UA7017 - Ambient Mass

Ambient Mass as the overall tone of a scene

The name Ambient Mass hints at what the shade is meant for: for overall, mass work. That is a task of its own in modeling. The point is to unify a large surface or a whole scene with one tone, so that the individual parts stop acting like separate pieces of plastic and start to look like one object standing in one light.

Where an overall tone finds use

• the base coat of the large areas of a hull, a cargo bed or bodywork
• unifying the base and the model in a diorama
• a subdued background against which details and metal parts then stand out
• the mass areas of custom paintwork and fantasy schemes

How to lay an area down evenly

Evenness is more important than richness. Spray a large area crosswise: the first pass in horizontal strokes, the second in vertical ones, both light. That evens out the places where streaks would otherwise arise. Turn the model as you go and check it against light falling from the side, because unevenness is visible only at a sharp angle.

Metal comes only afterward

When the area sits, only then are the metal parts dealt with. If they stay subdued and only a few small areas get a real shine, the model will act like a machine made of metal. If everything shines, the eye reads the surface as plastic. An overall tone is therefore the quiet base thanks to which metal details stand out at all.

Who it is for

For builders of large models and dioramas and for modelers who put the color balance of a scene together themselves.

Use in a ventilated area, close the container carefully and store out of the reach of children.