As someone who has always had the my model I'll build and paint how I like, it's nice to see a video basically saying that. Also I'm not brand loyal so mix and match as I please. Happy modelling to all.
@MannsModelMoments agreed....at the end of the day i build MY models for ME and if i am happy with the end result then that is all that matters.....and yes,i am slightly colour blind... only found out when i failed the medical for the Irish Air Corps....then went for the Regular full time Army and failed that too..finally got a pass when i went for the Army Reserve as being part timers their medical requirments at the time were not as strict..👍👍
Yeah. Amen to all of this. I used to laugh at people getting angry on forums about precise RLM colours etc. And another thing about getting away from the box is learning technigues: rather than paint something a manufacturer's "wood brown" or "leather" you learn how to use things like oil paints over a completely different base coat to make a much more realistic effect
What would be interesting would e seeing a model painted half and half. One half being what the instructions show with the other half done with your own style for painting kits. Give a real example of how doing your own thing can really affect the final product.
Excellent! You have explained this issue so well, I really do hope your viewers caught on to the fact that is your model of a Spitfire and not a Spitfire! So many modellers have left the ‘art’ out of the process and only want factual pieces, that’s fine however so is the art method! Crikey, every print is slightly off, every screen as well. Great stuff really is. Bob England
An excellent video. I fully concur with all you say. You never stop learning. I have been modelling for 60 years and I can still complete a model and look at it one day and think it is one of the best I have constructed, painted and weathered and the next day look at in a different light and think it one of my worst! [e.g. 1/48th scale metal finish EE Lightning] Never a truer saying than 'your best model is always your next'.
Excellent video on how colors are perceived. I ran the photo darkroom for an ophthalmology department at a major university in the Midwest for 3 years in the late 70s. They had 5 boxes of 20 color chips in each box which ran the entire visible spectrum from end to end. One box at a time was dumped onto a table and the subject was to arrange the color chips in descending order say from red into orange then into yellow. The head of the photography section in the ophthalmology department wrote a program and placed bar codes on the bottom of each chip so when a person completed a box the bottom bar codes would be scanned and produce a graph of the person perception of that range of colors. Being near by I was used as a Guinea pig. It was discovered that I have a slight deficiency in my blue-green spectrum which explained why I sometimes had to make several photo prints if the subject had a large amount of blue to green shades. I had difficulty getting the sky too green or the grass too blue. People perceive colors differently; remember the argument on the internet about whether the picture of a dress was gold or sliver.
I painted the 'GAZ AAA' dark green, and it wasn't that strange. I think the color chart is for reference only and you don't need to worry too much about it.
I agree to what you say on this subject. We as modelers need to remember these colors are a base coat. From there you can make lighter or darker shades to add to the base color in order to provide the different colors that you see in the light or darkness. I use th paint with oils,water colors and pastels on canvas. Learning to blend and create colors help in modeling a lot.
Many thanks for this video! I went fully down the colour mixing rabbit hole some time ago. I buy off the shelf artist acrylics and use a paint mixing app to mix and match the colours I want, based on some research to achieve the "correct" shade of course. I've found this to be a really fun and rewarding process. The best part is the realisation that if the "correct" shade doesn't look good, you can change it without the world ending!
Finally, vindication for the purple Spitfire that 10-year-old me made! 😜 But seriously Alex this is really thought-provoking. I totally get the concept - look at how portrait artists depict someone in a suit of armour WITHOUT using any metallic paint. And we will need to achieve something similar on a 3-D “canvas,” our plastic models (do faded and chipped surfaces, simulate stressed skin on aircraft, have scale colour, represent weathered metal, etc). Quite the challenge, but very intriguing. Your best topic yet, in my book. 👍🏻👍🏻
Overall I go for authenticity over following guides, some manufacturers have decent shades out of the bottle. MRP is my favorite for that, but some vehicles, the more obscure ones that i tend to like, often have limited reseach avaliable, so close is close enough, and thats before weathering changes everything.
I think a lot of people dismiss them because they are for "a game". Having said that, they are expensive and do come in some of the worst bottles ever conceived, but careful and judicious purchases of specific shades and reformatting them to dropper bottles gives the best of both worlds!
Of course if you are one of the roughly 5% of the population that has some colour perception difference it's going to be much more difficult for you - though using a paint app can provide you with t=at least some of that information
Great video. I wonder if the rivet counters will be choking on their cup of tea, as I assume they want everything to go by the companies own brands. It comes down to your own choice, do you stick with one set of paints or mix manufacturers. This has become very enlightening series, Thank you Alex
Really good video. Many years ago I read a guide in Military Modelling about scale colour effects and adding white or other lighter shades to artificially 'bleach' the perceived colour of small models, as you discuss, and it significantly changed my approach. Similarly I have been doing conventional art classes and this really helped understand colour theory without being beholden to the 'right' colour. As you summarise, the kit manufacturer's recommendation is a good starting point but we should feel comfortable pushing beyond that 👍
Paint fades in sunlight. An aeroplane which started life one shade of grey (say) will be a different shade of grey five years down the line. Same goes for other colours too: some colours fade faster than others. I wouldn't lose too much sleep over finding an exact shade, because it might only apply to a brand new aircraft or tank, etc.
Absolutely agree! I did reference cards for my paint too, but I didn't think to scan them. That's a great idea to avoid the problem caused by the setting of the screen. My own advice would be : always compares your colors to the real object at a distance where the real object is the size of your model (to avoid the problems of scale you talk about in your video), and, if there are many colors on the real object ( like a camouflage), the contrast between them is far more important than the exact shades.
I used to work in the lab at the Russell Athletic factory in Scotland and the amount of work that went into matching colours would make your eyes water. (Pun intended) As well as the commonly used colour wheel - the circular chart you see in most diy stores - we had to think of it in 3D. The best explanation is that colour is the same shape as a rugby ball standing on its end. It's brightest around the middle, with deeper (fuller) colours as you head to the bottom, and thinner (lighter) colours as you head to the top. As you head in either direction the colour starts to loose its brightness because they are getting closer to the centre of the ball (remember its brightest around the middel) And in the centre, imagine a stick that is white at the top and goes theough various shades of grey as it decends down to black. If a colour came out of a dying machine wrong we had to work out what colour to use and how much dye to put in to correct it. I really enjoyed working there.
It's why I use the CIELAB (Lab for short) system, as it measures how close colours are in 3d space and it's based on human perception of colour, so it;s more practical
Are you ready to ditch manufacturers paints and head out alone into the wide world of paints? What guidance do you think you'd need in order to help you, or do you have confidence in your abilities? Let me know in the comments below!
My way for aircraft is to buy the same (allegedly) colours from Vallejo, AK, Ammo and Tamiya and see which one I like best in terms of colour and how it behaves out of the airbrush. 😊❤😊
I've already pretty much ditched them, but I'm very lucky when it comes to this sort of thing. My wife is a formally trained artist, so she understands colour theory, paint mixing, colour matching, etc. She guides me whenever I need help with colours or other techniques. She's always telling me to experiment with my paints, do colour charts, mix them and paint samples in an art journal so I can see what they do and how I can get the colours I want out of them. It's kind of scary though, as I use Kimera, and they're not cheap.
