The Ship Model Forum

Armor modelers frequently fade panels by painting the centers in increasingly lighter shades, with the darkest around the borders. It works great for armor, etc., so I decided to use the same technique on painting an Arleigh Burke class as the superstructure is made of angled flat panels. I've noticed few (if any) ship modelers use this technique - may be a good reason. What do you think? Maybe I should repaint without fading?

First I would say it is your model. Make it look the way you want to.

My opinion in weathering in general is that it is best kept minimal as most of it would not be seen at the distance you would be to create the scale. Maybe a light wash or marring up of something that would be obvious. That seems to be the prevailing thought I have read on these forms.

Again, it is your model. Build it in a way you enjoy and want it to look.

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Gabriel

Paint and weather the model to the specification presented -- close examination of the prototype and replication, in miniature, to the model at hand.

We call that scale modeling. An uncompromising activity.

Slapping a model together to 'please yourself', is just fooling around. Which is fine within the confines of your home display area. If that's all you can do, then fool away.

Would you more precisely define the area you wish to weather, and present some pictures of prototypes for me to examine. Maybe I can help you with a technique or two.

David

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"... well, that takes care of Jorgensen's theory!"

As someone who enjoys working on and building fullsize stuff, I can advise with absolute confidence that the extreme majority of those involved in fullsize stuff consider all model making "fooling around".

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James Duff
Sovereign Hobbies Ltd
http://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk

Current build:
HMS Imperial D09 1/350
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167151

LOL. Touché, sir.

David

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"... well, that takes care of Jorgensen's theory!"

Dishing (a consequence of wave action and/or thermal stress over time) is the more prominent form of surface distortion than the 'paneling' technique you employed. I would keep what you have, identify the heavy dished areas on prototypes, and replicate that form of distortion on your model -- the technique illustrated below. Follow the dishing (you invariably will apply it too promently) with a misting of the base color to blend and knock-down the contrast of the work over the models base color.

















David

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"... well, that takes care of Jorgensen's theory!"

Handy tip!

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James Duff
Sovereign Hobbies Ltd
http://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk

Current build:
HMS Imperial D09 1/350
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167151

I take more than slight offense at "slapping a model together", and "fooling around". You seriously think "that's all I can do"?

Why yes .... yes I do.

Until you prove otherwise.

David

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"... well, that takes care of Jorgensen's theory!"

I take more than slight offense at "slapping a model together", and "fooling around". You seriously think "that's all I can do"? [/quote]

Why yes .... yes I do.

Until you prove otherwise.

David[/quote]



That's arrogance with a major A and it was uncalled for.
Quite insulting too.

Alain

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On the bench;

-1/200 Arizona

http://aaube.net/

He does not need to prove himself to you or anyone else on this board. He was seeking opinions. Yours was laced with vitriolic elitism. Who appointed you the IPMS judge of the forums

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Gabriel

I'd let it wash straight over gentlemen. It's only the internet.

In terms of uncompromising scale modelling, there's a better example of dishing from this guy here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235001404-u-991-172-type-viic-u-boat-revell/ who physically dishes the plastic so that it reflects light correctly when viewed from any angle, rather than the impressionistic approach of just painting some shadow on.

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James Duff
Sovereign Hobbies Ltd
http://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk

Current build:
HMS Imperial D09 1/350
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167151

Merriman, what is that greeny strip on the waterline of the submarine?

Aop

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On the way:
--1/350 Tamiya DKM Tirpitz Nov 1944

--1/350 scratch-build HMS Lion never built battleship (1938)

And our artworks!

Good grief! You asked for comments or did you only want comments that made you feel good? If so, you should have specified that.

If you can contain your delicate sensibilities for a moment, you'll notice that merriman gave you some good feedback including a mini-lesson on one aspect of a more realistic paint job and he was kind enough to post several photos showing how to achieve the effect. That's an effort from someone who was trying to help. Use the advice or not - it's up to you - but relax a little!

Since you asked, here's my feedback. I've seen many real ships and umpteen thousands of photos and I've never seen anything like the type of panel fading you used. My advice is to stick with a much more uniform overall appearance and add a bit of darkening in permanent shadow areas (overhangs, recesses, etc.). Be subtle.

Ships exhibit weathering but due to scale effects it's far more subtle than what you've done. Same thing with the "dirt" around raised objects that so many people try to do with washes. That can work on a 1/35 tank but is out of place on a 1/350 ship. That "dirt" ring around a hatch or whatever scales out to be a one to several feet wide stripe of dirt around the object. That's not even remotely on a real ship.

A very, very light touch on drybrushing can be effective. Again, subtle!

Good luck!

As always, it's not necessarily what is said, but the way it is said. The "mini-lesson" came after an undisguised attempt to establish a hierarchy of modelling worthiness in which the status of master and pupil were clear.

"Delicate sensitivities" is just as belittling to be honest.

Apart from some people who are diagnosed with Aspergers and similar conditions which stunts their interpersonal skills, being offensive on a forum is a choice and offers some insight in to the mentality of the individual. There's just no need for it frankly.


I'll offer people what help or assistance I can, but I don't make them suffer abuse, insults and slights in compensation. Fortunately, most others on forums are similar. Comments like the above stand out therefore.

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James Duff
Sovereign Hobbies Ltd
http://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk

Current build:
HMS Imperial D09 1/350
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167151

Algae. Turns white (bleached) in hours after dry-docking. Needs sunlight to grow hence its presence from waterline down to a few feet. Prominent on vessels that sit at anchor or the pier for an extended period. I was a Navy diver and took special care to study the color, grass like structure, and typical depth of growth of Algae and other marine critters when doing ships husbandry -- I've been an active modeler since age seven and always study the world with model building in mind.





David

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"... well, that takes care of Jorgensen's theory!"

Thanks very much for your, and Merriman's kind opinions, and confirming the last two sentences of my original post! I did indicate that I was in doubt of that effect in small scale. A simple yes or no would have sufficed. Wasn't really looking for insults and sarcasm. Guess I'll just go back to slapping together military vehicles and armor and fooling around, since it's all I can do. Some people are just so full of themselves!

you're welcome.

Watch that door-knob on the way out.

David

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"... well, that takes care of Jorgensen's theory!"

I must say, you have great airbrush control. Your work looked familiar. Very similar to some kitchy mid-sixties graphic art posters and wallpaper. Some kind of psychedelic design supposed to amaze you when stoned (or something). Didn't work then - doesn't work now; still cheesy. BTW, you know where you can stick that doorknob!

Ok, boys. That is enough. Let's keep it civil all the way around.

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Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

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