What paint for ANH Vader Helmet?

[Slasher X]

So I was wondering what paint, brand, etc, does everyone use for the ANH vader helmets? I want to go for that brushed on sloppy Tantive IV look with mine. So what is the general concensus for this color?

I am currently planning to do a comparative paint test with various brands and post this for everyones comments. I currently have in my possession:

Valspar Black Pearl
Valspar Galaxy Gray
Duplicolor T177 Gunmetal

The valspar colors I am using for testing for ESB and ROTJ helmet colors.

I am working on obtaining the product code for BMW's Dolphina (dolphin) Grey Metallic. If anyone has this info on hand I would appreciate it if I could get that code.

Any other opinions? I am really searching for the ANH colors, but I would gladly take opinions for ESB and ROTJ colors as well. Just specify in you post which colors you are referring to for each helmet. I will compile all of my findings and hopefully have a fantastic paint review.

Thanks.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

The Valspar stuff, even though they claim to have provided the paint for the Star Wars movies, is imo not an ANH paint supplier company. Possibly for the later movies, but not for ANH. From what I have heard, the Vader two-tone color was done as a last minute thing on ANH with readily available paint - quite possibly a metallic touch up car paint, which could explain the gloppy, uneven, brushed on look and finish.

However... I cannot be sure of this...

 

[Slasher X]

I am sure it wasnt the valspar for ANH. I have that paint just to compare to other brands for the later helmets.

I know I cant mention certain helmet makers on this board but if anyone knows what paint XXXX ANH uses or XX ANH I would appreciate the info. Also did GH ever offer finished helmets or just kits? If so then info on the paint he used would be great. Thanks again to everyone for any information. It will be going to good use and a very useful test for everyone into vader helmets.

 

[yakcam]

I heard/was told that the ANH silver/gunmetal was a Mercedes colour. I can't remember where I got the info, it was a loooooong time ago, so take it with a grain of salt.

I used an automotive touch up paint on my GH, it was a real pain to work with. If I had to do it again, I'd use acrylic rather than an enamel.

I'm pretty sure GH sold unpainted kits, he may have done paint job's by special request, but I don't know of any.

Cheers,

Kraig

 

[Clutch]

XXXX or XX? what??

 

[RKW]

I would have thought for ANH that they would have simply brushed on some thinned Humbrol silver paint since that's the brand they used for Stormtroopers and Humbrol paint is and was readily available in the UK.

 

[gonk27]

To me the grey paint looks a lot like a fine-metallic basecoat, obviously on it's own without a gloss topcoat.

Thinned properly and with a suitable brush I'm sure you'd get a similar effect from a pot of automotive paint.


Also, it may be that a paint colour available 30 years ago has long since been discontinued or replaced with something else.


Jeremy

 

[Too Much Garlic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(yakcam @ Mar 9 2007, 10:59 PM) [snapback]1436036[/snapback]</div>

I heard/was told that the ANH silver/gunmetal was a Mercedes colour. I can't remember where I got the info, it was a loooooong time ago, so take it with a grain of salt.
[/b]

I heard it mentioned for the first time here on the RPF.
However, iirc, Mercedes didn't have a silver/gunmetal color on their paint-charts around the time of filming Star Wars. I'll see if I can find those again.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(clutch @ Mar 9 2007, 11:18 PM) [snapback]1436054[/snapback]</div>

XXXX or XX? what??
[/b]

Really, these aren't really so difficult figuring out.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RKW @ Mar 9 2007, 11:24 PM) [snapback]1436059[/snapback]</div>

I would have thought for ANH that they would have simply brushed on some thinned Humbrol silver paint since that's the brand they used for Stormtroopers and Humbrol paint is and was readily available in the UK.
[/b]

Hmm... interesting thought. Though, didn't they only use Humbrol for smaller details on the troopers, etc. - the white armor was painted with something else, right?

Have anyone checked out the various metallic greys of the non-water based Humbrol line for a possible match?

 

[Clutch]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoHumorMan @ Mar 9 2007, 05:48 PM) [snapback]1436125[/snapback]</div>

Really, these aren't really so difficult figuring out.
[/b]

Actually, they are. I think I can guess the first, but the second? And are we actually not allowed to mention certain words in any context?

 

[Too Much Garlic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(clutch @ Mar 10 2007, 02:41 AM) [snapback]1436220[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoHumorMan @ Mar 9 2007, 05:48 PM) [snapback]1436125[/snapback]

Really, these aren't really so difficult figuring out.
[/b]

Actually, they are. I think I can guess the first, but the second? And are we actually not allowed to mention certain words in any context?
[/b][/quote]
AH, well... the second I would guess is a mistake, as it is still allowed to talk about JB - I assume that was the XX.

Well... topics usually gets locked when banned members are mentioned... so yeah...

 

[Darth Kahnt]

I used Duplicolor gunmetal on my Rubies and I thought it looks pretty darn close. I am also going to use it to finish up my GH ANH.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Darth Kahnt @ Mar 10 2007, 01:14 PM) [snapback]1436498[/snapback]</div>

I used Duplicolor gunmetal on my Rubies and I thought it looks pretty darn close. I am also going to use it to finish up my GH ANH.
[/b]

Teaser... got pictures?