Lucky Man! I love Kimera paints, and although they're not cheap, you do get a relatively large amount of very good paint, so I think the value point is actually higher than for many kit manufacturers paints.
I mix a lot but it's handy to have colours close to what you want to save the legwork ( which I am completely capable of doing ) especially when figure painting and you need to mix in a tertiary to a base colour for a shadow tint or the like. But learning to mix properly can really elevate your game, beyond red blue yellow, to the inherent variation in warm and cool shades in the traditional primary colours.
I remember one of my early models was a Dambusters Lancaster, I followed the paint guide and it wasnt until I was finished I wondered why none of the detail was really called out. Now I know when they say "this part is black" they mean "this part is mostly black but there are other details on it that might look better if you painted them in a different colour".
Also black isnt black! And white isnt white. Painting a black surface black wont look as good without adding depth. Using a slightly lighter black/dark grey then having the recesses be the darkest black ensures ur model pops
I agree, I only use the paint call outs as a guide these days and choose what I consider the better colours to use. Plus there's no law against doing what we want with our own models. I think some take it all too serious it's supposed to be a fun hobby and enjoyable
@@MannsModelMomentsYou are right, unless it's for a contest: in that case you have to blackbase it, highlight and post shade it, use ridiculous amounts of weathering products and be related to the "right" group of modellers, can we agree?
If you submit a model for a contest, you're agreeing to whatever rules they put in place, so you'll be judged by those same rules - one of the many reasons I generally DON'T enter competitions - I don't need someone else's seal of approval for what I've done
There are a ton of advantages to starting with aqueous acrylic emulsion-based paints - they're non-toxic, dry quickly, are pretty robust and come in a huge range from many manufacturers
Ive tried several different paint manufacturers , always end up with tamiya...custum mix to what i want . I think its what works best for you and what your used to . Brought up with humbrol enamels for brush painting though .
I agree that you should use what works for you - if that's a particular brand or style of paints that you feel works best for you, then you're far more likely to be able to create what you want because you'll build knowledge and familiarity, freeing you to express yourself rather than worry about other things
Thank you so much for this video! It´s a great work, very helpful. I spray my models with Vallejo and Revell colors. When I can go in a museum with a RAL- Color- Chart to look at the original , than I can mix or choose the right one.
My grandpa is a carpenter, so the wood can be given any particular tone the client might want, plus sometimes the furniture requires a granited or quartz countertop per the client's request. Since we know that light conditions can affect how the real colors of an object can look, we instead just show samples to the client in person.
There's a chain of stores in northern England called Boyes that sell Humbrol enamels and aerosols, Citadel, Vallejo Model, Air and Game Colours and also a lot of model making equipment. A huge number of SKUs but bizarrely they don't sell any model kits whatsoever. One day I'll contact them to find out why.
I have noticed this theme running through your recent postings Alex and I like it - I love hearing the science behind it and hopefully some sinks in ( TBH I’m seeing myself a bit like Jesse Pinkman here “yeah Science B*tch” when Walter White explains how to make meth ) but a lot goes over my head. I am only just starting back on the modelling journey and have noticed the disparity in paint colours - SO i got a selection to try Tamiya / AK 3rd Gen / Ammo MIG - seems like I missed MRP given how it is held in high regard. The first couple of models (Tamiya) will follow the suggested paint schemes including mixing up colours. Then I will branch out to try alternate colours. So much to learn!
@@MannsModelMoments too true - being of a certain age (61) I always think of the adage “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” - being the old dog I’ve learned you have got to learn new tricks as well as merge what you already know.
Another very thought provoking video Alex. I love the research side of the build process - a specific subject can look different from one week in history to the next; this has also led me not to worry too much about 'perceived authenticity' - every time you think you've nailed a variant of an aircraft at a specific time and specific place, you find something that tears the rule up. For that reason I do enjoy 'flexible realities', none better that planes based on Malta for instance! It's also what makes what-ifs so appealing.
All this science makes my head hurt,its a hobby,its supposed to be fun,if its not fun you are doing it wrong. Its your model ,paint it any colour you want with whatever paint brand you like.I have been building models for fifty years and while my models would never win any competitions, I like them and enjoyed building them and thats what counts.
I have the 80 piece set from ICM and I am perfectly happy with that for now, using the color that looks good enough to me. Maybe I'll expand the color range down the line, including mixing, as I build and learn
Great point, though I think I'd maybe risk getting "into the weeds" a bit too much....or otherwise I could make the video twice as long! I got criticism form some (admittedly rather toxic) circles about the amount of "science stuff" I did or did not include in my acrylics video, so decided to go at a more conceptual level just to make the point about colour perception, but metamerism is a really good example of their being no "absolutes" in our colour interpretation -thanks for bringing it up!
Work on does it look right, it is more than likely right. Use colour selection as a reference, so many things can effect what colour is truelly going to look like. Man I have mixed multiple colours together no ratios to get what I am looking for.
I remember us airforce low viz when it first came out. that's when I started experimenting in mixing colour's .olive drab for armour is another one black and yellow and yellow does not do well with uv hence the crazy variation just my threoy lol am really enjoying the videos on paint cheers.
@@MannsModelMoments I have found that every variety of Panzer grey I have personally used has been way too dark so I have lightened it by a couple of shades and this does give a more realistic appearance when compared to old photographs.
Very good video Alex , the colors are a subject very dificult to acurate. For a example in a plane it depends of the sun light is taken in the fuselage in a diferent theater of war . with the basic colors, yellow/blue/red we can create any color and use black /white do dark or give more light . For a example with black and yellow we can create olive drab, the black is take the place of blue. I love work with colors , and we can traine our eyes in the workbench , just mix lots of colors and achive experience in the eyes. Thanks to put the subject in the video. Greetings from Portugal 🙋♂
Interesting and thought provoking video. I have moved to a 'that colour is close enough' painting recently. Any image being used as a reference will have been through a camera, editing software, a printing process or a monitor/screen so will never be exactly the same unless each is calibrated. Too often we paint stuff that will never be seen again (aircraft interiors) so why put a lot of effort into it? If you like doing it (which I do) then it is just part of the kit building fun. I think we lose sight that it is a hobby and should be fun and not causing anxiety over accuracy of details or colours. My personal favourite paints are AK Real Colours. Why? Mainly because I have got used to airbrushing them plus their 3Gen match almost exactly so they are useful for touching up with a brush. Do have a lot of Tamiya as well. Quite a few other brands but those tend to be for detailing. Did a quick check and found I have about 8 different olive drabs but that does help to get away from a uniform look.
Doctor, “I’m afraid it’s bad news. All that modelling? You have developed a nasty case of OCD..” Patient, “Obssessive Compulsive Disorder?” Doctor, “No, Obsessive Chromatic Discernment. Here’s a set of prime colours. You’re not allowed to use anything but these for the next 6 months.”
