I grew up in San Sebastian, but now live in

Madrid. My first kit was a 1:48 scale Tomcat

that was a present from my father. I'm sure
he always regrets this present as I have
always asked for one thing since then:
more models! I then became interested in
1:35 scale, and later on I discovered the
possibilities of dioramas with the Verlinden
books, which are currently my main focus
of interest.
Panzernet and my model club “Mochus”
have made this hobby a constant in my life.
I have met a lot of wonderful people in this
circle and learned a lot from all of them.
Modeling is currently only a secondary part
of our relationship. The main part is the
friendship we hold, and the nice time we
spend together when we go to a show, to
purchase some models, or simply to have
some beers together.
I want to dedicate this handbook to the
“Mochus” and, especially, to Rubén, who
has always helped me to take the next step
in modeling.

José A. Azorín Editor

Javier de Luelmo Designer assistant
Matthew Malogorski English revision

Black Star #3
Color Modulation Techniques: Zenithal Light
© Xtreme Modelling Publications, 2009
info@xtrememodelling.com
www.xtrememodelling.com
 A new way of making models more eye-
catching by playing with the highlights and
shadows in the base coat of paint have recently
become popular amongst modelers. The
potential of this technique has been extensively
developed in figure painting. I have liked this
effect ever since the first time I saw it, and most
especially when I saw Jaume Ortiz's beautiful
articles in Xtreme Modelling. His technique
influenced me to try painting my own figures
this way.
Zenithal Light Different spots of light
Instead of highlighting the figure volumes
from different spots of light, we illuminate them
from the upper side, emphasizing the light on
the upper part, and the shadows on the lower
part. This makes the maximum lighted area in
the torso, the shoulders, and the neck, and the
maximum shadowed area the armpits.
To use this technique with effectiveness,
the highlights and shadows must have different
intensities. It´s more or less as if we put a light on
the upper part of the figure and we check the
way all the folds have a shadow below.
But, can we transfer this technique to the
painting of a model vehicle? I think that it is a
valid and effective technique for the usual scales
of 1/72, 1/48, and 1/35.
Airbrush makes it possible to steer the
point of light, making the audience focus on a
specific area. This can also be enhanced with a
paintbrush by varying the color shades with the
brush, but the base of this effect is accomplished
by the airbrush.
Adam Wilder´s wonderful articles and
models have livened up this discussion lately,
reaching a point where we can even identify two
different trends in painting the base coat of a
Zenithal Light
model: one more conservative, and another
more risky, which explore these effects.
We can call these paint effects by several
names. Color Modulation is the fancy name due
to Adam Wilder's technique, but from my point
of view, the most eye-catching of these kinds of
effects is the Zenithal Light Technique: The light
comes from one point, in this case, from directly
above.
Regardless of the name of the technique,
and the discussion of whether or not it looks
realistic or effective, I will show my approach to
it. I will paint four different models with different
camo schemes and in different scales to explain
the techniques in detail.
 1/35 PANZER GREY
Considerations on color
After several discussions about
the scale representation of the German
camouflage colors and schemes, my
conclusion, learned from the Master
Rodrigo, is that almost anything is
possible. It´s possible to see pictures
with a variety of Panzer Grey color
tones from very dark to a very clear
g r e y
These can be caused by the effects of
the elements after a four months
campaign, or by accumulated dust.
When we paint several highlights
and shadows to a base coat of paint,
the final color is unavoidably changed.
Zenithal Light
Let´s consider that the light
comes from the upper side. This is a
general rule that we will punctually
break to make the model more
attractive. There are some light angles
that change when we go around the
That´s why it is really important to think
about what the final color you want to
achieve will be from the very beginning
of the painting process.
When painting figures there is a
general rule: The base coat should be of
a color similar to the final shade that we
want. By doing it this way, after making
. it lighter with the high lights and darker
with the shadows, the final shade will
remain quite similar.
However, it´s always possible to
use a general filter on the entire model
to change the shade of the whole thing.
model and it is impossible to recreate
this effect in a perfect way. For
instance, check the armored turret:
each armor panel has a different light
plane, in addition to the upper light.
4
STAGE I
BASE COAT AND HIGHLIGTHS WITH AIRBRUSH

Sd.Kfz. 221 Bronco

Base Coat

I chose Gunze´s #401 Dark Grey for the base

coat. I prefer a slightly bluish shade, so I
mixed it with a bit of light blue. The light
blue lightens the shade, so I added a bit of
black to darken it.

