Generalurko
Well-Known Member
Hi all. I'm in the process of starting my Han in Carbonite build. In trying to figure out what colors to use. I've seen in other posts some of the paints people have used on their builds. I've invested a small fortune (and made Home Despot and BLowes stock holders much richer) in various spray paints to try and find colors that work for me.
To help keep others from dumping a ton of money on paints (some of which just will just definitely not work unless you like metal flake), I've sprayed cue cards with swatches of the paint to share with you all, so you can at least get an idea as to what each looks like.
The problem with the entire HiC's paints, because ILM was mostly trying to mimic metals, the paints are very reflective and can appear to change based on the the lighting. Even the touring/display HiC can look different shade and sheen because of the flash of the camera hitting it at certain angle. That all being said, to me, there's a difference between "Han in Carbonite" and the box/case, with Han/Carbonite being slightly lighter than the box/case.
Then there are the Volvo panels' base colors, which if you go with the ESB paint scheme, the top panels on each side (Hero panels) are a dull silver/aluminum and the bottom 3 on each side is a very dark color: probably a black, possibly not even painted). I don't know of any definitive images of the panels in RotJ, except for the top 2 on the right (Han's left) when Leia's "defrosting" Han. Then the touring/display HiC (which is probably mostly from RotJ) has all the panels as the dull silver/aluminum.
I don't see metal flake on any part of HiC... which is a problem, because most spray paints use at least some metal flake to create the "metal" look.
So that's was my starting thoughts when looking for paints. Some general conclusions about the spray paints I tested (not 100%-all-the-time, but close)...
Group 1: These all look almost exactly the same, especially the first 2 Rustoleums, which are very nice and probably what I'm going to use for Han and the Carbonite. The Rustoleum American Accents is close to the first 2, but has just a tad of grain in it (which is probably a very, very fine metal flake). The Krylon "Sterling Silver" has a little more grain in it. The Glidden is pretty nice (I believe this is a Home Despot brand), probably my 3rd favorite (after the first 2 Rustoleums). Really, any of these create a real nice aluminum though.
Group 2: In this group, almost all of them have some noticeable metal flake. The first, the "High Heat" paint (which is for like barbecue pits), is probably what I'm going to use for the box/case: not because I like it, but because it's the lesser of 20 evils. It's just a tad darker (depending on the lighting) than the aluminums from Group 1, and it has the least amount of metal flake in it. So, not perfect, but better than any other "slightly darker" paint I could find. The Rustoleum Universal paints have a LOT of metal flake in it (and also cost the most). The Rustoleum Wheel paint looks like the other aluminums (despite being labeled "Steel") but with a tad more metal flake in it.
Group 3: These are all Krylon and I had such high hopes for them based on the colors... "Metallic Dark Metal!" "Metallic Black Stainless!" Sounded perfect for those darker Volvo panels. But they had a TON of metal flake in them (and the "Fusion" paints were again more expensive and didn't spray very well). The "Specialty Stainless Steel Finish" had a lot of flake and literally feels like sandpaper when it dries.
Group 4: These are mostly from Ace Hardware with the exception of the one Rustoleum Metallic Charcoal, which was disappointing as it sprayed poorly and, of course, had some metal flake (but not a ton). These photos were taken on an overcast day, so the "sun" ones aren't as bright as previous groups. The last 3, while all very nice, they all look the same and not much different than the Aluminums from Group 1... this is despite being called things like "Chrome" and "Premium Chrome Aluminum" (the "Premium" is apparently just the increased price for it). The Anodized Bronze is an okay darker color (there's no brown in it) but has a bit too much metal flake in it for me.
