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

[Nikola]

Hi guys,

I am new on the forum and I am not sure if this fits here but I would like to share this with you:

I am trying out a new technique for pre-shading, which I borrowed from my experience in art, painting and colour theory, and which I call COMPLEMENTARY PRE-SHADING for now. Maybe someone has done this before and if so, please share your experience.

My guinnea pig for this one is Tamiya's older and somewhat simpler 1/48 Zeke.

I used complementary colours of the base colour to pre-shade, aiming at more interesting colour variation and contrast. The base colour in this case is IJN Ash Gray, so the complementary colour for pre-shading is purple, Tamiya X-16 to be precise. I also primed the model in Vallejo Dark Yellow primer, this being the complementary of the pre-shading color.

This is more of an artistic than realistic approach, but I like to try and balance both in my models. The colors are much better in reality, but you all know that excuse, haha. Will have to wait for "proper" photos in the end.

Below are the results. I like it so far, looks promising.
You be the judges.


Thanks for looking!

Best,
Nikola

[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.

Will try that as well one day.

Best,
Nikola

[Garion77]

I love the result ! but can you tell how you know what to find the complementary color of any color ?

[TheNordus]

Looks like you got some nice results here. Complementary colours are just art theory, it's a thing you need to study. Or possibly use Paletton.com, they have an option to pick a complementary colour for any possible colour.

[digger303]

I love the result ! but can you tell how you know what to find the complementary color of any color ?

colour wheels help.

[Nikola]

I love the result ! but can you tell how you know what to find the complementary color of any color ?

Hi Garion,

Glad you like the result.

Like the guys said, just Google some basic color theory. Nothing fancy or too complicated here.

On one of my next builds, 1/72 FW 189, I will try out the red pre-shading/green base color combination and see how it goes.

Cheers,
Nikola

[Nikola]

Looks like you got some nice results here. Complementary colours are just art theory, it's a thing you need to study. Or possibly use Paletton.com, they have an option to pick a complementary colour for any possible colour.

Hi Nordus,

I am glad you like the outcome. It looks promising. There is a lot to develop further and play with in my opinion.

Best,
Nikola

[Garion77]

I have a color wheel...tought it would help me but I don't understand how it works
But I'll google it and try it on my next project, tamisa's P-47. When I finish my Bf109

[Nikola]

Hi guys,

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



Thanks for looking!


Cheers,
Nikola

[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!


Cheers,
Nikola

[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

[Twokidsnosleep]

Interesting
I am thinking you gotta keep those colour layers fairly thin so you don't gum up the panel lines and flood details with too thick of paint by the time you are done

[Nikola]

Interesting
I am thinking you gotta keep those colour layers fairly thin so you don't gum up the panel lines and flood details with too thick of paint by the time you are done

Hi Scott,

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, the base coat is going to be done in a number of thin layers (70% thinner minimum) for better cover control of the pre-shading underneath. The panel lines on this ancient kit are mostly raised. The ones which are recessed are fairly deep so they should not be a problem, but I will try to be careful anyway.

We'll see how it turns out.

Best,
Nikola

[digger303]

Hi guys,

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



Thanks for looking!


Cheers,
Nikola

You have achieved a excellent result. I shall be keeping a eye on the next build as well...

[Nikola]

Hi guys,

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



Thanks for looking!


Cheers,
Nikola

You have achieved a excellent result. I shall be keeping a eye on the next build as well...

Hi Digger,

Thank you very much! Appreciated! Glad you like the outcome of the method!

I will do my best not to mess up the Widow. The next step is the base coat so I should be very careful.

Will keep updating.

Cheers,
Nikola

[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

[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

[digger303]

Very nice. I like what the complimentary slant on the shading method brings. Nice work

[Nikola]

Very nice. I like what the complimentary slant on the shading method brings. Nice work

Thanks Digger! Appreciated!

Best,
Nikola

[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:

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

[Kevthemodeller]

looks superb mate

[Nikola]

looks superb mate

Thank you Kev! Appreciated!