Good video. Only. I use Tamiya and Mr. Gunze Aq. as my favourite paint for my airbrush. Vallejo is nice, only by brush painting. That is my restriction to paint. I mix paint often.
Good video. I have never gotten too hung up over colors. I typically do some basic research and try to build something that looks like the photos of it. Years ago when I was a lot more active on model building forums, I would always get a kick out people who would argue about the minutiae of colors saying this color is too dark, this one is too light etc. as though your kit is wrong. If the color is too dark, then maybe your kit portrays the subject on a cloudy day. On the other hand, for the same reasons, if I don’t have any good color photo references, I certainly don’t mind using the kit recommendations. Maybe the Tamiya color callouts are incorrect or.a compromise, but if I don’t have any reheard material to the contrary, I can happily use theirs and not worry about it further.
Very good video, and I would like to add that in many cases the color is also different depending on other conditions than just the light, like weather, dust and dirt, not to mention paint has a tendency to fade in strong sun light. I'm not so sure however I agree with the notion that a model painted as the real thing with say almost invisible panel lines make it look like a toy; instead, take that model and put it next to the real thing at some distance and see for yourself: a 1/35 scale model kept at armlengths distance has the same volume as the real thing (I think, someone did the math on this) at 15 meters. In other words, line up your model on an outstretched arm with the real thing 15 meters away and you can do a direct comparison. And then you'll see that many of the details we so painstakingly paint just disappear - they aren't on the real thing and they can't be seen on the model. That is not to say the details shouldn't be painted, on the contrary, but my point is that exaggerating these details will be counterproductive for a realistic model. This exaggeration is sometimes used deliberately and can be seen especially in gaming figures which technically are in about 1/56 scale - but the models tend to have too large heads, hands and facial features, to make them easier to paint. It is also - unfortunately - often used by figure painters at all scales that tend to paint clothes with stark highlights ( dull clothes reflect little to no light) and faces with red cheeks and almost white noses and foreheads. All in the interest of exaggerating the details - which is simply not necessary even for display models.
David R Lentz, Columbus, Ohio, USA Thoughtful and instructive. It starts with an exhortation of "back to the basics" in painting, to a sophisticated explication of colour theory, complete with what “colour” actually is: our sense organs (eyes, retina, cones and rods) perceiving phenomena in our environment; chiefly, photons emanating from a light source, or reflecting to varying degrees from a surface (which I call “the physics of reality”). A capital job, that!
Fully agree that you have to go with what works for you and that at the end of the day it is your model so it is up to you to finish it in the way feels right to you. Personally I use Gunze paints as my go to paint, I just find it goes down well for me and has a good range of colours/types (I tend to go with the Mr Color as first choice) but also have Tamiya, SMS, Ammo Mig, Vallejo, Army Painter, Humbrol and Alclad in my stash, I then mix and match what I need with each model to get the desired result. Ultimately, I use the paint callouts on the instructions as a starting point and then decide what I am going to use on the model. P.S. Enjoyed the 24Hr build of the Marauder, would love to see you do something in the same vein with a modern subject such as the Airfix Vulcan :)
Alex...Another Question: Are you planning on another 24-hour live build before summer's end? Perhaps one that is spread over a couple of weeks so that you don't go crazy? I thought that it was a fun format after the Marauder build. 😊❤😊
Not sure about another 24h build this summer...it was a toughie! If I got enough requests I might, but I'd also consider a different format, like a one-night build or timed challenge...
If you are driving to work in the morning, you are fresh, alert and ready for your day, then you see a flag flying, for example a Union Jack, you\'ll see a red, white and blue flag, then in the evening on your way home after a hard days work you see the same red, white and blue flag you saw in the morning but are you seeing the same colours you saw in the morning? No you are not, the flag hasn't changed, but the light you are viewing it in has changed; usually evening light is redder and not as bright than morning light; also the air quality might have changed and by evening your mental and physical state has changed, you're probably tired, and all the affects the way you perceive colours. I have to agree with MMM about paint colours, what you see might be totally different to what others see. A lot depends on the light you a seeing with that is why you should try and choose your colours in natural day-light. Of course the guys in the UK will have a different day-light to those in Australia, South Africa or various parts of America as the natural day-light varies. The light source makes a huge difference asto how we perceive colour. I used to work in the printing industry where colour perception is very important, and part of my job was to ensure the colour being printed matched the customers requirements. and we eventually had to get a standard light source in the all departments especially the machine room to ensure we were all seeing the same colour.. I even had to recommend that colour blindness tests had to be done on all staff dealing with colour and it was surprising how many guys were slightly colour blind especially in seeing yellow tones and a few seeing red/yellow tones, which as it turns out is surprisingly common in males. Obviously they were not used to check colour or set the inks for colour with-out conformation from someone else with good colour vision. What we see as colour has a huge variation from person to person and the best thing as MMM said, is to do what seems right to you, after it is your mode, and you are making a representation of a real thing and what might look good on a 32 scale model will look totally wrong on a 1/72 scale model; scale effect; Just remember we do this for fun, and with each new model you make will probably be better than the previous one, especially in the painting. So pf you're not that satisfied with your current model, next time you can try something different.
I used to paint by numbers but now I paint by look and feel. If it doesn't sit nice on my eyes I don't like it. Being slightly autistic doesn't really help. I paint to pick out the details. I vary the shades of my greens mostly to stop all my armour looking the same. A whole line of u.s. drab green just looks meh... It was never a proper standard just a that's close enough during the war anyway I think. I just get that feeling. So that's how I did it. Engines is the thing I love to detail. Playing with all the metallic silvers and finishes and shading. Tamiya is my go to paint and I'm quite a fan of citadel as well. I really like their super bright colours and washes.
Research should also be taken on with an open mind. Using photographs is fine if you want a "look" but cannot be used to justify religiously (as some do) a particular scheme. You can sample the green on that spitfire on 20 different spots and get 20 different RGB refs. Moreover, when dealing with period photos that were done on film one has to bear in mind that all color film will have a color bias. Also, film is balanced for the situation, either natural light (daylight film) or indoors which at the time would have probably meant incandescent lighting. These are two totally different lighting situations which your brain sorts out internally, but on film and video this can result in things being overly bluish or overly warm (computer monitors also have biases, actually pretty much any mechanism to reproduce color images). Even when referencing military specifications, it is not unusual to see accounts that in the field, the paint used was sometimes the closest the maintenance shop could find, and light fade is indeed a thing in the real world. Also multiple manufacturers might make the same color, but it looks different - as your small scale example has shown. A lot of the models I work with are science fiction models and I'm still surprised by how many people still worry about whether the color of some fictional vehicle is correct or not. I basically give a similar message; do you want it to look like it did on TV, or in the studio, or in some gallery exhibit, or web site, or the way it makes you happy? What color is the USS Enterprise?