Group 5: This group has a couple more of the expensive and flake-ridden Rustoleum Universals, and also a paint from "ColorShot" (picked up from WalMarts), again with lots of metal flake. The last 2 swatches are the sort of repeats: one (of 2) of my favorite aluminums, as mentioned above, is the Rustoleum Painters Touch Metallic Aluminum (I think the only "Metallic" without any flake in it). To try and get a "slightly darker" aluminum for the box/case, I tried this paint over a flat black to see if some of the "darkness" would show through. It might be hard to tell in the photo, but it didn't work: The paint really covered well, which is usually a good thing. But for what I was trying to accomplish, it didn't help. It's possible that if I moved the paint back so it was more misty, it could work. But I think painting that consistently over the entire case/box would be difficult.
I don't plan on buying any more paints, unless someone here has a good recommendation for some flake-less paints (Please?). As mentioned, I think I've got several great options for Han and the Carbonite: these can probably be used for the light Volvo panels as well, maybe with a clear dull coat over top of them. But I'm not thrilled with my option for the box/case: I'd like something a hair darker with no flake in it. And I have NO idea what to do for the darker Volvo panels (as I'm planning on doing the ESB painting scheme). I might just have to paint those a satin black or something. But I'd prefer they have some metallic-ness to them, since that's how everything else is on HiC.
Group 6: Update 7/2/22: Came across a Glidden spray paint at Home Despot called "Phantom Hue: Satin." It didn't say anything about being a "metallic" which I took to be a good sign, though the cap color was kinda metallic. I tested sprayed it in the store (they have a brown paper taped up at the end of the aisle for people to do this): it didn't seem to have any major metal flake in it and it seemed a little darker than the usual Aluminums, so I picked it up and like it. It's a hair darker than that Rustoleum High Heat paint, which is what I was planning on using for the case/box. I did another swatch and put it next to the High Heat and the Metallic Aluminum I like: the first 3 has the new Glidden in between those, and the next 3 are what I see as a darker-to-lighter progression. Today was again slightly overcast, so not the best "sun" swatches. Actually, the image below doesn't show these shades real well, but it should give you some idea, and hopefully help you if you're looking for slightly different paints for Han and the case.
Anyways, that it. Hopefully, this helps someone either now or with future HiC builds. Any questions (or ideas!) just let me know.
Enjoy!
Chris
To help keep others from dumping a ton of money on paints (some of which just will just definitely not work unless you like metal flake), I've sprayed cue cards with swatches of the paint to share with you all, so you can at least get an idea as to what each looks like.
The problem with the entire HiC's paints, because ILM was mostly trying to mimic metals, the paints are very reflective and can appear to change based on the the lighting. Even the touring/display HiC can look different shade and sheen because of the flash of the camera hitting it at certain angle. That all being said, to me, there's a difference between "Han in Carbonite" and the box/case, with Han/Carbonite being slightly lighter than the box/case.
Then there are the Volvo panels' base colors, which if you go with the ESB paint scheme, the top panels on each side (Hero panels) are a dull silver/aluminum and the bottom 3 on each side is a very dark color: probably a black, possibly not even painted). I don't know of any definitive images of the panels in RotJ, except for the top 2 on the right (Han's left) when Leia's "defrosting" Han. Then the touring/display HiC (which is probably mostly from RotJ) has all the panels as the dull silver/aluminum.
I don't see metal flake on any part of HiC... which is a problem, because most spray paints use at least some metal flake to create the "metal" look.
So that's was my starting thoughts when looking for paints. Some general conclusions about the spray paints I tested (not 100%-all-the-time, but close)...
- Most of the Aluminums look the same
- If it's listed as "Metallic" it will have noticeable metal flake in it
- If the can's cap (an approximate color of the paints) has metal flake in it, the paint will have noticeable metal flake in it
- Most of the high-end (i.e., "more expensive") paints have a LOT of metal flake in them
Group 1: These all look almost exactly the same, especially the first 2 Rustoleums, which are very nice and probably what I'm going to use for Han and the Carbonite. The Rustoleum American Accents is close to the first 2, but has just a tad of grain in it (which is probably a very, very fine metal flake). The Krylon "Sterling Silver" has a little more grain in it. The Glidden is pretty nice (I believe this is a Home Despot brand), probably my 3rd favorite (after the first 2 Rustoleums). Really, any of these create a real nice aluminum though.
