I am buildinhg the 1/144 bandai falcon and i have reached the painting phase and i would like some opinions on the colors. I primed the model with vallejo grey primer but after drying it is too white in order to see my paint coverage so i paitned the model with a light gull grey and did some presading. After that, per the model's instructions i mixed some light gull grey and offwhite (since white had ran out and the tone of offwhite and white are the same to me) 45% - 55%. This is the end result of the model and after starting with the decals on the model. The final color of the model is kind of dark for my liking with the decals on and i am thinking of repainting the model again, as for the decals in case of starting the painting again i will not use them since they are troublesome at best with using lots of decal solution in order to put them on the model. I would like some opinions
Bandai 1/144 Falcon color
- Thread starter kookoogr
- Start date
Hi kookoogr and welcome.
I just bumped the thread on the bigger falcon:
www.therpf.com
Look in there for lots of good stuff. I think Tamiya AS-20 is the choice of a lot of people, but your mileage may vary.
I just bumped the thread on the bigger falcon:
Bandai 1/72 PG Millennium Falcon (also the Revell Germany rebox)
Big news,....Bandai 1/72 Falcon.....OT version,...with optional 3 or 5 landing gears Images soon J EDIT A lovely analysis of the kit which came out eventually in 2017 This needs to be a sticky in the first post or something...
www.therpf.com
Look in there for lots of good stuff. I think Tamiya AS-20 is the choice of a lot of people, but your mileage may vary.
Analyzer
Master Member
If you are looking to match the color of the studio mode, then I think you might have gone too dark/gray. It's sometimes hard to tell in pictures what the actual color is though.
However, modeling does not always have to be slavishly copying things, so if you like the color, than go with it. I went for a greyer mix than normal for my Fine Molds Falcon since I was emulating the old MPC box art where it appears greyer.
If you want to get closer to the studio model, I think you could do a light coat of white mixed with a little tan. If you do heavily thinned mist coats, and take care around the decals, you might actually be able to leave them on as is, And in fact, the mist coat will help dull the decal color a bit making it look more faded and could actually wind up fitting in better instead of being so contrasted. That's one of the reasons I normally skip decals for markings like that
Not knowing what paints you use, I generally have been starting with one of two methods to get a base coat for the "off white" models
On is a base of Tamiya Flat White and bit of Tamiya Deck Tan. How much Deck tan depends. This gives you a good start for the creamy white of the Falcon or A-Wing and B-Wing
Sometimes I also add a very very small amount of hull red and or XF-19 (Sky Gray)
The other is Tamiya Flat White with a bit of XF-19 for a greyer white like on the Snowspeeders. Varying the mix and going heavy on the XF-19 and just a bit of white gives you a great grey for the AT-AT and AT-ST
Another good gauge is the actual color of the actual bare Bandai plastic. IN most cases it is actually a great color match to use as a base coat. I often will mix paints and try to get them close to the original plastic color
However, modeling does not always have to be slavishly copying things, so if you like the color, than go with it. I went for a greyer mix than normal for my Fine Molds Falcon since I was emulating the old MPC box art where it appears greyer.
If you want to get closer to the studio model, I think you could do a light coat of white mixed with a little tan. If you do heavily thinned mist coats, and take care around the decals, you might actually be able to leave them on as is, And in fact, the mist coat will help dull the decal color a bit making it look more faded and could actually wind up fitting in better instead of being so contrasted. That's one of the reasons I normally skip decals for markings like that
Not knowing what paints you use, I generally have been starting with one of two methods to get a base coat for the "off white" models
On is a base of Tamiya Flat White and bit of Tamiya Deck Tan. How much Deck tan depends. This gives you a good start for the creamy white of the Falcon or A-Wing and B-Wing
Sometimes I also add a very very small amount of hull red and or XF-19 (Sky Gray)
The other is Tamiya Flat White with a bit of XF-19 for a greyer white like on the Snowspeeders. Varying the mix and going heavy on the XF-19 and just a bit of white gives you a great grey for the AT-AT and AT-ST
Another good gauge is the actual color of the actual bare Bandai plastic. IN most cases it is actually a great color match to use as a base coat. I often will mix paints and try to get them close to the original plastic color
Thanks for your answers, indeed scale modeling and painting a model is for having fun and not necessarily following and copying things, that said i wasn't much happy about the colour since it was too dark and seemed wrong. I masked all the decals i had placed in the model and painted again with the same mix the instructions had for the body colour, light gull grey and offwhite (since white had ran out and the tone of offwhite and white are the same to me) 45% - 55% with vallejo paints. This time the colour is more correct and i will go with this. I include some photos of the cocpkit on the body, the cockpit with one of the decals unmasked in order to see the difference and the cargo bay at the bottom in order to see the difference. The issue was that the first pass of the mix i did was more opaque and allowed the grey layer i used to come through, even though now the preshading i did is not vissible i believe i will have more luck with the weathering of the model.
