Lozenge Base Paint Color for Wingnut Wings

[modelmgl]

Is it best to use gloss white paint as a base for applying exterior and interior Wingnut Wings lozenge decals when the exterior has not been over-painted?

When the exterior lozenge fabric has been over-painted, should the cockpit interior lozenge decals be applied over a base paint of the exterior color?

What is the best way to mimic translucence? 

I have written to Wingnut Wings regarding these questions but have not received an answer.

Thank you for any assistance.

[Des]

I usually use a sandy colour but it has to be full gloss to allow the decals to stick properly without silvering. If you don't have a full gloss paint just paint it with a flat paint then overcoat with a full gloss clear, make sure it is all perfectly dry before applying the decals. I use Mr Mark softer on the surface before applying the decals, once the decals are patted down I then hit them with a hair dryer for a few seconds, this makes the decals really hug the surface giving a painted on appearance.

Des.

[GAJouette]

  I prefer to undercoat with light gray, generally Tamiya's Light Gray primer followed by multiple coats of Future . I know that this is a extra step but it goes back to the days before high quality gloss paints were available . Just can't break an old habit.As Red Baron says it's the gloss that's important.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[ALBATROS1234]

it does make a difference to the final decal color. i always tryed to paint something close to one of the colors in the lozenge. theory being if there is a tiny void in the decals what shows is something that blends in with the decal. that said on my avis fokker ev. i got the bright idea to paint the fuse the brown in the 4 color pattern a somewhat dark color. the decals ended up looking much darker than they did on the sheet. i would say that if you are trying to preserve the decal colors exactly as they look then go with white or very lite grey. if you want to darken them up then go darker with the color. it makes more of a diff than i ever expected.

[mike in calif]

Albie, so what are your thoughts on a gloss CDL?

[Vickers]

WNW usually includes some scraps on their lozenge sheets- I'd recommend trying a range of base colors such as Des suggested, from light grey thru CDL to white on some stock plastic and then apply some scrap bits to each and see what happens. Unless the decals are very opaque, it should make at least some difference.

[Graham t]

I tried to use the closest possible colour to one of the shades in each of the upper & lower lozenge patterns on my current DVII project which ended up being a greeny grey & tan respectively.  My thinking was that this way any splits/holes I caused in the lozenge decals would go pretty well unnoticed.  Seems to have worked!