MODULATION AND WEATHERING

...
In the last months I have made some trips to otehr countries to make some paint demostrations. the last ones was in Japan and France. In both places I decided to make some experiments of weathering which I show here finally. The experiment consist in paint the whole tank with Color Modulation and then, weather just half tank. In this way, the people can see how the weathering is affected by the Color Modulation base, and then, they can understand how this technique works.

This is the only way to demostrate that an exagerated modulated base color, can be good enought to be a good base for a weathering process. As you can see now in the next photos, all high contrast get softer after the weathering.

This E75 from Trumpeter was painted completly in around 12 hours, including the primer and Color Modulation, plus the rest of steps like streaking effects, dust, mud, rust, chipping and much more. The main purpouse of these exampels was to explain to the modeller that we can achieve a nice look in few time, using some specific techniques, and avoiding another ones. But one more time I must say very clear that this is just one alternative, and we can choose it or not, according of what we need or want for our model. Even my self I use sometimes very complex process which need many weeks or months, and other times I use fast techniques to paint a model in one day or even one hour!!!

And...why I push the fast techniques? because I think that almost a big part of the modelling comunity have not enought time for modelling and all that they want to do is to achieve a nice look in short time to get motivated in the modelling. I doesn't means that this must be the way for everybody, but just that this is a way for those who need save time and finish something as soon as possible.

Here the results in the E75 made for Paris demo:

Color modulation was applied in the whole model in a couple of hours.

Half model was masked and then only one part was weathered. Note how the high contrast with the Color Modulation get soft after the weathering.

The Modulation helps to give more dramatism to certain areas or highlight other ones. We can bring the attention to the espectator to some areas or others , always thanks to the Modulation. This could be really important in vehicles made for dioramas.

As you can see, the weathering will make dark the surface, so, some parts of the base color must be very light.

the green camo was applied using the hairspray technique. This method will help us to create a very chipped green patches with a very damage look. The dark areas of the green camo was created thanks to blue oil paint, ochre and brown.

Note how the Streaking effects in the side armor plate is very random and unregular. You can see also some chips created by hairspray around the hatches.

The splashed mud was created mixing some Ak products with plaster, projecting air with an airbrush over a brush loaded of mud! 5 or even 6 layers was applied to create that texture.

As you can see in the turret side, there are yellow and blue areas in the green camo. It was made with oils, blending it with white spirit. It helps to the Color Modulation and give a very colorfull look to our model.

Even if the model was not finished, we can see that the look is enought good after paint the chips and rust streaks.

Here we can see the other example that I made in japan. It was also painted in around 12 hours, but the color modulation was painted before the demo. I used the same method and techniques in both cases. Note how the dark areas in the side rear plate is destinate to the splashed light mud.

A look of my JadTiger just after the color modulation was applied.

But, what is the Color Modulation? It is Real?

Well, since Adam and me developed that technique some years ago, I have read millions of comments about it, in forums, webs, magazines. Seems that now everybody know everything about this style. Some people say that this is just art, other say that it is shit and unrealistic, other say that is fantasy.... of course there are many smart comments talking about the light concept, about 3D computer games and many other stuff. To me, all of these fights, comments and discursions are not interesting for me because is hard to explain to the whole world what is the modulations or why it was developed. And, anyway, I doens't take care what is the modulations for each one of you. the ONLY important thing is that people who have used the modulation with good results, feelt happy with what they made, and that's all. But also I feel happy when I see other modellers using another techniques and styles. Each person must choose his "tools" to paint his models. Some people can use dry brush, anothers preshading, another ones just acrylics, and another just modulation. The important point is that we must enjoy our models and our hobby. There are too much fights and wars in the world, and we don't want more garbage in our garden. We want arrive to our home, get confortable, open a drink and sit down in front our workbench to enjoy our hobby!. So...I don't take care how others think the modelling must be. Today I will paint my model with modulation, and after tomorrow, I will paint another model with classic techniques.

And...is the Color Modulation realistic?...

of course....NO! It is just an interpretation of the real thing and we use the light , shadows and contrast like a way of expresion. In fact, the WHOLE MODELLING is FAKE, not real. is just plastic! And the mud that we add in our tanks...is FAKE TOO, is just paint with plaster.

I have fun when I see a modeller that say: " My model is very realistic because I painted it with the real color from the factory!!!

Oh my God, what stupid thing! he use the real color of the tank over an amount of plastic parts...PLASTIC!!!! So...where is the reality? the reality is just in the real things, and the rest is just reproductions, copies, or replics of the real one. In defintily...just interpretations made with other materials.

But the same stupid thing is when I see that the same modeller feel proud of his very realistic chips....which was just PAINTED!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! So, if that modeller want realism, why not he build the model in steel and them paint the tank with the real color, and then he just go around the stree with his tank, crossing roads, water, mud and crossing some bonsay forest? he will get realistc mud, and scratches, right?

Dear reader....if you are reading this, forget about reality and just have fun with your hobby. because, even if we try to search the reality, we always will find a noob judge who will tell us that that color is wrong!

Here I post some pictures of some models made by defferent modellers, using the Color Modulation like a way of expresion. This is just a small example and you can find nowday dozens of other great works!

Finally, I would like to add that for me , the modelling is like a Hollywood movie: I like to enjoy it, I want to have fun and I want dream during 90 or 120 minuts. This make me happy. But if a model doens't make me happy, even if it is super realistic, then, that model have not value to me. Is just BORING!

Thanks

Mig Jimenez

...