I did not paint any shadows as the base color

is quite dark. I painted three different
highlights by adding more clear blue each
time. I added a bit of white for the last high
light. I have started from a dark color to
lighter without making it too light.
The objective is to achieve a lighter and more
bluish shade. I made this picture next to a
finished Krupp Protze as a reference to
compare the shades.

55
Upper Vertical Surfaces

I start with the highlights. It is a simple

process: for the upper vertical parts of the
vehicle I lighten the upper part of the
panels. I used a mask when necessary.

It is very important to control the dilution of

the paint and the air pressure from the
compressor. The more diluted the paint is,
the smoother the effect will be. A lot of thin
layers are better than a single thicker one. It
is also a good idea to use a mask to avoid
overspray or undesired effects on the model.

I decided which side the light will be

directed from to bring out the differences
between panels, and placed the mask
vertically.

6
 This effect can be clearly seen on the turret.
If you lighten only the upper part of the
panels, the result will be monotonous. In this
case it is not a strict application of the
zenithal light technique, but it makes the
results more attractive.

I also used some Tamiya tape. I stuck it to a

few different surfaces a couple of times to
remove some of its adhesion to avoid
damaging the paint.

This method of painting is a laborious

process. You must do it carefully, thinking of
each step, and using highly diluted paint.
Planning is essential. If necessary, cut out
and use a mask.

7
 It is not necessary to paint the highlights in
one day. You can paint the highlights in
several sessions, and if you have a bad day,
wait, and try again tomorrow.

I painted the 2nd and 3rd highlights to smaller areas. If you

don't do this you will lose the effect as there will be no
transition. Don't forget to check the dilution of the paint when
you lighten the shade.

The arrows show the direction of the light on the upper

vertical surfaces.

8
Lower Vertical Surfaces

In order to paint the vertical or sloped lower

surfaces that generally stay in shadow, I put
the shadow in the upper part, and the
highlight in the lower part of the panels. The
lower parts of the panels receive the most
light. However, these parts will be toned down
by the weathering later by either dust or mud.

9
 Horizontal Surfaces

I painted the highlight by trying to make it contrast with the darker

areas, i.e.: the part of the roof next to the turret. The clear areas close
to the turrets armored plates make it stand out.

Mudguards The rear mudguard shadowed area. The

The front mudguard highlighted area. I inner part is in shadow, so I painted the
painted the highlight in the inner part, highlight in the outside part of the
contrasting with the darker vertical mudguard.
armor plate.

10
 STAGE I. Summary of the highlights

I have used the following

Gunze Sangyo Paints:

BASE COAT:
#401 Dark Gray
#12 Flat Black
#67 Light Blue

HIGHLIGHT 1 AND 2
#401 Dark Gray
#67 Light Blue

THIRD HIGHLIGHT
Color used for highlight #2 +
#11 Flat White

11
 STAGE II: FILTERS

I applied some filters to the different parts of the vehicle to improve

the paint. This adds chromatic variety that is almost imperceptible to the
eye, and breaks up the uniformity of the base shade. I used three different
filters by Sin Industries.

The first step is to unload the

paint brush on a piece of card.

The filter is applied to specific

areas: in this case a
mudguard.

12
 A sight.

A hatch.

The same parts with the other

two shades applied in
different areas.

Sin Industries Filter #'s:

P240 BLUE
P241 BROWN
P242 TAN

13
 STAGE III: PIN WASH

A coat of clear was applied to blend the I used the Mig Productions dark wash and a fine
decals and make the wash flow through and pointed brush. The wash was put around the
around the details. details after removing the excess paint.

When the wash dries, the edges won't be ...and rub off the excess paint.
sharp. Clean the brush with thinner, dry it
a bit…

14
STAGE IV: WELD SEAMS

I used Vallejo #906 Pale Blue to remake the weld texture. I painted small
spots to make them more visible on the upper part to enhance the
Zenithal effect. You can also paint spots with very dark grey to enhance
the welding texture.