I'm a figure painter primarily, though I've done both railroad and military vehicle modeling as well. 1) If you take a calibrated set of FS chips to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson and set those chips on the airplanes painted to those Federal Standards, you will find that the chips don't match the actual paint even when under exactly the same light. Pigments fade, paint gets scuffed or dirtied, and sometimes the paint manufacturer just does a bad job. It's possible that airplane matched the chip the day it was painted, but after that brief, shining moment ... nope. 2) I find it fascinating to watch very good vehicle modelers ignore light and shadow when painting their models. I understand why. But the need to paint in light and shadow is a conversation that has to be conducted with newer figure modelers as well. In that context, I like to use stage makeup as an example. Actors don't make themselves up in the same way as people not on stage, because they're compensating for a very different lighting and viewing scenario. The same is true for models.
8:31 as much as i agree with the general meaning of the video, i have to point out that those two eurofighters look different... because they are two different greys of two different airforces Colours vary very much for many different reasons, as explained in the video, but still, we can aspire to paint "inside" that variation, or close to. Of course, anyone has the right to paint as he wants, and i encourage experimenting
They're exemplars, it's not literal, seeing as I can't get a Eurofighter to pose for me as I want it, I have to find images that demonstrate the point. If you got the point, then what's the purpose of nit-picking, when part of the theme of the video is exactly the OPPOSITE of this???
On the one hand it is a really good video about colors and how we perceive them. On the other hand I somewhat disagree with the 2nd part (Freeing Yourself). Maybe if you are painting a model for some kind of an exhibition it is a good guideline, but if someone wants just to assemble and paint a model according to the instruction to put it on a shelf, it should be completely OK. Also, manufacturer could be important: sometimes it is easier to find paint of some manufacturers or they are cheaper in some regions. And there could be problems with mixing different paints if they aren't water based acrylics
I did say that it was ok to carry on painting as per manufacturers instructions in the video. As for the other comments - firstly, see my video on acrylics because acrylics cover all types of paints, secondly I didnt get into mixing paints because that's a video all by itself - this video is all about saying you should feel free to do what YOU want - whatever that is.
I agree wholeheartedly with what you said 👏👏👏👍In almost 50 years of modeling, I never did any research on any of my projects - not once!!! Everything I did, I did it for me, and for me only. I never gave a flying f... what anybody else thought or said about my models (not that they have ever been seen by many people, but anyway...). And, because I am old, I am not one of those insecure snowflakes, who need and constantly seek self-affirmation through adoration by strangers, of which there are sooooo many since the Millennials started to populate the earth, and some idiot deemed it necessary to post a picture of her dinner online (I'm pretty sure it was a "her")! And some of them are even in our modeling community - the rivet counters, the know-it-alls, the ones who insist on historical accuracy as the only option and the only truth (e.g. modeling competitions), all those commenters on YT who give unsolicited critiques, and the numb nut haters (did I forget anyone?). OK, tantrum over. Alex, I've got a serious question for you which has bugged me for quite some time. And since you are the self-proclaimed "Paint Jesus", I hope you can help me. It concerns Tamiya XF and TS paints - why is the hue of the same color different? I mean, Tamiya tells you in the instructions explicitly which rattle cans to use to get the same color as from the pots. I tried XF9 (TS33), XF60 (TS3), XF61 (TS2), XF62 (TS5), XF63 (TS4), and XF65 (TS78) - all are either much lighter, or much darker than the corresponding other. Why is that? Maybe you have a scientific answer? And please keep in mind that using an airbrush as a solution is not an option for me! I solely rely on spray paints and brushes. So you gotta help me out here, buddy 🙂Thanks in advance and greetings, have a nice British Sunday, Mike P.S.: Anyone else notice this? Please let me know! Thanks
I imagine they're not the same paints. Formulating a paint with a pigment that will work in both an aqueous acrylic emulsion and one that works in. A rattle can with pressurised organic solvents is quite a challenge, so I imagine they compromise
@@MikeUSA67 You can decant spray paints...not making a huge mess....less easy! The easiest way I've found is to spray into the cap as carefully as you can
This is an interesting approach with blaring omissions, such as four colour receptors, colour standards such as RAL and FS, and the scale colour effect. Playing the any-colour works card is not historically accurate; that's why there are colour standards and regulations for use. Those indifferent to colours will apply whatever. Coming up with "it's close enough" vague colours deprives the kit builder of a historical exploration into why the colour was originally created and the backstory. The kit manufacturers' colour callouts are lacking or biased toward a particular manufacturer. The presentation was entertaining and, for that reason, got a hall pass. 🤔 😀
Historical accuracy based on lots of research isn't fun for everybody. I happen to enjoy it, but I definitely wouldn't wish my level of obsession on anyone. Knowing the backstory of a particular colour doesn't make the model look any better.
Tetrachromics are incredibly rare, and only recently genetically proven - well over 99.9999% of the population have three colour receptors, and so irrelevant for this discussion. As for everything you've said on the "playing the any colour works card" it's a mix of misinterpretation and incorrect assumption - I said nothing in this video to "deprive" anyone of anything, but once again - you can recreate a perfect re-creation of a historical colour and it'll still be wrong in any scale but 1:1. You can use that as a starting point, sure, but your model won't be as "realistic" as one using toned-done tones Still, glad you found the presentation entertaining even if we agree on some of the detail!
As someone who has always had the my model I'll build and paint how I like, it's nice to see a video basically saying that. Also I'm not brand loyal so mix and match as I please. Happy modelling to all.
Well said
@MannsModelMoments agreed....at the end of the day i build MY models for ME and if i am happy with the end result then that is all that matters.....and yes,i am slightly colour blind... only found out when i failed the medical for the Irish Air Corps....then went for the Regular full time Army and failed that too..finally got a pass when i went for the Army Reserve as being part timers their medical requirments at the time were not as strict..👍👍
Brilliant! It took me back to my plentiful days of insomnia and Open University programs. A really interesting vid!
Thanks!
Yeah. Amen to all of this. I used to laugh at people getting angry on forums about precise RLM colours etc. And another thing about getting away from the box is learning technigues: rather than paint something a manufacturer's "wood brown" or "leather" you learn how to use things like oil paints over a completely different base coat to make a much more realistic effect
Agreed
What would be interesting would e seeing a model painted half and half. One half being what the instructions show with the other half done with your own style for painting kits. Give a real example of how doing your own thing can really affect the final product.
Great idea!
Excellent!
You have explained this issue so well, I really do hope your viewers caught on to the fact that is your model of a Spitfire and not a Spitfire! So many modellers have left the ‘art’ out of the process and only want factual pieces, that’s fine however so is the art method! Crikey, every print is slightly off, every screen as well.
Great stuff really is.
Bob
England
Thank you very much!
An excellent video. I fully concur with all you say. You never stop learning. I have been modelling for 60 years and I can still complete a model and look at it one day and think it is one of the best I have constructed, painted and weathered and the next day look at in a different light and think it one of my worst! [e.g. 1/48th scale metal finish EE Lightning] Never a truer saying than 'your best model is always your next'.
