Mixing commonly accessible paint for TNG/DSN/VOY hand props

[Skyler101]

HI...

This has been an ongoing issue for me with a number of hand props I have built from the TNG/DSN.Voyager line.

Being in the southern hemisphere, I cant seem to find a line on the correct automotive paint to paint my Star Trek props.

I was wondering if anyone had used the Tamiya paint line to mix something that is close to the colour found on the props.

This has been a real thorn in my side for years (you can search the forum to see I have tried to find this paint before) and has just given up trying to work out a colour formula myself. Hense, why I am asking the amazing RPF for direction and guidence.

Has anyone had any sucess?

-Skyler101

 

[AnubisGuard]

When you say TNG/DS9/VOY, you may want to clarify if you're referring to the Plasti-Kote GM7173 automotive paint, which they started using in the TNG films and from season 3 onward of VOY, or the paint used on the props in the TNG the series and the first few seasons of DS9/VOY, which was Krylon Dove gray misted with silver.

Nobody makes a true color match for GM7173 any more; it's a tough color to mix being as it's metallic. The commonly used Duplicolor substitutes are not all that close, at least not close enough for my tastes, and nobody seems to know the original manufacturer's paint code for it. The commonly claimed GM15 doesn't seem to be correct. I did some experimenting a couple years ago trying to mix my own color and got fairly close with a mix of two preexisting paint codes. See this thread for more info.

Krylon still makes a color that's fairly close to the original Dove gray, called Castle Rock, if you can find it. The Dove gray color drifted over the years and got warmer over time, so you've got a little latitude on it. The color during the early TNG years was pretty neutral but by the time VOY rolled around, it had a noticable warm tint.

 

[Skyler101]

Thanks for the link.

It was very interesting reading about the history and variations on what the hand props were coloured.

This might be sacrilege, but right now I am looking to see if something CLOSE to what the clour was is achievable using Tamiya model paints. Where I am, even if I wanted to get GM colours, it's next to impossible. After going through every light grey colour readily available here (which is horrid at its best) right now the closest shard I can find is Sandable primer grey! And that is not going to cut it.

I can't believe I am the only one who is looking for a clour mix that comes closer to that than primer... Hense why I started this thread.

Maybe a base colour and some silver as you mentioned above might be the right direction?

-Skyler101

 

[AnubisGuard]

Maybe a base colour and some silver as you mentioned above might be the right direction?

Basically. Automotive paint is a translucent base color with metal flake in it; GM7173 is a warm dark gray with metal flake so that's the direction you should go. Do you have any ability to get your hands on metal flake paint where you live, any kind of automotive paint or metallic model kit paint?

 

[Skyler101]

Basically. Automotive paint is a translucent base color with metal flake in it; GM7173 is a warm dark gray with metal flake so that's the direction you should go. Do you have any ability to get your hands on metal flake paint where you live, any kind of automotive paint or metallic model kit paint?

I did some digging and discovered that some Dupicolor touch-up cans ARE available. While I don't think that the US colours are available here, this is the list of the grey colours available at this time.

Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Graphite 150g DST217
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Silver Metallic 150g DSN06
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Gunmetal 150g DSH20
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Grey Metallic 150g DSDA04
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Dark Grey Metallic 150g DSN03
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Mazda Titanium Grey 150g DSMZ17
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Iron Grey 150g DSH62
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Blue Mountain 150g DSH210
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Desert Rose Met 150g DST73
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Cape Blue 150g DSHY06
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Lunar Sky Metallic 150g DSF211
Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Havana 150g DSF212
Dupli-Color Aerosol Paint Custom Wrap Graphite Metallic 311g

I'm wondering if something in this range could work as a base.

There is an option to get paint mixed in-store, but they need a car code to work out the match. Not sure if that would work here, but happy to explore.

-Skyler101

 

[AnubisGuard]

There is an option to get paint mixed in-store, but they need a car code to work out the match. Not sure if that would work here, but happy to explore

In that case, the GM color I found, GM18U, a.k.a. WA216B Silver Sage Metallic, is a good choice. If you do get it custom mixed, be sure to specify you want the 1998 color; GM shifted all their color codes in 1999.

The GM18U plus a misting of a medium-bright silver while it's still wet will get you very, very close. From googling, it looks like the Dupli-Color Touch-Up Paint Mazda Titanium Grey 150g DSMZ17 would be the best choice – it's a bit too cool in tone compared to the Medium Marblehead Metallic I used, but it's about the right brightness.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

AnubisGuard, this thread seemed the most relevant to post in, to keep TNG+ prop color info less scattered. Aside from a vintage (and possibly nonfunctional) can of Dove Gray on the 'Bay, I did also find this. I'm requesting a color swatch so I can compare it under fluorescent, incandescent, and natural light to Castle Rock. I'm hoping they matched it to the older Dove Gray formulation. Do you have any experience with them?

 

[AnubisGuard]

Do you have any experience with them?

I do not, unfortunately. But I'm interested to hear what you find out!

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

I'll definitely post my results here. You wouldn't happen to have a color chip of the later Dove Gray, would you? I would love to make this thread a go-to for anyone looking to get at least the base colors of their 24th-century Starfleet props.

 

[AnubisGuard]

I don't, but I believe E Williams might, as seen here.