Blending(toning down) decals contrast???

crowe-t · Post by **crowe-t** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 1:17 pm

Does anyone have a technique(s) for blending/toning down decals?

For instance, dark gray or black decals on a white model can be too much of a contrast and even look out of scale.

In the past I've used white pastel chalk dusted over the decals and then a flat clear coat, however that requires repeating this process a few times in order for the white pastel chalk to tone down the dark color of the decals.

White and light gray pastel chalks seem to mostly disappear when clear is sprayed on top to seal it.

Someone suggested tempera powder but I don't know too much about that.

Saturn · Post by **Saturn** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 3:18 pm

Flattened Future as a mid-coat?

Gloss--> Decals-->Gloss-->Washes-->Flattened Future--> weathering--> topcoat

(mixing Future w/ Tamiya Flat Base) from Swanny's:

1 part flat base to 3 parts Future = very flat
1 part flat base to 10 parts Future = flat
1 part flat base to 15 parts Future = satin
mix thoroughly!

Be aware if you put too much base, you risk it going all white or frosting the finish. But you can use that to knock the entire finish- decals and all, down to the same level.

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:42 pm

The overcoat with base color technique is what you want.

Essentially you make a glaze or wash out of teh base color and thinner and then spray multiple coats over the decals until you get the results you're looking for.

I've seen this done with the dark gray markings on the current 2-tone USN gray scheme and it works great, gives the decals that faded look without it looking like you just weathered the decals only.

crowe-t · Post by **crowe-t** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:59 pm

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

kenlilly106, do you have a link or pictures showing the overcoat with the base color?

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:38 am

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index ... opic=33817

crowe-t · Post by **crowe-t** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 11:46 am

kenlilly106 wrote:http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index ... opic=33817

Thanks for posting this link.

BTW, my decals now have Future sprayed on top to seal them.

Should I first spray a light coat of flat clear over the decals before I spray on the thinned base color?

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:33 pm

I would spray the base color over the future, that way if you spray too much you can remove it easily.

Ken

crowe-t · Post by **crowe-t** » Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:03 pm

I had used this technique before to tone down panel lines, but not for decals, so I went ahead and sprayed the thinned base color over the decals. I did spray some flat clear on first and it worked very nicely.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 12:28 am

Depending upon what I have going on, I'll either use the thinned base color sprayed over the decals or I will tone them down using oil paints. The oil paint method is, of course part of a filter and it is basically just blending, say, gray or white or yellow into the decal. Of course, this assumes said decal (and the rest of the model) have been thoroughly Future coated.

I hope this helps.

Kenny