Stop using kit instructions to paint your kits!!

Colors, Hues, Shades, Variations, Artistic Interpretation....where do i start??


This article will cover 2 of the main problems i see on a daily basis.


OK, one of my pet peeves when looking through the groups is the anal retentiveness of some of the rivet counters when it comes to colors being used.


I have seen comments on posts where rc's( rivet counters ) don't agree with a color being used on a certain kit. Even down to seeing one argue that it was the wrong shade of a certain color early/late production. Does anyone else see this as madness?


Let's look at a couple of the main problems with reproduction accuracy. First problem would be the paint manufacturers themselves. When there are so many different variations all with the same name..how is the novice builder to pick the "correct" shade. For example, one of the basic armor colors "Khaki" shown below.




RAL Colour Standard's interpretation of the colour Khaki




Colour Studies Swatch of a colour also called Khaki





Colour Hexa's Version of the same colour still a shade different than the last


then we start adding in the modelling paint suppliers "renditions"




Tamiya




Humbrol





Vallejo




Mr Hobby



Each colour above is listed as Khaki in each perspective paint chart. I know some of you are going to come out and say " one is Khaki Brown, one is Khaki Green " ...when i just did a google search and pulled these images, i pulled them specifically because they were simply called "Khaki"


So this leads to the dilemma...we will use armor for the example, how is the new builder that has never built armor before supposed to deduce which shade of Khaki is correct for the build they are doing? After all, the instructions just use the term "Khaki" ......Go ahead... i will wait.....


Think about that for a bit and i will come back to it later


The next problem is accuracy within the instructions, I cannot tell you the amount of times i have looked through a set of instructions throughout my life and found errors listed in the kit instructions. Telling builders to paint things the wrong colors. This happens in every genre, aircraft, automotive, armor, sci-fi...i have found glaring errors in each.


The most recent incident i can bring up is when a fellow builder and member of my FB group, James was working on a Camaro kit. ( Not calling you out James, You are doing awesome on the build, The Manufacturer failed you on the colors ) Within the paint call outs in the instruction sheet they call for painting the exhaust systems mufflers. let me show you what they say.




Instructions call for the mufflers and resonators to be painted colours "D" and "E", lets see what colors those are according to the instructions....



Now keep in mind, If someone has never build an Automotive kit, you would expect the colour call outs to be accurate enough for a viable representation to be made.


Following those colour call outs in the kit instructions leads you to the pic below.




Once again i want to stress, there is nothing wrong with the build craftsmanship here, overall he is doing awesome for being his first build since returning to the fold in many years. But the colours on the exhaust are fictional. This is not down to the builder, it is pure failure on the manufacturers part.


As someone that grew up in the car game for all my life, this mentally threw a flag to me when i first saw it. Not everyone grew up around cars, i was a mechanic for 30+ years and a parts whore for another 8ish. The manufacturers have to do better, but that is unlikely to happen. So it is up to us to be vigilant and watch out for these issues as we build.


I have listed 2 Different problems so far.. they both have the same solution.


RESEARCH ... think about it this way, you spent a lot of money on the kit you are building, the paints, the supplies, the time you are going to invest in building it. Why not add 10 minutes before you start and dedicate that time to pulling research pics off the net?


a quick google search pulled pics of the underside of the 69 Camaro



I see a steel exhaust and also a bunch more detail that could be added to a build just looking at the pic. I would do the same for the front grill area, interior, engine bay, along with the tires and rims. Every angle you can find for the subject matter you are working on, it will all help improving your skill set as you move further into this wonderful hobby,


Same thing goes for armor and aircraft, Reference pics, are more reliable than any paint code or colour call out in a set of instructions. Remember the people that actually wrote those instructions have likely never even been near the live subject matter themselves. They can be wrong.


As far as the paint manufacturers varying hues of the same named colours...The best advice i can give is to match colours by eye. Unless its a specialty build someone is paying you to recreate and supplying you with the materials needed. Your best asset is your vision and your ability to do research.


One of the best pieces of advice i can offer...Stop stressing about colours being exact. I have a hard time remembering the last time i have even looked at a colour call out sheet in a model kit i was building. ( seriously its been that long since i bothered to look at one ) Build for you, Build for fun, Build for anything at all....But don't build to please other people. As much as we like to impress people with our builds, unless they are buying your kits and supplies for you..you don't have to impress anyone. Remember your basics and strive to make the next build better than the last and add to your personal skill set as you go.


one last word for the rivet counters...not everyone builds to enter contests, not everyone is interested in going through the trouble of correcting the firing order on a 1/24 kit, not everyone is interested in the 74 shades of dunkelgleb over the years, and probably even fewer are interested in your two cents when you care to throw it in the pot. Unless you can leave positive feedback to encourage builders to continue learning and growing in this hobby, you should scroll right on by and maybe not say a word.


cya next time.