Tie/Ln Color?

I just had to get in on this one, great debate. Here's a quote from the Fine Scale Modeler Magazine " A Galaxy Far Away" building Star Wars models by Mathew Usher on the Tie Fighter color controversy- " Determining the correct colors for the Tie Fighter was tricky. The Main fuselage color varies from film to film, ranging from light grey to powder blue....I settled on Testor Intermediate Blue (no. 1720) for the main fuselage color." Looks like everybody is right, now you can decide what you like best.

now that we're all back on congenial terms

I should say I sure don't object if anyone wants to paint a tie fighter gray. Light gray is what I'd say is "close enough". I just can't be saying something that I don't feel is true when someone asks what color they are. Afterall, if I ever build Vader's tie fighter, it will be gray because gray is what I see in the trench run.

Thanks Maxx. I've got to get better pics now that there's a great digital camera in the family. I did all that detail wash with black on the entire interiors. I decided to not do that on the exteriors because of how they look in the movies. The insides of the cockpits are where I spent a little too much time.

I tackled my tie fighters knowing I wanted to do something significant, yet still have standard tie fighters (not extreme mods or alternate universe stuff). But, these ships are just balls with plates on the sides, and you've only got two main colors to work with. One of those colors is black. The choice I made for doing something significant was to labor over mixing what I see as being the perfect body color. I chose not to outline all that panel and kibble detail with the micron pen, so I had to do somethin'.

I definitely got what I wanted with those without going overboard. I just wanted some really sharp-lookin' representations of standard tie fighters.

jdavidb..huh.. Maybe you should re-read what I wrote.. As for your reply, I will just let it pass!

I wasnt trying to get into an argument about what color is what.. I was simply just explaining my reasons for not going the way of studio models!.. The reason I said that I pack up and run was one of , why this old discussion again.. I never bagged anyone that likes to model using the studio models as a base.. But I am honest enough to say that I dont agree with the purpose of doing it that way!..

Now your explenation of making the Ties blue for scenes in which they would appear brighter against a grey star destroyer or such , is what they do in movies.. On a whole, it is safe to say that a Tie fighter is supposed to be light grey. But as they are not real, then we can go with what we see on film.. By making them blue for the odd scene lends to making them visible, but in my mind doesnt ultimately decide thier actual color as blue!

If Brad Pitt uses a stunt double for a few scenes in a movie. Are we then to assume because we dont see something the same as we normally do during the whole film, that Brad Pitt isnt infact Brad Pitt. But the stunt double that is playing him is?

Thats my thinking with the whole Tie debate.. Sure you see a few blue ones.. But as a whole, they appear as light grey, and I am sure thats the colour that they are supposed be...

I am sorry if you thought that I was intentionally trying to offend someone. That was simply not what I set out to achieve.. I also must say that I respect the opinions others have on this subject, and have no qualms in someone not sharing the same views as I..
I usually shoot from the hip.. And at times people take it the wrong way!

Chris in Japan

You know...those are some good looking Ties jdavidb.

Matt

same tie fighters as the ones I showed in the pic above... http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/d/jdvdb/tiefighters003.JPG Now, that pic has lots of gray in it. A gray base, and a concrete driveway. In that context, you can see that they are bluish gray. Now if you look at the same tie fighters with nothing but black and white behind them, you think they're just gray, but they're not... http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/d/jdvdb/tiefighterpilots_sm.jpg

The bluish part of the gray is a subtlety which is your choice whether or not to dismiss/disregard. I chose to do exactly what I saw in many, many frames on the screen combined with a few studio model pics for extra reference. I did not go by studio model photos first & foremost.

Yes, the color is light grey. You can see the Fine Molds color chart on my web page: http://pages.infinit.net/jfp/swgallery/anh/FM_TIEFIGHTER.html

The Humbrol Camo Gray #28 is a good choice.

Pack up & run, 'ey? That's quite a rude thing to say. Go right ahead with the packing up & running. Hurry up every chance you get.

I already explained the purpose, but I'll reword it... when you see the tie fighters on screen, in the movie, with a giant GRAY ship behind them, you can see that they are intentionally supposed to look bluish gray, and bluish gray is the color they painted the standard tie fighters because that's what color they wanted them to look like on screen, in the movie.

When people start talking about doing everything to be like the studio model.. I simply pack up and run!.. I am not being sarcastic to those people.. But I always have to wonder what the real purpose other than making thier own movies, this serves?

Most people build models to put on display.. Studio models are used for making movies.. And done in a certain way to be represented on screen.. If you have to go to trouble of building a model, and then having to build a studio of lights to surround it, and worry about what light it has to be seen in, and take one picture of it, and then put it away.. Then you are not building an on screen replica to be seen in every day life!

I always model what I see on film.. They are light grey!

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the input and the pictures. I'm a little unsure of what I'll do, but it'll probably be a light grey. It's nice to see that people have interpretted it differently...

Leon

QUOTE: Originally posted by AusLexusJapan Yes, but Studio models only look that colour in the studio.. If you want to represent what looks on screen. Then they are light grey!.. In my experience people want to represent what they see when they watch the movie! Chris in Japan

Alot of times that means making it the studio color to match on screen. That is if you light it the same way

Pick which color you prefer. Here are a couple of Squints from last years Gathering.




and a TIE from the Nats.

Yes, but Studio models only look that colour in the studio.. If you want to represent what looks on screen. Then they are light grey!.. In my experience people want to represent what they see when they watch the movie!

Chris in Japan

I didn't say blue. I said bluish gray. I also didn't say grayish blue. If a modeler wants to a) differentiate from the other gray ships and b) not be painting every star wars model gray and c) get as close as possible to original studio models, bluish gray is the way to go.

No, no no.. They are not blue!... They are a light grey!...

There are a few ways of doing it.. I painted my tie fighter flat black.. And then I sprayed a coat of light grey over the top.. It is a delicate blend, as to making both colors work.. After dried.. I then gave it a nice dirty black wash!.. The darker panels are a darker grey.. But I decided to mix a little bit of black into my chrome silver, and gave the darker panels a more of a metal look to them!

Here is a link to mine.. Look for my Imperial ships folder, and there is a picture of both my FM Tie, and my AMT Darth Tie.
http://groups.msn.com/ChrisinJapan2004/shoebox.msnw

Chris in Japan

If you watch the tie fighters in the movie especially when they are flying with some big gray ship in the background, you can see that they're bluish gray. I also have the CD, Behind the Magic, which has a few photos of the models to verify that the blue gray that you're seeing is the real color.

I never could find that color right out of a jar, so I mixed it with Testors MM enamels.

Here's a pic of mine: http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/d/jdvdb/tiefighterpilots_sm.jpg They're the AMT ones. I didn't have a good digital camera when I took that pic. Yes, I painted the pilots the way the toy figures are, but the actual ships are based on movie models. Even though these aren't the Fine Molds Tie Fighters, I still built them without visible seams & parting lines.