Shading technique

[Kez]

All,

Refinishing a .40 size deep vee and I want to duplicate the Dumas Scarab 55KV paint scheme. The free board goes from a light teal to blue and a dark violet. It will require some shading a blending. Question: do you start from the lightest color and then progress to dark or the opposite? Any tips on shading? I am thinking of spraying the lightest color and the transitioning to the darkest color. I remember reading somewhere (could be a RC boat magazine) that you spray the entire surface with the lightest color first and then successively add the next darker color. But that would make the paint very thick..

Thanks, k

 

[Charles Perdue]

Kez, it may not be the best way but I always did the light coat first then did progressive passes side to side and worked my way from the bottom up with the darker color.

Charles

 

[MikeStewart]

If you have a steady hand, you can hold a piece of cardboard about an inch off the surface, make a pass with darker color. Move it down and do it again. It gives a very straight blend line and keeps dark color from going everywhere. I use my detail gun to do it. I don't seem to have steady enough hand to freehand it, even with an air brush.

 

[Kez]

Thanks Charles and Mike for your replies. I am thinking of starting with the light color first. Seems logical to me. But to blend and shade smoothly, I think I need to do it while the previous color is still wet. That would mean I need to get all the colors prepared. I have a gravity feed touch up gun. It would be difficult to do as I need to pour the paint out, clean the gun and load the next color. Maybe I should use auto touch up spray paint and then clear over it?

I like the idea of using a cardboard as a mask for shading. I will try it on a piece of wood to practice

kez

 

[MikeStewart]

Let the light color dry first. You don't want the colors to bleed into each other. play around with the cardboard. vary the distance off the surface until you get the look you want. 1-2'ish works for me.

 

[Chris Thomas]

What type paint are you using?

 

[Kez]

Chris, I am thinking of using KlassKote epoxy paint. But after some good results using Rustoleum and then clear, I am tempted to try the same approach. The hull will have a KlassKote white base color. I will do the black in KlassKote as well.

Mike, I see in your other post that you painted full size unlimited. That must have been quite a job! I would think doing the shading while the previous color is still wet will produce a smoother shading effect. But I will try what you suggest

Thanks, k

 

[GraysonTaylor]

Partice on something other than your boat

 

[Chris Thomas]

another practice is to put a fine coat of clear in between the colors to keep them from mixing. I don't think the rustoleum will mix after it goes off. But, I did a Smoking Joe's color blend/fade and where the colors met they mixed. It turned brown instead of the purple where I shot over the chartruese. Was not happy with that.....