Best,
Nikola

[AirCadet424]

Very nice Nikola and an interesting theory that you have there, I think that you've stumbled upon something new with this technique. As an artist myself, I fully understand the principles of complementary colours, tertiary colours and the use of the colour wheel, etc., etc., and your theory is spot on and well founded. By using complementary colours as your pre-shading that are matched to the top colour, it is always going to look naturally pleasing to the eye, as complementary colours should do, and in so doing will be an improvement on the standard technique of pre-shading, which is good but not fully developed. I think you have just developed it that one step further and I will be practising this theory myself on some old kits to see how it looks in the flesh.

Thanks Nikola and well done, very innovative!

Kev

[Nikola]

Very nice Nikola and an interesting theory that you have there, I think that you've stumbled upon something new with this technique. As an artist myself, I fully understand the principles of complementary colours, tertiary colours and the use of the colour wheel, etc., etc., and your theory is spot on and well founded. By using complementary colours as your pre-shading that are matched to the top colour, it is always going to look naturally pleasing to the eye, as complementary colours should do, and in so doing will be an improvement on the standard technique of pre-shading, which is good but not fully developed. I think you have just developed it that one step further and I will be practising this theory myself on some old kits to see how it looks in the flesh.

Thanks Nikola and well done, very innovative!

Kev

Thank you very much Kev! I am very glad that you find it interesting.

It needs a lot of improvement and experimentation, especially in terms of how much to cover the pre-shading in order not to lose the effect after weathering.

Glad to hear that you will try it out. Looking forward to seeing your outcome.

Best,
Nikola

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[Nikola]

A link to the finished model is here:

viewtopic.php?p=356403#p356403

Thanks for looking!

Best,
Nikola

[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

[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

[BigWall]

I think you are definitely on the right track here. Getting it to show more looks like the real trick.

[Nikola]

I think you are definitely on the right track here. Getting it to show more looks like the real trick.

Thanks BigWall! I am very glad you find it interesting.

You're definitely right there, not an easy thing to make it look proper. Will die trying!

Best,
Nikola

[Nikola]

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

[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

[digger303]

Interesting and compelling to watch this develop

[Nikola]

Interesting and compelling to watch this develop

Thank you for the encouragement Digger! Appreciated!

Best,
Nikola

[Nikola]

Hi gents,

First pass of post shading done. I used a 50/50 mix of Tamiya Flat Black and Purple. This time I did Complementary Post Shading for the first time.

I like the richer shades of gray in the post shaded areas produced by a mixture of purple and yellow tones (I don't know how well my phone camera has captured this).

We'll see how it looks after weathering is complete. Might have to do a bit more post shading afterwards.



Thanks for looking guys.


Best,
Nikola

[BigWall]

I wish we could see more detail in your pictures. I'm sure it looks great!

[Nikola]

I wish we could see more detail in your pictures. I'm sure it looks great!

I thought so. My phone camera is pretty s#!t, although it hides f'ups very well.

Best,
Nikola

[Nikola]

Almost there...

Here it is visible (I hope ) how the purple Complementary Pre/Post-Shading created an interesting and subtle tonal shift. Again, apologies for bad phone camera pics.

This is under a gloss coat before final weathering touches.

I am very satisfied, but still a long way until mastering the method.


Thanks for looking!


Best,
Nikola

[BigWall]

Definitely noticeable if looked for but not standing out and in your face. You're on to something good for sure!

[digger303]

Definitely noticeable if looked for but not standing out and in your face. You're on to something good for sure!

Said that very well. Picking the shading color to use best seems to be key.

[Nikola]

And here is the end result (as best as my camera and my photography skills could pick it up)...















Thanks for looking guys!

Best,
Nikola

[BigWall]

Very nice! You did a great job with it!

[Nikola]

Very nice! You did a great job with it!

Thank you Joe! Glad you like it!

Best,
Nikola

[digger303]

[Kevthemodeller]

Superb build

[ForeverPlasticKits]

A great Mirage! Camouflage is wonderful!