Polar Lights Refit Enterprise

[OhioAstromech]

I was reading a copy of FineScale Modeler a while back and one of the articles talked about reducing the model paints intensity by adding white to the color.
This process acheves a photo realistic appearance of looking into the Shuttle Bay from a distance.

There was a formula to adding white to the color to be painted based on scale or distance from the object.
I was planning on using this technique on my Polar Lights 1/350 Refit but I can't seem to find the article or any information online.

I think this would help in giving the Shuttle Bay a more scale look.

Does anyone here know of the process I am talking about?
Any help would be....Helpful

Scot

 

[OhioAstromech]

I also posted this on another forum and they replied with this:


To quote Hints and Tips for Plastic Modeling from IPMS/USA (Kalmbach, 1980):

"Often dark colors will have to be lightened, bright colors toned down, and flats and glosses less flat or glossy. Try to be as faithful as possible to the prototype scheme, but keep in mind when modeling what looks right is right."

There is a 'formula' written somewhere, but I cannot find it right off. The 'formula is essentially a guideline, a starting point. If I remember correctly, in 1/32nd scale your add 10 percent white, 1/48th scale you add 20 percent white, 1/72nd scale you add 30 percent. All of these numbers are very approximate. I do believe extrapolating this into 1/350th scale on a straight line would mean way too much white. Tinker around with your paints a bit, mixing up a test batch and shooting a sample.

So if anyone who has been as curious as I about this process here is a starting point.

Scot

 

[cobywan]

One of the reasons for doing this is to aproximate atmospheric perspective. Basically you are simulating the effect of haze on color.

There is no haze in space. That is why shots of the Space Shuttle and ISS look odd. They are "too" clean.

The only place that would have any atmosphere would be the landing bay.

 

[OhioAstromech]

That was exactly where I was going to use it.
I have been looking at all these build-ups on-line and the shuttle bays look awesome; especially the ones that use the photo etched parts.
It's just the colors look too sharp to me.
When I start mine I will add it to the many builds here on the RPF.

Scot

 

[Serenity]

This sounds like a pretty neat idea; I might implement it in my 1/350 as soon as I get the nerve to finally start her...

 

[Jedi Dade]

Well one thing you need to remeber is that the original model was around 6-8 feet long if I reember so 1/350 scale is actaully only around 1/3rd scale from the paints used on her... so the amount of white is actaully VERY small from the colors used on the originals...

Its a scale model of a scale model Pretty much if you used the same colors as the original it should be pretty spot on maybe be slight touch lighter...

Jedi Dade

 

[OhioAstromech]

I never thought about that...
Plus the original model was filmed on earth in an atmosphere so I would think the formula would apply to a scale model of a scale model.

 

[star-art]

If you want the model to look like a realistic, large-scale starship, consider toning down the colors and reducing the contrast between colors. Whenever I see a model painted with starkly contrasted and/or dark colors, it always stands out as a miniature or a "toy" and doesn't look like something meant to be huge. No matter what colors were used on the filming model, it looked pretty convincing on screen and it's hard to pick out blues or greens, etc. Everything seems to be subtle variations of the same basic hull color.

In other words, the key is to be subtle and not glaring.

For myself, I would never paint a starship white. I remember seeing a TMP E model in stark white for the first time and thinking, "what the heck?" It looked bizarre -- almost ghostlike. It sure doesn't look right to my eye. The only time I recall seeing it white on screen was one shot in ST:VI and the model looked really fake.

Now, add dark colors next to the stark white and you really get something that looks like a toy. I thought the TMP E looked to be variations of grey on screen in most shots. In others, it was variations of warm brown or bronze. It always looked great, though the onscreen appearance was often quite different than the actual studio model. Still, when you add all the layered "Aztek" paneling with its tints of green, gold, silver, etc. I'm sure the studio model didn't look stark white on stage, either.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Instead of mixing white to the paints, I usually go over the whole model with a fine airbrushing of white (or whatever base color you're working with - duck egg blue?) It's too difficult to accurately mix colors predicting how they're going to turn out, especially since their intensity when wet is almost always different than when dry. By airbrushing the base color after the initial painting is done, you can control just how subdued the final paint scheme will be - just don't overdo it.

Just my $.02.