hi friends,

i was thinking about our hobby, for the last 40 years i've been involved in it, mainly AFV's scale models 1/35 scale.
all those years i passed them at watching for and looking at real artifacts, making research etc.

what i finally learn is : there's no "correct" red , nor exact dunkelgelb, paint is changing with its surroundings.

But : if you work well with the groundwork, it's just fun

and it's sooooo good ... those minutes in your mancave ... building and painting ...

not thinking of historical correctness in colors but in action

i would like to hear your thoughts about that folks

100%... colours fade, manufacturers use their own version of a colour in the dying stage... even the paint we buy from different manufacturers today in not the same shade of the same colour..
I do this hobby for one reason only.. my own pleasure.. buy what I like..and maybe even paint one every now and again..

I agree on one point,as a hobby it must be fun.Pure,magic fun,it is not worth it otherwise.Having said that I must say that searching for that "correct" colour and going through bibliography IS fun for me.It might be a fool's errand or a wild goose chase but it pleases me.The fun part is not negotiable though!!!!

Oda.

Finding exact colours is only as accurate as the reference materials really. And like has already been said; things effect that too. Weather, dye quality, use, and more.

Many sculpts look amazing so it would be rude not to have a go. And a bit of research can be interesting too.

Humans have been smearing pigments on things for more than 60,000 years ( the oldest known example is in Spain somewhere in surely what must be the
original 'man cave'). So as we're still doing more or less the same thing, there must be something in it that answers a fundamental human creative need. We
owe it to all our ancestors to continue their good work.....

Mike

I was really hoping that photo would be posted as I couldn't find it
A perfect example of historical accuracy right there.

been there, done that ... i earned my salary for almost 10 years as an article writter in various magazines (before internet killed them all) and you just can't imagine how many insulting emails i received from those so-called German Armour experts ... (who never show any model of theirs ).

my best ever laugh was at a model show in Ottawa (IPMS stuff), when i hear judges fighting about the correct grey-white for .... a Falcon Millenium model ! i just couldn't stop laughing !

Hang on a minute, which movie of the MF are you taking about???

LMFAO !

Surly it was the colour the original toy one came as, and you had to search every shop in the uk to get one for the kids

And which scene too?

Confusing though as I always thought it was more an anti-flash white colour which is more yellow. And then heavy weathering

Some years ago in another forum, I pointed out the robe of a 54mm figure of Qin Emperor that won gold in Euro Expo was painted the wrong color. I also included in that comment with all the details and supporting material. The yellow dragon robe that was only started to exist in Tang dynasty a few hundred years later. Some of my comments was later edited and deleted by the administrator. I guess well painted is more important than historical accuracy in the eyes of most people. Eventually this painted figure by the famous figure painter was used as box art for the manufacture.

This is very different though. You didn't question the shade of yellow used. You pointed out that it had been documented as incorrect. Bit of a shame it wasn't taken on board really.

exactly my point Yellowcat, i'm not against historical research (which would avoid Mp44s in the hands of werchmart soldiers in 1940) my point is about the futility of running after the "real" color of one artifact.
My son is in the Canadian Forces, all i can say is not 2 soldiers have the same hues in their combat uniforms, and that since day 1 of enrolment

but to get back at to "why i don't paint historical figures" : there will always "experts" to tell you that the red of your roman cloak is not good ... which is really annoying. at least with fantasy subjects i have complete freedom

Of course the red in our Roman cloaks is wrong ! Unless we use that certain iron pigment gathered on the eve of Caesar's Birthday
in that quarry 27.6 kilometres SSE of St. Agnello, we haven't a ghost of a chance. Surely everybody knows that...don't they ?

Mike

Ive said this a few time on PF, but Im of the "if it looks right, then it is right" school of thought....!

You don't just talk about the MF like that...……………….was it the 1 foot or the 5 foot or the life size or the digital or the pre digital, was it when it flew out of the big worm thingy?? Was the blue screen being used and the name of the bulbs in the lighting being used please??
I don't care as long as it looks good and it looked good when I looked at one in person (plug) that's right I did a video on it


Don't worry about people comments anymore just enjoy yourself
I get thumbs down on my videos and they are free with no ads and I spend 2-3hrs doing them. I did a 10 minute video ( which was about 7hrs of work including going to the show, taking the pics, finding the best ones for the video and then editing and uploading them) of my local model show, great pics if I do say so myself and someone complains that I didn't film every section. If I took in all the negative comments I wouldn't be doing YouTube or modelling.

Oh Franck, I still love historical figures and will always continue to paint them. I try to be the most historically accurate possible but will not lose any sleep if I make a mistake. For me, color selection and harmony will always be more important than accuracy. I paint for myself and the figure has to be 'arty' in the end... not just a simple depiction of a human figure.