How Do I Do a Three Color Fade?

[ScaleDale]

Like it says...

I'm working on a Pro Mod 49 Merc and want to have it in a three color faded paint style. I'd like the nose in hot yellow fading to deep orange for the front door section and deep red at the back. Kind of like it's a missile on fire or a meteor entering the atmosphere. My thought is to build a shield of cardboard, maybe with an edge of screen, to slide over the car as I paint in stages. Do the whole car in the yellow, cover the front and spray the orange, move it and finish with the red. Any Ideas?

Maybe like this?

Dale

[1930fordpickup]

I hope you are using an airbrush ,

I say practice on a Chevy first .

Edited August 26, 2013 by 1930fordpickup

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm about 99% sure that with a good airbrush, properly adjusted, you shouldn't need a mask...kinda difficult to hold the model with one hand, the airbrush with the other hand, and the mask with the third (?) hand, while moving hands 2 and 3... and I'd tend to avoid painting the whole car yellow to minimize paint thickness buildup. I've seen some very precise and fine work done without masking.

I'd think that shooting your yellow somewhat beyond where you want the orange fade to begin would be sufficient, and the same thing with the orange extending back into where the you want red to begin.

I'd also think sanding any orange peel out before you start your adjacent color would be a good idea.

At least that's how I'd do it on a 1:1.

[Mike Kucaba]

I did one on a AUDI a year or so ago. I posted pics on here, but can't find the thread? Anyone know how to do this? I checked my content at my profile, but only went back so far.

[ScaleDale]

I have the 55 Chevy Pro Sportsman that I use as a test subject. I'll torture that again.

Yes, I have an airbrush for this and shoot decanted paint. The colors I have are all Tamiya TS.

I did a top to bottom fade in two colors on a car using a mask. I put the car body on a piece of styrofoam and mounted the mask to it like curtains. That let me handle the model and mask as one unit while I painted it.

I'll give it a shot with free handing and see how it goes. On the Chevy, of coarse...

Dale

[Mike Kucaba]

http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z421/mkucaba/AUDI%20R8/DSCF0574.jpg

[Mike Kucaba]

[Mike Kucaba]

[Mike Kucaba]

This was done with spray cans. Inca gold Lime something or other and revving red Testor's.

[ScaleDale]

Mike: Looks nice! did you do that free hand or with a mask of some kind? That's kinda what my two tone looked like. I used cardboard strips to shield the sides while I sprayed the top part.

Dale

[Mike Kucaba]

All free hand, Had the body on a coat hanger, all three cans warmed, shaken and ready to go started at the bottom with the Inca gold,

then the Lime Ice, then the Fiery Orange. One right after the other, no drying time between colors.

[cobraman]

Not going to try and say this is the best fade job but it was done with rattle cans. First I shot the White Lightning from the front head on and then did the same to the back with Reving Red. With out any dry time I used the Flamming Orange in the middle holding the body front end up. No drying time as I found the paint will flow together better. For a sharper edge some form of mask or air brush is the best bet.

[ScaleDale]

Thanks, all. I checked my paint stash and the yellow and orange I have are Tamiya TS and the red is a Testors One Coat Lacquer. I think the Tamiya is a cut (synthetic) lacquer like Youst uses. Will these fight with each other?

Dale

[Kit Basher]

This is not exactly a "fade", but it may give you some ideas of what you can do by angling the airbrush.

There was no masking on this car. I did it from the bottom up, gray, light blue, dark blue. By angling the airbrush so any overspray would go off into space, I was able to let the body lines separate the colors. I think if you practice a little which way you aim your airbrush, you could do a fade without masking, as Ace described.

[cobraman]

Thanks, all. I checked my paint stash and the yellow and orange I have are Tamiya TS and the red is a Testors One Coat Lacquer. I think the Tamiya is a cut (synthetic) lacquer like Youst uses. Will these fight with each other?

Dale

Always, always, always test the paint your using if you are not sure. Most guys here will use plastic spoons for testing and that works good.

[59 Impala]

Here is a pic of a 53 Studebaker that I painted a three fade paint job. The bottom was painted first with a light silver, then the darker silver was sprayed on and lastly, the blue was sprayed on. All of this was done freehand, no mask. It's very easy to do this, at lest it was for me.

Here is a pic of a resin Buick custom that I painted, only it's a two tone paint job. This was also done freehand. I use Testors enamels for 99% of my painting.

Give it a go and have fun. Dan

[High octane]

]This "fade" paint job was done in the early 70's using AMT Lacquers in "rattlecans" over a gold base. They are all candy colors. No mask, just freehand.

http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz104/itsagas1320/Model%20Cars/DSC00916.jpg

[ScaleDale]

Thanks for the tips and pics. You guys are ace painters!

Dale