# Engine glow effect - HOW?



## tiking (Jun 12, 2012)

How to paint the engine glow effect you see in space movies light Star Wars and many other Sci-Fi movies out there? I am looking for using the colors associated with two vehicles from Star Wars. The rebel transporter and the X-wing fighter. I know the X-wing has orange glow and the rebel transporter has bluish glow. I like the Citadel color range so if you can give me some tips on which colors to use I would appreciate it.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

You have 2 choices, light them or glow in the dark paints.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Option three- UV paint with a blacklight bulb. Also great for windows/portholes and the hull looks like it is lite by starlight.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Richard Baker said:


> Option three- UV paint with a blacklight bulb. Also great for windows/portholes and the hull looks like it is lite by starlight.


Blacklight bulb in the room where you're viewing the model, yes?

Option 4: paint the exhaust area orange. With an airbrush, paint a kind of circular area closer to the centre of the exhaust with a lighter shade of orange, lightened by adding yellow. Keep moving in with successively yellower, then whiter shades.
This is really hard, don'tcha know, unless you have some experience painting gradients like this.
It's fakery, though, and dipping an LED in transparent orange paint would look better.

Essentially, you'd be painting something like this:
http://www.igorstshirts.com/blog/conceptships/2011/tom_zhao/tom_zhao_01.jpg


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## tiking (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks guys. First off, the lightening is impossible. I am using the x-wing board game models. The x-wing itself is a no go. No room. Too small. Thw rebel transporter is not impossible but an hige bit of work. Besides everything seems to be glued properly. So no. I will just have to give it a try with painting. Ok. So if you guys are familiar with Citadel colors, any or the a foremwntioned colors you guys auggested, which brand? No uv brand paint. The models will be display, as I am not an X-wing player.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Find some florescent color you like, orange or red or whatever, then buy something like this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...I2NFX9W6DL45S4&psc=1&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl

and mount it on a base pointing at the engine exhaust.

It's an external U/V LED light and it will make the paint glow. It will show better in a darkened area but even in normal room light there will be some visible brightening. 

Not perfect, not optimal, not fancy but it would work.


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## robn1 (Nov 17, 2012)

Rhinestones might make a cool engine effect if they will fit the model. And I remember using UV paints on my models as a kid, even without a black light it almost looked lit up.


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## tiking (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks for the tips gents.


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## INVAR (Mar 28, 2014)

You'll need an airbrush to better create the illusion of lit engines, but this principle works for those of us who are not savvy with electronics and lighting.

I have done with with both the classic Battlestar Galactica & Viper and the Pegasus & MK II Vipers from Moebius - with great results. Will also end up doing this with the Bandai Star Wars kits I am just now starting on.

For the Rebel Transport, mask the area outside the engines to protect from overspray and use a dark blue - reflex or PMS 300 and spray each nozzle to a solid blue, and it is okay if a little bit gets on the inside of the engine nozzles.

Let it dry completely.

Using a smaller diameter setting on your airbrush - or using lighter finger pressure on your airbrush or smaller circumference brush, fill your airbrush with a light cyan and spray in the center of each nozzle area so that the darker blue is now a ring outside the newer cyan in the center (You are essentially creating a bullseye effect).

Then, clean your airbrush, and fill it with pure white. Use an even smaller diameter circle area and apply to the center of each nozzle - might take only one or two small bursts of finger pressure. This will create a 'hot' blue - white engine glow effect.


For the X-wing fighter, the engines are going to be smaller - and the colors are going to be red and pink for your two outer rings - with the white center to create the hot glow effect.

I have done this on tiny X-wing models (like the $10 Revell kits) and my old Action Fleet fighters with brushes and acrylics and the effect still looks good.


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## tiking (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks for that. I do not own an AB, so i guess i can just forget about doing this. Thanks.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

You can get a similar effect without an airbrush by using a standard brush and working in layers. Practice on a couple of scrap pieces first and work slowly. My instructor in art school could get some magnificent effects in lighting on a canvas


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## INVAR (Mar 28, 2014)

You can do it with brushes if you have a steady hand. Use the larger brush to paint the darker color first and let it dry completely before painting the lighter colors in a smaller circumference until you are left with plain white. Just keep in mind you are painting a bullseye effect. From dark to light.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Is this the rebel transport?

https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1851737/star-wars-x-wing-miniatures-game-rebel-transport-e


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## INVAR (Mar 28, 2014)

That IS a rebel transport.

Whether or not it is the one that timing is working on is unknown.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

INVAR said:


> That IS a rebel transport.
> 
> Whether or not it is the one that timing is working on is unknown.


Sorry, was addressed to the OP.


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## tiking (Jun 12, 2012)

SteveR said:


> Is this the rebel transport?
> 
> https://boardgamegeek.com/image/1851737/star-wars-x-wing-miniatures-game-rebel-transport-e


Yep! That's the one. And the x-wing that comes with it is waaaaaayyyyy! Smaller. The engines intakes are about 2-3mm in diameter.

I've attached a pic of the x-wing, which I have weathered. Still need to add some scratches. Not easy working with anything that small.


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## INVAR (Mar 28, 2014)

I would use red to paint the engine exhaust and then go in with a smaller brush and put a 'dot' of white in the center of the red.

Will create the illusion of lit X-wing engines. Did that on my Action fleet X-wing.


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## tiking (Jun 12, 2012)

INVAR said:


> I would use red to paint the engine exhaust and then go in with a smaller brush and put a 'dot' of white in the center of the red.
> 
> Will create the illusion of lit X-wing engines. Did that on my Action fleet X-wing.


Thanks. Will give that go.


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## tiking (Jun 12, 2012)

INVAR said:


> I would use red to paint the engine exhaust and then go in with a smaller brush and put a 'dot' of white in the center of the red.
> 
> Will create the illusion of lit X-wing engines. Did that on my Action fleet X-wing.


Thanks. Will definately give that a try.


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## seaQuest (Jan 12, 2003)

INVAR said:


> You can do it with brushes if you have a steady hand. Use the larger brush to paint the darker color first and let it dry completely before painting the lighter colors in a smaller circumference until you are left with plain white. Just keep in mind you are painting a bullseye effect. From dark to light.


Now, THAT'S what I call impressive. Moreso than practical lighting.


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## INVAR (Mar 28, 2014)

seaQuest said:


> Now, THAT'S what I call impressive. Moreso than practical lighting.


Wow. Thank you. 

I'm not electronically savvy enough to get into lighting a kit. It takes me months just to do a build that I like since I got back into the hobby after a 20 year hiatus.

So since I have a background in graphic design it is easier for me to simply paint or airbrush effects.

I've just recently finished the Galactica kits from Moebius (Classic Viper, Mk II and the Pegasus and original Galactica) and that took a combined total of about 3 years to get those all finished. I have 2 Mk IIs because I accidentally melted the wings on one by priming the model with a retail rattle can and tried to base coat over that with another rattle can of gloss white. Both paints were too hot for the plastic and it warped the wings. I turned that one into my battle damaged kit. Now I stick with acrylics only that I can fire through the airbrush. 

Just got the toy kit of Poe's X-wing from Revell and spent the afternoon tweaking the cockpit before putting it together so I can fly it around the room.

The big project I am just getting into is the Bandai Y-wing. I spent the last several days putting in tubing around the cockpit that was showcased prominently in ANH. I won't be using the decals supplied for the cockpit because they are pretty pixelated, so I will have to don the magnifying mask and paint each dial. I will also have the X-wing and the TIE to do after I finish up the BTL-A4.


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