Excellent video on how colors are perceived. I ran the photo darkroom for an ophthalmology department at a major university in the Midwest for 3 years in the late 70s. They had 5 boxes of 20 color chips in each box which ran the entire visible spectrum from end to end. One box at a time was dumped onto a table and the subject was to arrange the color chips in descending order say from red into orange then into yellow. The head of the photography section in the ophthalmology department wrote a program and placed bar codes on the bottom of each chip so when a person completed a box the bottom bar codes would be scanned and produce a graph of the person perception of that range of colors. Being near by I was used as a Guinea pig. It was discovered that I have a slight deficiency in my blue-green spectrum which explained why I sometimes had to make several photo prints if the subject had a large amount of blue to green shades. I had difficulty getting the sky too green or the grass too blue. People perceive colors differently; remember the argument on the internet about whether the picture of a dress was gold or sliver.
I painted the 'GAZ AAA' dark green, and it wasn't that strange.
I think the color chart is for reference only and you don't need to worry too much about it.
Absolutely!
I agree to what you say on this subject. We as modelers need to remember these colors are a base coat. From there you can make lighter or darker shades to add to the base color in order to provide the different colors that you see in the light or darkness. I use th paint with oils,water colors and pastels on canvas. Learning to blend and create colors help in modeling a lot.
This video is a representation of my mind and RLM 81 Brown Violet choice - every time!
Good vid and well explained!
Many thanks for this video! I went fully down the colour mixing rabbit hole some time ago. I buy off the shelf artist acrylics and use a paint mixing app to mix and match the colours I want, based on some research to achieve the "correct" shade of course. I've found this to be a really fun and rewarding process. The best part is the realisation that if the "correct" shade doesn't look good, you can change it without the world ending!
Absolutely!
Finally, vindication for the purple Spitfire that 10-year-old me made! 😜 But seriously Alex this is really thought-provoking. I totally get the concept - look at how portrait artists depict someone in a suit of armour WITHOUT using any metallic paint. And we will need to achieve something similar on a 3-D “canvas,” our plastic models (do faded and chipped surfaces, simulate stressed skin on aircraft, have scale colour, represent weathered metal, etc). Quite the challenge, but very intriguing. Your best topic yet, in my book. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks!
Ahhh dont, I've got a fantastic pot of cadbury purple that I'm dying to paint an SR-71 with....
@@DubsnSubsSessions 😆
Do it.
Overall I go for authenticity over following guides, some manufacturers have decent shades out of the bottle. MRP is my favorite for that, but some vehicles, the more obscure ones that i tend to like, often have limited reseach avaliable, so close is close enough, and thats before weathering changes everything.
We often make a rod for our own backs, James!
I'm glad you mentioned Citadel paints. I find them really useful for scale modelling, and always have a few on hand.
I think a lot of people dismiss them because they are for "a game". Having said that, they are expensive and do come in some of the worst bottles ever conceived, but careful and judicious purchases of specific shades and reformatting them to dropper bottles gives the best of both worlds!
I’m colourblind as hell, i prefer it when I’m told exactly which paint to use, means it actually doesn’t look like a toddler’s drawing
Of course if you are one of the roughly 5% of the population that has some colour perception difference it's going to be much more difficult for you - though using a paint app can provide you with t=at least some of that information
Great video. I wonder if the rivet counters will be choking on their cup of tea, as I assume they want everything to go by the companies own brands. It comes down to your own choice, do you stick with one set of paints or mix manufacturers. This has become very enlightening series, Thank you Alex
Thank you! I expect there will be a certain faction that do choke, given some of the off-platform hate for my Acrylics video.,....!
Really good video. Many years ago I read a guide in Military Modelling about scale colour effects and adding white or other lighter shades to artificially 'bleach' the perceived colour of small models, as you discuss, and it significantly changed my approach. Similarly I have been doing conventional art classes and this really helped understand colour theory without being beholden to the 'right' colour. As you summarise, the kit manufacturer's recommendation is a good starting point but we should feel comfortable pushing beyond that 👍
Paint fades in sunlight. An aeroplane which started life one shade of grey (say) will be a different shade of grey five years down the line. Same goes for other colours too: some colours fade faster than others. I wouldn't lose too much sleep over finding an exact shade, because it might only apply to a brand new aircraft or tank, etc.
Exactly!
Absolutely agree!
I did reference cards for my paint too, but I didn't think to scan them. That's a great idea to avoid the problem caused by the setting of the screen.
My own advice would be : always compares your colors to the real object at a distance where the real object is the size of your model (to avoid the problems of scale you talk about in your video), and, if there are many colors on the real object ( like a camouflage), the contrast between them is far more important than the exact shades.
That's a great idea!
I used to work in the lab at the Russell Athletic factory in Scotland and the amount of work that went into matching colours would make your eyes water. (Pun intended)
As well as the commonly used colour wheel - the circular chart you see in most diy stores - we had to think of it in 3D.
The best explanation is that colour is the same shape as a rugby ball standing on its end. It's brightest around the middle, with deeper (fuller) colours as you head to the bottom, and thinner (lighter) colours as you head to the top. As you head in either direction the colour starts to loose its brightness because they are getting closer to the centre of the ball (remember its brightest around the middel)
And in the centre, imagine a stick that is white at the top and goes theough various shades of grey as it decends down to black.
If a colour came out of a dying machine wrong we had to work out what colour to use and how much dye to put in to correct it. I really enjoyed working there.
It's why I use the CIELAB (Lab for short) system, as it measures how close colours are in 3d space and it's based on human perception of colour, so it;s more
practical
@@MannsModelMomentsI’ve used LAB before when retouching.
@@andy-bowden It's something that's been continually refined too, which I like
Are you ready to ditch manufacturers paints and head out alone into the wide world of paints? What guidance do you think you'd need in order to help you, or do you have confidence in your abilities? Let me know in the comments below!
My way for aircraft is to buy the same (allegedly) colours from Vallejo, AK, Ammo and Tamiya and see which one I like best in terms of colour and how it behaves out of the airbrush. 😊❤😊
@@markstott6689 As long as it works for you Mark, more power to you!
I've already pretty much ditched them, but I'm very lucky when it comes to this sort of thing. My wife is a formally trained artist, so she understands colour theory, paint mixing, colour matching, etc. She guides me whenever I need help with colours or other techniques.
She's always telling me to experiment with my paints, do colour charts, mix them and paint samples in an art journal so I can see what they do and how I can get the colours I want out of them. It's kind of scary though, as I use Kimera, and they're not cheap.
Lucky Man! I love Kimera paints, and although they're not cheap, you do get a relatively large amount of very good paint, so I think the value point is actually higher than for many kit manufacturers paints.
I mix a lot but it's handy to have colours close to what you want to save the legwork ( which I am completely capable of doing ) especially when figure painting and you need to mix in a tertiary to a base colour for a shadow tint or the like.
But learning to mix properly can really elevate your game, beyond red blue yellow, to the inherent variation in warm and cool shades in the traditional primary colours.
I remember one of my early models was a Dambusters Lancaster, I followed the paint guide and it wasnt until I was finished I wondered why none of the detail was really called out. Now I know when they say "this part is black" they mean "this part is mostly black but there are other details on it that might look better if you painted them in a different colour".