15
STAGE V: HIGHLIGHTS WITH OIL PAINTS
I stressed the Zenithal light effect in small areas difficult to access with the
airbrush. These effects can be painted after painting the base coat and highlights
in case you feel they are necessary, or useful to achieve the desired final look. You
can also do them in different stages of the painting process.

I started by applying a bit of

oil paint with a pointed
paintbrush without thinner.
Use only a small amount.

Carefully blend the oil paint with

smooth strokes of the brush. Use
a good brand sable brush.

Try to achieve a subtle

transition.

16
 Do the same on the side
box, engine hatches, and
exhaust pipe armor.

Continue with the armored

sights, roof, and upper part
of the glacis armored plate.

Here is a shot of the

turret sights.

17
STAGE VI: FADING WITH OILS

I also used some oil paint to give a

faded look to the paint. I did not
want to add too much in this case.
First, moisten the area to be done
with thinner.

Apply small amounts of oil paint.

The lighter shades go on the
upper parts: White, Buff, and
Mud.
Faded grey goes on the bottom
parts.

Pull down along the paint.

Repeat the process as many
times as necessary. Mix the oils
in circles on the horizontal
areas, trying to make varied
effects.

18
STAGE VII: CHIPPING

The first step was an application of

flat varnish to reduce the gloss of
the decals and protect the current
effects.
This is not crucial as a general rule,
but in this case I decided it was
necessary.
Usually when you paint with clear
gloss you will have to flat it
afterwards.

I do the chipping in three stages.

First, one with pale blue, and then
with a mix of black and red. I finish
by adding a bit more black to the
prior mix.
I preferred restraint on this model as
I did not want it to be heavily
chipped. The chips are very
attractive visually, and it is easy to
overdo them, but in certain vehicles
it is far too different from the real
thing.

19
 STAGE VIII: WEATHERING

The area the vehicle operated in calls for a different paint. My Sd.Kfz. 221 will be in
France, so I will represent a dusty aspect. Not completely dry, but with a bit of glossy
almost dry mud. I started with some oils, and then followed up with some pigments.

OILS:
Gently pour the oil paint on the undercarriage without any fear.

Work on the sides of the vehicle as in stage VI, putting small dots of
paint and blending it.

20
 PIGMENTS
I now applied the pigments.

I used the following:

P027 Light Dust
P028 Europe Dust
P033 Dark Mud
P034 Russian Earth
P232 Dry Mud

I apply them with an old

messed up paintbrush,
biting here and there
without blending too much.
Try to put the darker
pigments in the shadow
areas.

Try not to cover up all the

oil paint. You want to keep
some glossy areas and more
richness of shades.

21
 STAGE IX: FINAL OILS
With this stage we add more shade variety and balance to the model. Don't
overdo it. Carefully put drops of different shades of paint here and there to
differentiate between areas.

22
STAGE X: SPLASHES

Use very diluted acrylic paint and a

#1 paint brush. Pick up a bit of light
earth colored paint. You can also
add a bit of pigment.

Press the brush against a wood

stick or pin, and splash. You should
practice this on a scrap model or a
piece of paper first.

Make sure to remove most of the

paint, and when the splash is thin
enough, do it over the model.

23
 STAGE XI: OIL AND GREASE STAINS

I painted some grease stains and gloss/dirt

in the areas rubbed the most to finish off the
model.

I started the grease effects by using Bitumen oil

without any dilution. You can also add some gloss
varnish and thinner to make a lighter mix. I like to
use the Mig Productions Wet Effects in this mix
instead of the Gloss varnish.

Paint a vertical stain.

Use a bit of thinner to clean the paintbrush

and rub the edges of the stain, trying for
different intensities. Once dry, use a bit
more Bitumen oil to paint over the same
stain, but a narrow line this time.

24
 Add stains in different areas, always
trying to make the effect as natural as
possible. To achieve this, try to avoid
symmetries. Paint an irregular stain,
with a medium sized one beside it, and
some smaller ones around it. The
superposition of stains also works well.
You need to wait a couple of days to let
the work dry and then retouch some
areas because oil tends to lose its
brightness and volume when it dries
completely.
The most visual areas are usually those
around the radiator or fuel caps.

Use some Wet Effects mixed with a

very small amount of bitumen to paint
the glossy /dirty areas in the places
where the crew usually put their
hands.
On the hatches…

On the turret…

25
 STAGE XII: GRAPHITE

The graphite gives the model a

very nice and real metallic
effect, but try not to overdo it.
In this case I put a bit on the
rubbed area of the turret, the
Jack, the inner parts of some
paint chips, and the shovel.

