Miccara Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) For the non-perfectionists I offer up the following; I don't like to mix paint. There are dozens of shades of any colour you want, right off the shelf. Green? You want green? Let's see, we'll just look at Model Master m'kay? There's... Field Drab Dark Green Olive Green Field Green Medium Green Forest Green Interior Green RAF Interior Green Pale Green Green Zinc Chromate European Green Medium Field Green (which I'm guessing is Field green & Medium green mixed together?... just kidding) Green Drab SAC Bomber Green Olive Drab Green British Green Metallic Sublime Green Chrysler Citrus Yellow (which is Green) Sublime Green Dodge Daytona Yellow (Which I would argue is also green) Green Go Dodge Grabber Green Ford Emerald Green Metallic Chevy (which doesn't count 'cause it's really blue) Fathom Green Metallic Chevy Artiesian Turquoise metallic Chevy Diamond Green Ford Lime Pearl Dark Green Pearl Bright Green Pearl I'm sure I missed a few... and this is just one manufacturer! Of course I don't expect anyone to stock all the colours, I'm just saying that colour is SUCH a subjective item dependent on sooooo many factors that I personally believe if you're going to agonize over something, your focus as a modeler is better spent elsewhere. If the kit calls for a green you have to mix, there is a green so close I defy anyone to tell the difference. Not only that, by the time I weather, chip, and dirty-up the thing the shade is somewhat moot. Add in the old arguments of sunlight, defused light, carbon light, sodium light, florescent light, incandescent and candle light and well, any colour is right! I believe I have garnered a reputation as a pretty good model builder, and let me tell you this, honestly; I always do or add something wrong on every kit I build. Unless it is for your own personal satisfaction (which I truly admire and respect), don't get caught up in the colour thing. Just have fun building and move on. No one will notice you used the wrong shade of interior green. Edited March 16, 2011 by Miccara Quote Link to post Share on other sites
datahiker Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 As a color-blind modeler, I salute you. My painting is largely "color-by-number" because I can't mix paints and as long as it passes the "Does it look ok?" test with family members I'm comfortable with the results. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 You forgot the Testors little square bottles, which have: Flat Army Olive Flat OD Green Flat Beret Green and, don't forget Gloss Green Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fishwelding Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I do mix paints frequently, and yet agree with you entirely: at some point, color is subjective, and not worth fretting over. I freely use Polly Scale railroad colors and Tamiya's range, mixing as I need to for projects, despite their "big" drawback, that they are not organized into U.S. Federal Standard colors. (With a little mixed in from other colors, Polly Scale's Great Northern/Empire Builder Green is an awesome basis for various military drabs). The "looks good to me" principle is my only rule. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wh1skea Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I too am an "out of the bottle" kinda guy. I prefer Model Masters, and at the price per bottle (almost $4/bottle), I dare not try to mix it to get a different shade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'll have to see if I can find the pics of it again, but I shot a pic of a diorama of some Iraq armor a guy did several years ago (Gulf Storm era) that the whole thing was painted to look like it was being viewed through night vision goggles. It was one of the coolest and yet totally wrong colorwise dioramas I'd ever seen. I've always thought about trying to reproduce that but I wasn't sure which shade of green he used... Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Miccara Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'll have to see if I can find the pics of it again, but I shot a pic of a diorama of some Iraq armor a guy did several years ago (Gulf Storm era) that the whole thing was painted to look like it was being viewed through night vision goggles. It was one of the coolest and yet totally wrong colorwise dioramas I'd ever seen. I've always thought about trying to reproduce that but I wasn't sure which shade of green he used... Bill Obviously "Night Vision Green". I'm sure someone makes it! (If not, I bet some paint guy is reading this post and writing down in his notebook... "New idea for a green colour, re-brand Lime Green as Night Vision Green" Sales will double!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Electra II Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Larry, I fixed your last line to read: No one whose opinion matters in the slightest (except you, the builder) will notice you used the wrong shade of interior green. Cheers, Mitch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Miccara Posted March 17, 2011 Author Share Posted March 17, 2011 Larry, I fixed your last line to read:No one whose opinion matters in the slightest (except you, the builder) will notice you used the wrong shade of interior green. :lol: Cheers, Mitch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike C Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 HEY! WHERE IS DUCK EGG GREEN? We can't exist without Duck Egg Green! C'mon people! Not to mention Metallic Blue Green! *SHOCK* *HORROR* Without that colour, we can't complete our F-15 cockpit!!! :lol: :lol: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richter111 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 waitaminit!! I thought it was duck egg blue.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alvis 3.1 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 And this is why I switched to building in Black and White a while ago. Now, all I have to do is buy all the shades of grey (gray), or mix them myself. Easy peasy...right? Alvis 3.1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SBARC Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 No one makes a Christmas Green or a Puke Green. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 No one makes a Christmas Green or a Puke Green. :) :) true, but Citadel makes a nice Vomit Brown...perhaps you could just remove or add a few chunks and end up with the perfect Puke Green. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 You forgot the RLM colors... :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Remington Box Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 I'll have to see if I can find the pics of it again, but I shot a pic of a diorama of some Iraq armor a guy did several years ago (Gulf Storm era) that the whole thing was painted to look like it was being viewed through night vision goggles. It was one of the coolest and yet totally wrong colorwise dioramas I'd ever seen. I've always thought about trying to reproduce that but I wasn't sure which shade of green he used... :) Bill Does anyone have a picture of this? It sounds amazing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Does anyone have a picture of this? It sounds amazing Unfortunately I lost just about all of my old 35mm photographs when our house flooded so I seriously doubt I still have a shot of it. I'll see if I can contact some friends that where at the contest to see if they have any. I BELEIVE it was in early '91 and I think the show was in Dallas? Perhaps one of our Dallas members might recall? It was pretty well done and caught a lot of attention since at that time there were so many news shots of bomb drops and IR footage of the war it was very fresh in people minds. