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Shades of French Buff - Please vote your preference

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17 replies
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  • Member since
    December 2022
  • From: Canada
Posted by Tcoat on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 12:00 PM
Yep. Short of a time machine there is no way to know what the actual colour was as any references are already artificial and possibly way off base.
  • Member since
    January 2021
Posted by JoeSMG on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 11:40 AM

Surface_Line

Folks,

I am getting the impression that the responses here were all assuming that US Navy buff = German navy buff = RN  (colourcoats) buff = French 1895 buff.

Do we have any solid reason to be assuming that all the navies would use the same color palette, even if the same color name was used?

Rick

 

 
That is an excellent point and I did do a decent amount of internet searching. Unfortunately buff French pre dreadnoughts came and went before color photography leaving us with paintings, pigments fade and the materials they are used on can darken and get grimy with age. That said there are some great looking colorized photos many of us have no doubt seen:
Not to dissimilar to my choice a tad lighter and more orange for sure
But I have no idea if the colorized image is 100% on target.
We do have US buff to compair to:
And again my choice is close...
All in all I feel better about my latest choice than my earlier ones.
And this color really ties the room together...
 

- Joe the SMG

  • Member since
    December 2022
  • From: Canada
Posted by Tcoat on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 6:43 AM

Surface_Line

Folks,

I am getting the impression that the responses here were all assuming that US Navy buff = German navy buff = RN  (colourcoats) buff = French 1895 buff.

Do we have any solid reason to be assuming that all the navies would use the same color palette, even if the same color name was used?

Rick

 

Not sure anybody was assuming that. The reality is that almost any colour used could be "right" as long as it met the definition of "buff". The shade of course would vary by country but also by age, maintenance level, theater of operation (weather conditions) and even source of the original paint within the same country supply chain so to say any one colour is correct is ambitious. Sort of the same as saying something is "olive drab" which of course covers an almost endless number of varying shades and tones.
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Seattle, WA
Posted by Surface_Line on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 6:32 AM

Folks,

I am getting the impression that the responses here were all assuming that US Navy buff = German navy buff = RN  (colourcoats) buff = French 1895 buff.

Do we have any solid reason to be assuming that all the navies would use the same color palette, even if the same color name was used?

Rick

  • Member since
    January 2021
Posted by JoeSMG on Monday, February 20, 2023 11:12 AM

Thanks!
I didn't have that uneasy feeling after using it, so I was thinking I was on the right track…
I've had a real Goldilocks experience with this buff color. It still may be a tad too dark but I’m all in now. One thing I did learn from all this: I can indeed soak resin printed parts in acetone without any obvious ill effects!

- Joe the SMG

  • Member since
    December 2022
  • From: Canada
Posted by Tcoat on Monday, February 20, 2023 8:07 AM

JoeSMG

I finally found a shade that doesn't leave me feeling like I'm making a huge mistake.

Thank you all for your input on this.

 

 

That looks bang on. More to the brown than the orange.

  • Member since
    January 2021
Posted by JoeSMG on Monday, February 20, 2023 7:42 AM

I finally found a shade that doesn't leave me feeling like I'm making a huge mistake.

Thank you all for your input on this.

- Joe the SMG

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • From: Ohio (USA)
Posted by DRUMS01 on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 5:09 PM

I'm on board with you and rcboater, try C with the gray to tone it down.

See what I did there, "on board"?

"Everyones the normal until you get to know them" (Unknown)

LAST COMPLETED:

1/35 Churchill Mk IV AVRE with bridge - DONE

NEXT PROJECT:

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  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: back country of SO-CAL, at the birth place of Naval Aviation
Posted by DUSTER on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 12:20 AM

Id vote for C and then runner up B

but the idea of adding  a little bit of gray sounds like a good one just to "scale it down"

Steve

Building the perfect model---just not quite yet  Confused

  • Member since
    March 2022
  • From: Twin cities, MN
Posted by missileman2000 on Saturday, January 14, 2023 9:37 AM

rcboater

 

 
Tcoat

The colour of C looks good but it should probably be toned down a bit with some white to lighten it a bit in scale. 

 

 

I agree.  I'd try "C", but tone it down with a bit of grey to reduce the intensity.

 

Good point.  Late 20th and 21 century paints seem to be more saturated than paints frm past.  To me a good buff is not real high saturation.  Do not be reluctent to mix paint- just go slow and try paint on scrap for every mix.

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Derry, New Hampshire, USA
Posted by rcboater on Saturday, January 14, 2023 9:17 AM

Tcoat

The colour of C looks good but it should probably be toned down a bit with some white to lighten it a bit in scale. 

I agree.  I'd try "C", but tone it down with a bit of grey to reduce the intensity.

Webmaster, Marine Modelers Club of New England

www.marinemodelers.org

 

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 3:56 PM

Hi!

   I do believe a color choice between Cand D would be perfect. The others are either too light or too bright!

  • Member since
    December 2022
  • From: Canada
Posted by Tcoat on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 2:02 PM

The colour of C looks good but it should probably be toned down a bit with some white to lighten it a bit in scale. 

  • Member since
    May 2022
Posted by Eugene Rowe on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 1:49 PM

C looks about right!

  • Member since
    January 2021
Posted by JoeSMG on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 12:05 PM

Missileman2000 - I agreed with your choice of C: I even did a first pass using that color

But after seeing it in place, I started to feel Bill's choice: B, might be better as it is whiter/lighter. I'm still on the fence between the two. I had originaly used D: and that was way too orange, wish I had taken pictures though.

Please weigh in folks! I need a tie breaker!

- Joe the SMG

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 10:04 AM

I like B the most.

Colourcoats makes a color called Buff, which I used on my Imperial German Navy cruiser.

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2022
  • From: Twin cities, MN
Posted by missileman2000 on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 8:41 AM

I believe C is the closest to the buff of late 19th, early 20th century.

 

  • Member since
    January 2021
Shades of French Buff - Please vote your preference
Posted by JoeSMG on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 7:29 AM

I've been trying to get a decent match of French buff/gold for my Charles Martel build.

I was hoping to create a poll but don't see how to do it here - please give me a hand and cast your vote the old fassion way. I do have a preference and depending how this goes it might be light gray!

Thanks in advance!


First picture is for context:

Choices are from left to right -

A:

B:

C:

D:

E:
None of the above!

- Joe the SMG

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