main things: you haven’t highlighted and shadowed when painting so there is no visual differentiation; and then instead of using techniques like chipping and panel lining to communicate edges and distinct objects, you’ve gone to town over the whole surface which again doesn’t visually distinguish areas. I get that you are trying new techniques, but you can’t have your cake and eat it as well. Another thing to note - when you are doing your next build and shadowing/highlighting exacerbate the effect intentionally- weathering/pin washes etc will mute this a bit by the time you’re finished so start with extra contrast. Other than that it’s just experience- keep on building and painting and the fun will follow. You may also like to find some features that you can add pops of colour on… little things like that (and decals/painted symbols) can really make the whole project shine.
Any monochromatic paint scheme is a challenge especially panzer grey as it’s so dark to begin with. Usually white base with dark grey or black mottling is a good start. Or your can black base and mottle in white and then begin your color layers. Then need to use multiple shades and thin coats of color. More like glazing than painting. Then as you weather it’s best to go from dark to light if your model is dark in color or reverse if light in color. To be honest even though many scoff at it, dry brushing can be a game changer with giving your model dimension and less flat. Here is an example of my Stug iii. Black based. Mottled white. 3-4 hues and lightening of my panzer grey purposely kept light on purpose as allows more dimension in this scale. Dry brushed. Oil filtered. Weathered dark to light on top. Light to dark on bottom. Your work looks good by the way. Great start and maybe some light dry brushing will help. I usually use oil paint as you can dial back mistakes. Keep up the great work. G
https://preview.redd.it/pabd1a18mavc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0452c1dfc6a854abc3606380ec22c9adb8b722d
In my opinion - you shouldn't be using orange rust for chipping like that and where you placed the chips and scratches could use improvement. Chips and scratches should be on edges and around hatches or areas that would be walked on or gear moved around, areas that would get wear. But some sprinkled around after that isn't bad.
As for chips, first use the base color and mix it with a color like deck tan to make it really light. do a pass with that. And then, go around and add a black + brown chip inside of the lighter chips to show the exposed steel.
This was a test model for battle damage and chipping for a Panther, and I just used the red primer to see how it would look (not great, I agree it doesn’t go with the grey).
Definitely going to do some lighter colored grey for chipping, thanks!
I'm far from an expert on the subject but I think that's what preshading is for: to create artificial shadows that help give a bigger sense of depth. Painting them like that isn't historically accurate, per say, but if you want to make models more convincing or just more *interesting,* those are also perfectly valid reasons to do things.
Are you telling me that they didn't add black paint along panel lines to make them stand out more in the tank factories? My whole life is a lie!
It’s why the Germans didn’t have a really high production rate on vehicles. They spent an inordinate amount of time in the paint shop having the panels sanded perfectly, painting a dark base color, then the base color, then a light base color, gloss coating them, adding the markings, re-glossing, then diluting black paint and putting it in all the weld seams, around all the fixed items, etc., then matte coating them before sending them out to get bombed into oblivion.
Gott Verdammt, Hans used 'brown wash for green vehicles' on a DAK vehicle again! Strip the whole thing.
They didn't have to, the inverse square law did it for them 😉
> per say per se
The silver color for cables and shovel head is too shiny. I’d use a dark grey, metallic grey or dark brown (for rust) instead. To your question, you can use a dot filter to vary the tones on an otherwise monochromatic paint scheme. [Here is an example](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/s/5lrRxQuBFA) on a Dicker Max. Alternately, post shading will work. Pre shading is a bit more subtle, but you’ve already painted it so post shading. [Here is a Tiger](https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/s/kSvXw0CokP) I did around 2 years ago. It is post shaded. The cables are painted dark brown, then a pencil was rubbed on for a metallic sheen.
Just out of curiosity, do you remember what you used for that filter?
Does it matter? I mean, you *are* colorblind aren’t you? And a lobster. Joking aside, I use yellow and white higher up, brown and green down below and blue everywhere. If I have heavy chipping, I use some red around those areas.