 

[Darth Kahnt]

Ill have pics soon on my website. I did that project quite some time ago and haven't yet been able to find the pictures.

 

[Slasher X]

AH, well... the second I would guess is a mistake, as it is still allowed to talk about JB - I assume that was the XX. smile.gif [/b]

Yes I was not aware that we could speak of JB here. I thought at one point it was not allowed. :unsure

I might have a go at looking up some of the humbrol metallic colors later this week. Hopefully I can find someone somewhere that has the code for the bmw dolphin gray metallic.

Anyone know what VM used for his helmets?

I am really trying to get everyones full opinions and give a very wide variety of options so that everyone can pick, choose, and hopefully learn from all these paints.

 

[Darth Kahnt]

For the record, JB is not banned and it is ok to talk about him. Just wanted to make that clear.

 

[Slasher X]

Well, knowing is half the battle.

 

[Stormtrooper]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoHumorMan @ Mar 9 2007, 11:48 PM) [snapback]1436125[/snapback]</div>

Though, didn't they only use Humbrol for smaller details on the troopers, etc. - the white armor was painted with something else, right?
[/b]

Huh, wha- ?. Who said the original Stormtrooper armour was painted? The HDPE Stunt helmets yes, but the armour was made from white vac-formed plastic....

Cheers,
John

 

[KaanE]

The plastic was painted because was becoming yellow with the time. You can see it on the helmets from 1977 (scratches). :thumbsup


But...returning to the topic: What colour was used on the ANH Vader Helmet? Jeje

 

[Too Much Garlic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stormtrooper @ Mar 12 2007, 08:42 PM) [snapback]1438419[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoHumorMan @ Mar 9 2007, 11:48 PM) [snapback]1436125[/snapback]

Though, didn't they only use Humbrol for smaller details on the troopers, etc. - the white armor was painted with something else, right?
[/b]

Huh, wha- ?. Who said the original Stormtrooper armour was painted? The HDPE Stunt helmets yes, but the armour was made from white vac-formed plastic....
Cheers,
John
[/b][/quote]
Oh... I meant the white on the helmets... sorry for the confusion. :thumbsup

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KaanE @ Mar 12 2007, 08:58 PM) [snapback]1438426[/snapback]</div>

But...returning to the topic: What colour was used on the ANH Vader Helmet? Jeje
[/b]

Some grey metallic auto-paint... possibly Mercedes Benz touch-up Gunmetal (or GM)... but it is unconfirmed... and if anyone really knows, they are not telling.

 

[CSMacLaren]

I just did a test on T-177 Dupli-Color Gun Metal. I've seen it recommended over and over again, so I decided to give it a shot.

At this point, I'm wondering if Valspar might be a better choice. I'm going to try to order some and do a side by side comparison.

This is how T-177 responds to certain photography and lighting:


Now what you are about to see is only a few perspectives of paint. Your results will vary because when photographic metallic paint, you have to factor in how much ambient as well as direct light is alighting the paint, and also what angle you are photographing the painted surface at -- the metallic particles will react to, refract and reflect light differently.

Also there's basic things like camera exposure.

This first shot is T-177 shot against cardboard. (There is gray primer behind the paint, but I don't think using or not using it would affect the results in this case since this paint is opaque). As a control, I shot it side by side with Krylon H2O Gloss Black so you can compare the darkness of the paints.

Right next to this is a Don Post Deluxe. You will notice that the T-177 is much brighter than the metallic gray of the DP. What more, if held out under the sun, it's extremely obvious. The metallic particles in the T-177 respond to camera flashes and sunlight much more, so if you're trooping, this high contrast might be concern for you.

In indoor and low-light situations, it's still contrasted and not as subtle as the paint scheme on the Don Post.

Here, above, is a composite shot showing how the paint responds to direct sunlight versus how it appears in the shade. Since this is very subjective based on what you train the camera to focus on, I took more than one photo. I think the shot on the right is a more accurate representation of the range you'd get with T-177.

I end up feeling that this paint is very grainy. I feel that the grain on the Don Post Deluxe is finer, if that is possible (it's possible there is a difference between what you get out of an aerosol can versus professional spraying equipment). Even my Logitech mouse's grain is finer than the T-177.

I am somewhat concerned about how bright this is. Now in very low light situations this might be acceptable (e.g. in a hotel convention room where you might be costuming) but the moment someone takes out the camera flash, the brightness of the T-177 will unfortunately not make your Vader look like the way it was lit in the movie.

Conversely, when I photograph my Don Post Deluxe with a camera flash, depending on the photography, the highlit areas look more like subtle reflections rather than paint, and that - I believe - was the purpose of those highlights in the first place (those were the days of celluloid film where you had to help paint Vader's face to bring out the facets and details of his facemask in low-light situations. Consequently, Episode 4 was shot in digital, and pro digital camera operators tell me that digital "film" is far more sensitive to low light, which makes it possible to have Vader painted in all black without highlights.)

This final shot is taken with Rubie's costume armor, so you can get an approximate base of comparison.