Yeah, research is kind of a critical part of the process if you want to try to recreate accuracy
Also black isnt black! And white isnt white. Painting a black surface black wont look as good without adding depth. Using a slightly lighter black/dark grey then having the recesses be the darkest black ensures ur model pops
I agree, I only use the paint call outs as a guide these days and choose what I consider the better colours to use. Plus there's no law against doing what we want with our own models. I think some take it all too serious it's supposed to be a fun hobby and enjoyable
100%! Your model is exactly that YOURS - no one else's, and unless you're entering a competition it has to please no one else but you!
@@MannsModelMoments well said mate
Agreed, but there should have been laws in place to prevent US idiots to spent theire covid relief money on Wingnut Wings kits, can we at least agree?
@@MannsModelMomentsYou are right, unless it's for a contest: in that case you have to blackbase it, highlight and post shade it, use ridiculous amounts of weathering products and be related to the "right" group of modellers, can we agree?
If you submit a model for a contest, you're agreeing to whatever rules they put in place, so you'll be judged by those same rules - one of the many reasons I generally DON'T enter competitions - I don't need someone else's seal of approval for what I've done
Nice video, just about to start making some models so will see how it goes but are acrylics the best for beginners?
There are a ton of advantages to starting with aqueous acrylic emulsion-based paints - they're non-toxic, dry quickly, are pretty robust and come in a huge range from many manufacturers
@@MannsModelMoments Thanks.
Does the RAL colour system that’s used in Architecture have any relevance?
Yes and no - some RAL numbers are still used, some have changed and done were discontinued as part of the denazification of Germany post WWII
Ive tried several different paint manufacturers , always end up with tamiya...custum mix to what i want . I think its what works best for you and what your used to . Brought up with humbrol enamels for brush painting though .
I agree that you should use what works for you - if that's a particular brand or style of paints that you feel works best for you, then you're far more likely to be able to create what you want because you'll build knowledge and familiarity, freeing you to express yourself rather than worry about other things
Thank you so much for this video! It´s a great work, very helpful. I spray my models with Vallejo and Revell colors. When I can go in a museum with a RAL- Color- Chart to look at the original , than I can mix or choose the right one.
Looking at real life subjects is a great thing to do, never mind about for research!
My grandpa is a carpenter, so the wood can be given any particular tone the client might want, plus sometimes the furniture requires a granited or quartz countertop per the client's request.
Since we know that light conditions can affect how the real colors of an object can look, we instead just show samples to the client in person.
There's a chain of stores in northern England called Boyes that sell Humbrol enamels and aerosols, Citadel, Vallejo Model, Air and Game Colours and also a lot of model making equipment. A huge number of SKUs but bizarrely they don't sell any model kits whatsoever. One day I'll contact them to find out why.
Interesting!
I have noticed this theme running through your recent postings Alex and I like it - I love hearing the science behind it and hopefully some sinks in ( TBH I’m seeing myself a bit like Jesse Pinkman here “yeah Science B*tch” when Walter White explains how to make meth ) but a lot goes over my head. I am only just starting back on the modelling journey and have noticed the disparity in paint colours - SO i got a selection to try Tamiya / AK 3rd Gen / Ammo MIG - seems like I missed MRP given how it is held in high regard. The first couple of models (Tamiya) will follow the suggested paint schemes including mixing up colours. Then I will branch out to try alternate colours. So much to learn!
I think modleling is a hobby that we're always learning new things in, despite our prior experiences there's always more to know!
@@MannsModelMoments too true - being of a certain age (61) I always think of the adage “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” - being the old dog I’ve learned you have got to learn new tricks as well as merge what you already know.
Another very thought provoking video Alex. I love the research side of the build process - a specific subject can look different from one week in history to the next; this has also led me not to worry too much about 'perceived authenticity' - every time you think you've nailed a variant of an aircraft at a specific time and specific place, you find something that tears the rule up. For that reason I do enjoy 'flexible realities', none better that planes based on Malta for instance! It's also what makes what-ifs so appealing.
Absolutely!
Color modulation is fun, spray on spoons with different base coats and you'll learn a ton
Yes, exactly!
I came expecting a video about painting model kits and ended up getting a biology lesson!
As is my want! 😁
All this science makes my head hurt,its a hobby,its supposed to be fun,if its not fun you are doing it wrong. Its your model ,paint it any colour you want with whatever paint brand you like.I have been building models for fifty years and while my models would never win any competitions, I like them and enjoyed building them and thats what counts.
Allthough I agree with what you say, we both know you are making up excuses, right? 🤭
Science isn't incompatible with fun....
Золотые слова👍
I have the 80 piece set from ICM and I am perfectly happy with that for now, using the color that looks good enough to me. Maybe I'll expand the color range down the line, including mixing, as I build and learn
They are great paints to be sure
Excellent. You might want to mention metamerism as well.
Great point, though I think I'd maybe risk getting "into the weeds" a bit too much....or otherwise I could make the video twice as long! I got criticism form some (admittedly rather toxic) circles about the amount of "science stuff" I did or did not include in my acrylics video, so decided to go at a more conceptual level just to make the point about colour perception, but metamerism is a really good example of their being no "absolutes" in our colour interpretation -thanks for bringing it up!
Work on does it look right, it is more than likely right. Use colour selection as a reference, so many things can effect what colour is truelly going to look like. Man I have mixed multiple colours together no ratios to get what I am looking for.
I remember us airforce low viz when it first came out. that's when I started experimenting in mixing colour's .olive drab for armour is another one black and yellow and yellow does not do well with uv hence the crazy variation just my threoy lol am really enjoying the videos on paint cheers.
So what I take from this is if I lighten every single colour that I use to reflect more light then I'll get a more realistic appearance to a model?
Pretty much - but it depends on scale, subject and what you're trying to achieve too
@@MannsModelMoments I have found that every variety of Panzer grey I have personally used has been way too dark so I have lightened it by a couple of shades and this does give a more realistic appearance when compared to old photographs.
@@martinoconnor4314 Absolutely
Very good video Alex , the colors are a subject very dificult to acurate. For a example in a plane it depends of the sun light is taken in the fuselage in a diferent theater of war . with the basic colors, yellow/blue/red we can create any color and use black /white do dark or give more light . For a example with black and yellow we can create olive drab, the black is take the place of blue. I love work with colors , and we can traine our eyes in the workbench , just mix lots of colors and achive experience in the eyes. Thanks to put the subject in the video. Greetings from Portugal 🙋♂
Thanks!
I desde what theam i want to use in my model. See which paints i have available, mix if nessasary and paint what i want. 😅
Good stuff
Interesting and thought provoking video. I have moved to a 'that colour is close enough' painting recently. Any image being used as a reference will have been through a camera, editing software, a printing process or a monitor/screen so will never be exactly the same unless each is calibrated. Too often we paint stuff that will never be seen again (aircraft interiors) so why put a lot of effort into it? If you like doing it (which I do) then it is just part of the kit building fun. I think we lose sight that it is a hobby and should be fun and not causing anxiety over accuracy of details or colours.
