1:24 'Sparco' Racing Harness 'Black'

A black harness for a dark cockpit

A dark version of the straps is the most universal choice in a racing setting. It does not tie the color treatment of the interior to any particular team, it looks good in production cars converted for the circuit and it does not compete with the other items in the cockpit, such as the roll cage or the instrument panel. At the same time it is the most demanding shade to work with, because the detail is lost in a black area and the viewer will see only a dark band unless the modeler helps it along.

That is exactly why printing works here, with the stitching, the texture of the webbing and the metal part all captured directly. Different shades within one dark area keep the detail legible even where hand painting would end up as a uniform blotch.

How to get the most out of a dark part

Light the cockpit from the side as you work, not from above. Side light shows whether the detail of the strap is visible or lost, and from that you can tell where a fine lighter hint of an edge is worth adding.

Finish the seat first. Only lay the strap onto a finished surface, and let it pass over the top edge of the seat back and to the rear, so that the ends disappear out of view.

You will make photographing the finished car easier if you unify the area with matte varnish at the end. Glossy black turns into a white highlight in a photograph and all the work on the detail is lost.

Reach for a fine dry brush with a shade one step lighter if you want to emphasize the detail further. Apply it only to the edges, never to the surface; otherwise the dark strap goes gray and loses the deep tone you chose it for.

Keep the rest of the sheet in the dark. Dyes fade over time and next time you would get a different shade.