Tardis Exterior Paint / Color

joeranger

Sr Member
On the AL, we have health debate about the Pulse Rifle color. It was Humbrol 170 Bess Brown, but looks OD Green in the film.

I guess "Tardis Blue" is even more of an enigma. Is it paint or stain? It looks blue on TV, but purple in real life. Are you mixing up an ounce for a model or a gallon for a full size Tardis. Which tardis/doctor/year. I have done a bunch of searching here and on tardis builders. It seems that people use a variety of different options.

So I thought I would start a thread here just for paint options.

I am going to use one of the HomeDepot Behr paints and then try to age it with a black rub/dry brush. Either S-G-560, 570, or 580 Jazz Blue, Sapphire Lace or Running Water.

Please post any other paint you have tried.
 
The thing about the Tardis is that, despite an allegedly non-functioning chameleon circuit, it still changed from Doctor to Doctor. I believe the circuit works fine and the Doctor just got used to the shape.
So IMHO, as long as the overall dimensions and door furniture (plaque, handles, keyhole position) match for whichever incarnation of Tardis you're aiming for, a slight difference in shade won't be too much of a deal. Of course, I'd just be happy to have a Tardis, but others may want perfection. YAMMV
 
Nice to get encouragement to pick a color. I think it really is a matter of preference since the look differs so much based on how it is filmed.

This is the Behr (Home Depot) Sapphire Lace in eggshell. I like it.
 
I was happy with the color, but it needed some weathering in my opinion. Keep in mind that this is not a specific version, but just a fun project for me.
I took some of the remaining paint and mixed some black into it and brushed it on with a very stiff brush.
I love the effect.
 
The thing about the Tardis is that, despite an allegedly non-functioning chameleon circuit, it still changed from Doctor to Doctor. I believe the circuit works fine and the Doctor just got used to the shape.
So IMHO, as long as the overall dimensions and door furniture (plaque, handles, keyhole position) match for whichever incarnation of Tardis you're aiming for, a slight difference in shade won't be too much of a deal. Of course, I'd just be happy to have a Tardis, but others may want perfection. YAMMV


Actually, There was a story where he fixed the chameleon circuit. It was a Colin Baker story, so i'm not surprised no one remembers it. It turned into an Organ at one point even. I can't remember why he turned it back into a police box tho, if it broke again, or he just decided "HELL NO, no organ jokes for MY tardis!"
 
I have always been of the opinion that the Chameleon Circuit is only mostly stuck in the shape of a Police Box. Now and again it pulses briefly to life only to settle back on the shape of a Police Box variant.
 
I have always been of the opinion that the Chameleon Circuit is only mostly stuck in the shape of a Police Box. Now and again it pulses briefly to life only to settle back on the shape of a Police Box variant.

To quote the Doctor from the Season 5 DVD extra:

"Everytime the TARDIS materialises in a new location, within the first nanosecond of landing, it analyses its surroundings, calculates a 12 dimensional data map of everything within a 1000 mile radius, and determines which outer shell would blend in best with the environment... and then it disguises itself as a Police Telephone Box from 1963."

Which makes sense to me. :)
 
I think in the movie the Doctor said he grew fond of the police box design and just decided to keep it that way.
In any case, the color you used looks great - perfect for the project I am developing.
 
First choose which of the many doctors you want to do. Then research for that particular one. There is a TARDIS building site around the web that gives all the info for each of the boxes used.

Please remember people, what you seen and what it actually is are two different things due to lighting, filters, etc while filming. But then again, if your making, paint it purple if you want... :) But if you want correct color, go by what the company who made it states it is.

The circuit is actually stuck, or should be stuck on the 1960's blue police box. The Doctor has tried to have it repaired a few times but to no end. The outside style is just like the outfits, sometimes they change and you are not showed why. That or the "sexy thing" just likes the box shape too much and changes it slightly when he changes, just to have something to do... :)
 
Colin Baker's attempts to fix the chameleon circuit also caused it to behave erratically. In the script the Doctor abandons the effort deciding that the Tardis just prefers to look like a police box.

Outside of the script John Nathan-Turner admitted that it was merely a stunt to drum up interest in the series. Colin Baker's role was not considered a success (to put it mildly).
 
It's not. The actual paint that is used on the Matt Smith box has already been identified above.

No one specified the Matt Smith box.

Newbery.jpg
 
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