Comparing paints

Ian_Holmes

Comparing paints

Postby Ian_Holmes » Fri May 01, 2009 10:44 pm

Coming back to finescale modelling after a few years away. It has probably been as much as 20 years since I last assembled a Parkside wagon kit. But it wasn't long before it all started to come back to me.
Parkside kits are very nice and a delight to work with. This particular one is going together very easily.
BUT...
Upon reviewing the painting instructions for the kit. It says to paint the body Brown - Railmatch 235 for my chosen period. There's the but you see for as far as I know you can't buy Railmatch paints here in the good old USofA. I know that I will be weathering the paint job on the van anyway. But as a starting point I need a base colour for the body. What would be a good match for Railmatch 235?

Ian

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Tim V
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Re: Comparing paints

Postby Tim V » Sat May 02, 2009 6:22 pm

I assume it's a fitted vehicle, so virtually any shade of brown could do, have you looked at some colour prototype pictures of the vehicle and matched to that?
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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Ashley
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Re: Comparing paints

Postby Ashley » Sat May 02, 2009 7:38 pm

I'm bilingual as I speak English and American, comes in handy when visiting the in-laws. I also model American. So lets talk box car reds. :twisted:

If you lined up five boxcars, one each from say from the Southern, Santa Fe, SP, UP and PRR, the colors should progress from brown, to rich red-brown, to what can be described as box car red, then to oxide red, and finally ending up with orange oxide red. 8-)

British Railways and LNER browns are at the Southern & Santa Fe end of the scale. LMS is more UP oxide red. :geek:

I hope that helps? ;)
Good judgment comes from experience.
Experience comes from poor judgment.

http://www.clag.org.uk/

jls_s4

Re: Comparing paints

Postby jls_s4 » Mon May 04, 2009 6:39 pm

Ian,

As fellow ex-pat I am constantly striving to match UK rail colours to those available in the States. A good start is to order an actual colour chip chart of the range of US rail colours offered by the Testor Corp, which absorbed Floquil some time ago http://www.testors.com/category/133504/Floquil . I prefer the acrylics but the enamels are still available. For brown you might find something in the military or marine ranges as well. Another possible source (of acrylics) is the Games Workshop Citadel range http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catal ... ints-tools , but I've not tried them. Also http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Modelflex_3.asp for the Badger Modelflex range.

Good luck - by the way colours from different manufacturer's vary considerably so the only sure way is to buy and try...

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Paul Willis
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Re: Comparing paints

Postby Paul Willis » Wed May 06, 2009 9:42 am

Ashley wrote:I'm bilingual as I speak English and American, comes in handy when visiting the in-laws. I also model American. So lets talk box car reds. :twisted:


I know nothing about American railroads, but the analogy is brilliant, and one of the most practical pieces of advice I've seen in a long time.

Nice one Ashley ;-)

Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

Ian_Holmes

Re: Comparing paints

Postby Ian_Holmes » Wed May 06, 2009 11:56 am

Now I have a starting point for the next time I'm in my local hobby shop.
Of course Brown is one of the easy colours. I hope I don't have to deal with British Rail blue... ;)

Ian

jls_s4

Re: Comparing paints

Postby jls_s4 » Wed May 06, 2009 2:02 pm

Ian,

I don't know if you are into acrylics or prefer enamels but a problem with any acrylic paint that comes in a clear glass jar (Testors Acryl/Polyscale) is that the dried colour is always very different from the wet colour in the jar - just like emulsion wall paint. I have on many occasions found what I thought was just the right shade only to find it comletely different on application....

However as we all know, actual colour rendition is often in the eye of the beholder so my philosophy is to keep some consistancy regarding vehicle colours so that they all look good together with the appropriate dark or light shades - my wife laughs at all the pots of red paint I have bought over the years to accommodate early Underground red, early and late Metropolitan red, LT Pannier red (early and late), etc.

doktorstamp
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Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 9:07 am

Re: Comparing paints

Postby doktorstamp » Sat Jul 16, 2011 6:59 am

Consider using Golden Acylics, US based, so should be readily available. They are produced in a good range of colours and shades. Consistency is exactly that across the ranges. For UK members these are available from good art shops. They are suitable for spraying. Should add not cheap as intended for professionakl artists.

And to avoid purchasing an expensive "stay wet" palette. Use grease proof paper or tear off palettes placed on a soaked towel in a pie dish (around the A4 size is best) and generally obtainable as a second. Spray with a mister and cover tray with cling film when not using. Saves upsetting SWMBO.

regards

Nigel


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