So are you colour arbitrary type-own up

[Laurie]

Do you look at the main colour of your model, as set down by the manufacturer, and think "yucks" I do not like that no way is that going on my shelf.

The Merlin I am building has an olive green colour. I hate the colour that Airfix have designated.

So I am trying my own at the moment. 10 Olive 3 white no. 10 Olive 4 white. Patience wait until it is dry as the colour changes. Know the syndrome ?

Do YOU do that. Only honest opinions will be tolerated here !

Laurie

 

[1275GT]

I'm not sure I've gone that far, but with the Gnat and the F-18 I've just done, I've used approximations of the recommended colours that I could find easily ( for easily read Halfords !) as at the moment I just use rattle cans and hairy sticks. That may change if/when I start using an airbrush.

I defiantly go by the rule of "If I can look at it on my shelf and be happy with it, then it's fine by me"

On the other side of that coin, if I really didn't like the colour/scheme of a subject, I probably wouldn't build it in the first place!

Cheers, Neil

 

[dubster72]

I always mix my own colours, simply because to do it exactly as per the instructions would only apply to something fresh from the factory.

Not only that, model building is a personal thing, so individual preference & taste come into play.

 

[eddiesolo]

This is a good question as it is two fold: One, from the purist point of view getting a paint that is as accurate to the original is important. To people like me, although I do look at the colour schemes, I tend to go with how I want it look and not necessary what is portrayed on the box or instructions-so paint can be slightly off.

As mentioned individual taste has a lot to do with it, and if you are not happy in the look of a colour scheme then by slightly tweaking or weathering you can get the look you're after without detracting from the colour in a mega-drastic way.

Si

 

[Ian M]

I used to be very hung up on getting the colour. these days if its close enough, in a lighter way, im happy.

 

[Willi262]

I am one who likes to paint his own styles.

Not always a good idea, but yes, I will look at the painting guide for a kit, and I will say "nah, I don't have 'slate grey' so I will use 'german grey' or something like that. I do try to match the shades with in 2 or 3 tones of the actual recommended color, but if I don't have the right paint exactly, I will just go ahead on it anyways. Unless it's really important that I match as closely as possible, then I will have to 'bite the bullet' and go out to get the correct shade.

I painted at least 2 of my fighters like that (the airfix-109 and the Fw-190). The 109 turned out ok, the 190 did not.

 

[Deleted member 3568]

I have only recently started tobuild military models and try to do what it says in the instructions but have to say if I haven't got the colour and I've started the model I would paint it with the closest colour I have.

That said if it's a car I am just as likely to paint it whatever colour takes my fancy and to hell with the instructions (Oh yes it's a rebel I be).

 

[Willi262]

All of my car models are painted interior/exterior as if I had them customized and sitting in my (non-existent) garage...

I rarely follow car painting instructions.

 

[PaulTRose]

all depends on what im building

if its a car then i do it what colour i want to

if its something like a plane or armour i try to stick with what it should be..............but even then, look at the MUTT i recently did, didnt want to do the USMC scheme so ended up plain NATO Green........which once it starts to fade, you never find two vehicles the same!

 

[peterairfix]

With me its near enough is good enough unless its a kit i really want to well with,as with cars i do the color i like.

Peter t

 

[noble]

Ok if you look at paint colours of WWII Germany armour, the colour was sent to the troops in the field in paste form, it was then thinned with whatever was available ie water, turps oil etc. So two vehicles very rarely looked the same colour, so I use what comes close to the real thing. Then tweak with washes and powders.

scott

 

[tommy1drop]

I have to go on what my wife tells me as I`m colour blind:rolleyes: but I have got used to mixing different shades until it looks right, or so I think it does:D

 

[andyrobs]

I use whatever colour I have that's close enough, with money being tight I cant afford to go out and buy every different shade. Like others have said, its all about personal preferences and adaptations.

Cheers, Andrew

 

[monica]

this can be a hard and tricky one,i do tend to follow the instructions, with color guild ,but will always fad the paint, as it was only new

at one point in time, and the batch would change as well , so you always had a veneration, of colors, the hardest match i find is the

Japanese plans ,paints, and has stoped me from making a few as i cannot get the right colors , so thats just over board on my behalf

 

[Deleted member 3568]

As tommy1 drop just pointed out, and I hadn't realized, I am colour blind so probably everything I have mixed paint for like my Titanic models funnels is probably wrong, I mean they look buff to me but maybe they are actually some weird shade of blue, never occurred to me to get anyone else's opinion maybe I should in the future.

 

[john i am]

I have a Ferrari to build it's going to be finished in Daytona Yellow not the usual red each to their own i say purist or artistic licence type but that said I don't think there would have been any pink spitfires flying around in the 1940s whatever makes you happy I say

 

[flyjoe180]

I'm with Ian, close enough is good enough now days. Especially when the colour presented by many kit manufacturers is engineered to suit their paint company loyalties. And then there is scale colour shades...

 

[Laurie]

Yes I agree Joe. Humbrol to suit Airfix Models.

Interesting with Airfix as they are supplying info on their new models which give the Vallejo Model Air equivalents. Which is a step forward.

That is if the Humbrol colour is the reasonably correct colour or the one Humbrol have chosen as the only one in their range closest.

Just spent a couple of hours getting a colour for a Merlin as the Humbrol one is to say the least ugly green.

Laurie

 

[flyjoe180]

Yeah, I'd say the light olive colour is a bit too light and rather ugly as you say Laurie.

 

[dave]

I go with my personal take on what looks right for the scale, after a bit of research on what was actually used. As people have said during wartime the colours used varied quite a bit, even today the same colour from two different batches may not look quite the same.

And John I am I believe that some photo reconnaissance spitfires were painted pink.