DETAILS: Shovel, Exhaust Pipes, Fire Extinguisher

The Jack
It's nice to give a different treatment
to the parts of the vehicle that have
been used. Since the vehicle is not too
worn with the paint chipping and
dirt, and all the effects are subtle, I
decided I could get even with the jack
by making it heavily weathered with
a lot more chipping and dirt.

26
 The Shovel
The wood contributes some color to the
model. It´s painted with acrylic paint. I
usually paint a base coat with a wood
brown color. Then I blend with a couple
of washes with the same wood brown
color darkened with some dark brown or
black. I then paint some wood streaks
with a sand color. I also mix a bit of deck
tan to give a grey touch of wear.
I paint the metal parts with chips mixed
with black and dark red in a first step. I
then add some orange to the mix and
painted some more closer to the edges.
A wash with a bit of earth colored oils
and some graphite finished it.

The Exhaust Pipes

I painted them with a dark brown and
then added some orange to the mix
and painted bits on the upper parts to
keep the Zenithal Light Technique.
Add some desert yellow to the mix for
the last touches.

The Fire Extinguisher

Give a different shade to the F.E. by
painting some highlights with light
grey acrylic paint. I also painted the
sheet with black and silver acrylic
paint. It´s in a shadowed area so it´s
not very visible.

27
 INTERIOR

The Interior has been painted with flat

white, with pin washes of dark brown and
earth colored oils applied on the lower
parts. The floor received a generous
amount of pigments and graphite. The
accessories such as the hand grenades,
helmets, etc, have been painted with
acrylic paints.

28
1/48 Tritonal camouflage
Panther Tamiya

1 2

Tamiya´s Panther ausf G is a good kit, but in

my opinion it lacks detail. I used the Hauler PE
to improve the finish. (Picture 1)
I applied a primer coat with Gunze Mr.
Surfacer and started with the base coat.
(Picture 2)
I started with a dark yellow base coat, adding
some white and yellow for the highlights, and 3
some brown and black for the shadows. The
lower parts are darkened heavily (the lower
part of the gun, the mantlet, and glacis).
(Picture 3)
I carefully masked with Tamiya tape.
(Picture 4)

31
 I now painted the green. I added a
little white and yellow for the
highlights. I chose a pale green shade.
There were little amounts of paint
available close to the end of the war, so
sometimes the Germans even mixed
the green with white. I followed the
same "lighting" scheme as with the
dark yellow of the base coat. Highlight
the same areas, following the zenithal
light scheme in several different paint
coats.

This is the effect after removing the

tape.
I strongly recommend emphasizing the
Zenithal effect for the camouflage
schemes with several colors, because
after painting the camo, the effect
certainly "fades away".

The last step is painting the white. In

this case the Zenithal effect is very
subtle, as I will emphasize it later
with oils.

32
 I tried to replicate the original
camouflage scheme as accurately
as possible.

This is the look after

removing the tape.

I finished the model with pin

washes, oils, chipping, and
weathering.

33
 I used the Shadow Brown oil from Mig
Productions to emphasize the Zenithal
effect in the white areas. I also used
the oil mixed with enamel. Rubén
González showed me this technique
(thanks Ruben!) that combines the
virtues of both kinds of paint. I added
some Tamiya brown and black enamel
to the oil paint. This mix makes it
easier to work the paint.
I also added this additional shadow to
the yellow and green painted areas.
This helps to integrate the different
colors.

You can see the final result

in the opposite page.

34
 1/48 OLIVE DRAB
M8 Tamiya

I chose an Olive drab painted
model to complete the trip around the
Zenithal Light Technique at 1/48th scale:
A Tamiya M8 Greyhound.
As with most Tamiya kits in this
scale, the fit is excellent, but it lacks
detail. I used the Hauler PE and some
Black Dog and Legend stuff to improve
the finish.

