I’ve just finished an ASLAV and have seen some pics where the vision blocks appear to be a metallic purple colour, rather than the more common red or blue.
From my primary school days, i was certain that red and blue make purple.
However, when i mixed the trusty Tamiya Clear Red and Gunze Clear Blue, i ended up with an awful brown colour!
Any help to achieve the desired colour would be appreciated.
Sounds to me you’re mixing too much blue to the red. Mix Tamiya Clear Red with Tamiya Clear Blue. Add a tiny bit of the blue to the red.
Another choice is get Tamiya PS45 which is their clear purple (Transparent Purple)
Remember, paint uses subtractive color rather than additive. Red and Blue light makes purple, but not red and purple paint. Mixing paint is much harder than mixing light. You have work the other way around.
BlackSheep - i did try a variety of different mixtures, but it always went straight to a brown or red brown colour.
I wasn’t aware they make a clear purple, i think this might be the easiest method.
Don - thank you, i did not know that. It explains why i’m having this issue.
I fear i’ll take the non-creative step and just buy clear purple.
PS-45 is intended for use with transparent polycarbonate (hence the PS) r/c car body shells. I’m not sure how it reacts with styrene, but the finish is a dull eggshell sheen, not gloss.
Here in Aus, it’s about $13.00 a can.
AFV Club do an “Anti-Reflection Coating Lens Sticker for LAV-25”
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10177587/10/0
Others have used multi-coloured mylar confetti or semi transparent films for a similar effect.
Gunze have a colour-shifting paint range (Maziora) which is ideal for this purpose, one of which shifts from green to purple depending on viewing angle, but it’s hideously expensive for a pot of model paint.
That sounds great! Those window coatings are so-called interference filters, and the effect is due to the wave nature of light. They work the same way as a thin coating of oil on water. Indeed many different colors may show up, depending on angle. Some filters will create almost any color, others prevent a specific color being reflected or transmitted.
Jon, i had heard of the confetti/reflective wrapping paper method, i will keep an eye out in the grocery store to see what i can find that might contain the reflective confetti.
Phil_H - thanks for the tip. i was wondering what the PS referred to.
I haven’t heard of Maziora either, but might to a search around. Despite the price, if i’m only using a few drops at a time, it should probably last quite a while.