How much does "Scale Color" matter to you?

Interesting discussion! Thought I might try scaling the colors, now I don't know if I'll bother.

Depends on the subject. Historic representation or Artistic? I do both. I use artist acrylics, oils, and pastels over enamels because these are easier to mix and blend. I think I own one bottle of Model Masters.

Right now, I have the Thermopoylee in a metallic green/gold/blue blend. The masts are all black so the sails stand out more. The real ship didn't look that way, but my client does't want scale colors, they don't match the colors of her furniture. I have a lot of fun not painting to scale.

QUOTE: Originally posted by TenchiMuyo81 However, it doesn't much matter to me, as I usually put my models in whatever paint scheme I feel like at the moment. When was the last time YOU put a 1/144 scale Panavia Tornado in the Southeast Asia Camouflage scheme?

Right on!! I've been considering some "alternate" paint jobs on a few of my kits, too. I'm not really wild about the suggested schemes for my Macross and Robotech kits and would paint them in whatever way I wanted. (I know they aren't real world subjects, but the anime purists out there may object ).

This brings back memories of a Saab Draken done in Miller Beer racing colors...

-Mark

You know, after having the opportunity to take a F-18 model and place it right next to a real-live, no-kidding F-18, the light ghost grey on my model looked EXACTLY the same as the light ghost grey on the real airplane.

"Scale Color" is a myth, specifications of hue, brightness, and RGB values do not arbitrarily change as the are painted gets smaller. There is NO color difference between a one-inch square of tan, and a one-foot square of the same tan.
Also, I've so far never had a model that didn't match photos of the aircraft, as long as I stick to the painting instructions.

However, it doesn't much matter to me, as I usually put my models in whatever paint scheme I feel like at the moment.
When was the last time YOU put a 1/144 scale Panavia Tornado in the Southeast Asia Camouflage scheme?

It doesn't matter at all. Once final weathering is done it won't amount to a hill of beans (to me).

The thing is, if you have to 'tone down' paints because it's like seeing a real 1/1 subject that's at some distance, then why bother with superdetailing..?

My only concession to the 'scale effect' is with 1/144 and 1/200 airliners... A glossy aircraft at that scale looks like a toy. So I prefer a satin finish.

QUOTE: Originally posted by upnorth I currently have a 1/72 F-111G Aardvark on the go that will be in RAAF markings when completed. Officially that aircraft is an all over Gunship Grey. Take into account Australia is known for a lot of sun, high temperatures and some seriously arid areas. How long do you figure it would take Mother Nature to knock that Vark's paint down from fresh FS Gunship Grey the kit instructions tell me to use to the FS Neutral Grey that I'm puting on her? Less than a year for sure.

upnorth, as served with the RAAF for 33 years I can tell you it does not take long for the sun and weather to deteroiate the finishes on the aircraft based in the north of Australia, in fact I can honestly say that I have never seen a RAAF aircraft where the colours of one has been a perfect match to another. They may look the same from a distance but up close its a different story.

I don't care about it at all, as long as it looks good to me.

I don't worry about it. It's just one of those things that people can argue about for hours and days and weeks,...etc without being able to prove they're right or wrong.

I've got better things to do with my time, like finish a model!

I figure if the air I'm looking through isn't 1/72 or 1/35 or 1/48 or whatever it's a moot point. Nothing wrong with toning down colors, but that's basic weathering.

Eric

Man !
Do I feel like a fish out of water !

Here's an opinion from the dark side... or actually, as it were - the lighter side.

I started scaling the colors of my 1/72 A/C and I thought it made a rather nice improvement in the look. I'm not a super detail guy - I don't really get caught up in technical accuracy - but I thought this was one of the easiest ways to simply make my models look more realistic. The best example I can think of is the Westland Sea King that I recently completed. If you go on Airfix's website you'll see the box art - which is the scheme I used. The color is a bright yellow. The closest color I could find was Modelmaster "Blue Angels Yellow". I tried it full strength and it just didn't look right. It was too intense. I found the same effect on a Tempest in a gray/green scheme- but I left it the way it was. It looks OK - but the colors seem intense at that scale - they just need to be toned down a bit.

The ratio I use for mixing at 1/72 scale is 10:3. (Ten drops color to three drops white). It has worked with the yellow sea king, and an olive P-38. I used a little higher white ratio on a TBF Avenger in a gray/white Atlantic scheme and I think I overdid it a bit - The gray just looks a little light.

I don't think the effect is nearly as noticable on a 1/48 scale though. Recently built 1/48 scale Corsair and Hurricane models were painted "full strength" and they look just fine to me.

I say "what the heck - give it a try !"

I've never worried about either. As one of my old bosses used to say,
"That's like picking fly s**t out of pepper."

I think scale colour is a ridiculous notion. I aim for a close match based on research photos and am satisfied with that.

As South Aussie so accurately pointed out, exact matches for paint only are relevant for a brief time after the vehicle comes out of the paint shop. After the vehicle has been in the field for a month or so, you can throw all your FS, RLM or whatever paint chips straight out the window. It only takes Mother Nature about a month to make them irrelevant.

I currently have a 1/72 F-111G Aardvark on the go that will be in RAAF markings when completed. Officially that aircraft is an all over Gunship Grey. Take into account Australia is known for a lot of sun, high temperatures and some seriously arid areas. How long do you figure it would take Mother Nature to knock that Vark's paint down from fresh FS Gunship Grey the kit instructions tell me to use to the FS Neutral Grey that I'm puting on her? Less than a year for sure.

I had no Gunship Grey on hand and three bottles of the Neutral Grey, the hobby shop that sells the paint I like is on the other side of town, Neutral Grey is only a few spaces off of Gunship Grey on the FS chart. Sounds like a clear and easy painting choice to me.

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.

Thanks everyone!

-Mark

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.

Karl

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.

Randy

It don't matter; and in 100 years, what difference will it make?

Gip Winecoff

Like Sherman freak said, after all I do to the base colour, it does not really matter much at all...

Never think about it, 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. 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.

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.

Mike

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"

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'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.

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 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.

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?. 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
Flaps up, Mike

Never have and probably won't worry too much about it. It's hard enough just getting them finished sometimes.

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.

Don't worry about it at all any more.

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.

Myself I don't worry about it at all .... after weathering, scale colour doesn't much matter IMHO.