So im working on trying to get a shade of paint for NCC 1701 Enterprise Starship. Started to mix these and wondering - is it ok to mix VMC with Vallejo Metallic Meta Base?
Directions call for mix of 60% Light Grey, 30% white and 10% Silver. I have to use VMC White 70.951 , VMC Light Grey 70.999 and Vallejo True Metallic Metal Base 77.121.
I didnt know if was ok to mix the Metal Base with Model Color ? Just to test I did 12 drops light grey, 6 drops white and 2 of the Metal Base and 4 drops each of Vallejo flow improver & air brush thinner & water. The end result was bubbly and it made me wonder if I should be mixing True Metallic Metal with the VMC ???
Thought / tips welcome. Tks!
PS - I did not try and spray - this is just my starting point to try and get the right color im looking for. It also came out a tad too grey…
PS - I have VMC 70.864 Natural Steel I could sub out for the Meta Base
Which 1701 are you building? The reason I ask is the TOS Enterprise is Light Gull Grey according to Rick Sternbach who helped restore the original filming model at the Smithsonian.
You said your mix was ‘bubbly’. Did you try spraying it on a test piece to see how it looks?
this one: My Build
Here are some additional pics I got online:
Now I know images will vary according to monitor calibration, etc… But having watched all the original shows more than once, I recall a tad more whitish in what ive described as mixing with Vallejo. I did not spray the sample as I thought it too bubbly for some reason. Im not a AB expert or mixologist - haha - but, the number of times ive mixed paint it never settled down with bubbles which is why im asking re: mixing base metal & VMC.
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Whenever I’ve watched the original tv series or looked at pictures of the Enterprise on the Net, all I’ve ever seen are mostly different shades of grey.
I don’t understand where the 10% silver fits into the equation?
I kinda remember dullish white - grayish… Anyhow I dont expect to get an exact duplication of what it was… Just curious about mixing the base metal with VMC. Gonna look on their website to see if I can find compatibility use. FYI: Below are from the Revell directions. “A” is the exterior color suggested. I have silver on hand iso I thought Id try that instead of aluminum metallic.
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found this poking around on Vallejo’s site:
Gonna try again to mix and see if I get all the little bubbles again. Even if I do, maybe ill try to shoot some this time.
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@Mrchntmarine
Well, I wish I could help you with your paint mixing and bubble issues, but I’m not an airbrusher and have never worked with Vallejo True Metallic Base as my hobby store doesn’t carry it. All I can suggest is test, test, and more testing on scrap pieces of plastic, etc. first until you get the right mixture/consistency, etc. you want.
As for the Revell instructions, those are just “suggestions”. Not law. You don’t have to use them if you don’t want to. Most painting instructions in model kits are just “basic” guidelines and not very accurate anyway. I almost NEVER follow the painting instructions in most of the model kits that I’ve built over the years.
There are times when I’ve thought that model kit manufacturers should include a list of the references they’ve used in the instructions that say where and how they got the information for the paint choices listed in the instructions. It sure would help modelers quite a lot.
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