Group 2: In this group, almost all of them have some noticeable metal flake. The first, the "High Heat" paint (which is for like barbecue pits), is probably what I'm going to use for the box/case: not because I like it, but because it's the lesser of 20 evils. It's just a tad darker (depending on the lighting) than the aluminums from Group 1, and it has the least amount of metal flake in it. So, not perfect, but better than any other "slightly darker" paint I could find. The Rustoleum Universal paints have a LOT of metal flake in it (and also cost the most). The Rustoleum Wheel paint looks like the other aluminums (despite being labeled "Steel") but with a tad more metal flake in it.
Group 3: These are all Krylon and I had such high hopes for them based on the colors... "Metallic Dark Metal!" "Metallic Black Stainless!" Sounded perfect for those darker Volvo panels. But they had a TON of metal flake in them (and the "Fusion" paints were again more expensive and didn't spray very well). The "Specialty Stainless Steel Finish" had a lot of flake and literally feels like sandpaper when it dries.
Group 4: These are mostly from Ace Hardware with the exception of the one Rustoleum Metallic Charcoal, which was disappointing as it sprayed poorly and, of course, had some metal flake (but not a ton). These photos were taken on an overcast day, so the "sun" ones aren't as bright as previous groups. The last 3, while all very nice, they all look the same and not much different than the Aluminums from Group 1... this is despite being called things like "Chrome" and "Premium Chrome Aluminum" (the "Premium" is apparently just the increased price for it). The Anodized Bronze is an okay darker color (there's no brown in it) but has a bit too much metal flake in it for me.
Group 5: This group has a couple more of the expensive and flake-ridden Rustoleum Universals, and also a paint from "ColorShot" (picked up from WalMarts), again with lots of metal flake. The last 2 swatches are the sort of repeats: one (of 2) of my favorite aluminums, as mentioned above, is the Rustoleum Painters Touch Metallic Aluminum (I think the only "Metallic" without any flake in it). To try and get a "slightly darker" aluminum for the box/case, I tried this paint over a flat black to see if some of the "darkness" would show through. It might be hard to tell in the photo, but it didn't work: The paint really covered well, which is usually a good thing. But for what I was trying to accomplish, it didn't help. It's possible that if I moved the paint back so it was more misty, it could work. But I think painting that consistently over the entire case/box would be difficult.
I don't plan on buying any more paints, unless someone here has a good recommendation for some flake-less paints (Please?). As mentioned, I think I've got several great options for Han and the Carbonite: these can probably be used for the light Volvo panels as well, maybe with a clear dull coat over top of them. But I'm not thrilled with my option for the box/case: I'd like something a hair darker with no flake in it. And I have NO idea what to do for the darker Volvo panels (as I'm planning on doing the ESB painting scheme). I might just have to paint those a satin black or something. But I'd prefer they have some metallic-ness to them, since that's how everything else is on HiC.
Group 6: Update 7/2/22: Came across a Glidden spray paint at Home Despot called "Phantom Hue: Satin." It didn't say anything about being a "metallic" which I took to be a good sign, though the cap color was kinda metallic. I tested sprayed it in the store (they have a brown paper taped up at the end of the aisle for people to do this): it didn't seem to have any major metal flake in it and it seemed a little darker than the usual Aluminums, so I picked it up and like it. It's a hair darker than that Rustoleum High Heat paint, which is what I was planning on using for the case/box. I did another swatch and put it next to the High Heat and the Metallic Aluminum I like: the first 3 has the new Glidden in between those, and the next 3 are what I see as a darker-to-lighter progression. Today was again slightly overcast, so not the best "sun" swatches. Actually, the image below doesn't show these shades real well, but it should give you some idea, and hopefully help you if you're looking for slightly different paints for Han and the case.
Anyways, that it. Hopefully, this helps someone either now or with future HiC builds. Any questions (or ideas!) just let me know.
Enjoy!
Chris
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