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rex Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 first I better say "everyone should build his own way, to please himself first",,,,,just so it's said beforehand but, one thing has sort of puzzled me about any of these "accurate vs fun" deals don't people need to know some of the "accurate" before they can go and deviate to "do it their own way"? even if you decide to just do your Tomcat in "just any grays laying around",,,,,don't you need to know that they were grays in the first place? I fully understand that the "color police" shouldn't come around and pick apart your finished model,,,,,but, I don't understand why there is a perceived resistance to the "correct colors" people talking to each other I've always given color answers based on 1/1 scale colors, knowing that anyone is free to use or not use the info, hit it with some scale effect or weather it until you can't tell the colors anymore, etc any article that is aimed at accuracy does NOT have a negative impact on a modeler,,,,no matter what style he uses,,,,,,,,,,but, if those articles stop, that would impact the guys that do want accuracy I'm probably not saying this right Rex Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 No, I think you've said it just right. There are those that care about accuracy in all aspects including color and there are those that don't. As long as neither side of that spectrum snub their noses at the other and criticize them for "not caring" or "caring too much" then the whole world can keep spinning in happiness. It all goes back to build it how you want to build it. That should include if you want to paint it purple with pink polkadots OR if you want to research the heck out of it and bring color swatches down to the military paint depot and run scientific color analysis on the paint before you decide it's right, it's all ok. Nobody is injured when a Corsair is painted fusia and nobody will be harmed if it's painted to mil spec. BUT having said that, there IS a correct color for a specific subject (relative to time) regardless if the modeler chooses to search for it or not. While the photographs of the subject will vary and even the appearance will vary depending on lighting, there is a "correct" color of that subject. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rex Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 (edited) funny you mention Corsair I've used that model as my attempts to explain the difference in "how I look at models" and "what I like to build" ever since I stood and stared at a Magenta/Maroon Corsair up on the second floor at Columbus Anne asked why I was spending so much time looking at the "fantasy models",,,she said something to the effect of "I thought you didn't like the fake ones?",,,,,,I told her "no, I don't like to build them, but, I can look at a good model all day no matter if it's a Whiff or not" My only real opinion is that we need the baseline info,,,,,no matter what each person does with the info,,,,use it, critique it towards "better", or jump off into "Luft 47" with it otherwise, we end up will all the sites being Silly Week for 52 weeks of the year I'd like to see a "grays" article like the "greens" one, myself Rex edit: I think I've got the bottom line I'm after,,,,,,,,,,seeing articles on Magenta Corsairs doesn't have a negative affect on any modelers at all,,,,,,,but, having them replace the color discussions as being "non PC",,,,,,would affect a bunch of modelers Edited March 17, 2011 by Rex Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thegoodsgt Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 I stopped obsessing about colors when I fell in love with Tamiya paint and realized they don't have off-the-shelf colors to satisfy my needs. Now I really enjoy the mixing process and creating the "right" color. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Miccara Posted March 17, 2011 Author Share Posted March 17, 2011 first I better say "everyone should build his own way, to please himself first",,,,,just so it's said beforehandbut, one thing has sort of puzzled me about any of these "accurate vs fun" deals don't people need to know some of the "accurate" before they can go and deviate to "do it their own way"? even if you decide to just do your Tomcat in "just any grays laying around",,,,,don't you need to know that they were grays in the first place? I fully understand that the "color police" shouldn't come around and pick apart your finished model,,,,,but, I don't understand why there is a perceived resistance to the "correct colors" people talking to each other I've always given color answers based on 1/1 scale colors, knowing that anyone is free to use or not use the info, hit it with some scale effect or weather it until you can't tell the colors anymore, etc any article that is aimed at accuracy does NOT have a negative impact on a modeler,,,,no matter what style he uses,,,,,,,,,,but, if those articles stop, that would impact the guys that do want accuracy I'm probably not saying this right Rex I think you're absolutely right! It's like what I used to say when I was in a band (in my younger days), first learn to play the song correctly, then play it anyway you like. I just came across the article yesterday... http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/tnt1...-Rapasi/00.shtm and although I truly do admire the man and his quest to get things right, I had to admit that I rolled my eyes while reading all three of his articles. I feel bad that I did, but I just can't help but think that other than personal satisfaction, there is no practical reason to go through this kind of detail for a paint colour. It is a too imprecise science subject to too many variables. ...but I do admire the effort. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rex Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 just to be honest, I did get a laugh out of your Green post on the other hand,,,,I have gone to extremes to get a color pallet that looks good to my eye for my own models,,,,,,I have the hundreds of bottles of paint to show for it, too,,,,,,,with more on the way David is taking it farther than I want to go here on my bench,,,,,,,I use "good matches" for 1/1 colors,,,,,but, his effort should help out the Scale Effect and then Weather guys, I'd think,,,,,,,,,and I'm the first to admit that most guys would laugh at my paint searches, also oh,,,,and everyone knows that "medium field green" is the correct color for alfalfa in patches of between 15 and 25 acres,,,,,field green is for the "normal" sized 40 acres and above,,,,,,,,although, 3 times a year in Wis,,,,your medium field green needs to have some purple flecks in it, though, to be completely accurate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gharlane Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 maybe we should call in Red Green and see what his thoughts are on this matter ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The_Animal Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) true, but Citadel makes a nice Vomit Brown...perhaps you could just remove or add a few chunks and end up with the perfect Puke Green. ;) Bill Doesn't Vomit Brown work well for the radar bag over the RIO's station in an F-14? Edited March 18, 2011 by The_Animal Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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