Attachments
Some folks' points of view:
sites.google.com
How did you paint your Millennium Falcon? A model maker's survey - 3dsf.info
Useful information covering awesome science fiction and model making stuff.
sites.google.com
Jaitea
Master Member
Hi kookoogr
The ILM guys used Floquil Reefer White for the original 5 footer.....then weathered on top of that,....the ST ILM guys have made their CG Falcon based on the original also replicating that Off-White colour
There is a manufacturer in UK, a previous PPF member, Guy Cowan, who has researched & reproduced the colours & hues of the vintage Floquil paint,
I use his Reefer White for all my Falcon projects, product called Archive X
BUT,....before they were available I used to use Vallejo Flat White mixed with Vallejo Deck Tan 50-50%......Comparing what I use now to then is a very similar shade
I also ran out of Archive X on a project, & Guy was away on holiday for a few weeks, so I bought a couple of cans of Tamiya Insignia White (AS-20) for a studio scale model & the shade was almost identical
Remember to go lighter,....all the weathering & darker panels will tone everything down.....don't pre-shade or do panel lines,....ILM didn't paint that way
J
The ILM guys used Floquil Reefer White for the original 5 footer.....then weathered on top of that,....the ST ILM guys have made their CG Falcon based on the original also replicating that Off-White colour
There is a manufacturer in UK, a previous PPF member, Guy Cowan, who has researched & reproduced the colours & hues of the vintage Floquil paint,
I use his Reefer White for all my Falcon projects, product called Archive X
BUT,....before they were available I used to use Vallejo Flat White mixed with Vallejo Deck Tan 50-50%......Comparing what I use now to then is a very similar shade
I also ran out of Archive X on a project, & Guy was away on holiday for a few weeks, so I bought a couple of cans of Tamiya Insignia White (AS-20) for a studio scale model & the shade was almost identical
Remember to go lighter,....all the weathering & darker panels will tone everything down.....don't pre-shade or do panel lines,....ILM didn't paint that way
J
Last edited:
That's an important thing to mention, if you care about matching the filming model, because many tutorials seem to use both of these techniques. Also the ILM models use a weathering that's basically the opposite of what you usually see in model painting these days, which is dark recesses and highlighting protruding details. ILM basically went the other way around, whereas dark weathering airbrushed on top of the bright base coat wouldn't get into the recesses (thus keeping them brighter) and other weathering drybrushed on, making edges even darker.
I primed mine in black then painted it Tamiya As-20 Insignia white... but didn't go for full saturation so its base coat was a bit "splotchy", and the nooks and crannies were kinda preshaded. This winds up being just fine after decaling and weathering. The Tamiya decals - and even the stickers are pretty darn good. Use setting solution if using the decals, and they practical embed themselves with the paint. for weathering I almost exclusively used a number 2 pencil... I know that sounds weird but at this scale smudged graphite adds the subtle gray "grime" that works well... and its very easy to add the dirt streaks. draw a line flip the pencil and rub the eraser the same direction... and something magical happens 
. rub a bit more and it disappears but the panel its on gets a nice grimy look, or just smear it with your finger... all of that works really well at this scale to dirty up the model. do it in stages. I think I made 4-5 passes over the kit with the pencil until it was the proper level of dirty. for rust areas I used Tamiya clear orange thinned a bit and just dotted it on then wiped off with a tissue, and repeated until it got the right level- you can barely see it - but its there. You want it to be noticed at an almost unconscious level.
Now if you're already too dark, I'd try misting the AS-20 over it until it looks too clean, then add the decals and start with the pencil.
Anyway that's what I did/would do.
Jedi Dade
. rub a bit more and it disappears but the panel its on gets a nice grimy look, or just smear it with your finger... all of that works really well at this scale to dirty up the model. do it in stages. I think I made 4-5 passes over the kit with the pencil until it was the proper level of dirty. for rust areas I used Tamiya clear orange thinned a bit and just dotted it on then wiped off with a tissue, and repeated until it got the right level- you can barely see it - but its there. You want it to be noticed at an almost unconscious level.Now if you're already too dark, I'd try misting the AS-20 over it until it looks too clean, then add the decals and start with the pencil.
Anyway that's what I did/would do.
Jedi Dade
schmutzpanzer83
New Member
With all due respect, how do you know this?
Jaitea
Master Member
Hi sp83,
Its just information you pick up on this great website, from many folks who share their knowledge on the Studio Scale & General Modelling forums,...some have colour matched the original models, some have had conversations with the ILM builders
J
schmutzpanzer83
New Member
Ok. I may just be a total newbie, but I've done a good bit of searching around the forums here this morning and can't find any threads where this knowledge about the ILM guys using Floquil Reefer White is discussed. Can you point me to these threads here?
Which ILM builders are you talking about? From the Rinzler Making of Star Wars book I seem to remember that the original Falcon model was painted in 1976 in Southern California, and there's this great photo of Joe Johnston painting the model in the spray booth. So did Joe Johnston tell you guys that he used Floquil Reefer White? That would be so awesome if he did!
