Over the years I have heard and read several mentions of “scale color”. The basic idea, as I remember, is that hyper-accurate colors from military vehicles, when applied to small scale models, appear too dark. For example, Gunship Gray or Olive Drab paint look much darker on a 1/48 aircraft than on the real thing. Same thing goes for armor, ships, or whatever you build.
My question is: Do you lighten your colors to make your work “visually” more accurate or do you use the pure colors for the sake of “technical” accuracy?
I for one don’t worry 'bout “scale color” I use my paints staight out of the bottle. I think even on a model, in direct sunlight, they look the same as on 1/1.
I only tried it once, and I was unhappy with the results. In addition, I needed to touchup in a couple of places. It is impossible to mix the same shade twice. Some people use it exclusively, but I’ll never try it again.
Most of the stuff that I build will be aged(colour faded, chipped, etc) and thus the original colour references don’t apply any longer.
Hate Motorbike and Car-Models that look cleaner than they would even be on a showroom floor. [;)]
Even the goverment issued painting guidelines are only a guide and the actually used colours will vary unless they were applied at the factory and will only apply if they are fresh out of said factory.
Add to that the perception of colour also depends on lighting, etc.
I once bought the factory issued touch-up-colour for my Bike, looked like it was a completely different colour and matched no Bike of the make/model I knew off.
I never have used the Scale Color effect. After weathering it changes the color anyway. On Navy aircraft I lighten the basic color, touch up with a darker color and then touch up again with the proper color. That gives it that weathered, used look. Kind of a patch look.
I will sometimes go for the “scale colour” effect. It all depends on how I feel at that moment.
Heck when I apply my paint, I use scale black as a primer so basically lighting the paint would not be really useful ya think?[:p]. When using this method I usually thin down my paint so when I go to spray, the scale black will aid me w/ shadowing, natural weathering and the like.
I guess everybody has their own way of representing their builds but all that matters is that they are building and having fun[;)].
And if somebody does not like how it looks, they can join Alice on the moon[:p]
Flaps up, Mike
I dont worry with it…and never have. Now that I have said that. I do have some “Eagle? Colors” which are toned down in the bottle I will try…personally I dont think it matters as Im building for myself.
Not at all. I’m just lucky to get a good finish with what it’s supposed to be. And as been said, colors vary so much on the 1/1 that it really doesn’t matter.
I’ve never worried about scale color. I just want to finish my builds with a reasonably accurate finish. I’m not going to worrry if shade A is too bright or Shade B isn’t faded enough. I’ll let someone else do the fretting.
About the only people I know who worry about “true color” are judges at IPMS contests, and you should hear the hot air from those guys. As a lot of folks stated above, weathering makes a big difference in colors, and different lots of the same colors can vary widely. I don’t worry too much about it, even when I compete; armor colors are so variable as long as the tank isn’t bright purple it’s probably close to the “real” color.
I never give it any thought. If I don’t have the right shade of a colour I get as close as I can as its a long trip to a hobby store. Anyone who has see my models has yet to say “Shouldn’t that be a FS33642”
I would if you could accurately get the quantative measurement for scale color of a particular color. But to my knowledge no one with out some pretty sophisticated (read obscenely expensive) pigment and color analyzing equipment can give me that value so…
As for judges being able to “judge” scale color… Again based upon what quantative measurement and standard are they basing thier criteria on? The p.o.p. display at the local hobby shop? I guess a good exercise would be to ask one judge to give you the proper scale effect values for dunklegrau and then ask another judge later in the day to give you the same.
I guess its nice in theory but falls short of practicality and consistency.
Now I will use different shades of paint on different panels or a slightly lighter shade to show sun fading on upper surfaces etc. But for the most part I use the color that I think matches the vehicle spec.
Never think about it, [2c]I believe this is one area of modelling that can kill the enjoyment of the hobby although I admit there would be modellers that would strive for this level of perfection and enjoy it.[2c] [:-,]But in the real world the perfect matching colour on all vehicles, Aircraft and ships only exsist for a very short time after it leaves the paint shop[:-,].
HEY,
Nothing is perfect, and models are far from perfect. Besides, do you think that every real tank or plane is the same exact color? I dont think so. Besides, it gives the models a bit of individuality.
Looking at it this way, German WWII paints were designed to be thinned with either water or petrol for field appliacation, and that applies to aircraft as well as grond based vehicles.
Add to this the fact that paints are usaully supplied to a standard by a multitude of manufacturers, and all paints age, both on the aircraft/tank etc, and also within the tin, who is to say the exact shade is incorrect.
Throw in the effects of heat, light abrasion etc.Reference to colour photos is often innacuarte, especially older images, as the negatives and prints themselves change colour with age.
Just build it, paint it, enjoy it.
If you do that, it doesn’t matter what anyone else think.
I agree wholeheartedly that scale color is a waste of time. It is WAY too subjective.
I feel better knowing that very few people even attempt accurate scale colors. This is simply another area of superdetailing that interests me not at all.