I have just finishes a 1/72 twin otter. What color wash is best for an all white commercial aircraft.?
It flys in the carribean.
To gauge the value (relative lightness/darkness of a color), I hold the model under a strong light (Sunlight also works). For a white area, I start to add black to the white very slowly until I reach the value of the shadows I see under the light. Using a generic “gray” can lead to a LOT of contrast. When the contrast is high, people will see that you did a wash, and it may distract attention from the build. I’m a FIRM believer of keeping effects (washes, drybrushes, etc.) subtle. The generic gray may be easier & take less time, but I feel it is less convincing. (I even apply different color washes to different areas of camouflage, and the diffrence between this way & a gray or black wash is dramatic)
The above is if you are trying to replicate shadows. Hope this helps.
Check out some pics of the actual plane for some good ideas. Go to http://www.airliners.net and do a search for the type of plane you’re building. They’ll have several pics, some weathered and some not, you’ll get a good idea of what you need that way. Also, listen to Pix, he’s a great builder.