Hi everyone,
i’m pretty much near the end of building my B-17. i have added the decals, future, and some wash and paint chips. But looking at the model now, I’m not too happy with the base coat (olive drab) as it’s quite dark. I like to fade the color but have no idea if it can be done. I’m a rookie, so I’ve been brush painting.
Is it even possible to fade the color/panels at this point?
I don’t know of any way to fade the paint after everything is done. Perhaps you can change the perception of the color though. If I remember right, flat surfaces appear to be a little lighter than gloss surfaces of the same color, so you might try spraying it with some dullcoat.
I would try it first on a piece of scrap painted to match your model. That will insure that 1) The dullcoat does make it look lighter and 2) the dullcoat laquer won’t affect your finish. I’m pretty sure it will make it look lighter, but I’m not certain about it.
Another option is to use pastel chalks to add highlights and panel shading. This would break the monotony of the solid olive drab color and give the finish some depth. Experiment with different pastel chalks colors (use the CHALK pastels - NOT the oil pastels)
There is an article on it:
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/default.aspx?c=a&id=1419
Just scrape the chalk with a blade or sandpaper to get fine powder, and then use a shorthaired stiff brush to apply. If you screw up, it washes of pretty easy. Once you are satisfied, just seal it in with a coat of future or dull cote. (If you don’t, you run the risk of rubbing it off or smudging.)
thanks. i read that before and totally forgot about it. Fantastic!!