History or own paint choices

If I am building for a "moment in time" or trying to portray a specific aircraft or ship, then I try to be historically correct.  If I am building it for my own satisfaction, then whatever trips my fancy.  I tend to try and stay accurate on military aircraft and ships, on civilian vehicles I go my own way.

Unless you are going for contest type quality, then you only have to please yourself.

I read reviews on boards and magazines they tend to go to great length in making sure it replicates actual vehicles or planes. I thought maybe there was a unspoken rule to how it looks

Back in the day, I was all over the place. I only had a few rattlecans...just basic colors (white, black, primer grey, and those full size rattlecans from walmart for green/tan camo). I had no cares for historical accuracy...good times!

These days, I go a lot more for accuracy, but not overly particular on getting the EXACT shade of *whatever color*...close counts in horse shoes, hand grenades and scale modeling!

Back in the day, when Jeremy and I could build a complete model between school and dinner, I snapped the part off the trees and brush painted my Corsair Testors Blue.

I probably had as much fun then as I do now.

These days, the cost of the kit alone makes me "do it justice", or at least try to match the quality of the kit.

So I guess either way is fine.

It all depends on who you build for. If you build for contests, then accuracy matters. I believe that since I build for myself, I do what please me. Call it artists privelage. I keep it reasonable but the results are for me. I have seen some beautiful work that is probobly not fully accurate color, fading, weathering but it is sure nice to look at. Build to your own taste, no one else!

Colour accuracy... Lol...

My old man was a Gunner from the '60's to '80's, I've seen vehicles & SP's in the gun park & in firing positions, in various states from 'Bull-Shined' to in maintainence mode.

In all states, the shade would vary from paint-shop new to tired. (precise technical terms used there )

SP's & Guns especially would not be parked up without going through 'wash-up' first though, std RA practice.

Having said that, I do keep up with current thought, eg using the appropriate Vallejo primers (Sandgelb/OD/Bronze Green/Russian Green) as the STARTING POINT.

I also notice that there are different versions of OD, even within Tamiya,& try to start with the version I think appropriate, eg using Revel's German OlivGelb for pre-NATO vehicles, & Xtracolour British RAF colours for early British Planes...

I am experimenting with HATAKA's new set of British Armour Colours, too early yet to pontificate.

Point is, start with the appropriate pallette of colours, (preferably from the same mfr),  & work to what seems good to your eye.

Plus it all depends what paint ranges you can actually get your hands on!!!

I'm going to build my kit to the way it was supposed to look.Now if your talking about the the diffrent shades of OD,dunkelgelb,or Russian 4BO,then I'm not gonna obsess over that,but I will use proper colors and camo for my builds.No fantasy,what-ifs,or this is what I want,for me.

So I would say in answer to your question "History"

Part of models that i love the most is that i can show my artistic side. I also love hisitory!, wear this throws me for a loop. I think color and creation comes from with in you, and every build is a expresson of you. This was why i posted the question?. I just wanted to get a genreal feel from builders. I will continue to build with a love of art, and model building. Keep creativity and my enjoyment of history a part of my builds, In corporate both of them in to every build. It will not be close to eather one, but at thevend of the build i will have fun making it. Oh just FYI, i do enter as many as my builds as i can. Its to share my builds with spectators, my peers and judges, more then winning a ribbon.

Billmc

Part of models that i love the most is that i can show my artistic side. I also love hisitory!, wear this throws me for a loop. I think color and creation comes from with in you, and every build is a expresson of you. This was why i posted the question?. I just wanted to get a genreal feel from builders. I will continue to build with a love of art, and model building. Keep creativity and my enjoyment of history a part of my builds, In corporate both of them in to every build. It will not be close to eather one, but at thevend of the build i will have fun making it. Oh just FYI, i do enter as many as my builds as i can. Its to share my builds with spectators, my peers and judges, more then winning a ribbon.

 

Then you have it made.  That is what counts, at least to me.  If I'm not getting enjoyment out of it, time to move on to other endevors.

It is more difficult to be historically correct, so volumes more need to be said on that subject than for just painting to please yourself.

Also, if you are interested in competition with military subjects, a "to please myself" finish is likely not to score many points for authenticity.

Now, a few personal comments on color accuracy.  Humans are not good on judging color.  Colorimetry is a complex subject and real color matching requires accurate equipment.  Humans cannot remember and judge a color over more than several minutes in comparing a reference and the color to be rated.  And, for WW2 subjects, finding accurate references is hard.  Publishing of accurate color is a very difficult task- images published by a printing press are certainly not to be relied on.  Neither is photographic printing.  Finding accurate references for anything prior to beginning of 20th century is almost impossible.

Further, once a military vehicle has been exposed to daylight, its color begins to change.  The development of UV resistance paints was a great technological advancement in later have of 20th Century.

GMorrison

Back in the day, when Jeremy and I could build a complete model between school and dinner, I snapped the part off the trees....

Those were the days!!!!

Back when my $10 allowance could get me two 1/48 Revellogram kits AND a bottle or two of paint, from the PX.

If only I could go back, knowing what I know now!!!

This is an important subject; we've discussed it before in the Forum.

I sounded off at ridiculous length in a 2008 thread, and my opinions on the topic haven't changed. For what it's worth, here's the link: http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/t/99738.aspx?sort=ASC&pi240=1 .

Indeed, but I took a break part way through and ate dinner.

I think the OP was getting at something a little more general.

