Tutorial Request: How to get a gradient from Orange to Red on Optimus Prime's Altmode

[SonOfNemesis]

Doing it this way would result in an uneven fade, especially with an airbrush with a thin fan pattern. Ideally, you can control the gradient and get a better transition spraying perpendicular to the fade, for example if your color fades left to right, your fan pattern should be top to bottom. Raise your psi so you're "dusting" more or less, start from the transition point and work away from it, sweep left to right in a perpendicular fan pattern while terminating further from the transition with each sweep. Think of each layer as a staircase, your fade color gets thicker, therefore more opaque, the further you get away from the transition point.

Hmmm...worked for me just fine.

[jbarb78]

You got pics? Sounds a lot like dagger strokes, unless I'm reading it wrong. If you go left to right, parallel with the fade, how are you controlling overlap?

[SonOfNemesis]

With my old paint booth set up, I just simple placed the piece I painted on the swivel stand and then as I was spraying, I turned the swivel to spin the piece 360 degrees. I basically held the airbrush stationary and just raised the height of it as I spun the piece. Make sense? Hard to write about this topic I think. - EDIT - I backed off the airbrush as I neared the top of the fade, so started close to the base of the fade and increased distance as I neared the top.

[jbarb78]

Yeah, having a hard time picturing it. Smaller parts are easier too, won't require much hand motion. With what he's trying to achieve, I'm guessing LC anyway, to keep the fade consistent would require having the whole front of the alt mode assembled. Sweeping it the way I described would keep the fade consistent all the way around, you'll have more control over how much you build up the color.

[SonOfNemesis]

Yeah, having a hard time picturing it. Smaller parts are easier too, won't require much hand motion. With what he's trying to achieve, I'm guessing LC anyway, to keep the fade consistent would require having the whole front of the alt mode assembled. Sweeping it the way I described would keep the fade consistent all the way around, you'll have more control over how much you build up the color.

Well, seeing that you have more experience than I do, he should prolly listen to your advice before mine

This was the piece I was referring to: (his cannon). I don't have the figure anymore so I can't take close ups but you can see the fade is even from orange to yellow.

[jbarb78]

If I could figure out how to get the damn video software on my laptop to work, I could post a vid of what I mean. But say a car for example, doing a top to bottom fade, your fan pattern should be left to right working top down. You begin by dusting at the fade point, and pull back on the trigger as you move downward. If you fanned it up and down, you'd end up with fading stripes, see what I'm sayin? I kinda see what you're getting at, rotating the piece, I'm guessing you faded the whole part all the way around?

[jbarb78]

Ah, I got it now. Your idea works for small objects that can be rotated, makes sense now. Same theory, only the object is stationary now, and you have to fan it accordingly. You still faded it perpendicular to the fade, only you didn't have to move your fan left to right.

[- Z -]

Yeah... there is a HUGE difference between round objects and flat objects. The way Jbarb described is 100% the correct way. To get the most even and accurate fade. I know on my LC Primes I would have the entire front end assembled, the have the front of the truck facing the right of my spray booth. I would then start spraying the section of the fade that was to appear the lightest in an up and down pattern with VERY light coats, and I would get darker as I moved forward to the tip of the truck front.

[SonOfNemesis]

Yeah I just misunderstood him, we basically described the same thing from two different explanations of how to. I in effect sprayed from left to right except the spinning did the action for me. I would have done it from left to right if I controlled the movement of the airbrush.

[nOizYbOi]

Thank you so much Zac, JBarb and Z! I understand the concept much better now There's so much I learned from your explanations about the techniques I can use to achieve and even gradient. To answer J, I was indeed considering for a LC figure! I hope to put both these lessons into good use soon! I just finished ordering a set of flamestencils from F_R so hopefully I can show you guys if I got it right!