Color Modulation Paints - WW2 German Gray set [Unboxing and a Preliminary Review]

Color Modulation is a painting technique that plays with lights and shadows in order to create sharp contrasts and subsequently depth on a scale model kit. In short, it's a technique that enables scale modelers to add life to an otherwise monotone finish, or at the very least create a visually interesting piece. This technique accentuates the highlights and shadows on a model kit beyond what would naturally occur in the real world. And therein lies the rub. Some find results to be too cartoonish and unrealistic while others think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Me, I'm somewhere in between. Here then is a review of the paints I'll use for this technique in my upcoming AFV project.

Mr.Hobby Mr.Color Color Modulation Set (German Gray Version) ... that's certainly a mouthful to say

Box art on the packaging shows colors included as well as a concise description of the technique

For hobbyists working under a tight budget, it's possible to forgo use of paint sets formulated specifically for color modulation. In most cases, such sets have paints of a specific color that vary in tint, shade, and tone. This means as long as you have the primary hue to work with, you can then add white (to vary the tint), add black (to vary the shade) and/or add gray (to vary the tone). But I do find using ready-mix paint sets to be huge time savers that far outweigh the cost incurred.      

Other Mr.Hobby Color Modulation Sets include Dark Yellow (above), Olive Drab (above) and Russian Green (not shown)

On the flip side of the mini-booklet are instructions on how to apply paint using color modulation technique 

Wit the color modulation set being a Mr.Hobby product, I proceeded to use Mr.Color Leveling Thinner to dilute the lacquer paints at a ratio of roughly 1:1. Based on experience, I find that this ratio or even a ratio 1 paint to 1.5 thinner works well when airbrushing Mr.Color lacquer paints. Of course there will always be exceptions depending on a specific hue's pigments. But in general, any range between these two ratios tend to be the sweet spot for me in achieving smooth thin coats.  

Left to right: GG Shadows CMC09 , German Gray C40, GG Highlight 1 CMC07 & GG Highlight 2 CMC08

Color Modulation Paints were mixed with the Mr.Color Leveling Thinner at a ratio of around 1:1

German gray color modulation paints airbrushed onto plastic spoons coated with light gray primer beforehand

Because I had bought some Tamiya TS-4 German Gray Grey spray cans before I got my existing airbrush setup, I decided to see if I could incorporate that spray paint color into the ready-mix color modulation scheme. Sadly a spoon paint test (see below) showed me that it wasn't ideal to use the Tamiya gray together with the Mr.Color grays. If you look really closely, you should be able to notice that the Tamiya gray is completely neutral while the Mr.Color grays have a beige-like tint to them. So for now, it looks like I'll only be using the color modulation paint set sans the Tamiya gray.

Tamiya TS-4 German Grey spray can paint was also included in the color modulation test

Compared to Mr.Hobby paints that have a beige-like tint to its gray hues, the Tamiya TS-4 has a neutral tone

TS-4 ranks 2nd in brightness; but not by much as shown when it's placed in the middle of the spectrum 

Moreover the gray hues of Mr.Color are closer those found on the molded-in color (pre-colored) plastic parts (see below). Both have this light beige-like quality to them with transcends the monotone neutral grays like those found on the Tamiya spray can. To be fair this doesn't mean there is no place for neutral grays on an AFV color scheme. On the contrary, such neutral hues may be better suited when you're planning to use a filter later in order to alter the overall color scheme. On that note, I'll need to see if I would need to apply a filter on my chosen paint set to get the final hue I want.   

Mr.Color CMC07 and Tamiya TS-4 compared to the German Gray hue on the Sturmgeschütz III kit's plastic parts

Due to the Tamiya TS-4's slightly different tone, it won't be used in conjunction with the Mr.Hobby paint set

Having absolutely zero experience with color modulation techniques for sure makes the soon-to-begin Sturmgeschütz III project a fairly daunting one. Part of me wants to do bugger all and just maintain previous practices of using a monotone hue before subsequently varying it through the use of weathering effects. But as tempting as this option may be, I would be derelict in my duty to improve as a painter and modeler if I didn't give this technique a go. So that's what I'll do in the coming months. With the week is almost over, dear readers, I hope you have a great weekend.