36
 I applied a primer coat, and then started the base coat. I don't use shadows to
paint the olive drab, only highlights. I started from the black color and lightened it with
olive drab. I then added only olive drab to the black, and then some yellow and or
white or buff depending on the final shade I want to achieve. The last highlight takes a
little more white.
Try to highlight the upper sides as in the Sd.kfz. 221, and don't forget to highlight in
smaller areas with each coat. Make sure you use highly diluted paint and take your time
to complete the process. If necessary, do it in several different sessions on different

37
days. This is the progression:
Sometimes it´s good to put a finished model with the

final color you are trying to match beside your model.

After completing the base coat, I finished the model with
all the techniques previously described: pin washes, oils,

38
 1/72 PANZER GREY
Kubelwagen Italeri
The last model in this book is
Italeri's 1/72nd scale Kubelwagen.
It's a tiny kit, and only a few
centimeters long, but a subtle Zenithal
light technique helps make it more eye
catching. Of course the effect is more
spectacular in larger models, and the
zenithal technique will be more obvious.
For an example see the 1/48th Sherman
The Italeri kit is very basic. I used the Eduard etch set
and some scratch building to improve it.
40
used as a comparison to the M8 in the
step by step process.
When painting Braille scale models
it´s always recommended to use colors
lighter than what the original shade is. If
you use the standard color directly out of
the bottle, the final look will be too dark.
Don't forget this scale effect.
I used Mr. Surfacer as a primer coat for
the model.
 The base coat is German grey
and a bit of blue.

Subsequent highlights were

added with more blue and some
white.

I used Hobby Boss colors #401,

#11, and #67.

41
ZENITHAL LIGHT IN 2-D
I will show my approach to this technique by trying to explain
what appears to be the most difficult part to understand.

I prepared a template shape using a

piece of cardboard.

You can see here the effect of light

shading painted with a pen. This is
what adds volume, and is exactly
the same effect that the light adds
in the real thing. What we have
painted in two dimensions is
exactly the same thing we will do in
three dimensions on our model: to
accentuate the effect of the
Zenithal light.

A Dark Yellow base coat. This is the

same effect of a plain painted
model.

43
 First highlight by adding a little bit of
White. Will we paint the panels? No! We
will mask and paint the lighter paint
only on the upper side. The original
color is used on the horizontal surfaces.

Second high light with more White

added. Is it too clear? If so, we can add a
couple of filters later, can’t we?
Note 1: Look at the back part of the
turret. The light is exactly where we need
it to enhance the volumes.
Note 2: To enhance the panels on the
upper surfaces we just have to decide
where the light coincides. In this case it is
in the mudguards.

Shadows are added by mixing in a drop of

black paint. I then stopped working with
the masks. That's it! We now have a
Zenithal painted dark yellow base coat. Is
it too clear and White? If so, it's easy to
add a general filter to make it darker.

Please note that the base color is only one

shade. We can add a variety of shades by
applying filters to each area of the
mudguards with some oil paints.

44
 What camo scheme should I choose? I tried
two basic types and the Zenithal light
technique on both: soft and hard edges
stripes. I will cut the model in two parts to
demonstrate the technique: The right side will
have hard edged stripes and the left side will
have soft ones.
I used a simple painting technique of slightly
elevated masks to make the soft edges. I
prepared pieces of Tamiya tape that elevated
the mask by 1 or 2mm. It's important to
airbrush at a 90 degree angle, perpendicular
to the plate you are painting.
I used a mask to paint the hard edged camo.

The Green base coat.

High light by adding Yellow.
Shadow by adding black.

45
Left side: soft edges. Right side: hard edges
These are the finished effects. You can see the difference in the turret
paint. In some cases the masks were too close to the stencil and the
effects have been mixed. This proves that you need to use enough
Tamiya tape to avoid these mistakes.

A filter was added with the base

coat dark yellow color to blend
and make the base shade darker.
I used an airbrush, but you can
also use a paintbrush as well.

It's now time to start with the other techniques, but starting with a
"different" base coat.
Remember that we have to use a lighter shade for the horizontal surfaces
to paint a 3 dimensional model.

CONCLUSION
The Zenithal Light Technique is only another one to use in our models, and you
will have to check to see if it fits in your working methods. This is much the same way
as dry brushing was widely accepted and used, and afterwards widely discredited.
This is just a new technique that you should know and use to a certain extent. The
color modulation and other possible light effects probably aren't the definitive
techniques, but only one more to enjoy and use depending on the results we want to
achieve when painting a model.

46
47