My personal favourite paints are AK Real Colours. Why? Mainly because I have got used to airbrushing them plus their 3Gen match almost exactly so they are useful for touching up with a brush. Do have a lot of Tamiya as well. Quite a few other brands but those tend to be for detailing. Did a quick check and found I have about 8 different olive drabs but that does help to get away from a uniform look.
You're quite right - that's why I mentioned choosing the right colour for you, because there are so many factors
Doctor, “I’m afraid it’s bad news. All that modelling? You have developed a nasty case of OCD..”
Patient, “Obssessive Compulsive Disorder?”
Doctor, “No, Obsessive Chromatic Discernment. Here’s a set of prime colours. You’re not allowed to use anything but these for the next 6 months.”
Haha - actually using limited colours and palettes can be instructive and fun!
Good video. Only. I use Tamiya and Mr. Gunze Aq. as my favourite paint for my airbrush. Vallejo is nice, only by brush painting. That is my restriction to paint. I mix paint often.
Using a certain set of paints you are familiar with is a good idea as you gan experience and familiarity with them
what a great video...
Thanks!
Good video. I have never gotten too hung up over colors. I typically do some basic research and try to build something that looks like the photos of it. Years ago when I was a lot more active on model building forums, I would always get a kick out people who would argue about the minutiae of colors saying this color is too dark, this one is too light etc. as though your kit is wrong. If the color is too dark, then maybe your kit portrays the subject on a cloudy day. On the other hand, for the same reasons, if I don’t have any good color photo references, I certainly don’t mind using the kit recommendations. Maybe the Tamiya color callouts are incorrect or.a compromise, but if I don’t have any reheard material to the contrary, I can happily use theirs and not worry about it further.
Well said!
Very good video, and I would like to add that in many cases the color is also different depending on other conditions than just the light, like weather, dust and dirt, not to mention paint has a tendency to fade in strong sun light.
I'm not so sure however I agree with the notion that a model painted as the real thing with say almost invisible panel lines make it look like a toy; instead, take that model and put it next to the real thing at some distance and see for yourself: a 1/35 scale model kept at armlengths distance has the same volume as the real thing (I think, someone did the math on this) at 15 meters. In other words, line up your model on an outstretched arm with the real thing 15 meters away and you can do a direct comparison. And then you'll see that many of the details we so painstakingly paint just disappear - they aren't on the real thing and they can't be seen on the model.
That is not to say the details shouldn't be painted, on the contrary, but my point is that exaggerating these details will be counterproductive for a realistic model. This exaggeration is sometimes used deliberately and can be seen especially in gaming figures which technically are in about 1/56 scale - but the models tend to have too large heads, hands and facial features, to make them easier to paint. It is also - unfortunately - often used by figure painters at all scales that tend to paint clothes with stark highlights ( dull clothes reflect little to no light) and faces with red cheeks and almost white noses and foreheads. All in the interest of exaggerating the details - which is simply not necessary even for display models.
Well, that's very much down to individual choice And style
David R Lentz, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Thoughtful and instructive. It starts with an exhortation of "back to the basics" in painting, to a sophisticated explication of colour theory, complete with what “colour” actually is: our sense organs (eyes, retina, cones and rods) perceiving phenomena in our environment; chiefly, photons emanating from a light source, or reflecting to varying degrees from a surface (which I call “the physics of reality”). A capital job, that!
Thank you!
thats why my fans say my colours are amazing ❤
??
Fully agree that you have to go with what works for you and that at the end of the day it is your model so it is up to you to finish it in the way feels right to you. Personally I use Gunze paints as my go to paint, I just find it goes down well for me and has a good range of colours/types (I tend to go with the Mr Color as first choice) but also have Tamiya, SMS, Ammo Mig, Vallejo, Army Painter, Humbrol and Alclad in my stash, I then mix and match what I need with each model to get the desired result. Ultimately, I use the paint callouts on the instructions as a starting point and then decide what I am going to use on the model.
P.S. Enjoyed the 24Hr build of the Marauder, would love to see you do something in the same vein with a modern subject such as the Airfix Vulcan :)
I also have a Valiant ...🤔
BUT WE MUST DO OUR MODELS IN THE EXACT COLOURS TO BE PERFECTLY ACCURATE!!!
Hahaha
Alex...Another Question: Are you planning on another 24-hour live build before summer's end? Perhaps one that is spread over a couple of weeks so that you don't go crazy? I thought that it was a fun format after the Marauder build. 😊❤😊
Not sure about another 24h build this summer...it was a toughie! If I got enough requests I might, but I'd also consider a different format, like a one-night build or timed challenge...
My structural nanometers certainly feel empowered now.
If you are driving to work in the morning, you are fresh, alert and ready for your day, then you see a flag flying, for example a Union Jack, you\'ll see a red, white and blue flag, then in the evening on your way home after a hard days work you see the same red, white and blue flag you saw in the morning but are you seeing the same colours you saw in the morning? No you are not, the flag hasn't changed, but the light you are viewing it in has changed; usually evening light is redder and not as bright than morning light; also the air quality might have changed and by evening your mental and physical state has changed, you're probably tired, and all the affects the way you perceive colours. I have to agree with MMM about paint colours, what you see might be totally different to what others see. A lot depends on the light you a seeing with that is why you should try and choose your colours in natural day-light. Of course the guys in the UK will have a different day-light to those in Australia, South Africa or various parts of America as the natural day-light varies. The light source makes a huge difference asto how we perceive colour. I used to work in the printing industry where colour perception is very important, and part of my job was to ensure the colour being printed matched the customers requirements. and we eventually had to get a standard light source in the all departments especially the machine room to ensure we were all seeing the same colour.. I even had to recommend that colour blindness tests had to be done on all staff dealing with colour and it was surprising how many guys were slightly colour blind especially in seeing yellow tones and a few seeing red/yellow tones, which as it turns out is surprisingly common in males. Obviously they were not used to check colour or set the inks for colour with-out conformation from someone else with good colour vision. What we see as colour has a huge variation from person to person and the best thing as MMM said, is to do what seems right to you, after it is your mode, and you are making a representation of a real thing and what might look good on a 32 scale model will look totally wrong on a 1/72 scale model; scale effect; Just remember we do this for fun, and with each new model you make will probably be better than the previous one, especially in the painting. So pf you're not that satisfied with your current model, next time you can try something different.
Absolutely
I mean... Who knows what a Spitfire really looks like under living room lighting?
Exactly!
I have this half track I wished to look Sun faded. It came out splendid in shade & still it looks O.D. To me O.D. has a gray area.
Yeah, I can see that too
As Obi-Wan said to Luke..."Your eyes can decieve you,don't trust them".
I used to paint by numbers but now I paint by look and feel. If it doesn't sit nice on my eyes I don't like it. Being slightly autistic doesn't really help. I paint to pick out the details. I vary the shades of my greens mostly to stop all my armour looking the same. A whole line of u.s. drab green just looks meh... It was never a proper standard just a that's close enough during the war anyway I think. I just get that feeling. So that's how I did it. Engines is the thing I love to detail. Playing with all the metallic silvers and finishes and shading. Tamiya is my go to paint and I'm quite a fan of citadel as well. I really like their super bright colours and washes.