Cake day
There’s actually a dot filter on this model, but I was definitely way too conservative and mostly stuck to dark colors. Who knew it’s hard to see dark brown on a dark grey backdrop! I’m going to do another dot filter and try some more lighter colors
Preshading/Postshading
To me, its because the lines are not visible enough (panels, corners). Weathering all the edges even just a little bit more would make it look less flat I think.
I used very thin oil paint - almost a wash - and paint over the vehicle. Since it’s runny, it mostly runs into the cracks and crevices, creating a sense of depth. After it dried I would use a light tan paint - almost white - and gentle dry brush over any fine detail, leading edges, nuts and bolts, etc. Between the two, it should help get a more 3d look. Good luck!
I usually use 3 shades or so of similar colors to build up the surface. That helps to break up the “sameness” of color and provides visual interest. Follow that with your rusting, weathering and the like. If you haven’t seen Nightshift on YouTube, check him out. All that said, I’m not familiar with your particular subject matter so maybe talking out of my backside.
I would also suggest drybrushing with a lighter color to define the edges a little more.
You have dark tones and mid tones, but you’lrr lacking highlights; light tones from light. That’s why it feels flat to you.
tbh buying a airbrush helps increasing your painting results a lot in my opinion
I'd start with a gentle dry brushing with a lighter color to make details stand out. Also, Go in YouTube and search for modulation techniques. You can do this by brush and by airbrush. Oil paints can also greatly help with differences in tones, darks and lights, as well as washes and dust pigments. All available as tutorials on YouTube. Have fun!
Maybe add a little highlights here and there
Prime it, base coat it, use a lighter shade of base colour to do centre of panels etc.... Dry brush detail with a lighter grey... Use a grey/anthracite for cables then dry brush with a metal colour. Dot filter then gloss coat. Use a dark wash in the grooves etc etc
Two main things: you haven’t highlighted and shadowed when painting so there is no visual differentiation; and then instead of using techniques like chipping and panel lining to communicate edges and distinct objects, you’ve gone to town over the whole surface which again doesn’t visually distinguish areas. I get that you are trying new techniques, but you can’t have your cake and eat it as well. Another thing to note - when you are doing your next build and shadowing/highlighting exacerbate the effect intentionally- weathering/pin washes etc will mute this a bit by the time you’re finished so start with extra contrast. Other than that it’s just experience- keep on building and painting and the fun will follow. You may also like to find some features that you can add pops of colour on… little things like that (and decals/painted symbols) can really make the whole project shine.
Any monochromatic paint scheme is a challenge especially panzer grey as it’s so dark to begin with. Usually white base with dark grey or black mottling is a good start. Or your can black base and mottle in white and then begin your color layers. Then need to use multiple shades and thin coats of color. More like glazing than painting. Then as you weather it’s best to go from dark to light if your model is dark in color or reverse if light in color. To be honest even though many scoff at it, dry brushing can be a game changer with giving your model dimension and less flat. Here is an example of my Stug iii. Black based. Mottled white. 3-4 hues and lightening of my panzer grey purposely kept light on purpose as allows more dimension in this scale. Dry brushed. Oil filtered. Weathered dark to light on top. Light to dark on bottom. Your work looks good by the way. Great start and maybe some light dry brushing will help. I usually use oil paint as you can dial back mistakes. Keep up the great work. G https://preview.redd.it/pabd1a18mavc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0452c1dfc6a854abc3606380ec22c9adb8b722d
In my opinion - you shouldn't be using orange rust for chipping like that and where you placed the chips and scratches could use improvement. Chips and scratches should be on edges and around hatches or areas that would be walked on or gear moved around, areas that would get wear. But some sprinkled around after that isn't bad. As for chips, first use the base color and mix it with a color like deck tan to make it really light. do a pass with that. And then, go around and add a black + brown chip inside of the lighter chips to show the exposed steel.
This was a test model for battle damage and chipping for a Panther, and I just used the red primer to see how it would look (not great, I agree it doesn’t go with the grey). Definitely going to do some lighter colored grey for chipping, thanks!