Yes, there's accurate, then there's more accurate, then there's reality.

On the other hand, I think the point here was whether or not it's acceptable to be imaginative.

I can't imagine that there's an answer for that.

I can only say that it is important to be clear about your goals one way or the other.

Too often throughout my career, going on 37 years now, I see sloppy renditions of attempts at reality, defined as "artistic".

Thats only second worse than "it was a lousy kit to begin with".

Don Stauffer

Further, once a military vehicle has been exposed to daylight, its color begins to change.

If I'm building armor, and I don't do too many WWII vehicles, I go with trying to be as accurate as possible.  That's not easy when most of the ictures available are B/W. 

For most of my vehicular builds, almost exclusively from the 70s and Vietnam, I try to get as close as possible as possible to the real thing.  The colors have changed for that war, but there are more resources to go by, books, videos, and my own photos.

I think I owe it to those that served in the real machines, including myself and my friends, and all the others, regardless of which side they were on, to get as close as possible.  Don't you?

I agree you can build, and to honor the men and women that serve. Its also the reson they serve to protect those rights and expresson. At the end of the day i have to build to how i feel, i put a lot of both into the history and self expresson. I love the passon every one has, and shows no matter how you feel you put a lot of you into your builds. 

Hi guys !

It depends on my mood.

There are times when I go to extremes for accuracy.  And other times when I use a little "artistic license".  Most of my diorama's are a mix of accuracy and intuition.

It really goes to what makes you the most satisfied when tghe project is complete.

Have fun.

Normally I try to build in the historical context, but on occasion I'll do a "whiffer" and for some reason this old Lindberg Grumman Goose called out to me from the stash:

I was in the mood for something easy after fighting with the Czech Models FR-1 Fireball. This is the result:

More pics here if you're interested:

http://s20.photobucket.com/user/DDonSS3/library/Built%20Models/Lindberg%20OA-9%20Goose/Finished

It was finished with brush painted enamels (Modelmaster FS 36118 and Xtracolour Sky) and Aeromaster Dutch Navy Sea Fury decals.

Love it!, so i am not alone!. Since i have got back into building i have really struggled with this subject. You do feel a sense of honor to the men and women. Its also not like we are just wzlking all over them, its a slught diffrence in color here and there. 

.

For me, I try to keep it in the realm of possibility. For instance, while I could see Kuwait or Saudi Arabia flying Su-35s, seeing one in USN markings I don't think would be at all possible. I could see Canada flying F-14s, Belgium, not so much...

Of course that's just MHO, what you prefer is almost assuredly different.

Hey Billmc ;

  I hear ya . I used to paint a lot of good old Testors Gloss light grey on ships and the same grey cut 50% with white for planes .That was in the old days .Now my ships are the proper colors of paint ,including the rust and wear .

 As for my planes , well I keep a steady supply of all the shades of foil chrome because I like Air National Guard natural finishes and the occassional camo like an F-111 " Vark.   My last fave was a camo'ed A10 " Hog ".

   When it comes to vehicles or armor the more worn or dirty the better EXCEPT my show cars .  T.B.        P.S. I rarely enter contests and then it's only the Ship class .After Commanding Tankers, No one can find fault with mine .I guarantee it !

Aha !

 Now I like that little bird .I sanded all the rivets away and did her in foil chrome .Five different shades !  T.B.        Gooses and Seaplanes of any type rule !

Don Stauffer

Humans cannot remember and judge a color over more than several minutes in comparing a reference and the color to be rated.

Back in the late '70s I worked at a major hobby distributor who also had a very large retail store front. The retail manager gave me several of the then-new Monogram and Revell 1/48 scale kits to build and hang from the ceiling there. I painted them all with spray cans except for parts needing feathering. I painted the underside of the Revell B-17f with a can of Light Gull Gray, which is much darker than the accepted Neutral Gray.

Imagine my surprise when a B-17 veteran said "That's the first model I've ever seen with the bottom done in the right color!"

I also remember a British modeling magazine from the time which had a cartoon showing a couple of guys watching the Red Arrows demonstration team. One of them says "They're very good, but the red on the planes is just a bit too dark."

DDonSS3

Normally I try to build in the historical context, but on occasion I'll do a "whiffer" and for some reason this old Lindberg Grumman Goose called out to me from the stash:

I was in the mood for something easy after fighting with the Czech Models FR-1 Fireball. This is the result:

More pics here if you're interested:

http://s20.photobucket.com/user/DDonSS3/library/Built%20Models/Lindberg%20OA-9%20Goose/Finished

It was finished with brush painted enamels (Modelmaster FS 36118 and Xtracolour Sky) and Aeromaster Dutch Navy Sea Fury decals.

 

 

 

 

 

Great...I love it!!!

Such a "great" kit cries for a bit of artistic license!

I like that "*** Airlines" finish. Really looks plausible and cool. 

Can't figure out why the word "***" was censored...

if i am doing ww2 german artillery i ill use a 2 or 3 color scheme BUT i approach the pattern as idf i was the crew chief and what location i am in. if i am on the steppes i may do a lot of verticl like wheat stalks. if i am in Arnhem a more spotted pattern.

there is less individualiity in modern camo but i have gone through the "perfect" FS phase in my life. given paints from different companies are not identical plus different lighting and weathering and old age eyesight i don't care as much.

plus, if you followed an older discussion, i am on the artistic side of painting. i do shading, over spray with slightly lighter or darker shades and oil filters.