Sounds good!
Research should also be taken on with an open mind. Using photographs is fine if you want a "look" but cannot be used to justify religiously (as some do) a particular scheme. You can sample the green on that spitfire on 20 different spots and get 20 different RGB refs. Moreover, when dealing with period photos that were done on film one has to bear in mind that all color film will have a color bias. Also, film is balanced for the situation, either natural light (daylight film) or indoors which at the time would have probably meant incandescent lighting. These are two totally different lighting situations which your brain sorts out internally, but on film and video this can result in things being overly bluish or overly warm (computer monitors also have biases, actually pretty much any mechanism to reproduce color images). Even when referencing military specifications, it is not unusual to see accounts that in the field, the paint used was sometimes the closest the maintenance shop could find, and light fade is indeed a thing in the real world. Also multiple manufacturers might make the same color, but it looks different - as your small scale example has shown.
A lot of the models I work with are science fiction models and I'm still surprised by how many people still worry about whether the color of some fictional vehicle is correct or not. I basically give a similar message; do you want it to look like it did on TV, or in the studio, or in some gallery exhibit, or web site, or the way it makes you happy? What color is the USS Enterprise?
Indeed! Well said
I'm a figure painter primarily, though I've done both railroad and military vehicle modeling as well.
1) If you take a calibrated set of FS chips to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson and set those chips on the airplanes painted to those Federal Standards, you will find that the chips don't match the actual paint even when under exactly the same light. Pigments fade, paint gets scuffed or dirtied, and sometimes the paint manufacturer just does a bad job. It's possible that airplane matched the chip the day it was painted, but after that brief, shining moment ... nope.
2) I find it fascinating to watch very good vehicle modelers ignore light and shadow when painting their models. I understand why. But the need to paint in light and shadow is a conversation that has to be conducted with newer figure modelers as well. In that context, I like to use stage makeup as an example. Actors don't make themselves up in the same way as people not on stage, because they're compensating for a very different lighting and viewing scenario. The same is true for models.
Excellent points! Thank you
But I want to paint by numbers. That's why I bought the kit.
Then do that - it's up to you!
8:31 as much as i agree with the general meaning of the video, i have to point out that those two eurofighters look different... because they are two different greys of two different airforces
Colours vary very much for many different reasons, as explained in the video, but still, we can aspire to paint "inside" that variation, or close to. Of course, anyone has the right to paint as he wants, and i encourage experimenting
They're exemplars, it's not literal, seeing as I can't get a Eurofighter to pose for me as I want it, I have to find images that demonstrate the point. If you got the point, then what's the purpose of nit-picking, when part of the theme of the video is exactly the OPPOSITE of this???
On the one hand it is a really good video about colors and how we perceive them. On the other hand I somewhat disagree with the 2nd part (Freeing Yourself). Maybe if you are painting a model for some kind of an exhibition it is a good guideline, but if someone wants just to assemble and paint a model according to the instruction to put it on a shelf, it should be completely OK. Also, manufacturer could be important: sometimes it is easier to find paint of some manufacturers or they are cheaper in some regions. And there could be problems with mixing different paints if they aren't water based acrylics
I did say that it was ok to carry on painting as per manufacturers instructions in the video.
As for the other comments - firstly, see my video on acrylics because acrylics cover all types of paints, secondly I didnt get into mixing paints because that's a video all by itself - this video is all about saying you should feel free to do what YOU want - whatever that is.
I agree wholeheartedly with what you said 👏👏👏👍In almost 50 years of modeling, I never did any research on any of my projects - not once!!! Everything I did, I did it for me, and for me only. I never gave a flying f... what anybody else thought or said about my models (not that they have ever been seen by many people, but anyway...). And, because I am old, I am not one of those insecure snowflakes, who need and constantly seek self-affirmation through adoration by strangers, of which there are sooooo many since the Millennials started to populate the earth, and some idiot deemed it necessary to post a picture of her dinner online (I'm pretty sure it was a "her")! And some of them are even in our modeling community - the rivet counters, the know-it-alls, the ones who insist on historical accuracy as the only option and the only truth (e.g. modeling competitions), all those commenters on YT who give unsolicited critiques, and the numb nut haters (did I forget anyone?).
OK, tantrum over. Alex, I've got a serious question for you which has bugged me for quite some time. And since you are the self-proclaimed "Paint Jesus", I hope you can help me. It concerns Tamiya XF and TS paints - why is the hue of the same color different? I mean, Tamiya tells you in the instructions explicitly which rattle cans to use to get the same color as from the pots. I tried XF9 (TS33), XF60 (TS3), XF61 (TS2), XF62 (TS5), XF63 (TS4), and XF65 (TS78) - all are either much lighter, or much darker than the corresponding other. Why is that? Maybe you have a scientific answer? And please keep in mind that using an airbrush as a solution is not an option for me! I solely rely on spray paints and brushes. So you gotta help me out here, buddy 🙂Thanks in advance and greetings, have a nice British Sunday, Mike
P.S.: Anyone else notice this? Please let me know! Thanks
I imagine they're not the same paints. Formulating a paint with a pigment that will work in both an aqueous acrylic emulsion and one that works in. A rattle can with pressurised organic solvents is quite a challenge, so I imagine they compromise
@@MannsModelMoments So it's them, not me, and there is nothing I can do about it. Is that what you're saying? 😞
@@MannsModelMoments Just had a thought: how would you go about decanting spray paint without making a huge mess?
@@MikeUSA67 Yeah I believe so....
@@MikeUSA67 You can decant spray paints...not making a huge mess....less easy! The easiest way I've found is to spray into the cap as carefully as you can
This is an interesting approach with blaring omissions, such as four colour receptors, colour standards such as RAL and FS, and the scale colour effect. Playing the any-colour works card is not historically accurate; that's why there are colour standards and regulations for use. Those indifferent to colours will apply whatever. Coming up with "it's close enough" vague colours deprives the kit builder of a historical exploration into why the colour was originally created and the backstory. The kit manufacturers' colour callouts are lacking or biased toward a particular manufacturer. The presentation was entertaining and, for that reason, got a hall pass. 🤔 😀
Historical accuracy based on lots of research isn't fun for everybody. I happen to enjoy it, but I definitely wouldn't wish my level of obsession on anyone. Knowing the backstory of a particular colour doesn't make the model look any better.
Tetrachromics are incredibly rare, and only recently genetically proven - well over 99.9999% of the population have three colour receptors, and so irrelevant for this discussion.
As for everything you've said on the "playing the any colour works card" it's a mix of misinterpretation and incorrect assumption - I said nothing in this video to "deprive" anyone of anything, but once again - you can recreate a perfect re-creation of a historical colour and it'll still be wrong in any scale but 1:1. You can use that as a starting point, sure, but your model won't be as "realistic" as one using toned-done tones
Still, glad you found the presentation entertaining even if we agree on some of the detail!
Agreed! @Jaco_Schutte