Attachments
Jaitea
Master Member
Yes Guy has flown across the world to photo & colour match the original models on display
J
Analyzer
Master Member
There has been some debate even in the studio scale circles as to whether Reefer White or a color referred to as "Platinum Gray" was used on the original models.
I do not know if an ILM person had specifically said they used floquil paints for the base color of the 5 foot Falcon or if it was just assumed floquil since they were common paints at the time and other colors were used.
I know for example they use a Pactra paint for the Tie Fighters
At any rate, Beaz, a well known former member in the studio scale section had posted a fascinating thread a while ago on the Starship Modeler forums (the thread is gone because the forums auto-purge thread that have no new posts after a week or two).
I saved a copy of some of the stuff he had posted for reference since I knew the thread would get purged at some point. I won't include his pics in case I may not have his permission, but this is what he had to say
that "Platinum Gray" was also supposedly the color used for the base color of the X-Wings
X wings were not white!!!!
I ate TWO bowls of Wheeties this morning, so I am feeling kind-of feisty. (see my Falcon thread). People paint ILM replica models white and it drives me NUTS! And people say: GREAT JOB!!! Not quite. X-WINGS were NOT white! Y-WINGS were NOT white! The FALCON is NOT white! The...
www.therpf.com
Jaitea
Master Member
Guy is an old RPF member who has set up his own replica paint company after years of research & is well respected for it.
The model builders in LFL who built the pre-vis Falcon for 'Solo-A Star Wars Movie' used his Archive X Reefer White paint
Welcome to the site sp83, you've certainly made an entrance, I think you are fishing for a good argument,...sorry not from me
I think our new member sounds a bit like banned member Beaz (aka Kevin Witte), arriving guns blazing, I would take anything he said in the past with a pinch of salt
J
The model builders in LFL who built the pre-vis Falcon for 'Solo-A Star Wars Movie' used his Archive X Reefer White paint
Welcome to the site sp83, you've certainly made an entrance, I think you are fishing for a good argument,...sorry not from me
There has been some debate even in the studio scale circles as to whether Reefer White or a color referred to as "Platinum Gray" was used on the original models.
I do not know if an ILM person had specifically said they used floquil paints for the base color of the 5 foot Falcon or if it was just assumed floquil since they were common paints at the time and other colors were used.
I know for example they use a Pactra paint for the Tie Fighters
At any rate, Beaz, a well known former member in the studio scale section had posted a fascinating thread a while ago on the Starship Modeler forums (the thread is gone because the forums auto-purge thread that have no new posts after a week or two).
I saved a copy of some of the stuff he had posted for reference since I knew the thread would get purged at some point. I won't include his pics in case I may not have his permission, but this is what he had to say
that "Platinum Gray" was also supposedly the color used for the base color of the X-Wings
X wings were not white!!!!
I ate TWO bowls of Wheeties this morning, so I am feeling kind-of feisty. (see my Falcon thread). People paint ILM replica models white and it drives me NUTS! And people say: GREAT JOB!!! Not quite. X-WINGS were NOT white! Y-WINGS were NOT white! The FALCON is NOT white! The...
I think our new member sounds a bit like banned member Beaz (aka Kevin Witte), arriving guns blazing, I would take anything he said in the past with a pinch of salt
J
Last edited:
To me its pretty simple... the Falcon color is an off white super light gray. mix whatever color looks good to you - or go with what others that have spent a LONG time trying to match the paint have come up with based on logic and what was available at the time.
I read Beaz's thread over on starship modeler and even purchased some of the "pebble" paint that he claims is the same as the platnium gray originally used, and painted a Hasbro hero falcon with it. It looks pretty darn good - as does Tamiya insignia white, and floquil reefer white. I myself spent a LOT of time obsessing over the exact color of the falcon... to the point of stupidity. The fact is if you get the base color "close" with all the weathering that is applied afterward the color is shifted anyway.
Peace,
Jedi Dade
I read Beaz's thread over on starship modeler and even purchased some of the "pebble" paint that he claims is the same as the platnium gray originally used, and painted a Hasbro hero falcon with it. It looks pretty darn good - as does Tamiya insignia white, and floquil reefer white. I myself spent a LOT of time obsessing over the exact color of the falcon... to the point of stupidity. The fact is if you get the base color "close" with all the weathering that is applied afterward the color is shifted anyway.
Peace,
Jedi Dade
Analyzer
Master Member
I think this is the best advice. We have several options to get a good base color for the Falcon. Pick the one you like the best and go with it.
robn1
Master Member
Many of the studio scale builders, from this forum and elsewhere, have met with the ILM crew and asked them directly about the paints etc. Period magazine articles specifically mention the use of Floquil paints, and Floquil bottles and spray cans can be seen in period ILM photos. And anyone familiar with the railroad paints can see exact color matches when compared to the original models, I myself have a Floquil color chart from around 1980 and the color matches are obvious.
