Friday, April 14, 2023

L is for Layering

Layering is another technique used to build light, shape and contrast. There is no single way to do it, but the general idea is to create layers of colour, light-to-dark, to create the colour transitions (gradient) on your model. Sort of the opposite of using darklining, that we discussed a few days ago.

You can layer dark to light, light to dark, or some combination thereof. It depends on preference and the requirements of your model. It involves multiple thin coats that get successively smaller and smaller in the surface area they cover to build up a smooth blend and rich color.

I did some crude layering and glazing on this lightsaber, note the transition from white to blue. This model also leads to a good discussion on colour choice: I hate the colours I chose for this one. I wish I hadn't made her lightsaber the same colour as the cape and other details, but I didn't plan out my palette in advance and it kinda happened by accident. Model from Eldritch Foundry, designed and printed by me.

Layering is often achieved through glazing (we missed that one on “G” day because we spent so long on Games Workshop). Glazing is taking very thin, mostly transparent layers of paint to tint, add or change the colour underneath it. If used in successive layers on top of it each other, glazing can create excellent gradients to smooth out your colour transitions and add extra shape to your model.

Some very pronounced glazing, before and after. You can see how many (probably many, many) layers of glaze were used to soften and smooth out the colours.

I've been crazy busy at work, not to mention the stomach flu has rampaged through my household over the last ten days or so, so I've now completely run out of advance, pre-written posts for A-to-Z. Hopefully you'll see another one by tomorrow. I also want to apologize because I haven't had a chance to visit and comment on as many other blogs as I would have liked.

If I don't see you tomorrow, I'll be back again soon! (Probably!)

Hugs & Kisses,
-CDGK



1 comment:

PT Dilloway said...

I definitely don't have all the patience for painting stuff like that with all the shading and glazing and layering. It looks awesome but it must take a lot of time. Kind of like those TV chefs that glaze a ham or turkey a bunch of times; I just buy something I can pop right in the oven or microwave.

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